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The Blues Band
The Blues Band September 2012
Background information
Genres	Blues, blues rock
Years active	1979–1983, 1984–present
Labels	Arista Records
Associated acts	Manfred Mann, The Manfreds
Website	thebluesband.com
Members	Paul Jones Dave Kelly Gary Fletcher Tom McGuinness Rob Townsend
Past members	Hughie Flint

The Blues Band is a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and vocalist/slide guitarist Dave Kelly, who had previously played with the John Dummer Blues Band, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker. The band’s first line-up also included bassist Gary Fletcher, guitarist Tom McGuinness (also of Manfred Mann) and drummer Hughie Flint, (the two had previously formed McGuinness Flint). In 1982 Flint left and was replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend.^[1]

History

Their first album The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album, a mixture of blues standards and original songs featured the Jones and McGuinness composition "Come On In" and their long-standing stage favourite "Flatfoot Sam". This album initially attracted no interest from major record companies, so the band pressed a limited run of 3,000, hand-stamped their logo on the cardboard sleeve and signed them all. After unqualified endorsement from BBC Radio 1 presenter Simon Bates and others, media interest resulted in a recording contract with Arista Records, who re-released the album under the same title. After that they released Ready, Itchy Feet and Brand Loyalty albums and regularly toured through Europe.

They briefly disbanded after recording a live album Bye Bye Blues (1983), but reformed soon afterwards. In the new millennium they recorded albums such as Stepping Out (2002) and Thank You Brother Ray (2004), which paid tribute to Ray Charles. Now in their thirty-ninth year as a band, they still perform across Europe with the same line-up.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Discography

Albums

• 
  The Official Blues Band Bootleg Album (1980). #40 UK
  


• 
  Ready (1980). #36 UK


• 
  Itchy Feet (1981). #60 UK


• 
  Brand Loyalty (1982)


• 
  Bye-Bye Blues (1983)


• 
  These Kind of Blues (1986)


• 
  Back for More (1989)


• 
  Fat City (1991)


• 
  Homage (1993)


• 
  Wire Less (1995)


• 
  Live at the BBC (1996)


• 
  18 Years Old and Alive (1996)


• 
  The Best of The Blues Band (1999) US only


• 
  Brassed Up (1999)


• 
  Scratching on my Screen (2001)


• 
  Green Stuff (2001)


• 
  Stepping Out (2002)


• 
  Be My Guest (2003) (Best of guest appearances)


• 
  Thank You Brother Ray (2005)^[7]
  


• 
  Few Short Lines (2011)


• 
  The Rooster Crowed (2018)

Compilation Albums

• 
  Live At Kent Custom Bike Show (1988) Cassette only

Chart EP

• "Maggie's Farm"/"Ain't It Tuff"/"Diddy Wah Diddy"/"Back Door Man" (1980) No. 68 - UK^[7]
  

Singles

• "Come On In" / "The Blues Band Song" (1980)


• "Find Yourself Another Fool" / "SUS Blues" (1980)


• "Nadine" / "That's All Right" (1980) (Two live tracks issued free with early copies of Ready)


• "Who's Right, Who's Wrong?" / "Itchy Feet" (1981)


• "Come On" / "Green Stuff" (1981)


• "Take Me Home" / "So Bad" (1982)


• "Hey Hey Little Girl" / "SUS Blues" (1982) (Limited edition live single)


• "Seemed Like a Good Idea" / "Rolling Log" (1982)


• "Blue Collar" / "Duisburg Blues" (1989) (Promo for Back for More)

DVDs

• 
  Across Borders - Live (2004)


• 
  The Blues Band in Concert : Steppin' Out On Main (2004)


• 
  The Blues Band:Bungay Jumpin' Live (2009)


• 
  The Blues Band:Official Blues Band Bootleg DVD-DeLIVEred (2009)

References

External links

• The Blues Band official website


• 
  The Blues Band at AllMusic