CD Reissue Notes:
Freedom can take many forms. It can mean escape from physical captivity or, in a more subtle sense, the release from strictures on mind and spirit. In Alvin Lee's case, the legendary guitarist was celebrating newly found musical liberty when he recorded 'On The Road To Freedom' with American gospel singer Mylon Lefevre back in 1973. The mood was joyful and uplifting and the album marked an abrupt change in the career of the man from Ten Years After.
Despite the change in style and shared billing with a singer/songwriter, Alvin's guitar playing remains a focal point of this all-star project. It was made at a time when he had grown restless with the routine work of touring and recording with the band he had fronted since the mid-Sixties. While TYA remained one of the most popular of all the great stadium rock groups, their leader needed a challenge. That's when he planned a solo album in cahoots with Mylon LeFevre, an artist he held in the highest esteem.
Alvin Lee is an exciting guitarist, blessed with nimble fingers, a fantastic turn of speed and a passion for the blues. As a performer, he ranks in popularity with the other great guitar heroes of the golden rock era, including Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Jimmy Page. His style is simpler and more direct than many of his peers, but there is no doubting his consummate ability.
Born on December 19, 1944 in Nottingham, England, he began playing with The Jaybirds in 1965, later renamed Ten Years After. The line up included Chick Churchill (organ), Leo Lyons (bass) and Ric Lee on drums. The dynamic quartet dominated the club scene during the 'blues boom' years and became a hot attraction at London's famed Marquee Club.
They stole the show at the 1967 Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival when 20,000 fans gave them a standing ovation. TYA released a series of best selling albums, including 'Undead' (1968) and 'Stonedhenge' (1969).
The group achieved worldwide fame when they appeared at the 1969 Woodstock Festival in America, and their steaming performance of 'I'm Going Home' was one of the highlights of the 'Woodstock' movie.
But by the time they released 'Rock 'n' Roll Music To The World' in 1972, TYA was getting tired. Alvin didn't want to break up the band immediately, but had a yearning to try something different. That's when he recorded 'On The Road To Freedom' with Mylon LeFevre. He also drew upon the services of his good friend and neighbour, former Beatle, the late George Harrison, who wrote and performed on the track 'So Sad (No Love Of His Own)'. George was a great admirer of Alvin's guitar playing and enjoying visiting the latter's home studio. The pair became good friends, although there was no attempt to overplay George's presence on the album. Indeed he credited himself as 'Hari Georgeson' when he contributed guitar to the track.
Alvin invited many other like-minded musical mates to take part in the sessions. For example, the core members of Traffic - Steve Winwood (piano), Rebop (congas) and Jim Capaldi (drums) - appear in various combinations on several songs, playing on the title track and also on 'Fallen Angel', 'We Will Shine' and 'I Can't Take It'. Many a jam session stalwart turned up to enjoy the fun, including guitarist Ron Wood of the Faces and Rolling Stones fame. Ron and Alvin were joined by Mick Fleetwood and Ian Wallace (drums), Boz Burrell (bass), Mike Patto (vocals) and Tim Hinkley (keyboards) - all veterans of Fleetwood Mac, Patto and King Crimson. It would be hard to keep this lot away from (a) the bar and (b) a studio full of musical instruments. Mylon provided lead vocals on most of the tracks and wrote or cowrote half a dozen tunes with Alvin.
Mylon LeFevre was born in May 1945 into a Southern gospel singing family. At the age of 17 he enjoyed the signal honour of having his first composition 'Without Him' recorded by Elvis Presley. He recorded his debut album at the age of 19. Since his brush with Alvin Lee and hard rock, he has returned to full time gospel singing and in 1980 became a Born Again Christian. Now based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Mylon is a fully-fledged Minister of Religion and has released a dozen Christian worship albums.
Back in the Seventies, the mood was more raucous and 'down home'. Recalls Alvin: "'On The Road To Freedom' was the first thing we recorded at the studio I built in my country manor house called 'Hook End'. Mylon came over the year before in 1972 during the writing period and we got into all sorts of trouble.
I told him that when he came over to England, I would have the studio ready. But when Mylon and Ian Wallace the drummer came down, all ready to start recording, I hadn't quite finished the building work. I had them banging up panels and doing soundproofing jobs! Originally I had a studio in the kitchen. I thought 'this is terrible. I've got a great big house and this crappy little studio'. Then I realised that an old barn nearby would make an incredible studio. It was a big job, but it got done."
During the sessions there was an incident, which could have resulted in serious loss of life. Adjoining the studios was an indoor tennis court, which they were using as an echo chamber. Says Alvin: "We had a Fender amp and two microphones in there. One day the engineer said 'There's a crackling on the echo'. We went to see what was happening and the windows were popping out. The roof was shaking and like idiots we rushed in to get the microphones and the amplifier. One second after we got out... the roof collapsed! A storm had blocked up the gutters and the rainwater had weighed down the roof and pushed the walls out. That's why the windows were popping."
Mercifully, there were no further dramas and the album was safely completed. 'On The Road To Freedom' was well received and Alvin took the bold step of breaking up Ten Years After. He formed Alvin Lee & Co. with Neil Hubbard (guitar), Tim Hinkley (keyboards), Mel Collins (Sax) and Ian Wallace (drums). Mylon was not part of the new outfit and he returned to America. The new band cut a 'live' album 'In Flight', recorded at the Rainbow Theatre, London in 1974 (also available on Repertoire CD). Subsequently, Alvin formed a new touring outfit called Ten Years Later in 1978, then finally bowed to public demand and reformed the original Ten Years After in 1989.
Throughout the decades, Alvin has continued to tour the world and record with different bands as a solo artist and with TYA. He mourned the death of George Harrison in November 2001 and is proud that George's song, 'So Sad (No Love Of His Own)', is part of an album that recalls the carefree days of rock'n'roll fun - and freedom.
CHRIS WELCH
London. England, October 2002
Transformed for CD by Headcharge (Hamburg)
Restored and remastered at The Ranch
Alvin Lee Fan Club: Toni Franklin
PMB# 25C, 6346-65 Lantana Road
Lake Worth, FL 33463
USA
Email: fans@alvinlee.com
Visit Alvin's website: www.alvinlee.com
Made under license from Alvin Lee Ltd.
(P) 1973/74 Chrysalis Records
(C) 2003 Repertoire Records
All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reproduced reserved.
Unauthorised copying, hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting of this record prohibited.
www.repertoire.de
Compact Disc Digital Audio
LC 08065
AUME
BIEM
4 009910 28
