I’ve seen Ian McLagan many times performing with various configurations of The Bump Band in Austin, where he’s lived for several years since he was lured there by fellow-Small Face Ronnie Lane. Ian’s ventured on a rare U.S. tour to promote his new album Never Say Never, and I caught him at a stop in Folsom, California, an afternoon gig at The Powerhouse Pub. The set didn’t let up from the opening “I Will Follow” through the Ronnie Lane tune “Kuschty Rye” a little over an hour later, Ian’s Hammond and piano solos wailing away through an excellent selection of tunes from the new album, Faces tunes (“Glad and Sorry,” “Cindy Incidentally” and “You’re So Rude” among them) and solid blues like a rollicking version of Little Walter’s “Temperature.” McLagan made a point of talking about Ronnie Lane, and how the Bump Band was dedicated to keeping his songs in circulation, and it was great to be introduced to Lane compositions like “Spiritual Babe,” which I can’t remember hearing before. Ian’s voice was a bit raspy (it was his seventh show in as many days) but not unpleasantly so.
If the Faces reunion isn’t going to happen, this is as good as it’s going to get, and that ain’t bad.
(He’s on the Letterman show June 16th.)
Meanwhile, a couple weeks ago Rod Stewart jumped on stage with Jeff Beck at The El Rey in Los Angeles, and sang “People Get Ready” and “Ain’t Superstitious.” And despite evidence to the contrary in recent years, Rod may finally have gotten his voice back in fighting shape and sounded great. (Naturally, you can see the footage on youtube.com) Beck’s new live album/DVD, recorded at Ronnie Scott’s, is a guitar clinic that should either spur younger players to new competitive heights or have them hang it up entirely and leave the field to the old masters.
Let’s see which other acts from the ‘60s have got new albums out: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, J.J. Cale, Danny O’Keefe, Leonard Cohen, Al Kooper, Paul Jones, Jesse Winchester, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Webb, the former Cat Stevens, Booker T. Jones, Jorma Kaukonen, Al Stewart, Marianne Faithfull, Jeff Beck, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Tom Rush. . .and most of ‘em are very strong recordings. Gives me some kind of hope, you know?
