10 Underrated Blues Rock Bands of the 1970s
Blues Rock is a hybrid sub-genre that came into existence during the second half of the 1960s with groups like the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Cream. Blues Rock was comprised of the traditional, three-chord blues song and loudly amplified improvisational instrumentals that were rock & roll oriented. Jazz like improvisation is also an important part of the genre and sometimes the lines get blurred between Blues Rock and Hard Rock. Not all bands that were and are part of the genre reach the same level of success and gain the popularity level of Led Zeppelin or ZZ Top but they did make significant contributions.
The following is a list of some of the best lesser known and underrated Blues Rock bands of the 1970s.
May Blitz
May Blitz initially came together in 1969 but by the early 1970s it was comprised of both British and Canadian band members. As a power trio they could be compared to Cream with bass guitar playing vocalist Reid Hudson, drummer Tony Newman and lead guitarist James Black. Their popularity peaked during the early 1970s with their ability to blend together blues with hard rock and the then popular psychedelic sound. While they never achieved commercial success they did make an impact on the era with two albums that produced some of their best songs like “Smoking the Day Away,” “For Mad Men Only” and “Fire Queen.”
Captain Beyond
Captain Beyond was initially formed in Los Angeles, California in 1971 as a conglomeration of members from several successful bands. Rod Evans was the original lead singer of Deep Purple for their first three albums. The rest of the band included former Iron Butterfly bass guitarist Lee Dorman, drummer Bobby Caldwell, who was in Johnny Winter’s band, and lead guitarist Larry “Rhino” Reinhardt. They are usually labeled as a progressive rock band with influences from other genres as diverse as blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and psychedelic rock. They released two albums during their initial incarnation during the 1970s, Captain Beyond and Sufficiently Breathless.
Bloodrock
Bloodrock formed in Fort Worth, Texas in the late 1960s with the original lineup of vocalist Jim Rutlege, Lee Pickens, and Nick Taylor on guitar, with the rhythm section comprised of Ed Grundy on bass and Stevie Hill on drums. They were influential with fans of hard rock and blues rock with their intense performances and dark and often macabre lyrical themes. They released six albums in their short lived carreer during the first half of the 1970s but it was Bloodrock 2 that garnered them their most enduring song, “D.O.A.” It was a song whose lyrics described the last moments of an airplane crash victim that had widespread FM radio play.
Jo Jo Gunne
Jay Ferguson put together a band called Jo Jo Gunne in Spring 1971 after he left Spirit where he was the lead singer. Mark Andes the original bass player of Spirit also joined Ferguson along with his brother Matt Andes on lead guitar and drummer Mark (Curly) Smith. During the four years that they were together, they released four record albums. Jo Jo Gunne had a couple of hit songs during their career with “Run, Run, Run,” “Shake That Fat” and “Babylon” from their 1972 self-titled debut album. After they released their final album So…Where’s the Show in 1974, Ferguson began a successful solo career and Mark Andes joined Heart.
Cactus
Cactus was another one of the short lived bands that was made up of successful rock artists from previous bands. They released four albums with the rhythm section of Cactus comprised of drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tim Bogert, formerly members of Vanilla Fudge. Jim McCarty from Mitch Ryder’sDetroit Wheels” was the lead guitarist and lead vocalist Rusty Day was from the Amboy Dukes. They released four albums in the early 1970’s while Appice and Bogert were on hiatus because of Jeff Beck’s auto accident which delayed the creation of Beck, Bogert, and Appice released in 1973.
Montrose
Ronnie Montrose released his eponymous debut album in 1973 fronting the band bearing his name. The band was comprised of Montrose on lead guitar, Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, Denny Carmassi on drums, and Bill Church on bass. It’s a hard rock album with elements of blues rock found in songs like “Rock the Nation” and “Bad Motor Scooter.” Montrose released four albums during the 1970s with different lineups and one in 1987. Sammy Hagar left after the second album for a successful solo career and became David Lee Roth’s replacement in Van Halen for a period.
Back Street Crawler
Back Street Crawler was an English blues rock band formed by guitarist Paul Kossoff in 1975 after the breakup of Free. The band’s music was a combination of hard-driving blues rock that was propelled by a dynamic rhythm section and embellished with soulful vocals and gritty guitar work. After the band released two albums and was making an impact, Kossoff tragically died in 1976 at the age of 25. His death was from a drug-related heart condition on a plane flight from L.A. to New York. Some of their best songs that are considered signature tracks are “Jason Blue,” “Train Song” and “The Band Plays On.”
Hoo Doo Rhythm Devils
The Hoo Doo Rhythm Devils were formed in San Francisco in the early 1970s. Former Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, and future Heart bass guitarist Mark Andes was a founding member of the band. Other members included drummer Bob Brown, Keyboard, and saxophonist Les Garland, as well as George Michalski on vocals and guitar along with guitarist Steve Wachsman. From 1971 through 1978 they released five record albums but although they had an avid following at live shows much like the Grateful Dead their albums didn’t produce radio hits.
Cold Blood
Cold Blood formed in 1968 in Oakland, California with keyboardist and former concert promoter Larry Field and singer Rodger Collins. The band became popular because of its powerful live performances that featured lead vocalist Lydia Pense. They blended together blues, funk, jazz, rock, and soul elements together much like Tower of Power, and shared the stage with other Bay Area bands like the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and Santana. During their heyday throughout the 1970s they released six albums and their signature songs were Willie Dixon’s “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” You Got Me Hummin” and Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.”
Nitzinger
John Nitzinger was born in 1948 in Fort Worth, Texas, and by the late 1960s he was fronting a band as the lead singer/guitarist/songwriter. In 1972, his first eponymous album was released by Capitol Records which he self-produced. Other artists on the album included Curly Benton on bass, Barry “Frosty” Smith, (of Lee Michaels’ fame) on drums, with additional guitarist Bugs Henderson on “Witness to the Truth” and keyboardist Dave Palmer. After producing two more albums in the 1970s his talents were appropriated by artists like Alice Cooper, Bloodrock and producers like T Bone Burnett.
Saw Montrose as support to Rod Stewart/ Faces in Birmingham UK. Blew the Faces off the stage (Rod didn’t seem his usual self) bought Rock the Nation next date. Still have CD version.
I saw Montrose on the paper money tour opened up for steppenwolf on their slow flux tour awesome concert now
Great group of Rock Blues musicians from the 1970’s
CACTUS rocks!!
I’m familiar with Cactus and of course Montrose, but I now have a bunch of new stuff to check out. Thanks for this list.
Nice list, there were so mant band in this period that just never made a big enough slash nationally or globally, but had reigional success. Badger, Automatic Man, Budgie, Captain Beefheart and others are groups that I say search for, from this era. If you are interested, search out these bands and get a wider understanding and appreciation for these fun but shortlived groups!!
Not sure I would say that Beefheart was short lived 1964-1982, almost 20 years. Of course, not everyone would say it was music, either 🙂
Of course it was music! Opinions and taste can vary, but that is just dumb.
I’m lucky to have seen Beefheart perform live, in the late 1970s, as a teenager, and Zappa, incidentally. Very different experiences, but extraordinary.
Also there was Wishbone Ash and The Climax Blues Band plus Savoy Brown
1 of the Last albums I bought. I forgot about them. They
Totally agree, Climax Blues band , one the best underrated British blues band who again had to hit the USA to find live and album success ????????
By far the most underrated and under appreciated blues /rock band /artist of all time is Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown . Nobody comes close in terms of quality/volume –
True that!
Absolutely nobody could come close to Savoy Brown! They are the kings of British boogie blues and I owned every single one of their albums on vinyl until my entire collection was stolen! Now I have it all on CD
Absolutely nobody compares to Savoy Brown. They are the kings of British boogie blues Rock, and I had every single one of their albums on vinyl until the collection was stolen. Now I have them all on CD
Absolutely nobody compares to Savoy Brown. They are the kings of British boogie blues rock and I had every single one of their vinyl albums until somebody stole my collection from a storage unit.
Fernando’s Hideaway, are you kidding me. Who would have ever thought of that in a rock genre. Out front on “Needle and Spoon”I get the point. Street Corner Talkin” . These guys were great! Helping to define the times.
1000% agree!
How’s about indigenous band is great
Captain Beyond was a neat discovery for me for sure. Always liked Rod Evans vocals and with CB the songs were extra interesting and always tuneful. Doesn’t everyone know Montrose by this point?
Montrose was NOT a Blues Band, not even close. And not 1 mention of Humble Pie???
Totally agree. There were no blues at all in the music of Montrose. Hard rock with pop elements. And they certainly are not underated by anyone.
Absolutely nobody compares to Savoy Brown. They are the kings of British boogie blues rock and I had every single one of their vinyl albums until somebody stole my collection from a storage unit.
How could you leave out Taste and Rory Gallagher! Man o man.
Johnny Winter ?
You are so Right!! Rory blew the lid off of all of these IMHO. Always a great show!
Yes, but Rory was not what I would call unheard of. I saw him twice. One of the best to ever strap up!
Mark Andes was in Firefall after Jo Jo and before Heart.
Rusty Day (RIP) was not the vocalist on the Cactus album. It’s Peter French, ex-Atomic Rooster & Leafhound who has a solo album dropping soon. Savoy Brown, TYA, Foghat, original Fleetwood Mac are conspicuously absent.
Foghat was a perfect blend of rock and blues ???? I saw them so many times that we became friends ???? RIP MUDSHOE
yep, rusty was a founding member & lead vocalist on “cactus”, “one way or another “, & “restrictions ” ‘ot ‘n’ sweaty was bogart & application with “hired hands” fulfilling contractual obligations. pales to original cactus band. slightly better than son of cactus. go back to school & stop trying to impress me with your trivia.
APPICE, not application, damn spell check/word suggestion
,how about the mighty groundhogs?
Parish Hall, banda foda demais!
A nice list though not exhaustive, I would also prefer the first Back Street Crawler with Paul Rodgers and Jess Roden on vocals and an exquisite guitar duo with John Martyn.
What you’re referring to is a Paul Kossoff solo album called “Back Street Crawler”
All hail Jo Jo Gunne! The German group Kin Ping Meh certainly deserves an honorable mention.
Pink Fairies.
Up the Pinks!!!
How about Chain and Carson.Blues Rock from Australia.
How about Chain and Carson.Blue Rock from Australia.
Climax Blues Band – one of the most tightly knit blues rock band, as well as ensemble of talented musicians, of the era.
Listen to “FM Live”, particularly, as well as any of their 1970s releases, and your ears will be rewarded.
How about Spooky Tooth & Free?
Saw Free open for Black Oak Arkansas at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago mid 70’s. Epic show.
yep, rusty was a founding member & lead vocalist on “cactus”, “one way or another “, & “restrictions ” ‘ot ‘n’ sweaty was bogart & application with “hired hands” fulfilling contractual obligations. pales to original cactus band. slightly better than son of cactus. go back to school & stop trying to impress me with your trivia.
no mention of joe crane & glenn waters, the real talent & mainstays of the hoodoo rhythm devils. the author has gone much too far.ozzy warned you
Pingback: Ten Underrated Blues Rock Bands of the 1970’s | ♪Jesus♬Rocks♬The♬World♪
Jo Jo Gunne, Montrose, Captain Beyond… Bluesbands? Yeah right.
Why was there no mention of humble pie? I still have their live album Rockin the Fillmore. Nobody sings like Steve Marriott or plays like Peter Frampton!
J. Geils Band-70’s era “Serves You Right to Suffer” and “Whammer Jammer” from Full House Live.
Blow Your Face Out !!!!!!
Some great and underappreciated bands here like Nitzinger, Bloodrock, Captain Beyond. Bringing them up in conversations with friends, I am usually given a blank look in return.
But a few of them really don’t belong in a discussion about “blues rock”.
And every list has omissions so two that I would add are Savoy Brown and Taste. But maybe they are too well known to be thought of as ‘underrated’.
Saw Nitzinger at the Cellar in Ft. Worth, and Mother Blues in Dallas in early 72 or 73. Can’t remember I was ripped!
Saw BloodRock with Grand Funk in New Orleans in1970 they were GREAT
Tucky buzzard
Stevie Hill played keyboards with Bloodrock I believe
Butterfield Blues Band a glaring omission. Good list though. I saw Humble Pie open for Cactus at Fillmore East. Steve Marriot stole the show
HOW ABOUT THE PAT TRAVERS BAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PT ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!! SAW HIM MANY TIMES. IN 1976-1978, THERE WAS NO BETTER BAND OUT THERE. U HAD PAT TRAVERS ON LEAD VOCALS AND GUITAR, PAT THRALL, LEAD AND RHYTHYM GUITAR, MARS COWLING ON BASS, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE GREATEST DRUMMER IN THE WHOLE F@@@ING WORLD, TOMMY ALDRIDGE!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALSO, A TRUE AND LITTLE KNOWN FACT: WHEN RANDY RHODES DIED, OZZY WANTED TO HIRE PAT TRAVERS AND HIS BAND FINISH THE 1982 DIARY TOUR. THEY ACTUALLY DID PLAY A FEW SHOWS TOGETHER!!!!!!!!
Bloodrock was from FORT Worth, not FORTH Worth! Glad you got it right for Johnny Nitzinger!
In my opinion one of the very very Miss bands blues rock bands with Frankie ?Moreno’s mahogany rush very underrated Marino definitely most underrated guitarist of that time frame