Alvin Lee Quotes
Strangely enough, through all those school years I decided at 13 or 14 I was going to be a musician and so school was just something to get out of the way, a waste of time and not to bother with it.
I began to learn a lot of chords and rhythms. It was a bit boring at the time but came in very handy later on.
I started off playing the clarinet, after I was inspired by listening to my dad's Benny Goodman records.
They have decided to tour under the name of Ten Years After which I don't think is very cool. To be honest, they have had to do that as it's the only way they can get any work.
So if you see Ten Years After, it's not me anymore. I'm very happy with what I am doing now.
The chances of a reunion now are less likely. I was thinking of having a 40th anniversary of the band, but now they are really another band, so it's all a bit weird.
I think a lot of modern day guitarists start off playing like Eddie van Halen, and they don't take the time to learn the basics.
It was by listening to Goodman's band, that I began to notice the guitarist Charlie Christian, who was one of the first musicians to play solos in a big band set-up.
I went to see John Mayall at the Marquee, with Peter Green on guitar, and that was a particularly good gig.
George Harrison was also a pleasure to work with. He was one of the most famous people I've ever known, but in spite of that fame, he was such a nice and friendly guy.
There is a big age gap between my sisters Janice and Irma and myself so I didn't know them that well when I was younger although they have been very supportive in later life.
