Alvin on tour  & the reunion of Ten Years After

— 1980
— 1981
— 1983
— 1986
— 1988
— 1989

1980

Free Fall

LP | Ten years After

After being rejuvenated by touring and recording with Ten Years Later Lee began collaborating with Rare Bird’s Steve Gould and Mickey Fe’at and the return of the name The Alvin Lee Band. Together Gould and Feat wrote and sang many of the tunes including ‘I Don’t Wanna Stop’, ‘Stealin” and ‘No More Lonely Nights’ while Alvin Lee contributed such rip-roaring items as ‘Ridin’ Truckin’ backed by drummer Tom Compton.

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1981

Touring Europe

1981 saw the former John Mayall and Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor join The Alvin Lee Band for a tour of Europe. In November through December, they then joined Black Sabbath on their 1981 “The Mob Rules” tour.

Alvin Lee Playing on Stage, Rome Italy, 1981

1981

RX5

Album | Alvin Lee Band

Continuing the collaboration with Steve Gould and Mickey Fe’at RX5 features electric power chords and lightning runs. Lee shares songwriting and vocals with Steve Gould (ex Rare Bird, Runner), Gould also plays guitar, as well there’s Mickey Fe’at on bass (ex Streetwalkers, Van Morrison, Runner), Tom Compton on drums (Ten Years Later), and keyboards by Chris Stainton (Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, Boxer). At times it might even feel like a Techno album (it was the 80’s after all) however it’s full of rock cuts like “Double Loser” and “Fool No More.”

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1983

The Last Reading Rock

For the 25th Anniversary of London’s famous Marquee Club Ten Years After reunited to perform a special concert event. They then went on to also play The Last Reading Rock (which is now Reading Festival). The 1983 concert was broadcast and recorded on FM Radio, later to be released on CD in 1990 as “The Friday Rock Show Sessions – Live at Reading ‘83” from the BBC.

23rd National Rock Festival Reading Concert Poster

Atmosphere at 23rd National Rock Festival Reading

1986

Detroit Diesel

Album | Alvin Lee

After a couple of years of touring and studio time, Alvin Lee released his first album in 5 years “Detroit Diesel”. Featuring an all-star collection of guest appearances from Jon Lord, Joe Brown and George Harrison it includes tracks like ‘Shot In The Dark’, ‘Too Late To Run For Cover’ and ‘Ordinary Man’. Described as a more “Stones-y” style than his usual Ten Years After sound this album ranges from blues romps to funky jams.

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1988

Reuniting Ten Years After

After spending 1987 touring and promoting “Detroit Diesel” Alvin Lee joined up with Randy California, Pete Haycock, Steve Howe, Steve Hunter, Robby Krieger, Andy Powell, Ted Turner, and Leslie West for the Night of the Guitars tour which rock and rolled through the UK for seven days in November of 1988. In the summer of 1988, Ten Years After also agreed to reunite to play a few festivals in Germany and Austria.

1989

About Time

Album | Ten Years After

Recorded in Memphis and produced by Terry Manning (best known for his work with ZZ Top) “About Time” was Ten Years After’s first studio release in fifteen years and their final studio album featuring Alvin Lee. Full of energy, spark and hooks the album contains rockers like “Let’s Shake It Up” and “Victim Of Circumstance,” the blues epic “Bad Blood” along with the jazz-influenced “I Get All Shook Up”. The album was critically acclaimed and kicked off another promotional tour through Europe and the US.

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Explore the 1990s