Back to the Roots: Alvin Lee Embraces the Future with Ten Years Later at Rockpalast
On September 13, 1978, the legendary guitarist Alvin Lee sat down for a revealing interview just before taking the stage at the historic Rockpalast in Essen, Germany. Marking a definitive new chapter in his musical journey, the appearance highlighted his power trio, aptly named Ten Years Later. Far from just a nostalgic look back at his previous monumental success with Ten Years After, the conversation provided a professional window into an artist who had experimented with various musical styles only to return to his true calling.
Flanked by his new bandmates, drummer Tom Compton and bassist Mick Hawksworth, Lee introduced the group as a unit designed to bring the rock back into rock and roll. Compton explained that he had joined forces with Lee roughly fifteen months prior during a search for fresh musicians. Recognizing the irreplaceable value of an established rhythm section, Compton brought in Hawksworth, with whom he had already been playing for seven years. This immediate collective chemistry allowed the trio to seamlessly take off where Ten Years After left off, carrying the musical message forward with what Lee described as young blood driving him onwards.
Reflecting on his career path after the breakup of his former band, Lee shared his honest artistic realizations. He admitted that he had traveled around, trying to find other forms of music, but ultimately returned to where he started: rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and a touch of jazz. According to Lee, this is the music that comes naturally to him, concluding that you simply cannot beat the beat.
Addressing the relevance of his music a decade after his rise to fame, Lee noted that while the music has updated, the audience demographics have shifted beautifully. He observed that a completely new generation of listeners was now packing the venues, reacting to the high energy performance with the same international high as previous crowds. Lee emphasized that the group is strictly committed to remaining a tight three piece lineup, noting that prior experiments with a fourth musician left no logical space for an extra instrument to fit.
When questioned about whether public expectations to hear old anthems restricted his creativity, Lee offered a pragmatic perspective. He compared the situation to seeing Jerry Lee Lewis, noting that any audience would naturally want to hear the classic favorites. While happily delivering hits like “I’m Going Home,” Lee asserted that Ten Years Later is the birth of a brand new group focused on building a fresh reputation and going beyond the past.
Before heading off to tune up, the band shared a lighthearted moment discussing the upcoming heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks, collectively throwing their support behind Ali, whom they fondly labeled the rock and roll boxer. The interview captured a snapshot of an legendary musician grounded in his roots yet entirely focused on forging a new legacy of authentic human art.