“Roadworks” is a live two cd set of old and new Ten Years After material.
1. Mr. Joe Gooch on Lead Guitar-Lead Vocals- Rhythm Guitar-Technical Effects- High Energy Front Man-Songwriter-Composer
2. Mr. Leo Lyons on Bass Guitar-Back Up Vocals-Producer- Music Director- Coordinator- Quality Control-Composer Arranger-Organic
Director-Vegetarian
3. Mr. Chick Churchill- All keyboards- Songwriter-Composer-Arranger- On Stage /Crowd Motivator and the Bands Tour Navigator-who
says on a regular basis “I’m Ready”.
4. Mr. Ric Lee on Drums- Percussion-Backing Vocals- Time Keeper Extraordinaire-The Bands Manager- Archive
Authority and Vault Investigator
Ten Years After is:
Four expert musicians maintaining the creative idealism that has set them apart from other bands right from
their humble beginnings. On record they are absolutely without exception extraordinary in their content and delivery. On stage they’re unequalled
having mopped the floor with greater and lesser acts of the day, as they asked for no quarter and gave no quarter in
return. Ten Years After always had one main policy “blow off the competition” and it’s served them well.
This seemingly hard nosed and practical logic was the inspired idea of Leo Lyons and is reflected by every member of Ten
Years After then and “NOW”.
That attitude is how Ten Years After came to survive, but the concept is nothing new, it used to be called
“Cutting Heads” by the old blues men who worked street corners in order to make a living. Not only
did they have to be better than the competition in order to survive, but they first had to attract the attention of the public at large, then prove that they were worthy of their support, then follow through by being consistent and
inventive and also smart enough to give the people what they wanted. All this while breaking new ground with song, lyrics and stage presence, at the
same time.
That is Ten Years After then and “NOW”. Always a head above the rest. Leading the way with the reach and imagination that only training,
hard work, experience and knowledge can provide.
Ten Year After’s Studio recording called ”NOW” has brought the band back into public prominence and good favour once again. Their
stage presentation leaves no doubt that they are serious like never before and they aren’t taking any prisoners. Kicking Ass, or
cutting heads it’s all the same, they aren’t going down without a fight.
At
present it’s three years later and the culmination
of their combined effort has led to this new Live CD
Set.
A
track by track accounting of this new effort by Ten
Years After is really unnecessary at this point in
time. More importantly, there are two mutual and
parallel priorities
taking place simultaneously, and that is what this
LIVE RECORDING represents and that’s what this
review is all about.
The
Important Historical Significance:
“King
Of The Blues” is the perfect track to start off
the proceedings, it jump starts everything else
that’s to follow, it sets the mood on a very
positive / energetic note. From there the content of
this live collection represents the progress /progression
that the band as a whole working / creative unit has
made and where they stand right now.
Where
do they stand right now you may well be asking
yourself? On their own stable ground, secure in the
fact and knowledge that they are doing it on their
own terms, with their own sweat and determination,
and are accepting no compromise in the process. In
short…they’re playing to win, as there is no
other option available or even being considered.
That
hunger and desire is the driving force behind this
recording, and as such Leo Lyons has managed to
spare the polish and keep the true-grit of the raw
performance intact and thus totally honest and
credible. The editing is flawlessly and seamlessly
slick. Leo has perfected the fine art of his
production and mastering skills, and to his credit
everything has stayed intact and is represented in
the finest light.
This
two cd set remains faithful to the original
performances, what you hear is exactly the
performances we ourselves were witness to, at the
exact moment they were recorded.
As
I look over the titles, I’m still in awe of the
fact that this is the Ten Years After that I grew up
listening to, and is still Ten Years After today.
Few bands can claim three original members still
intact and still performing better and a great deal more happy then ever
before, in their long and prestigious career.
Joe
Gooch: All
Taste With No Haste!
The most significant and welcomed difference, is in
the approach and delivery of the most dynamic and
charismatic, front
man and guitar prodigy
Mr. Joe Gooch.
On
this live recording, Joe comes across as one of the
most proficient guitarist around today, and also a
perfectionist of the first order.
This
young man has everything going for him and you’re
going to hear about him for years to come. He’s
every guitarist that you’ve ever heard, all rolled
into one wild eyed, young rocking thundering buck!
In
a blink of an eye Joe can go from a heavy metal riff
into a jazzy tone, into a Zappa crazed frenzy, and
right into a scathing version of Red House…and
that makes him exciting to listen to and more
exciting to watch on stage.
Even
more than that, he has the power of the amps, power
over his guitar, and respect of his band mates. Joe
is in control of the show and is allowed to push his
energy, his playing, and the band as far as he wants
to take it. As an example, on Good Morning Little
School Girl, he’s playing lead guitar against
himself, he’s doing the lead part in the upper
harmonic range and then he drops down to a lower
rhythmic range, he can oscillate between the two at
will, while adding a third, forth or fifth variation
to the song without missing a beat.
The
best example that I can provide is: "Meantown Blues"
from "Johnny Winter And Live", with Johnny and Rick
Derringer working
off of each other. Now double that effect and
that’s Joe Gooch in action. Every performance is
new and exciting, Joe changes riffs, chords and
vocal styles. He is nothing short of brilliant!
Off
stage or on, Joe is the same nice guy, kind of shy,
quiet, smart and extremely talented in many areas,
more than that, he’s just a first class gentleman.
A
Hard Road To Democracy For Ten Years After
In
2002 it
finally happened. The original members Leo Lyons,
Chick Churchill, Ric Lee, made a mutual decision
that it was time for a change and to move forward.
As Alvin Lee said a resounding “NO” to rejoining
the band, the band played on instead. For the
first time in their career Ten Years After became a
working democracy and escaped the limited old-time
regime that became an obsolete and ineffective system.
We
have all heard Jimi Hendrix sing “Scuse Me While I
Kiss The Sky” well Ten Years After is doing just
that. Now that they are working on an artistically
equal playing field,
they are pushing the envelope to the maximum,
and they are doing it without restriction, without
limitations and without a second thought.
In
Conclusion:
This
new Ten Years After Double Live CD, is a faithful
and perfect representation of the band Live on Stage
today. It is an audio recording of their live event,
and as the listener your will be overjoyed to have
access to the splendour that is Ten Years After’s
music. It is four exceptional musicians captured
live, but the visual and physical experience
of being in a tightly packed, sweltering room,
that’s filled with Ten Years After fans of every
age, race and size is the only thing
missing.
The
other part, is the interaction within the band, the
strong chemistry that is visible in every action and
reaction of the band members. This is a band now
running on all eight cylinders, alright hold tight,
they are the Highway Stars and the Road Works best
for them, just as the recording process has never
let them down.
Leo,
Chick and Ric all carry the
Ten Years After tradition that they created
on into the future.
Ten Years After is Ten Years
After as they can be nothing besides.
“ROADWORKS”
is the undeniable, incontrovertible,
testament to that fact.
