Although TEN YEARS AFTER's legacy has suffered somewhat unjustly with the passage of time the band spearheaded the 'Brit-Rock' invasion of America during the early 70's and managed five top 40 Billboard placings. The act's greatest claim to fame was their electrifying appearance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival, a show so impressive it would haunt them for many years after.

TEN YEARS AFTER was centred upon Nottingham born vocalist and lead guitarist ALVIN LEE (real name Graham Lee). Lee had cut his teeth with school acts THE SQUARE CAPS and THE JAILBREAKERS prior to forging a union with Mansfield bassist Leo Lyons with THE ATOMITES in 1960.

THE ATOMITES evolved into THE JAYMEN with the addition of vocalist Ian Jay. The band name morphed again into THE JAYCATS. As with so many British acts of that time a residency was secured at the legendary Star club in Hamburg. However, after a few dates the band fractured and the band, now titled THE JAYBIRDS, returned home to pull in new drummer Dave Quickmire in order to fulfill their German obligations. Although a straight Pop band Lee's guitar prowess was by now filtering through the scene and he was offered a position in THE OUTLAWS, a post he turned down. Lyons meanwhile used their period in Germany to moonlight as an actor and appeared in various Westerns.

THE JAYBIRDS returned to Britain in 1965 and shortly after Quickmire decamped. His position was filled by Ric Lee of THE MANSFIELDS. The act toured the clubs and eventually relocated to London securing a support tour to Pop act THE IVY LEAGUE in late 1966. For these dates the group drafted keyboard player CHICK CHURCHILL to augment their live sound.

A new manager Chris Wright suggested that in order to make any serious headway a name change was needed. The band became BLUES TRIP and then BLUES YARD. Under this guise the band gained a valuable residency at London's Marquee club.

As 1967 drew in it was felt another mantle was required. Lyons found the name TEN YEARS AFTER in a newspaper article on Russian history. Another name under consideration was LIFE WITHOUT MOTHER. As TEN YEARS AFTER they debuted at the Windsor Jazz & Blues festival before cutting their debut album for Deram.

The album was not quite the persuasive Blues-Rock that would come to typify their sound but id did prompt the renowned American promoter Bill Graham to give the band their inaugural U.S. dates at his San Francisco Fillmore West venue in 1968. A trip to New York the same year found the band entering the studio to record demos with guitarist Jimmy Spruill and vocalist Garfield Love. It would be twenty years before these tapes surfaced.

TEN YEARS AFTER's second album was recorded live at the Klook Kleek club in London and comprised a mix of original compositions and covers. It would give them their first taste of the British charts. From this point on TEN YEARS AFTER would live life almost solidly either on the road or in the studio.

A third album 'Stonedhenge' found the band exploring more Psychedelic territory. The same year TEN YEARS AFTER made their famous Woodstock showing. Their set was immortalized on the movie 'Woodstock' and Lee's fret burning on 'I'm Going Home' would become the yardstick to measure all future phases of their career. This performance would set up next album 'Ssssh' for chart success at home and for the first time in America. Further exposure was gained when some American radio stations refused to play the record objecting to the lyric 'I want to ball you all night long' on the song 'Good Morning Little School Girl'.

1970's 'Cricklewood Green' gave the band a British top five album and fostered a genuine hit single with 'Love Like A Man'. 'Watt', which included a live rendition of 'Sweet Little Sixteen' from the 1970 Isle Of Wight festival, continued the trend. For 'A Space In Time' TEN YEARS AFTER, now signed to Chrysalis Records by Chris Wright, altered their sound becoming much mellower with pastoral acoustic numbers coming to the fore. It would be their biggest seller in America but sales dropped sharply in their homeland.

It was a downhill slide for 'Rock n' Roll Music To The World' and the follow up 1973 live album. During this period TEN YEARS AFTER performed in the tame sex movie 'Groupie'. Alvin Lee took time out to session with Rock n' Roll legend JERRY LEEE LEWIS and guest with GEORGE HARRISON on his 1974 'Dark Horses' album and on SPLINTER's 'The Place I Love' the same year. Both Lyons and Ric Lee appeared on MIKE VERNON's 'Moments Of Madness' album.

Both Alvin Lee and Churchill ventured into solo albums, Lee teaming up with Mylon Le Fevre from HOLY SMOKE, GEORGE HARRISON, Ronnie Wood of the FACES and TRAFFIC's Steve Winwood for his tellingly titled 'On The Road To Freedom'.

Churchill's album 'You And Me' saw guests in JETHRO TULL's guitarist Martin Barre, BERNIE MARSDEN, COZY POWELL and both Lyons and Ric Lee.

TEN YEARS AFTER played their swansong gig at the London Roundhouse in March 1974. Lee made it known previously that he was bored with performing 'I'm Going Home' night after night and creatively needed to break free. A posthumous album 'Positive Vibrations' was released but sank without trace.

In September of 1974 Lee launched his new group ALVIN LEE & CO. made up mainly of KOKOMO musicians with Tim Hinkley of JODY GRIND and Ian Wallace. This band issued an ambitious double live album followed by a lengthy tour but before the year was out TEN YEARS AFTER had reformed with contractual obligations in America enforcing the move. After this jaunt Lee resumed solo activity for the 1975 'Pump Iron' album. Hinkley would join BOXER.

Lyons meanwhile involved himself with fast rising hard Rockers UFO with Lyons producing their 1974 breakthrough record 'Phenomenon', the American chart album 'Force It' on which Churchill contributed keyboards and 1976's 'No Heavy Petting'. Lyons would later produce Birmingham Pomp Rockers MAGNUM.

Drummer Ric Lee teamed up with fellow British Blues Rockers CHICKENSHACK.

ALVIN LEE & CO. came back for the 'Let It Rock' record. In 1978 the guitarist formed TEN YEARS LATER with ANDROMEDA's Mick Hawksworth and Tom Compton. Two albums ensued 'Rocket Fuel' and 'Ride On' before this band folded.

The ALVIN LEE BAND followed for 'Free Fall' and 'RX 5' but TEN YEARS AFTER succumbed to outside pressure once more for the Marquee club's 25 Anniversary and a set at the Reading festival in 1983. For 1987 Lee released another solo set 'Detroit Diesel' in collaboration with Lyons, DEEP PURPLE's JON LORD and GEORGE HARRISON once again, widely regarded as his best effort.

TEN YEARS AFTER was resurrected again in 1988 for lucrative German festival dates. The old magic was renewed and the band set about touring America and laying down a new album 'About Time' in 1989. This record included former RARE BIRD man Steve Gould who had assisted Lee on previous solo records.

Lee has since issued solo outings 'Zoom' in 1992, '1994' in 1993, 'I Hear You Rockin' in 1994 and 1995's 'Pure Blues'. Lyons created THE KICK with vocalist Tony Crooks releasing two albums 'Heartland' in 1992 and 1994's 'Trip Through Paradise'.

Lyons, Churchill and Ric Lee united again in 1995 billed as THE BREAKERS for the 'Milan' album, which featured guitarist PAUL SAMSON.

1997 TEN YEARS AFTER back together for European festival dates and their first shows in South America. Chrysalis marked this event with the 'Solid Rock' album, which included two newly recorded tracks 'I Love You When You Rock n' Roll' and 'Fight For Your Rights'. During 1998 TEN YEARS AFTER were included at the massive 'A Day In The Garden' festival in America.

The entire TEN YEARS AFTER catalogue would be subject to a lavishly presented remastered re-issue campaign during 2001. Included amongst the classic albums would also be a live album culled from a vintage 1970 performance at the Fillmore East in New York. With renewed interest riding high Lyons, Churchill and Lee made an approach to ALVIN LEE to reform for a world tour but this offer was declined. The band, albeit minus ALVIN LEE, made a return in 2002 with twenty five year old new guitarist Joe Gooch.

Debuting in Italy during November of 2002 the new look band was soon on the receiving end of laudatory reviews. Touring extended into 2003 with TEN YEARS AFTER traversing Europe, the UK and North America before entering the studio to record a new album entitled 'Now'.

The band returned to the Summer touring circuit in Europe during 2005 performing a swathe of festival dates packaged with fellow veterans IRON BUTTERFLY, JEFFERSON STARSHIP and CANNED HEAT.