The Blues Band

The Blues Band

The Blues Band are a British blues band from London, formed in 1979. The group’s core line-up brings together Paul Jones, Dave Kelly, Gary Fletcher, Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint, with Rob Townsend joining later on drums. They remain active.

Formation and early line-up

The band forms around Paul Jones, who is a former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and Dave Kelly, who has played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker. The first line-up also includes bassist Gary Fletcher, Jones’s former Manfred Mann colleague, guitarist Tom McGuinness and drummer Hughie Flint. McGuinness and Flint are previously the mainstay of McGuinness Flint.

First recordings and record deal

The group initially comes together informally and stays together longer than any of the members’ earlier bands. Their first album, The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, combines blues standards with original songs, including the Jones-McGuinness composition “Come On In” and the long-standing stage favourite “Flatfoot Sam”. It first draws little interest from major labels, so the band presses a limited run of 3,000 copies themselves, hand-stamps the logo on the cardboard sleeves, and signs each copy. After support from BBC Radio 1 presenter Simon Bates and others, the album gains wider attention and Arista Records issues it officially.

Line-up changes and later activity

In 1982 Hughie Flint leaves and is replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend. The band briefly disbands later that year after recording a live album, Bye Bye Blues, which is released in 1983, then reforms soon afterwards. Since then, they continue with touring and recording alongside other commitments.

Associated work and related projects

Jones, McGuinness and Townsend are also members of The Manfreds, a group formed around music associated with Manfred Mann. Jones and Kelly also sometimes perform as a duo, and Kelly appears with The Dave Kelly Band, described as The Blues Band without Jones.

Selected later albums

Later albums include Back For More, Homage, Brassed Up, Wire Less, Fat City and Thank You Brother Ray. The last of these is a collection of Ray Charles cover versions recorded as a tribute.

Style and reputation

The Blues Band work in blues and blues rock, and are known for mixing original material with blues standards. They are also noted for a long-running, low-profile approach to the music industry.