Ten Years After

Active since the late 1960s, Ten Years After emerged as part of the British blues-rock wave. Formed in England around guitarist and singer Alvin Lee, bassist Leo Lyons, drummer Ric Lee and keyboardist Chick Churchill, the band first made an impact on the London club circuit and recorded a self-titled debut in 1967 blending electric blues, driving boogie and psychedelic rock. They gained international recognition through festival performances, notably at Woodstock in 1969 where “I’m Going Home” showcased very fast guitar work and extended improvisations. Their discography grew quickly with Stonedhenge and Ssssh in 1969, Cricklewood Green and Watt in 1970, and A Space in Time in 1971 — which introduced a more melodic side with “I’d Love to Change the World” — followed by Rock & Roll Music to the World (1972), the live album Recorded Live (1973) and Positive Vibrations (1974) before the band went dormant in the mid-1970s. Ten Years After reformed in the late 1980s for About Time (1989) and resumed more regular activity from the early 2000s, this time without Alvin Lee and with new singer-guitarists such as Joe Gooch and later Marcus Bonfanti alongside Ric Lee and Chick Churchill. Still centered on a mix of blues rock, hard rock and boogie, Ten Years After continues to tour mainly in Europe, often at festivals dedicated to classic rock and blues.