| The Blues Band | |
| Landscape: | yes |
| Background: | group_or_band |
| Origin: | London, United Kingdom |
| Genre: | Blues, blues rock |
| Years Active: | 1979 - 1983, 1986 - 2022 |
| Label: | Arista Records |
| Associated Acts: | Manfred Mann, The Manfreds |
| Website: | thebluesband.com |
| Current Members: | |
| Past Members: | |
The Blues Band was a British blues band formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, former lead vocalist and harmonica player with Manfred Mann, and guitarist Tom McGuinness also of Manfred Mann and The Roosters. The band’s first line-up also included bassist Gary Fletcher, slide-guitarist Dave Kelly who had previously played with The John Dummer Band, Howling Wolf and John Lee Hooker and drummer Hughie Flint, of John Mayall's Blues Breakers and McGuinness Flint, the band he formed with Tom McGuinness. In 1982, Flint left and was replaced by former Family drummer Rob Townsend.[1] The group broke up in 2022.
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.[1] 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 three years later.[1] In 1995, they unveiled their version of the 'Unplugged' craze, but rather than a MTV event, Wire Less was recorded at the Snape Maltings in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.[1] [2] They later recorded albums such as Stepping Out (2002) and Thank You Brother Ray (2004), which paid tribute to Ray Charles.
In 2022, the Blues Band marked their final live performances with the release of their last studio album, So Long.[3] Their last live performance saw a rejuvenated band, with Dave Kelly's son standing in for Rob Townsend, headlining at Bunkfest in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.