10 Underrated Blues Rock Bands of the 1980s

Blues rock had a resurgence of popularity in the 1980s with the advent of artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Robert Cray. Meanwhile, there was a new hybrid that was born labeled “roots rock.” Roots rock was a combination of blues, folk, rock, country, and rockabilly with twangy guitar licks and storytelling lyrics. Some of the mainstream bands that were part of the genre were The Fabulous Thunderbirds and George Thorogood & the Destroyers. At the same time, there were many other bands that were either short lived or failed to gain enough attention to achieve mainstream success.

Here are 10 underrated blues rock bands of the 1980s.

The Beat Farmers 

The Beat Farmers played an alternative, roots rock version of blues rock with raucous live shows and half a dozen album releases during their heyday. They formed in 1983 in San Diego and released their debut album Tales of the New West in 1985. The band was initially comprised of Buddy Blue – guitar & vocals, Rolle Dexter – bass, Country Dick Montana – vocals & drums and Jerry Raney –guitar & vocals. Their music was raw and gritty and featured irreverently witty lyrics. They toured relentlessly and gained a reputation as being an entertaining live act. Unfortunately, key member Country Dick Montana died in 1995 of a heart attack while performing in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada marking the end of the band.

The Blasters

The Blasters emerged from the Los Angeles music scene of the late 1970s and formed in 1979 before the turn of the decade. They were rooted in blues and rockabilly and were part of the roots revival movement at the time. The band was headed up by two brothers that included Dave Alvin on guitar, Phil Alvin on vocals & guitar along with the rhythm section comprised of drummer Bill Bateman and John Bazz on bass. Their electrifying live performances showcased tight musicianship along with Phil Alvin’s powerful vocals. The Blasters released their debut album American Radio in 1980 and after releasing a total of four albums by 1985, they imploded.

The Blues Band 

The Blues Band was first formed in 1979 by Paul Jones, the former lead vocalist and harmonica player for Manfred Mann along with Tom McGuinness, another member of Manfred Mann. The other members included Gary Fletcher on bass guitar, former John Mayall’s Bluesbreaker drummer Hughie Flint and Dave Kelly who played with Howlin’ Wolf and John Lee Hooker on slide guitar. In 1982, Flint was replaced by Rob Townsend who had previously played with Family. They released their first self-titled bootleg album in 1980 which got them a recording contract with Arista Records. They continued to tour relentlessly and released nearly two dozen albums over the course of their trajectory promoting the blues, which concluded in 2022 with their final album So Long. Their reputation as a solid blues act made them one of the top blues rock bands in the UK.

The Del-Lords 

The Del-Lords band was formed in New York City in the early 1980s by former Dictators guitarist Scott Kempner and former Joan Jett’s Blackhearts singer and guitar player Eric “Roscoe” Ambel. The rhythm section included Manny Caiati on bass guitar and vocals along with Frank Funaro providing drums and vocals. They released Frontier Days, their debut album in 1984, and by 1990, released their fourth and final album, Lovers Who Wander, before they broke up over disagreements about the band’s musical direction. Their music was a blend of hard-driving gritty roots rock with catchy melodies using an energetic performance and raw sound.

The Gun Club

Jeffrey Lee Pierce founded The Gun Club in Los Angeles, California in 1980. By the time the band released its debut album Fire of Love in 1981 members included Pierce on vocals and guitar, Ward Dotson on guitar and backing vocals, Bob Ritter on bass, and Terry Graham on drums. The Gun Club was a blues inspired punk band that created a raw and visceral sound by combining elements of blues, country, punk and rockabilly. Pierce was the primary songwriter and the only original member of the band as they released seven albums before his death in 1996 from a cerebral hemorrhage.

The Inmates 

The Inmates combined rock with rhythm and blues and came out of the music scene in the UK during the late 1970s time period which influenced their sound. They were part of the pub rock movement at that time which produced the British punk rock movement. The band was originally made up of Bill Hurley – vocals, Peter Gunn – guitar, Tony Oliver – guitar, Ben Donnelly – bass, and Jim Russell – drums. They released their debut album First Offence in 1979 and continued to release albums and tour through the 1980s and into the 21^st century. Over the decades there were some lineup changes but they continued to have high energy performances with a raw and rootsy sound. However despite their devoted following they never achieved the mainstream commercial success of some of their contemporaries.

The James Harman Band 

The James Harman Band was fronted by harmonica/songwriter/vocalist James Harman who was born in Anniston, Alabama in 1946. His musical career began in the late 1960s as he led some topflight ensembles but his career hit its peak during the 1980s beginning with the release of Thank You Baby in 1983. Harman was a proficient harmonica player and a powerful and soulful singer whose albums were comprised of mostly original compositions. Harman’s compositions have been recorded over the years by artists like Albert Collins, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Coco Montoya, and Charlie Musselwhite to name some. He continued to release albums until three weeks before his 75^th birthday when he died on May 19, 2021.

The Mighty Flyers 

Rod Piazza was born in Riverside, California in 1947 and began his professional music career in the late 1960s. He gained a reputation as a master harmonica player inspired by his idol and mentor George “Harmonica” Smith. During the 1970s Piazza formed the Chicago Flying Saucer Band which became Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyersby the time that they released Radioactive Material, their first album in 1981. The band takes traditional blues and plays high energy versions with dynamic live performances and tight musicianship. Over the course of the next forty years, the Mighty Flyers released two-dozen studio albums and Piazza was a guest musician on nearly as many compilation albums. Some of the members of the Mighty Flyers over the years have been drummer Jimi Bott, guitarist Alex Schultz and bassist Bill Stuve.

Nine Below Zero 

Nine Below Zero is a British blues rock band that began in the 1970s during the pub scene that produced what was called the new wave and blues revival movement. The band’s name referred to the Sonny Boy Williamson II song “Nine Below Zero” when they formed in South London in 1977. The first incarnation of the band included Kenny Bradley on drums, Peter Clark on bass guitar, Mark Feltham on harmonica and vocals, and Dennis Greaves on guitar. The band’s powerful live performances combined with their ability to uniquely interpret classic blues and R&B tunes along with original compositions gained an enthusiastic following. Their debut album Live at the Marquee was released in 1980 followed by Don’t Point Your Finger in 1981 and Third Degree in 1982. Feltham and Greaves have continued with the band through the decades as they continued to release albums and celebrated a 40^th anniversary tour in 2017. They continue to perform.

The Paladins 

The Paladins came out of the roots rock revival of the early 1980s that included rockabilly and blues. They formed in San Diego, California in 1980 when the band members were still in high school and became known for their explosive live performances. Guitarist and vocalist Dave Gonzalez formed the band with his friend Thomas Yearsley on bass and vocals. The Paladins released their eponymous first album in 1987 and since that time have released another dozen with rotating drummers from Scott Campbell to Brian Fahey. Their music is a blend of blues, rock, rockabilly and Link Wray best exemplified by mainstream groups like the Stray Cats.