donderdag 30 december 2021

The Blasters

                                 


The Blasters are an American rock and roll band formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin (vocals and guitar) and Dave Alvin (guitar), with bass guitarist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Their self-described "American Music" is a blend of rockabilly, early rock and roll, punk rock, mountain music, and rhythm and blues and country.                    
 

 
  Crazy Baby
They say everything old becomes new again, and California’s Blasters proved it in 1981 by jumping into the national spotlight with an utterly familiar brew of blues, rockabilly and rock’n’roll. Detractors might call them little more than an updated Canned Heat — as if anything were wrong with that — but such criticism ignores their strengths: tight ensemble work, swingin’ original tunes in the classic mold and Phil Alvin’s ageless, confident vocals.(Trouser Press)
 
This Is It
The Blasters established the quintet nationwide. Originally released on LA independent Slash, it did so well that the label was able to strike a licensing/distribution deal with Warner Bros. No wonder: it smokes. The band is tighter than a drum, and Dave Alvin’s songs — including “No Other Girl,” a re-recorded “Marie, Marie” and “Border (Trouser Press)
 
Border Radio (feat.Gene Taylor)
 Gene Taylor joined after the release of American Music (1980), performing boogie woogie-style piano (he remained with the band through late 1985). Later on, Steve Berlin joined on baritone sax, forming a horn tandem with Lee Allen.


                              I,m Shaking (feat Lee Allen)  

 The Blasters' energetic live performances gained a local following, and they became fixtures of the early 1980s Los Angeles punk rock scene. They performed alongside X, Black Flag, The Gun Club, the Screamers and others. The L.A. scene of the time also featured the cowpunk genre, and a notable example was how The Blasters helped country artist Dwight Yoakam get established. They toured together in 1985

 

                                                                        Stop the Clock

 Another local band that formed a strong musical bond with The Blasters was Los Lobos. The Mexican-American group first became friends with the Downey group in 1976. About five years later, The Blasters invited Los Lobos to open for them and also helped get the young men from East L.A. their first record deal. Steve Berlin made a transition to Los Lobos, with The Blasters' blessing.

                                                        Mary,Mary

Dave Alvin, the group's primary songwriter, left The Blasters in 1986. Like many other pairs of rock 'n' roll siblings, the Alvins got into fights with each other. In 2015, Dave also recalled that the internal tension in the band extended beyond his tumultuous relationship with Phil. Ultimately, though, he wanted to sing his own songs. Dave joined X for a brief stint before launching his critically acclaimed solo career. However, Hollywood Fats (birth name: Michael L. Mann) soon came aboard, appearing with The Blasters at Farm Aid II. 

 https://arthurfromholland.blogspot.com/2016/04/dave-phil-alvin-with-guilty-ones-de.html
                   

                                foto Arthur