Stryder1978 Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Graham Bond Was Better Than Cream,' Says Ten Years After's Lee INTERVIEW WITH RIC LEE Jim Clash CONTRIBUTOR I write about culture and adventure sports. FOLLOW ON FORBES (32) Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. In parts one and two of our interview series with the great Ten Years After drummer Ric Lee, we discussed the late musicians Alvin Lee and David Bowie, the insanity of the current political climate in the U.S., Woodstock and some of today’s more modern musical acts. Here, Lee opines about what it’s like touring at age 70, some well-known sixties drummers including Mitch Mitchell – and the amazing Graham Bond Organisation. Lee is just finishing a book about his life called “From Headstocks To Woodstock.” He grew up in Mansfield, England, in the mining community (a headstock is not only the top of a guitar but a piece of mining equipment). So his memories are fresh. Jim Clash: We talked earlier about tension in bands. That was there big time with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce in Cream. Ric Lee: It was bizarre between Jack and Ginger because they had played together for so long, come up through the Graham Bond. To be honest, I would have Graham Bond any day over Cream. Don’t get me wrong – Cream was very good, but Graham Bond was so different at the time. He had an organ in one hand, an alto sax in the other and was doing the singing, too. Ginger and Jack were just the most amazing rhythm section. I loved all the stuff they played – Wade In The Water, Walkin’ In The Park – all those fantastic tracks. The guy was a genius. And sadly, the group never really cracked it as an [commercial] outfit. JC: Let’s play word association with some of the best-known sixties drummers. How about Ginger? RL: Fabulous. JC: John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)? RL: Good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metta Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 did he not use a powerful enough adjective? maybe he doesn't care so much for zep maybe it is just another statement that is a bit misunderstood in print and simply misinterpreted as happens every second on the internet Alvin Lee....awesome to see live BTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stryder1978 Posted March 11, 2016 Author Share Posted March 11, 2016 No, he did not use a powerful enough adjective in my opinion.....especially compared to what he used for Ginger Baker. If he doesn't care for Zep, he's lost all credibility with me. UMMM...it's a word association, hard to misinterpret THAT! I do agree that Alvin Lee was a phenomenal guitarist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk8rat Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 who cares. its not like he bashed john bonham. maybe he just doesn't care much for his work but can at least appreciate it. you guys are way to sensitive about these things and read into them too much. not everyone is going to share the same opinion as you and not everyone has a major obsession with led zeppelin. different people walk different paths of life so different bands and songs speak to them more than others. whether they think queen, pink floyd, black sabbath, ect... are the best, it is because they found a connection with the music, much like you guys and led zeppelin. have you considered that maybe he only had to say "good" because everybody has already hear how "bonzo is the greatest drummer of all time" over and over again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted March 12, 2016 Share Posted March 12, 2016 Well, for me the tell is he liked Graham Bond over Cream, so, put another way, he preferred a jazz foundation over a blues foundation. Since Baker was a jazz drummer and Bonham was not, no explanation necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted March 13, 2016 Share Posted March 13, 2016 John Bonham threw a glass of orange juice at Alvin Lee right before he went onstage once. His hands were a sticky mess and he didn't play well. So a "good" rating coming from Alvin Lee's bandmate is probably at least partly due to this not very cool prank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Duck Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 On 3/12/2016 at 4:11 PM, the chase said: John Bonham threw a glass of orange juice at Alvin Lee right before he went onstage once. His hands were a sticky mess and he didn't play well. So a "good" rating coming from Alvin Lee's bandmate is probably at least partly due to this not very cool prank. Drunken prank or was there bad blood between Bonham and Lee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 2 hours ago, Disco Duck said: Drunken prank or was there bad blood between Bonham and Lee? From what I read of the incident it started out as a drunken prank, but after Lee took the stage Bonham kept taunting him yelling that he played like shit. I am actually surprised Lee was not electrocuted, it was a pretty fucked up thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingzoso Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 On 3/12/2016 at 4:11 PM, the chase said: John Bonham threw a glass of orange juice at Alvin Lee right before he went onstage once. His hands were a sticky mess and he didn't play well. So a "good" rating coming from Alvin Lee's bandmate is probably at least partly due to this not very cool prank. From my recollection (from my extensive readings), Bonzo threw a glass of orange juice at Alvin Lee while Lee was onstage playing with Ten Years After and not before going onstage. This incident happened at Flushing Meadow, in New York. It was also at this festival where Bonzo stripped down naked much to the chagrin of Peter Grant. Peter and Richard Cole both grabbed Bonzo and took him to the nearest room backstage and told Bonzo that if he wasn't dressed by the time the police knocked down the door, he was out of Led Zeppelin. Here is an account of the incident and a direct quote from Ric Lee about said incident: At Flushing Meadow in New York they played alongside of Vanilla Fudge and Jeff Beck. While Led Zeppelin also turned up to check out the competition. In Richard Cole's notorious "Stairway to Heaven" a kiss and tell all book, the former tour manager relates how Jimmy Page was awestruck by Alvin's super-sonic playing, much to the annoyance of an inebriated John Bonham, who suddenly lurched forward and threw a glass of orange juice all over Alvin's guitar, in order to slow up his (Alvin's) finger work as the strings and fret-board got stickier. When asked about this incident, Alvin doesn't remember anything having been thrown, although Ric Lee confirms the story. He also remembers a more amusing incident at the end of the show when he and Bonzo joined Jeff Beck for the encore. "There was Robert Plant, Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and three bassists I think that Bonzo was beating out a riff on the drum kit, so I grabbed a floor tom and started thrumming the hell out of it. The crowd were going ape-shit as we banged out a blues standard and Bonham, who was already stripped to the waist, took off his trousers and underpants. He was sitting there naked, playing away, when the police saw him, I then saw Peter Grant and Richard Cole spotting the police, as the number fizzled out, all I saw was Peter and Richard running on stage, each grabbing one of Bonzo's arms, and his bare arse disappearing as they carried him off". (This last quote is a direct quote and all the long run on sentences and commas are courtesy of Ric Lee and not kingzoso). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Ooops...my mistake. I thought there was actual "news" here. Just another non-story made to look worse than it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingzoso Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 13 minutes ago, Strider said: Ooops...my mistake. I thought there was actual "news" here. Just another non-story made to look worse than it is. This may or may not be new "news" to you, our dear Strider, if it is even "news" at all, but how can you say that this is "just another non-story made to look worse than it is" (your words), when in fact, this is a "real story" that actually happened and how can it be made to look worse than it is when this event was witnessed by other musicians that were actually there and had seen this event happen right in front of them? I have read your "stories" in the past. Please recollect your "story" of what you remembered from this concert in New York in 1969 as you remembered it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 ^^^Get a grip. I am not talking about your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BledZabbath Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Who really cares what anyone thinks? The important thing is what you yourself thinks. I don't need anyone reassuring me who is good and who is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 People can have their own opinions. But luckily, millions of Zep Heads from around the world, including all of us in this forum, know better. Edited to add: I don't even know who this Ric Lee person is! Never heard of him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 1 hour ago, Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 said: People can have their own opinions. But luckily, millions of Zep Heads from around the world, including all of us in this forum, know better. Edited to add: I don't even know who this Ric Lee person is! Never heard of him! Kiwi, you know I like you so take this as constructive criticism meant with the best intentions. Your statement serves no purpose other than to reinforce the false impression that Ric Lee somehow slandered John Bonham. As another poster above already said, you people are way too sensitive and too quick to find fault in any little thing any other musician says that isn't "Led Zeppelin is the greatest at everything". Ric Lee did not say anything bad about Bonham no matter what the OP tries to insinuate with his misleading thread title. Plus, saying you don't know who Ric Lee is only reflects your youth and gap in musical knowledge. Ten Years After is a band that was big for a time in the 60s and created a sensation at Woodstock and Ric Lee was the drummer. Alvin Lee was a pretty hot guitarist for a time. You should investigate their music a bit. Ric Lee said nothing derogatory about Bonham or Zeppelin so stop acting like he killed your dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddladner Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Hi Kiwi! I'm not familiar with the individual band members, either, but FWIW, they play a song that I absolutely adore. It's got such a great groove, don't you think? As far as the OP, I don't put a lot of stock into others' comments regarding LZ. I've never heard or read one article or comment that caused me to like or dislike any music. Luckily, my ears and my soul are my truest gauge of fabulous, good, and all of the other adjectives that exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Maybe this is why some people come on here to bust balls. Some people are all offended that Ric Lee didn't compliment John Bonham enough!. He said John was good and some are offended. . If someone from another band threw orange juice at my bandmate before or during our performance and it affected our gig, I'd have nothing good to say about them ever... unless of course he sincerely apologized.. Ric Lee is being rather gracious considering... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpMan Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Let's try and put this whole episode into perspective. No Bonham, no Lee, no bullshit. So, you are in a band which gigs at local bars and clubs. One night you are ready to go on, have your guitar strapped on & plugged in and are ready to take the stage. All of a sudden some guy runs up and throws orange juice all over you and your 1958 ES-335. So, what would YOU do? How would YOU react? The fact is, Alvin Lee was a very, very calm and controlled individual. A goddamned Zen master for all intent and purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 9 hours ago, Strider said: Kiwi, you know I like you so take this as constructive criticism meant with the best intentions. Your statement serves no purpose other than to reinforce the false impression that Ric Lee somehow slandered John Bonham. As another poster above already said, you people are way too sensitive and too quick to find fault in any little thing any other musician says that isn't "Led Zeppelin is the greatest at everything". Ric Lee did not say anything bad about Bonham no matter what the OP tries to insinuate with his misleading thread title. Plus, saying you don't know who Ric Lee is only reflects your youth and gap in musical knowledge. Ten Years After is a band that was big for a time in the 60s and created a sensation at Woodstock and Ric Lee was the drummer. Alvin Lee was a pretty hot guitarist for a time. You should investigate their music a bit. Ric Lee said nothing derogatory about Bonham or Zeppelin so stop acting like he killed your dog. Ummm...Strider, I dig you, but I think you are reading way too much into my comments! First off, my post was meant to be a joke. This thread was getting a little too stuffy for its own good and I wanted to throw in, my insignificant two cents. I really don't mind / care what some musician (who I've never heard of, before) says about Bonham. Good? Great? Fantastic? Bad? Ugly? I mean again, who cares?! These are just adjectives. Mere words. Second, in my opinion, life is way too short to think about insignificant details such as this. I think we all need to calm down, sit down, take a deep breath, relax and have a beer or in my case, a whisky and stop over analyzing forum posts. As for being sensitive, well, if you state that I am passionate, sensitive and prickly about bands like Rush, you got me there. As the old saying goes, Guilty As Charged! I am more than happy to own up, to such a fact! But about Led Zeppelin? Nope. Not even close. So, please re-read my post. And at the risk of sounding rude, I would like to request you, to stop being so nitpicky and unfair! As we all know, there are millions of fans out there hiding in the woodwork, who would gladly take my place and indulge in this needless online battle of words, taking offence at what Mr. Lee, was saying. A 1000 apologies to you, my good man, for not knowing who Mr. Lee is. I guess I'm a young, silly and clueless millennial! Good day to you, dear sir and sorry for being so annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 20 hours ago, Ddladner said: Hi Kiwi! I'm not familiar with the individual band members, either, but FWIW, they play a song that I absolutely adore. It's got such a great groove, don't you think? As far as the OP, I don't put a lot of stock into others' comments regarding LZ. I've never heard or read one article or comment that caused me to like or dislike any music. Luckily, my ears and my soul are my truest gauge of fabulous, good, and all of the other adjectives that exist. Hi Debbie! I apologize for not replying to your post, earlier. It's just that it was my desire to just stay away from this thread, at least for a couple of hours, maybe even a day (if possible), in the midst of my recent, rather unpleasant exchange, with one of my good friends here! Anyway, thank you for posting that incredible song! It truly touched my heart, not only because of the beautiful acoustic piece, perfectly intertwined with those blistering electric and bluesy guitar riffs, but because of the wonderful lyrics! You put a smile on my face today, by posting that amazing song and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, for giving me a great introduction to the band Ten Years After! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ddladner Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 ^^^ Glad you enjoyed it, Kiwi! Keep that bright smile shining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Zep_Fan87 Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 14 hours ago, Ddladner said: ^^^ Glad you enjoyed it, Kiwi! Keep that bright smile shining! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mithril46 Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 One thing perhaps not realized is that Ric Lee (possibly) was really never used to speaking publicly or to the press and in these conditions one speaks ad hoc. Many famous people, for example, quickly learned that ANYTHING they say will get out there and be immediately scrutinized. But in this case, for chrissakes, Ric called Bonham "good". As if this is some unspeakable crime. Of course I totally disagree with Lee. So what. This isn't North Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BledZabbath Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 20 hours ago, Mithril46 said: One thing perhaps not realized is that Ric Lee (possibly) was really never used to speaking publicly or to the press and in these conditions one speaks ad hoc. Many famous people, for example, quickly learned that ANYTHING they say will get out there and be immediately scrutinized. But in this case, for chrissakes, Ric called Bonham "good". As if this is some unspeakable crime. Of course I totally disagree with Lee. So what. This isn't North Korea. You make sense Mithril. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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