Customer Reviews

Alvin Lee's Ten Years Later - Rockpalast Live

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I for one was left in amazement at the sheer energy of Alvin's performance along with his unique guitar technique and overall charisma. If you love hard driving rock and blues and want to plug in to the power of human emotion and energy delivered "in your face", this DVD is for you.

Like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alvin Lee's style and delivery is about the harnessing of human emotion and energy as opposed to pure technique. After watching this DVD, I was left with the feeling that 90%+ of all guitarists out there can never get in the "zone" Alvin gets into. When it was over, all I could say was "WOW"

If you can tune Alvin's energy in and Marshall Fine's comments out, this is a DVD well worth putting in your collection.

For those who have only seen the Woodstock footage of Alvin Lee, you're in for a hell of a suprise. What's he been doing all these years since? My guess is practicing, judging by his playing these days. I had the pleasure of opening up for him with my band about 15 years ago at Toads Place in New Haven, CT. We were expecting an old warhorse to creep in and hack away at his old set, us feeling rather sad for the old geez. Instead Alvin and friends showed up and politely handed us our [rears]. They were tight, he was on top of his game, melodic (which suprised the hell out of me) and outstanding, both from a guitar and a vocal perspective.

This DVD captures all of that and gives you some insight into why he had and should still have a rep as one of the great blues musicians. Well worth checking out. And if you ever get the chance to see him live, go!!!!

We all surely remember Alvin Lee as the warp-speed guitarist in "Woodstock." Doubtless, we also remember him for perhaps the widest vocal range in history, from a charming baritone to a scream to break windows, to make use of the old tape ad.

Lee brings us all to this video. However, I hate to inform the true Lee fan that his vocal range decreased substantially from 1969 (Woodstock) to this German taping (1978). I suppose he just wore out his vocal chords, the price you pay for that incredible singing.

Instead of back-up from his traditional band, Ric Lee, Chick Churchill, and Leo Lyons, of Ten Years After, for this recording, he's backed by Tom Compton on drums and Mick Hawksworth on bass.

Compton is spectacular. He has more drums and cymbals in front of him then there are people in Utah, but he still plays them well! I say that because too often I've seen drummers with an enormous set acting as if their drum geography will make up for their lack of playing ability. He has an extensive set, but beats them mercilessly and skillfully, while sitting, and standing, and during a spectacular solo. The drums don't play themselves like a drummer or two I've seen, but his style is closer to Ginger Baker or Mitch Mitchell than that of the others I refer to, not violent, but, shall I say, dramatic.

Hawksworth is probably underplayed. I'm not sure how he gets as good a sound out of his basses as most of the times he seems to be beating, rather than picking, the strings. But he gets a sound reminiscent of a good Hofner or Rick bass while playing three of them none from those brands. (All right, I have no idea why he switched basses a couple of times. Maybe it's to bring a little attention to himself when so much is going to Alvin!) I wish he'd been given the opportunity for a bass solo. They're rare, yet I like them.

You may recall that in Woodstock, Lee used the strings of his guitar as a beat instrument: he taped them with his fingers and just kept beat, a novel use of the strings. In this video, he used a drumstick on the strings in one of the tunes. That demonstrates something of the electronics of the guitar--one couldn't get much of a sound from an acoustic guitar that way--but also provides another sample of Lee's novel showmanship. During "I'm Goin' Home," the Ten Years After classic in which the dwindling of Lee's vocal range was most conspicuous, he didn't tap the strings but did on the microphone. It's a little less charming but still novel.

The taping was good, enough movement, plenty of close-up on Lee's amazing fingerwork and his face which gets hyperdramatic during those wild solos. But it still showing plenty of the other musicians to make it exciting without inciting motion sickness.

And you even get to see the security people holding back the crowd before the encore, a testament to the dedication to Alvin Lee fans.

If you're an Alvin Lee fan, I recommend this, especially if you collect his stuff. Again, I wish it were longer, but this will still do. It provides more than just Woodstock to remember Alvin Lee by.

Who is this dude, Marshall Fine? He's probably a Barry Manilow, John Denver, or Brittany Spears fan. Please pay no attention to the man behind the Amazon curtain. Alvin Lee rocks! With all the crap out there, it's so refreshing to find someone with true soul and emotion. Who cares if he's a few years older than his Woodstock appearance - the intensity is still there. Buy this video and you won't regret it (unless you happen to be musically retarded like Marshall Fine). Marshall, I pity you.

What an amazing band. One of the best ever. I wanna say that I am ONCE AGAIN (this is like the 80th time) SHOCKED AND ANNOYED by the amazing incompetence shown by Amazon.com's official reviews. Why do they pay pathetic idiotic slobs to write reviews for them? Sheesh.

Despite Mr. Fine's protestations to the contrary, Alvin Lee was and is a marvelous guitar player and, having been one of the very lucky 500,000 or so to see him mesmorize Woodstock, a fabulous entertainer (virtuosity and mass appeal are not mutually exclusive). This DVD reveals that, despite a slight change in his physical configuration, he's still got the energy and the licks! As a guitarist of some skill and a successful business person I have found that a universal axiom usually applies: Those who can DO, those who can't sit on the sidelines criticising those who are DOING but never get very far...Keep on bendin' those strings Alvin!!

After reading Marshal Fine's Review of Alvin Lee's The Best oF Rockpalast, one has to wonder what color the sky is in Marshall's world. Guitar player wannabe, or just plain ornory. Marshal look in the mirror and take a good hard look. Alvin Lee's web page doesn't get 6000 hits a day for him to be monotonous. Dave Miller

Regarding Marshall Fine's comments about Alvin Lee's playing, all I can say is that he is insane or lying. Alvin Lee is one of the best guitarists in the world. If Mr. Fine can listen to Alvin Lee's "Good Mornin' Little School Girl" and not be moved with awe, he has no soul.

You will never forget this guy/Alvin Lee. Way over the top in musical ability. Stunning, jaw dropping chops. No gimics, this guy is the real thing. I never get tired of watching this concert and wish there was more. Don't lend it to friends, you'll have a hardtime getting it back.

I think amazon.com needs to find a new home for Marshall Fine because he certainly doesn't understand great musicianship.(Actually, he understands less than that - this was not filmed at a club in Germany, it was filmed at a German TV studio.) Alvin Lee and Ten Years After were hardly a monotonous heavy blues band. They were an innovative jazz/rock/blues band with one of the best guitarists playing then - and playing now. Proof of that merely needs to be in the number and quality of guitarists playing today who cite Lee as one of their inspirations. This 1978 concert was as high- energy and musically satisfying as fans of this guitarist have come to expect. That said, there is one thing wrong with this DVD -and only one thing - the quality is lousy. So lousy that Mr. Lee is said to have NOT given permission for its release.