Our conversation with guitar great Albert Lee continues. He talks about his influences, how he began playing with Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, the Everly Brothers and Bill Wyman. He also talks about the emotional Concert For George which he took part in, last year’s Everly Brothers tribute at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and playing with Spinal Tap.
Legendary guitarist Albert Lee has played with a diverse set of people – Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, the Everly Brothers and Bill Wyman, and that’s just scratching the surface. He’s also released over 20 solo albums, and was featured prominently in the Tribute to George Harrison concert DVD. All of this is testament to his versatility – from R&B, Rock, Rockabilly to Country – His latest project is certainly a labor of love – Guitar Heroes: Making History brings together four of the greatest living guitar slingers – James Burton, Amos Garrett, David Wilcox along with Lee, recorded live in Vancouver Island back in 2013. The results are a guitar fan’s dream come true.
The Grahams, Alyssa & Doug Graham, have been friends since elementary school, and are now husband & wife. They set out to record a followup to their debut, Riverman’s Daughter, which came out in 2013 – and decided to get some inspiration by riding some of the legendary trains which criss cross the heartland of America. Not only did they record a new studio album, entitled Glory Bound, they also put together a film documentary and live soundtrack of their journey called Rattle the Hocks. We talk to both Alyssa & Doug about several stops along the way, including recording at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis.
Ian Anderson led Jethro Tull for around 40 years, releasing a string of hit albums that endure to this day. A few years ago, he began releasing records under his own name. But, don’t worry – the classic Jethro Tull sound is still intact. Anderson’s latest project is a live rock opera entitled “Jethro Tull.” Yet, it’s not about the band, but rather the original person, who was an English agricultural inventor of the 1700’s. In Anderson’s new story, he imagines that Mr. Tull is transplanted in the future, burdened with the task of feeding an ever-expanding population. The tale is told through the inclusion of many classic Tull songs, as well as brand new pieces that Anderson has written specifically for the project. Also keeping him busy is the ongoing reissue program of his band’s back catalog – most recently with War Child & A Passion Play.
Blues legend John Mayall continues to record albums and play shows, just like he’s done for the past 50 years. His latest project is an opportunity to look back – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers Live in 1967 features never before heard live performances featuring a version of the band that was only together three months. Featuring Peter Green on guitar, John McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums – all future members of Fleetwood Mac. These somewhat primitive recordings were recently restored, and show a band brimming with excitement, led by Green’s phenomenal playing. We chat with Mayall about what makes these recordings so special, Fleetwood’s short tenure in his band, and the possibility of a brand new John Mayall album, coming in the fall.
Translator is best known for their 1982 college radio hit “Everywhere That I’m Not.” The California band released four major label albums before calling it quits in the mid Eighties. The band reconvened in 2012 for a brand new album called Big Green Lawn. Now, they’ve dug through the archives for Sometimes People Forget, a collection of demos and rarities that the band recorded during their peak years. We talk with leader Steve Barton about restoring these old tapes, finding some unreleased songs, and recording with the famous “Wrecking Crew” when he was all of 12 years old.
If you’re a rock or metal fan, odds are you’ve seen Hugh Gilmour’s work. He’s been designing the art and layout for CDs, shirts, posters & DVDs for over 20 years now. He’s worked with artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and his latest project, Bad Company, where he designed the artwork for the first two CDs, their debut & Straight Shooter, remastered with deluxe editions. Hugh’s got some great stuff here – photos of picture sleeves, reel tape boxes, etc. Let’s find out how he puts it all together.
Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly has tackled many different styles in his long career. His latest project brings together some of the finest singers from his native country, and the result is Paul Kelly Presents the Merri Soul Sessions (read our review here), a collection of eleven R&B-tinged tracks recorded with a live band. Some of the guests include Clairy Browne, Vika & Linda Bull, Kira Puru, and Dan Sultan. Kelly talks about what led to this all-star album, the stripped-down way things were recorded, and what each vocalist brought to the project.
Did you know Blood Sweat & Tears played Woodstock? Why weren’t they included in the film and soundtrack footage? We find out the answer to that and much more as our conversation with former BS&T frontman David Clayton Thomas continues. He discusses how his friendship with bluesman John Lee Hooker helped jumpstart his career in New York, and how no one expected the runaway success of the band’s second album, which sold 10 million copies in its first year of release.
David Clayton Thomas is one of the most recognizable voices in all of popular music. He led the hugely successful band Blood Sweat & Tears for around 30 years, having hits like “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “Spinning Wheel,” before embarking on a solo career in the early 2000’s. His latest project is a true labor of love, Soul Ballads (view entry on Amazon.com) comprises 12 classic R&B tracks, filtered through Clayton-Thomas’ deep resonating voice. In part one of our interview, we delve into this project, talking about his influences from Otis Redding to Sam Cooke. He also tells us why he was reluctant to record “Midnight Train to Georgia” at first.