The Blues Band

Pictures

6. WDR Rocknacht April 1980

Listen to, buy or share

Buy

Buy on Amazon Amazon Expand purchase options
  • Digital download
  • Amazon Amazon
  • 7digital 7digital
  • iTunes iTunes
  • Physical media
  • Amazon Amazon Search
  • eBay eBay Search
  • 71,363
    scrobbles
  • 6,599
    listeners

Tags

Everyone’s tags

More tags

Biography

The Blues Band were formed in Britain in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann in the 1960s, and vocalist/slide guitarist Dave Kelly, who had formerly played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker among others. Also in the band’s first line-up were bassist Gary Fletcher, Jones’s former Manfred Mann colleague, guitarist Tom McGuinness, and drummer Hughie Flint, the two latter having been the mainstay of McGuinness Flint.

They originally got together just for fun, but in the process stayed together far longer than any of their previous groups had ever managed to do.

Their first album, The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, a mixture of blues standards and original songs – notably the Jones-McGuinness composition “Come On In”, and their long-standing stage favourite “Flatfoot Sam” - initially attracted no interest from major record companies, so they pressed a limited run of 3,000 themselves, hand-stamped their logo on the cardboard sleeve, and signed them all. After unqualified endorsement from BBC Radio 1 presenter Simon Bates and others, media interest resulted in a recording contract with Arista Records, who gave the album an official release.

In 1982 Flint left, and was replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend. They briefly disbanded later that year after recording a live album, Bye Bye Blues, released in 1983, but reformed soon afterwards. They have remained a constant factor on the music scene ever since, unfazed by lack of chart success (after the first few years, as demonstrated below), happy to combine a regular schedule of touring and recording around their other commitments.
Read more… Edit bio

Top Albums

Listening Trend

6,599listeners all time
71,363scrobbles all time
Recent listeners trend:

Start scrobbling and track your listening history

Last.fm users scrobble the music they play in iTunes, Spotify, Rdio and over 200 other music players.

Create a Last.fm profile

Shoutbox

Leave a comment. Log in to Last.fm or sign up.

  • strajnic

    I am proud owner of Itchy Feet vynil LP!

    24 Oct 2011 Reply

  • Headcoach1957

    First I heard them in April 1980 at he WDR Rockpalast Night. They are still alive and well...

    8 Mar 2010 Reply

  • mirrorball95

    Underrated band.

    14 Jan 2010 Reply

  • BenRinnes

    First saw them on the Old Grey Whistle Test on the BBC many years ago and had to go and buy the 'Bootleg' Album. Fantastic. Remember getting a bollocking for playing them while on exercise on top of a tank while in the military.

    23 Nov 2009 Reply

  • tomlask

    The Blues Band is awesome!! Official Bootleg Album is really cool

    17 Jul 2009 Reply

Top Listeners