Album review: TEN YEARS AFTER – The Friday Rock Show Sessions Live At Reading 1983

Ten Years After - The Friday Rock Show Sessions Live At Reading 1983

Talking Elephant [Release date 21.07.14]

6 March 2013 was a sad day for British rock, when it was announced that Alvin Lee had died suddenly. He was 68 but had seemed to be invincible. However, with Ten Years After and subsequently solo, he never really re-captured the great success of Woodstock in 1969, the festival that catapulted him to world attention and a highlight of the subsequent film.

So, inevitably, this 1983 Reading set includes those Woodstock set-pieces ‘Good Morning Little Schoolgirl’ and ‘Going Home’ (along with ‘Hobbit’ and ‘I Can’t Keep From Cryin’ Sometimes’). Recorded for Tommy Vance and his venerated “Friday Rock Show” we are swiftly transported back 30 years and are in the midst of the action. This album was originally issued on the Raw Fruit label in 1990.

Ten Years After had already split up once – in 1975 – and in 1983 reformed for a gig at the Marquee Club in London and the Reading Festival. Lee demonstrates his legendary guitar hero fluidity against the very tight rhythm section of Leo Lyons and Ric Lee and punctuated by Chick Churchill’s wonderful Hammond.

Of course, there are other TYA live albums including ‘Recorded Live’ in 1973 and ‘Live At Fillmore East’ (2001) and sadly there is inevitable duplication especially as in 1983 the band weren’t promoting new product. However the inclusion of their classic ‘Love Like A Man’ and ‘I May Be Wrong But I Won’t Be Wrong Always’ (originally on their 1968 live album Undead) makes this a useful and compact late-career summary. ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)