“We used to play the underground clubs like the UFO, and Middle Earth, and they were great because they would have on things like a poet, string quartets, and then a rock band! It was kinda cool!” ~ Alvin Lee
1960
Atomites
Alvin Lee joined Leo Lyons in the band the “Atomites”. Leo joined one week previous to Alvin. Pete Evans was the drummer and they recruited singer Ivan Jay eventually becoming “Ivan Jay and the Jaymen”.
1962
The Jaybirds
The “Jaymen” eventually become the “Jaybirds”. They spend five weeks playing “The Star Club” in Hamburg, Germany — just one week after the Beatles played there. Pete Evans is replaced by Dave Quickmire. Encouraged by their local success, the Jaybirds move to London, but after “nearly starving to death” they return home to Nottingham and eventually break up.
1965
The Making of Ten Years After
Ric Lee is the leader and drummer for a band called “The Mansfields” and as soon as the Jaybirds come to an end, he’s invited to join Leo and Alvin in their new band. They sign up with Chris Wright, with the name “Blues Trip” – then play one concert at the Marquee using the name, “Blues Yard”. Then, so as not to be tied to any one genre they changed their name to “Ten Years After”.
The name was in honour of Elvis Presley, one of Lee's idols, as it was ten years after Presley's most successful year (1956).
1967
Best Guitarist in Britain
“Ten Years After” is founded and started drawing record crowds to the Marquee. Many considered Lee the best guitarist in Britain.
27 . 10 . 1967
Ten Years After
LP | Ten years After
“Ten Years After” the debut record is released. Recorded at Decca Studios in London in September 1967, and released on 27 October, it was one of the first blues-rock albums by British musicians. Fresh, raw and passionate it left the listener feeling exhausted after the last track. The whole thing resonated with the high energy of their live sets at that time.
1968
16 . 03 . 1968
Portable People
Ten Years After released their first single. Band drummer, Ric, said while it wasn’t their typical style of music, it still resembled them. It was a very commercial sound to become a hit, though they said they wouldn’t do anything else like it as they cared more for their music than for hit tracks.
Undead
After the first album came out, we got a letter from Bill Graham saying he would be glad to book us if we would like to come over. So, we put together the American tour and we didn’t have enough time to do a studio album, so we did the live album.
~ Leo Lyons
13 . 06 . 1968
First Tour
After recording “Undead” Ten Years After go on their first American tour. The musical feel of the States, and the change of environment, instilled enthusiasm, new ideas, and made the band all together a much tighter working unit. With the American audience being just as good as the British, the band was able to play at their best and blow the audience away.
“Strangely enough, I wasn’t into fast guitarists. I preferred Peter Green’s subtle touch. (…) He was the only guitarist I’ve ever seen to turn the volume control on his guitar down during a solo.” ~ Alvin Lee
1969
07 . 02 . 1969
Stonedhenge
Ten Years After came out with their second studio album Stonedhenge. A hit in the UK hitting number 6 in the charts it featured “Hear Me Calling” which was also released as a single. Alvin Lee conceived Stonedhenge as a change in direction. A psychedelic blues album, it took the bands sound into more experimental territory.
The Newport Jazz Festival
Ten Years After became the first British blues or pop group to be invited to the world’s top festival at the time, the Newport Jazz Festival They also went on to appear at the Seattle Pop Festival held at Gold Creek Park. At this point, they are one of the most successful of Britain’s musically progressive groups in America.
08 . 1969
Ssssh
Ten Years After release their fourth album. Alvin Lee takes over as the producer and it becomes one of the top “Underground” Rock LP’s of the period. The album features the tracks “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” “I Woke Up This Morning” which were in heavy rotation in their live set at the time. “Stoned Woman” and “Good Morning Little School Girl” were quickly banned on US radio.
Woodstock
The band performed a breakthrough American appearance at the iconic Woodstock Festival. One of the high points was the only cover, Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl” from their new album SSSHHH. Banned by U.S. radio it was an instant hit with air guitarists. Their rendition of “I’m Going Home” with Alvin Lee as lead singer/lead guitarist was featured in both the subsequent film and soundtrack album and shot them and particularly Alvin Lee into superstardom.
Ten Years After Woodstock. Audience photo: Warners Official Woodstock Booklet, Performance photos by Herb Staehr @ 1969
Ten Years After Woodstock. Audience photo: Warners Official Woodstock Booklet, Performance photos by Herb Staehr @ 1969
