10 Forgotten Blues Rock Acts That Should Be Household Names
Blues rock has always thrived on the tension between grit and grandeur, between the emotional core of the blues and the fiery energy of rock and roll. While some artists like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan have became household names, countless others carved out brilliant careers only to fade from mainstream recognition. These bands and musicians deserve a renewed spotlight, not just for their skill but for their role in shaping the sound of modern guitar-driven music. Here are ten forgotten blues rock acts that should be household names.
Savoy Brown
Formed in London in the mid-1960s, Savoy Brown was one of the pioneers who carried British blues into the international spotlight. Led by guitarist Kim Simmonds, the band combined hard-driving riffs with soulful interpretations of the blues, paving the way for countless groups that followed. Albums like Looking In and Street Corner Talking showcased their versatility, from gritty barnburners to melodic ballads. Although Savoy Brown never quite reached the commercial peaks of Fleetwood Mac or Cream, their influence quietly shaped both the blues rock and hard rock movements. Their legacy remains vital to anyone who cares about the roots of modern guitar music.
Trapeze
While often remembered as the launching pad for bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes, Trapeze deserves far more recognition for its dynamic blend of funk, soul, and blues rock. The early 1970s saw the group release records such as Medusa, which combined thunderous grooves with melodic sensibilities that set them apart from their peers. Hughes’s soaring vocals paired beautifully with the band’s inventive arrangements, creating a sound that was both heavy and soulful. Though Hughes went on to global fame with Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and later Black Country Communion, Trapeze remains a hidden treasure for fans seeking the intersection of power and finesse. For many, their best work rivals the giants of the era.
Ten Years After
Best known for their explosive performance at Woodstock, Ten Years After often get reduced to a single moment rather than celebrated for their remarkable catalog. Alvin Lee’s lightning-fast guitar work made headlines, but the band’s songwriting also contained deep blues roots fused with progressive elements. Despite charting success and consistent touring, they faded from wider cultural conversation in the decades that followed. Today, they deserve a reassessment as one of the most versatile and technically gifted blues rock outfits of their time.
Chicken Shack
Often overshadowed by their more famous contemporaries, Chicken Shack was a central part of the British blues boom. Fronted by guitarist and vocalist Stan Webb, the group delivered hard-edged, soulful blues that held its own alongside Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Their biggest hit, “I’d Rather Go Blind,” introduced the world to a young Christine Perfect, who would later become Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac fame. While the band continued long after her departure, their contributions to British blues are often overlooked. Chicken Shack may not have become global stars, but their raw and authentic sound still resonates with true blues devotees.
Cactus
Dubbed “the American Led Zeppelin” by some critics, Cactus stormed onto the scene in 1970 with a powerhouse lineup featuring Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert. Their self-titled debut album unleashed an aggressive fusion of blues, boogie, and proto-metal energy that influenced generations of hard rock bands. Tracks like “Parchman Farm” and “Evil” demonstrated their ability to push the blues to thunderous new heights. Although internal changes and shifting trends cut their momentum short, Cactus remains a thrilling listen for anyone who craves raw, high-octane blues rock. Their intensity and musicianship put them in the same league as the heavyweights of their era.
Stone the Crows
Led by the powerhouse vocals of Maggie Bell and the fiery guitar work of Les Harvey, Stone the Crows brought Scottish soul and grit to the blues rock movement. Their mix of blues, rock, and R&B set them apart, and Bell’s commanding stage presence earned comparisons to Janis Joplin. Tragically, the band’s trajectory was cut short in 1972 when Harvey was electrocuted onstage, devastating the group’s future. Despite this, their albums like Teenage Licks remain shining examples of emotionally charged blues rock. Stone the Crows deserves recognition not just for their talent, but for the trail they blazed in merging soul with rock dynamics.
Groundhogs
The Groundhogs are another British blues outfit whose legacy often flies under the radar despite their impressive innovation. Led by guitarist Tony McPhee, the group moved from straight-ahead blues covers into experimental territory that flirted with psychedelia and progressive rock. Albums such as Thank Christ for the Bomb and Split pushed the boundaries of blues rock in daring ways, layering social commentary over ferocious guitar work. Their willingness to evolve while maintaining a deep connection to the blues made them truly unique. Today, their forward-thinking approach feels like a precursor to the genre-bending artists that followed decades later.
Black Cat Bones
Though they only released one studio album, Barbed Wire Sandwich in 1970, Black Cat Bones left an outsized influence on the British blues rock scene. Their sound was raw and uncompromising, mixing heavy riffs with a dark and gritty atmosphere. Despite the talent on display, the band failed to break through commercially and soon disbanded. Their story is a reminder of how many brilliant acts slipped through the cracks during the crowded blues boom, leaving behind a gem of an album that deserves rediscovery.
Love Sculpture
Welsh guitarist Dave Edmunds first gained attention with Love Sculpture, a band that injected high-speed energy into traditional blues rock. Their blistering take on “Sabre Dance” became a hit in the late 1960s, showcasing Edmunds’s incredible precision and flair. Beyond their hit, songs like “In the Land of the Few” revealed a depth that balanced raw blues feeling with technical fireworks. Edmunds later found fame as a solo artist and producer, but Love Sculpture has largely been forgotten. Their fusion of tradition and showmanship remains a thrilling example of the blues rock spirit at its most adventurous.
Leaf Hound
Often considered a cult band among collectors, Leaf Hound blended heavy blues rock with the emerging sounds of hard rock and early metal. Their 1971 album Growers of Mushroom is now a prized rarity, filled with fuzz-drenched riffs and soulful vocals that foreshadowed stoner rock decades later. While the band never achieved mainstream success, their influence can be heard in countless groups who sought to marry heaviness with blues groove. Leaf Hound represents the kind of overlooked brilliance that makes digging into blues rock history so rewarding. They may not be a household name, but their legacy continues to ripple through underground rock scenes.
Mountain,Hot Tuna,
HT is still rolling right along…………….
Saw Hot Tuna Knebworth. On bill for Stones headline. Was JA fan and into anything Jorma,/Jack had to offer. They were on middle of the day. Hottest fu!@#ng day of the year and sound was shite. Shame.
So did I. Todd Rundgren, 10cc & Lynryd Skynyrd. The Stones came on very late at 23:30 and played until 02:00. 30 songs. Longest ever set. Stage was giant lips and tongue which inflate. I was 16.
And Skynyrd ignored the orders not to go out on the tongue. Ronnie just pointed and told his men…on you go. Then again, they blew the Stones into yesterday.
Was that same festival Lynyrd Skynyrd played?
Rory Gallagher and Robin trower
Yes Indeed ❤️🏆❤️🏆❤️🏆
If you don’t know Jorma you don’t know Jack.
I still have that shirt
Saw 10 years after, Stone the Crows and Blodwyn Pig in Nottingham one night in 1970? What a line-up.
Mick Abraham on guitar for Blodwyn Pig, a great band
Man , those Tuna shows in the NYC area in the 70’s were epic
I saw Cactus open for Rod Stewart and Faces in the early 70s
Strawberry Fields 1970
Foghat
Osibisa is alive and performing.
I have a complete catalogue of Savoy Brown and Ten Years After albums, and I listen to them frequently. I also have a not-quite complete catalog of Atomic Rooster. Vincent Crane was brilliant.
Last time I saw Foghat (about a dozen years ago) they had one (semi)original member left, in Craig Macgregor ( who replaced Tony Stevens on bass). They were a shadow of their former selves and I’ve seen them four or five times. But if you’re into Foghat try Savoy Brown. Three of their members went on to form Foghat.
Roger Earl (drummer) has been the mainstay for Foghat, and is still with the band, since he
was a founding member in 1971, after he, Dave Peverett, and Tony Stevens left Savoy Brown to form Foghat, and remains a road warrior.
Unfortunately, Dave Peverett and Rod Price passed on – Foghat was one of the most smokin’ bands in the 1970s and early 1980s.
Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown also deserves more credit for keeping the blues-rock tradition alive, until his recent passing,
than he is generally accorded, as well.
Tony Stevens is still occasionally performing, in a Foghat tribute band, aptly named Slow Ride.
Savoy Brown was great, makes me feel like Im in a smoky club every time..-especially the”Looking In” album. Im sure they never played there, but we had a little hole in the wall in downtown Dallas late sixties where local hero Bugs Henderson played and where Johnny Winter was actually fired just befire his first Columbia release. (Dont know why) -To their credit, the management at the club didn’t try to sweep it under the rug..lol.. Savoy would have rocked it have. Matter of fact, Bugs’s original drummer Rockin’ Ron Thompson had a brief stint with one incarnation of S.B.
There literally hundreds and hundreds of blues rock bands. I have been researching the history of blues rock during the 1970s. I have a list of over 1200 albums that were released during the 1970s. But many of them blur the edges of the genre, incorporating prog rock, hard rock, punk rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, and others. The blues is foundational to almost all rock.
Hope you’re going to publish a book. From this remove the 70’s were a golden age for Rock music, when I look back. ANYBODY that could play could find a place to play and every city in the Western world had a rock scene.
Why not mention that the nucleus of Black Cat Bones, then went onto form Leafhound, could have been one slot thus leaving room for Mahogany
Wow thank you for this series, the foggy, hazy days of the 70s come back into view.
Many, many thanks and lets have many more
Great article. Several of these bands are favourites of mine. I still play Alvin and TYA often and Maggie Bell was far more talented than Janis Joplin.
Maggie Bell was/is extremely talented, but she is in no way on the same level as the talent of janis!
TYA was a fantastic band that I was never able to see but I think I had most of their albums. I’m not familiar with some of the bands on your list and I will certainly try to find some of their music.
What about Mahogany Rush with Frank Marino?
I agree with you! 💯
Seen most of those bands years ago, all good choices as they were all at their best seeing them live. Could go on for ages about some of them but some of them have lost key members but I think chicken shack and ten years after are still going.
Alvin Lee died some time ago. Still listen to TYA. Give ” Bluest Blues ” by Alvin
Leisley west and Mountain
Who don’t love the 70s, so much good came out of that year
Every selection smokes. Thanks for the waybackmachine!
Savoy brown is without question the kings of white hot blues. R.i.p Kim.
Mountain should be on this list, but they haven’t been ‘forgotten’. Under acknowledged, maybe. Kudos for including TYA and Savoy Brown.
TASTE from Ireland would be my choice
Taste was so innovative so dynamic. Love Rory and all he did after but wish Taste had lasted another album or so.
One of my favs from the day no one ever mentions wasa band called,,,,Boone’s Farm,,(not the wine)
Stray so underrated👍
Wishbone ash, Groundhogs 👍
Wishbone Ash a blues band? I don’t think so.
Some of these bands I have never heard of and Chicken Shack was good, but not one of my favorites. Cheers for listing Cactus, Trapeze, The Groundhogs and Savoy Brown. I do not think that Ten Years After is forgotten and Black Cat Bones was not around long enough.
Most of these I remember, quite a few I still listen to. A few I hadn’t heard of but the list and the comments were great.
Thanks Andy
Does anyone know the name Gary Moore? Why doesn’t any acknowledge him as probably the best blues guitar player of all times? His life and playing WAS the blues. He was on a completely different plane from anyone I have previously heard. What a travesty!!!
I agree Gary Moore brought his guitar to life on every song he played! He is a great blues legend! RIP Gary!🎸🎸
Amazing blues anthology! The musicianship is top notch, I especially like the complex instrumental arrangement of the Stone the Crows cut with the incredibly intricate funky bass line and the Leaf Hound cut which reminds me of the song ‘Mississippi Queen’ and bands like Nazareth which I love.
Alvin Lee walked away from stardom. He did not like crowds going nuts over feedback.
Zephyr, Cold Blood
After Alvin Lee’s guitar work in the Woodstock movie, I don’t think anyone forgot Ten Years After.
I first saw Chicken Shack in London shortly after Christine Perfect left them, they were very upset that she had left them. If she had stayed they probably would have broken into the big time. Stan Webb was a very popular musician in London for years.
I caught on to Humble Pie in my late teens, right after he passed away. Steve Marriott is damned near forgotten here in America. Just their versions of “Rollin’ Stone” and “I Walk On Gilded Splinters” from the Fillmore LP alone put them in the conversation.