FINYL VINYL

Description

NEW STUDIO ALBUM, THE FIRST SINCE 2003 Los Angeles, 1965: blues enthusiasts Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson (1943-1970) and Bob "The Bear" Hite (1943-1981), along with like-minded musicians, founded Canned Heat. They named the band after the title of a 1928 song by bluesman Tommy Johnson about a fuel containing methyl alcohol, also called "canned heat," which is misused by alcoholics as a substitute drug. In 1967, drummer Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra, still a member today, joined Canned Heat, though the band has otherwise seen many personnel changes throughout its history. A year later, Canned Heat's hit single "On The Road Again" made them popular worldwide. Following this chart success, they had further hits with "Going Up The Country" (1968) and "Let's Work Together" (1970). In August 1969, Canned Heat was part of the lineup for the legendary "Woodstock Music & Art Fair." In addition to the band's albums such as their eponymous debut LP from 1967 or "Boogie With Canned Heat" from the following year, they collaborated with greats of the genre such as John Lee Hooker ("Hooker 'n Heat," 1971), Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown ("Gate's On The Heat," 1973), or Memphis Slim ("Memphis Heat," 1974). Fast forward to the present: almost 60 years after the band's formation, a new studio album will be released on Ruf Records on CD and LP in April 2024. Recorded in Burbank, California, long-time drummer Fito de la Parra was joined in the studio by current band members, namely guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist Jimmy Vivino, harmonica player and vocalist Dale Spalding, and Richard "Rick" Reed, who succeeded long-time bassist Larry "The Mole" Taylor after his death in 2019. Another musician heard on the album is blues rocker Joe Bonamassa, who makes an appearance as lead guitarist on "So Sad (The World's In A Tangle)"; Canned Heat first recorded this song for their 1970 album "Future Blues" with founding members Alan Wilson and Bob Hite still present, and a live version can be found on their 2015 CD/DVD box set from Ruf's "Songs From The Road" series. Incidentally, the band's early history is reflected in the song "Blind Owl," a tribute to Alan Wilson that refers to his nickname due to extreme myopia. The song was written by Californian singer-songwriter Dave Alvin, who is featured here as a guest guitarist and vocalist. Other tracks include three compositions each by Jimmy Vivino ("One Last Boogie," "Goin' To Heaven [In A Pontiac]," and "When You're 69") and Dale Spalding ("Tease Me," "You're The One," and "Independence Day"). Another track, "East West Boogie," features an unusual musical blend with the oriental sounds of the "Theme from Tehran," an American TV show, combined with a typical Canned Heat boogie groove. So, is this the grand finale of a long recording career with which Canned Heat bids farewell to showbiz? Firstly, the album title seems to suggest this, as "Finyl Vinyl" can, of course, be read as "final vinyl." Then there's the opening track, Vivino's "One Last Boogie," which points in the same direction. Finally, another of his songs, the slow blues "When You're 69," deals with an age that suggests retirement rather than other activities. On the other hand, the tour schedule on the band's homepage is already filled with early dates for 2024, not only in the United States but also in Europe later this year.