The Blasters

The Blasters are an American rock band formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin and Dave Alvin, along with bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Their style, which they have described as "American Music", incorporates elements of rockabilly, early rock and roll, punk rock, mountain music, rhythm and blues, and country. The Alvin brothers were raised in a musically diverse household, where they were exposed to various forms of American music from an early age. Read more on Last.fm …read full bio

The Blasters are an American rock band formed in 1979 in Downey, California, by brothers Phil Alvin and Dave Alvin, along with bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Their style, which they have described as "American Music", incorporates elements of rockabilly, early rock and roll, punk rock, mountain music, rhythm and blues, and country. The Alvin brothers were raised in a musically diverse household, where they were exposed to various forms of American music from an early age. As teenagers, they became acquainted with John Bazz and Bill Bateman, and the group developed an interest in live performance by attending blues clubs in Los Angeles. They were influenced by established musicians of the genre and gained informal instruction and mentorship through these experiences. Phil Alvin also received harmonica lessons from Sonny Terry, and the band later collaborated with tenor saxophonist Lee Allen. The name of the band originated from a misunderstanding regarding a backing group associated with Joe Turner, which Phil Alvin believed to be called the "Blues Blasters". After learning that the name was incorrect, he adapted it to "The Blasters". The band released its debut album, "American Music", in 1980. Pianist Gene Taylor joined shortly afterward and remained with the group until 1985. Steve Berlin later joined on baritone saxophone, forming a horn section with Lee Allen. During the early 1980s, The Blasters became known for their energetic live performances and were associated with the Los Angeles punk rock scene. They performed alongside several contemporary acts and were also connected to the emerging cowpunk movement. The band contributed to the early career development of Dwight Yoakam and toured with him in 1985. The Blasters also maintained a close association with Los Lobos, a band they had known since the mid-1970s. They invited Los Lobos to open for them and supported their early recording opportunities. Steve Berlin later left The Blasters to join Los Lobos. Throughout their early career, The Blasters toured extensively, sharing stages with a wide range of artists across different genres. Their touring schedule included performances with bands from punk, rock, and country backgrounds, reflecting their stylistic diversity. Internal tensions within the band, particularly between the Alvin brothers, led to significant changes in 1985. During a performance in Montreal on October 23, 1985, Gene Taylor left the band, followed shortly by Dave Alvin. Although Dave Alvin briefly rejoined in early 1986 for planned recording sessions, he ultimately departed to pursue a solo career. Following these departures, Phil Alvin continued to lead various lineups of The Blasters. Guitarist Hollywood Fats joined in 1986 but died later that year. Dave Alvin temporarily returned to assist the band after Fats' death. Subsequent guitarists included Billy Zoom, Smokey Hormel, James Intveld, and Keith Wyatt, the latter joining in 1996. Changes also occurred in the rhythm section, with Bill Bateman being replaced in 1993 and later returning to the band in 2008. The band periodically reunited in its original lineup for tours and live recordings. In 2005, The Blasters released "4-11-44", their first studio album in two decades. This was followed by "Fun On Saturday Night" in 2012, which included a duet with Exene Cervenka on a cover of the song "Jackson". In 2012, during a tour in Spain, Phil Alvin experienced a severe medical emergency caused by an infection from an abscessed tooth. After undergoing emergency treatment, he recovered and continued performing. As of 2022, the band's lineup consisted of Phil Alvin, John Bazz, Keith Wyatt, and Bill Bateman. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blasters Studio albums American Music (1980) The Blasters (1981) Non Fiction (1983) Hard Line (1985) 4-11-44 (2005, with Keith Wyatt) Fun on Saturday Night (2012, with Keith Wyatt) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.

…shrink me down again