Alan Glen (born 21 December 1951) is a British blues harmonica player, best known for his work with The Yardbirds, Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, and his own bands, The Barcodes and The Incredible Blues Puppies.
Career Glen started playing harmonica after seeing Muddy Waters, and the 'American Folk-Blues Festivals' which visited London in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His early influences being Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Junior Wells. Early bands he was involved with were Crowjane Bluesband, The Radical Sheiks and Brothers Grimm, before going on to join Nine Below Zero (1991–1995), and The Yardbirds(1996–2003 and 2008–2009).
Glen has played on over 50 albums and recorded/performed with: Alannah Myles, Jeff Beck, Steve Vai, Slash (on the Yardbirds' album Birdland), John Mayall, Steve Lukather, Skunk Baxter, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Horace Andy, Junior Delgado, Bernie Marsden, Papa George, Geoff Everett, Gary Fletcher, Gordon Smith, Micky Moody, he has recorded eight albums with Little Axe. In addition he appeared alongside Alan Barnes, Jim Mullen and Roger Cotton on the With Friends Like These album for the Barcodes, which also included Zoot Money. He played with Peter Green, Mick Taylor and Hubert Sumlin at the Long Beach Blues Festival.
He recorded the album On The Road Again with Dr. Feelgood. Other collaborators include Art Themen, Pee Wee Ellis, Dub Syndicate, Paul Cox, Archive (band), Alan Barnes, Little Axe and Gypie Mayo. Glen has played at Brecon Jazz Festival and Nice Jazz Festivals, Hollywood House of Blues, the Hilton, Las Vegas, Sporting Lisbon Stadium, Wembley Arena, Ronnie Scott's Club and The Royal Albert Hall, as well as various television and radio performances.
Tours
Nine Below Zero - 1993 - Spain, Portugal & Scandinavia (with Sting)
Nine Below Zero - 1993 - USA (with Alvin Lee)
Nine Below Zero - 1994 - USA & Canada (with Alannah Myles)
Nine Below Zero - 1994 - 12 Nights at the Royal Albert Hall with Eric Clapton)
Nine Below Zero - 1994 - UK tour (supporting The Kinks)
Nine Below Zero - 1994 - UK tour (supporting Brian May)
Little Axe - 1996 - European tour
The Yardbirds - 1996 - Australia tour
The Yardbirds - 1998 - USA & Canada
The Yardbirds - 2000 - USA & Canada
The Yardbirds - 2001 - European Tour
The Yardbirds - 2003 - 'Birdland' tour - USA & Canada
The Yardbirds - 2008 - European tour
Soundcheck magazine referred to Glen as "one of the finest blues harp players and slide guitarists of his generation," and also received praise from Net Rhythms for his harmonica playing.
Glen's original music was used on the soundtrack of the BB King Biopic "Life of Riley"
Selected discography The Yardbirds - Birdland (Favored Nations) - 2003 Nine Below Zero – Off the Hook (China Records) - 1992 Hot Music for a Cold Night (I.R.S. Records) - 1994 Best of Nine Below Zero (I.R.S. Records) - 1994 "Ice Station Zebro" (Pangea Records ) - 1995 "'Live' in Europe 1992" (Floating World Records ) - 2011 Dr. Feelgood – On the Road Again (Grand Records) - 1994 Little Axe – Slow Fuse - (M&G Records) - 1996 Hard Grind - (Fat Possum Records) - 2002 Champagne and Grits - (Real World Records) - 2004 "Stone Cold Ohio" ( Real World Records ) - 2006 Bought for a Dollar, Sold for a Dime" - (Real World Records) - 2010 "If You Want Loyalty, Buy a Dog" (On-U Sounds) - 2011 "Wanted Live" (LA Records) - 2012 London Blues (On-U Sounds) - 2018 Junior Delgado – Reasons (Big Cat Records) - 1999 Dub Syndicate – Acres of Space (Lion & Roots) - 2001 Rasta Far I (Collision Cause Chap) - 2006 The Barcodes - Keep your Distance (Note Records) - 2000 Independently Blue (Note Records) - 2004 With Friends Like These (Note Records) - 2006 Live - In Session for the BBC (Note Records) - 2007 "Be Cool - The Best of The Barcodes" ( Note Records ) - 2011 Incredible Blues Puppies - Puppy Fat (Note Records) - 2005 In The Doghouse (Note Records) - 2008 Roger Cotton and Alan Glen - Born in Black & White (Note Records) - 2003 Gordon Smith - "The Essential Gordon Smith" ( Note Records ) - 2009 "Gordon Smith - Live" (Brooks Blues) - 2011
See also List of harmonicists
References
External links Barcodes website Note Records website