The album opens with a wry take on “Link Of Chain.” A rambling Rocker originally written and recorded by urbane Blues/Folk singer Chris Smither, Dave slightly recalibrates the rhythm and expands the instrumentation. There’s no rhyme or reason to this record, the unifying theme is these songs, mostly written by heroes and friends, are simply fun to sing and play. The result is From An Old Guitar, a collection of 16 rare and mostly unreleased songs that were recorded between 20. Rather than sit around in his Underoos, binge-watching Bravo Television, he began digging through his archives. Instead, the COVID 45, um, 19 pandemic hit and the music industry nearly ground to a halt. Had 2020 progressed logically, Dave would have spent most of the year on the road with Third Mind, flexing new musical muscles, extending boundaries and expanding horizons live. It was a brilliant synthesis of disparate influences. Primarily instrumental, Dave sang lead on one track. The goal was “loud fun.” The result was a self-titled six song set that unfurled like an extended suite. Inspired by Miles Davis’ improvisational jams, the four-piece just set up and played. He joined forces with bassist Victor Krummenacher (Camper Van Beethoven), multi-instrumentalist David Immergluck (Camper, John Hiatt, Counting Crows) and drummer Michael Jerome (the Toadies, Richard Thompson). At the beginning of 2020, Dave revealed his most intriguing collaboration to date, the super group, The Third Mind. Dave’s down-home Downey grit was perfectly matched by Jimmie Dale’s Lubbock twangy Country-Soul. Most recently, Dave and legendary Texas singer- songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore partnered to record 2018’s Downey To Lubbock. In the last decade he and Phil have collaborated on two records that featured interpretations of their favorite Blues classics. He has also reunited a few times with The Blasters and made a second album with the Knitters. In the ensuing years, Dave has released 12 critically acclaimed solo albums. But his true ambition was to sing and play his own songs, so in 1987, he embarked on a solo career. He also contributed a classic song, “4th Of July” to the X canon. Coincidently, guitarist Billy Zoom had recently left X, so Dave stepped in on guitar for their See How They Are Album. They even wound up as openers for Queen on a leg of their West Coast tour.īefore splitting from the Blasters, Dave recorded with the Knitters, a Country/Folk side project spearheaded by several members of X. They ended up sharing stages with everyone from the Cramps and the Go-Go’s to Western Swing band, Asleep At The Wheel. Between 19, they released three critically acclaimed studio albums and a live EP. As lead singer, Phil was very much the “voice” of the band, but as guitarist and primary songwriter, Dave emerged as the band’s heart and soul.Īlthough they recorded their debut, American Music via the tiny Rollin’ Rock label, the Blasters soon joined their pals X and signed with L.A.’s premier indie label, Slash Records. The Blasters pioneered a Roots Rock sound that incorporated their myriad influences, with an added jolt of Punk Rock energy. club scene and fell in with like-minded bands such as X, Gun Club and Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs. By 1979, the brothers enlisted bassist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman and formed The Blasters. Although both attending college and Phil began teaching mathematics, their shared passion for music never wavered. Gary Davis and Lightning Hopkins and even met heroes like Big Joe Turner and Muddy Waters. It was there they soaked up the sounds of Rev. Thanks to the influence of an older cousin, they both became passionate students of Blues, Folk, R&B, Country and Rockabilly.īy the time they were teenagers they began haunting vintage record shops and making regular pilgrimages to the legendary Ash Grove club in L.A. It was there Dave and Phil became obsessed with music at an early age. Although it’s only 13 miles southeast of Los Angeles, it might as well be a world away. So, it’s wholly apropos that his new album is entitled From An Old Guitar: Rare And Unreleased Recordings.īorn in 1955, Dave, along with his older brother Phil, grew up in Downey, California, birthplace of the Aerospace industry. A musician’s musician, and an under-sung guitar god, he doesn’t just play a guitar, he plays a 1934 National Steel Duolian guitar or a 1964 Fender Telecaster, a ’54 Martin 00-18 and a 1958 Martin D-28. Rock & Roll, Country, Folk, Blues (especially the Blues), you name it, and he could probably teach a master class. Dave Alvin is the kind of guy who has an encyclopedic knowledge of music.
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