Ten Years After

Ten Years After

Ten Years After is a blues rock band from London, United Kingdom, active from 1967 to the present. The group is associated with blues rock, hard rock, acid rock, british blues, classic rock and jam band styles.

History and line-up

The band forms in 1967 and becomes closely identified with guitarist and singer Alvin Lee, with Leo Lyons on bass, Chick Churchill on keyboards and Ric Lee on drums. Joe Gooch joins in 2003 on guitar and vocals, replacing Alvin Lee after Lee begins recording mostly under his own name. Other members associated with the group include Marcus Bonfanti and Dave Potts.

Originally from Nottingham, the band establishes itself on the UK scene before reaching a wider US audience. Alvin Lee dies in 2013.

Albums and chart success

Between 1968 and 1973, the band places eight albums in the UK Top 40 and twelve albums in the US Billboard 200. Its 1967 self-titled debut appears in October, followed by the live album Undead in 1968, which introduces one of its best-known songs, "I'm Going Home".

Stonedhenge follows in 1969 and includes "Hear Me Calling", which also appears as a single and is later covered by Slade. In 1970, the band releases Cricklewood Green, which contains "Love Like a Man", its only UK Singles Chart hit. Cricklewood Green is also issued with different playing speeds on each side, one a three-minute edit at 45rpm and the other a nine-minute live version at 33rpm.

In 1971, A Space in Time marks a move toward more commercial material and includes "I'd Love to Change the World", the band's biggest hit. The group later releases Positive Vibrations in 1974 before breaking up.

Key performances and later activity

Ten Years After plays the Newport Jazz Festival in 1969, during the first edition of the event that invites rock bands. In August 1969, it performs at Woodstock; its version of "I'm Going Home" appears in the concert film and soundtrack and helps establish its reputation. The band also plays the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 to an audience of 600,000.

The group reunites in 1983 to play the Reading Festival, and the performance is later released as The Friday Rock Show Sessions - Live At Reading '83. It reunites again in 1988 for several concerts and records About Time in 1989. In 1994, it appears at the Eurowoodstock festival in Budapest. In 2003, the remaining members continue with Joe Gooch and record Now, with material from the following tour later used for the double album Roadworks.

Best-known songs

The band is best known for "I'm Going Home", "Hear Me Calling", "I'd Love to Change the World" and "Love Like a Man".