Albert Lee and Hogan's Heroes at the Gaiety
GuitarFest 2008 gets underway next Thursday and will feature a range of top guitarists playing many different styles of music.
Here John Gregory talks to the 'guitar player's guitar player' Albert Lee.
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ALBERT Lee is a legend. He's played with many greats and can even thank Elvis for getting him two jobs during his career!
But when he takes to the stage of the Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, a week tomorrow (Saturday, August 30), he does so as a frontman, appearing with the brilliant Hogan's Heroes.
When I asked him what to expect, his answer sold it for me: 'Well, it's unrelenting rock and roll. It's a pretty high power kind of band, not heavy metal, but the kind of stuff we do is good old time party music, rock and roll songs, some good ballads and a few country things thrown in.'
Albert also still plays with Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings and recently performed with them in Monaco at a Red Cross event which Prince Albert had asked Bill to put together.
As well as the Rhythm Kings it also featured Robin Gibb, Mary Wilson from The Supremes, Donovan and Eddie Floyd.
In the past Albert has played with the likes of Eric Clapton. Emmylou Harris, Chris Farlowe, The Crickets and many more – and though he really enjoys playing with ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman it is his gigs with Hogan's Heroes which display his ability to the full.
'I do enjoy my gigs more because I am able to give it 100 per cent. When I am playing with Bill I feel like I do have to hold back a bit because it's a larger band and you have to pick and choose your spots where you play but I do enjoy playing with Bill, it's good fun,' he told me on the phone from his Malibu home.
He said he had been a reluctant frontman but was asked by his friend Gerry Hogan to be a guest at his steel guitar festival and the band developed from there.
'We went on from there and we haven't stopped. I am busier now than I have ever been.'
It is the Island debut for Hogan's Heroes – consisting of Gerry Hogan, Peter Baron, Elio Pace and Brian Hodgson – and Albert said if he has been to our shores before it will have been more than 30 years ago with Heads Hands and Feet or Chris Farlowe.
Described as the best guitar player in the world by Eric Clapton, Albert headed towards country music when he was younger as opposed to the blues route so many of his contemporaries chose.
'When I started off it was Lonnie Donegan but at that same time we were starting to hear Elvis, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly and things just went on from there.
'I did get introduced to country around that time, late 50s, early 60s and I loved it alongside rock and roll and I did have a big interest in it. I started to buy a lot of country records and I kind of veered towards that direction rather than the blues direction that a lot of my counterparts at that time did. They were all going towards BB King and Freddie King – who I liked as well – I was really getting into George Jones and Buck Owens and people like that.'
As for the Elvis connection – Albert had the chance to play with The Crickets as one of the band's members was playing with Elvis, while he also got the full time job with Emmylou Harris, replacing legendary guitarist James Burton, as Elvis wanted Burton to play with him full time!
Albert never met Elvis but would have loved to have done so. However he did drive out to Las Vegas with The Crickets to see him in concert in the early 70s.
The support at the Gaiety gig will be from blues rock band Stone Creation who have been favourites on the Manx music scene for the past few years.
Tickets for the concert cost 22 (15 concessions) and are available from the ticket hotline on 694555 or from.villagaiety.com
Albert will also be hosting a guitar clinic on Sunday, August 31, from 2pm to 3.30pm at South Douglas Old Friends Club, Finch Road, Douglas.
It costs 5.
There are a range of ticket options available for the fest including festival tickets and weekend tickets, ring 694555 for details.
Links:
www.iomguitarfest.com
www.mgpguitarfest.com
www.albertleeandhogansheroes.com
www.myspace.com/stonecreation
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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