Up close and intimate with two stalwarts of British blues scene

IF you look back at the roots of British rock and blues, Maggie Bell and Dave Kelly are at its heart, writes Paul Clerehugh.

The pair, who will perform up close and intimate at the Crooked Billet later this month, have influenced scores of other artists.

Born in Glasgow in 1945, Maggie forged her stagecraft by touring American Air Force bases around Germany in Frankie Miller’s band with guitarist Les Harvey, brother of Alex Harvey, of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

Dave was born in London in 1947. The multi-talented slide guitarist and singer performed in the jazz clubs of Soho in the early Sixties with Brian Jones, who went on to form the Rolling Stones. By 1965 Dave was playing floor spots in Greenwich village, New York.

In 1967, Maggie and Les formed Stone the Crows. Her raunchy, gutbucket voice had inspired Janis Joplin and caught the ear of Led Zeppelin’s manager, who signed them. The band enjoyed massive success in America and became favourites on the British festival circuit.

Dave, who joined the John Drummer Blues band in 1967, is one of the founding fathers of the British blues boom, along with his friends John Mayall, Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Alexis Korner.

His extraordinary talent and smokey vocals made him the go-to guitarist and touring partner for Howlin’ Wolf, James Burton, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Son House and Sonny Boy Williamson. Jimi Hendrix said of Dave: “Blues is easy to play but hard to feel. Dave feels it real blue.”

In 1972, Les, by then married to Maggie, was tragically electrocuted on stage during a gig at Swansea University. Stone the Crows fulfilled their remaining tour dates with Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac and Steve Howe of Yes on guitar.

Maggie has recorded and toured with Led Zeppelin and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band. She sang with Rod Stewart and The Faces on their album Every Picture Tells A Story and recorded two platinum solo albums with Jimmy Page as session guitarist. In 1979, Dave formed The Blues Band with Paul Jones, formerly of Manfred Mann and Hughie Flint, drummer with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

In the early Eighties, Maggie attracted many new fans with two hits, both from TV detective series — the theme from Hazell and No Mean City from Taggart.

She went on to form Midnight Flyer, appearing on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1980.

In 2006, Maggie formed The British Blues Quintet with Jon Lord, of Deep Purple, who lived at Goring until his sad death in 2012.

• Maggie and Dave play the Crooked Billet in Newlands Lane, Stoke Row, on Tuesday, November 22. For tickets and table reservations, call (01491) 681048 or visit crookedbillet.co.uk