(Roy Young Band - Roy 2nd from left - Virtual unknown in the States)
Unless you are a devotee of all things First British Invasion, you may never have heard anything of Roy Young. He wasn't a household name here, but in the U.K. and in Germany he was something of a legend and a pioneer in the early days of the British Invasion.
Young was actually involved in the early days of British Rock n' Roll. And like so many bands of the day, migrated for a while to Hamburg where the nightclub scene was a great place to hone skills. Young had a distinctive voice and fit right in with the early blues outfits gaining popularity in the UK at the time. He has a website and offers some fascinating glimpses into the early scene which he was so much a part of. Roy Young is still around and playing, but this particular concert, recorded by the BBC at their Paris Theatre in 1972 gives you an idea of what the fuss with Roy was all about and how influential he was in shaping the direction of a lot of bands during the 1961-1963 period. The rest, of course is history.
If you haven't heard of him before, now's your chance.
