Del Bromham guitarist and leader of legendary Rock band STRAY has recorded a critically acclaimed solo blues album "Devil's Highway", mainly Bromham penned songs, in the style and spirit of the old bluesmen who were his original inspiration to take up a guitar.
On hearing a pre release copy fellow guitar great Mountain's Leslie West grabbed Del to add his presence to and enhance the content of their European wide "Blues to die for" tour.
Following on Del's enjoyment of his previous visit(s)
to Tropic for a Stray performance, he has agreed to a rare solo performance of
both songs from "Devils Highway" and several acoustic re-workings of Stray
standards.
Review
This solo offering from Del Bromham is the
latest step in an attempt to bring one of the long lost UK rock/blues
guitarists back to public recognition. Del formed Stray in 1969 and they
never really split up and still exist, having toured with both Mountain
and Iron Maiden last year. Bromham is currently out on tour with Leslie
West and presumably airing this new material, and dates are being booked
for his new band - The Devils - later in the year.
But back to Devils Highway: Nine homegrown numbers and two covers -
Lonnie Johnson's Careless Love and Arthur Crudup's That's Alright Mama -
recorded in a semi-electric, self-recorded way. And there's some good
songs here, especially the opening title track and The Well's Run Dry.
Bass, drums and piano all rattle away on the jaunty Ain't Love A
Wonderful Thing, whilst House Of Love reminds me of the Spencer Davis
Group. It's a mixed bag of styles with the bluesiest outings being on
Train and the reprise of Devils Highway. Not a bad effort at all and I
look forward to hearing these songs worked up to full band status when
they tour in Scotland in November.
Chris Simmonds - Blues Matters - in a review of Devils Highway - May
2004
