Ruthless Blues - Live At The Torrington

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2006
Time:78:10 
Size:179,4 MB 
Label:Mystic Records 
Styles:Blues/Harmonica Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. Help Me / Walking Blues - 14:06
 2. Little Sister -  5:31
 3. Break My Back -  8:07
 4. Rolling Drunk -  5:00
 5. Bad is Bad -  4:48
 6. Killing Floor -  7:26
 7. Tie Me Up -  5:57
 8. Wang Dang Doodle - 12:01
 9. Fine Fine Fine -  4:45
10. Gloria - 10:24

Stevie Smith has been around in one guise or another since 1965. Better known around London and the south. Steve has been playing blues harmonica "Harp", and singing from the age of 12 but started playing professionally as a bass player at the age of 14. this period of his career didn't last very long at all and he soon reverted back to his first loves of singing an Blues harp.  He started to frequent the folk clubs and pubs of South London trying to get a play. It was during this time he got to play with Long John Baldry and Jo Anne Kelly .            Around 1974 Stevie started hosting the renowned Sunday night jam sessions at the Half Moon in Herne Hill, South London. These sessions featured an amazing array of musical talent from the most popular bands of the era including members of the Jeff Beck Band, Rory Gallagher band, Thin Lizzy, and 7th Wave. 1975 saw the formation of the highly acclaimed SALT, Fronted by Stevie with Mick Clarke (Guitar), Stuart McDonald (Bass) and Tony Fernandez(Drums)/       In 1975 Stevie along with Paul Lamb, was a runner up in the World Harmonica championships (Diatonic Folk section). They are also both members of a word champion harmonica group (Diatonic Folk section) but, that is another story altogether. during this time Stevie recorded sessions for people as diverse as early synthesizers combo, Seventh Wave and 60s pop group The Tremolos and played a stint in Ray Dorsets Band.
1977 saw SALT Play the Reading Festival to a tremendous reception. John Peel's review in SOUNDS confirmed this and noted that their music was "enlivening" and set his feet "most furiously to tapping". Also in '77 the band opened for Muddy Waters at The London Apollo Where Muddy complemented Steve on his harp work. This was the first of two times Stevie opened for the great man. Muddy confided in Stevie after the second time. "I asked for my boys". There was also an EP "All wired up nowhere to go" which won much critical acclaim.
By 1981 Stevie had almost retired from the music business. However, his reputation as an outstanding harp player had been established and he continued to be in demand for recording  and the odd gig.
1983 saw Stevie become a rather unlikely addition to Bad Manners with whom he went on to complete three tours of the USA and record one album (Mental Notes) and a single (Blue Summer) with one of his songs (Tie me up) used on the album.  In '85 Stevie was then asked to join Ruthless Blues a group of well connected musicians, who played with some of the great and good in contemporary rock/pop culture (Rick Wakeman, Shakein' Stevens, Ian Dury, Cliff Richards etc) and was reunited with Tony Fernandaez . This was the start of a long successful collaboration which gave him the chance to show case his virtuoso Harmonica skills and exceptional vocal prowess  . With Ruthless, Stevie came to be regarded as one of the top front men in the business. The band recorded two  self produced albums  and two studio  albums for president Records,  writing and arranging most of the material on The albums recorded for President.  The band alsorecorded a live album for Mystic Records. Ruthless had pretty much wound down by then.  Stevie himself  Moved up to Scotland for a while  and recorded with local Musicians. After 15 years Stevie moved back down south and  is currently playing harp with the The Grimms.  He also fronts his own band Sin House. Playing a mixture of Blues, and Original material and again carving out a name for himself as a live artist who is second to none Check out the media page/

Live At The Torrington