DJTees Blog

As any record collector knows, you get taken by a passion for a band for some reason and you must have everything they ever released. For me, one such band is Mountain. I don’t know why I love them so much. They seem the perfect heavy band. I think it’s something to do with the Windfall label. They are one of the few artists you see on this pretty label, a subsidiary of Bell set up by Felix Pappalardi and his partner to publish bands they manage. In fact in the UK their singles came out on Bell and were...

You may or not know that in mid November, I, Johnny, had a stroke. It’s common enough. It’s left me so far with a frozen left hand and a dysfunctional foot. I’ve been in hospital ever since. Thankfully in all other respects I am normal or better than what had been normal.As you can imagine it’s been a dark and upsetting time that came out of the blue. The thing I’ve clung onto is a love of rock and roll’s spirit and energy. I’ve still got it and you learn to appreciate what you’ve got, rather than what you’ve lost....

Canterbury is a sleepy place to host and define a musical movement. We have to remember that back in early 70s not everyone wanted to be a rock star, so the community was quite small. Basically, it all revolved around Caravan, a muscular and very English band. Bands like Hatfield And The North and National Health released a couple of albums (both excellent). The music was rooted in jazz, sometimes more than others. National Health’s debut was long keyboard led workouts which had an ambient quality. Soft Machine turned psychedelic jazz into pure jazz into guitar led jazz rock but...

It went well from the start. With Free in ashes, Rodgers and Kirk formed Bad Company and immediate hit pay dirt. Bad Company never produced complex music. This was 4 on the floor done to a high standard. Of course, Paul Rodger’s could sing the ingredients from a packet of noodles and make it sound like a love song, which helped with commerciality Add in Mick Ralph’s from Mott, Boz Burrell from King Crimson to the two Free lads and maybe it was no surprise that they had a hit album. Bad Co was built for American FM radio with...

Alvin was, of course, the star of Ten Years After. When the band fell apart, Alvin was well set for a successful solo career.He had released In Flight in 1974, with part of Kokomo as backing vocalists. A double live, it was a collection, Live at the Rainbow, of rock 'n' roll songs which didn’t press TYA fans’ buttons. It still charted, making #65.But it was a diversion and the band was still touring until finally calling it a day in 1975. His first solo album afterwards was Pump Iron and featured plenty of trademark guitar.He followed this up 3...

There was a time in the early seventies when it seemed as if The Groundhogs would finally be big. They had three top ten albums in the first half of the seventies and Split had made #5. But it was to be a false dream. This was as good as it got. In truth they were always too hard, too raw for mass commercialism and by the second half of the decade their days as a chart band were over. Crosscut Saw and Black Diamond, both released in 1976, failed to chart but were similar to the records which had...

One of the greatest arguments in rock is what is the greatest live album. Everyone has a favourite, many feel some are too ‘in studio’ and have too many overdubs. But one thing everyone agrees on is that live albums are not the budget release they were once thought by the business to be. Pictures at an Exhibition by ELP was a budget release even though it was almost entirely new material. An odd decision. All of this changed with the success of Frampton Comes Alive. Finally the industry saw there was money to be made in live albums, And...

One of the eclectic 70s most radical bands was SAHB. They were born out of late 60s group Tear Gas. Alex Harvey had been around from 10 years and toured with his big soul band. Together they made extraordinary music which straddled heavy rock Brechtian theatre and vaudeville . Guitarist Zal Cleminson could lay down a cutting riff. At times they were almost prog rock swapping solos between guitar and keys. This is best heard on Give My Compliments To The Chef on the live album which gives a flavour of the brilliance of the band on stage.  I saw...

When you’ve had one of the world’s best guitarists in your line-up it perhaps inevitable that when he is no more, people will think you’re a busted flush. That’s what happened to Back Street Crawler and then plain Crawler. They featured Paul Kossoff for their debut album The Band Played On. It was a fine blues-rock outing with brilliant blues guitar which struggled to find an audience in the UK. But this was an excellent band. They continued with a second album which featured Kossoff and also Snuffy Walden, who also toured with the band, filling in for Kossoff when he was 'indisposed'.Tragically,...

For a few years they had Atlantic’s best-selling album and they played many big gigs in front of thousands of fans.Iron Butterfly were America’s biggest band. Then they split up and changed band members and fell off the radar. By the mid seventies they were no more. It was quite a ride for this excellent band who have a good claim to have invented or come across heavy metal. They were from San Diego and formed in 1966. In-A-Gadda-Vida was their second album. It sold a mighty 8 million in its first year. For many years it was the labels’...

Rory Gallagher was a guitarist like no other. He played in show bands in Ireland, but soon graduated to play in the very successful band Taste. They had a hit single with Blister On Moon in the late 60's. But it was in the 1970s that Rory became The People's Guitarist. For what seems like years, he could be found touring somewhere in the world. Every year he played the city halls and town halls of Britain, time and time again. He was loved for his unassuming manner and his extraordinary talent.He released many records, none of which were especially popular in the...

David Lindley's musical journey is a kaleidoscope of genres, with his dexterity showcased in everything from rock and folk to blues and world music. Born in 1944, Lindley first gained recognition as the lead guitarist for the psychedelic rock band Kaleidoscope in the 1960s. However, it was his later collaborations and solo endeavours that truly highlighted his diverse talents.At the heart of his musical prowess is his mastery of stringed instruments. Renowned for his slide guitar skills, he seamlessly weaves intricate patterns on the strings, creating a soul-stirring resonance. Lindley's command over the lap steel guitar is particularly noteworthy, and his...

In the turbulent era of the 1960s, a British band emerged from the streets of Newcastle, in the North East of England, leaving an indelible mark on the history of rock and blues. The Animals, with their raw and soulful sound, quickly became synonymous with the British Invasion and paved the way for a new wave of musical expression.Formed in 1962, The Animals comprised Eric Burdon (vocals), Alan Price (keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar), Chas Chandler (bass), and John Steel (drums). Their early influences drew heavily from American blues, a genre that resonated deeply with the band members and shaped the...

In the late 1960s, as the counterculture movement blossomed and rock music underwent a seismic shift, a trio emerged from San Francisco that would redefine the boundaries of sonic intensity. Blue Cheer, often hailed as the loudest band in the world, not only set the stage for heavy metal but also left an indelible mark on the history of rock. Let's dive into the tumultuous journey of Blue Cheer and explore their legacy as the sonic pioneers of power.Formed in 1966, Blue Cheer consisted of guitarist Leigh Stephens, bassist/vocalist Dickie Peterson, and drummer Paul Whaley. Their moniker, derived from a...

The Youngbloods, a folk-rock ensemble hailing from the heart of the hippie movement, crafted a sound that embodied the ideals of an era marked by social upheaval and a quest for peace.  Formed in 1965, The Youngbloods comprised lead vocalist and songwriter Jesse Colin Young, guitarist Jerry Corbitt, drummer Joe Bauer, and bassist Lowell "Banana" Levinger. Each member brought a unique musical background to the table, creating a dynamic synergy that would define the band's signature sound.They burst onto the scene in 1967 with their self-titled debut album, a collection that blended folk, rock, and blues with an ease that...