33. I’M GOING HOME

Ten Years After

GUITARIST: ALVIN LEE (1969)

Captain Speedfingers rides the waves.

The 1970 film has. “There were many guitarists faster than me.” That said, there’s no denying Alvin’s fleet-fingered fretwork, nor his melodicism, which nods to both vintage blues and 1950s rock and roll. “The solo in the movie sounds pretty rough to me these days, but it had the energy, and that was what Ten Years After were all about at the time,” Lee said. “However, I often wonder what would have happened if they had used ‘I Can’t Keep From Crying, Sometimes’ instead.” One way or another, we’re sure Lee’s brilliance would have shone through.