The Climax Chicago Blues Band-A Lot Of Bottle (1970)

The Climax Chicago Blues Band was one of the greatest bands of the so-called British white blues scene, rivaling contenders like Savoy Brown, The Keff Hartley Band, Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, and John Mayall and The Heartbreakers, among many others, throughout the late sixties and much of the seventies. By 1970, this legendary band had released two immense albums focused on avant-garde blues rock, pushing their style towards exploration and the creation of new sonic heights. That same year, the band underwent its first lineup changes, with Arthur Word joining on keyboards and drummer George Newsome. These new members, along with founding members Peter Haycock (guitarist), Colin Cooper (saxophonist and guitarist), and Derek Holt (bassist), recorded two spectacular albums that definitively established them in the public eye, demonstrating their formidable talent and exceptional creative and instrumental intelligence. The first of these was "A Lot Of Bottle", where, in addition to their ingenious blues rock, they spiced it up with a touch of commercial appeal. From catchy bluesy tracks like "Brief Case" and "Morning Noon and Night", to conventional country blues like "Alright Blue", "Country Hat", and "Louisiana Blues", and including rhythmic and energetic blues rock like "Cut You Loose". A year later, they released their fourth masterpiece, "Tightly Knit", an album on which they shortened their name, becoming known from then on as Climax Blues Band.