The Blasters Audio CDs & Vinyl Record Albums

The Blasters are a rock music group formed in 1979 in Downey, California by brothers Phil Alvin (vocals and guitar) and Dave Alvin (guitar), with bass guitarist John Bazz and drummer Bill Bateman. Their so-called "American Roots Music" was a blend of blues music, rockabilly, early rock and roll and rhythm and blues. The Alvin brothers had an early interest in blues music, and attended concerts by T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner and others, sometimes jamming and reminiscing with the musicians. The Blasters' energetic live performances gained a local following, and they became fixtures of the early 1980s Los Angeles punk rock scene, performing alongside X, Black Flag, The Gun Club and others. Rhythm and Blues saxophone legend Lee Allen joined The Blasters for their last two albums, and toured with them as well. Steve Berlin (later of Los Lobos) joined, playing baritone sax, and Gene Taylor joined as well, perfoming boogie woogie style piano. Dave Alvin--always the group's primary songwriter--left the band in 1986 for a critically acclaimed if sometimes only moderately successful solo career. Phil Alvin has led various incarnations of The Blasters intermitently since then.