Biography
Aynsley Thomas Dunbar is an English drummer. He has worked with some of the top names in rock, including Nils Lofgren, Eric Burdon, John Mayall, Frank Zappa, Ian Hunter, Lou Reed, Jefferson Starship, Jeff Beck, David Bowie, Whitesnake, Sammy Hagar, Michael Schenker, UFO, Flo & Eddie and Journey. Dunbar will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey in 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aynsley_Dunbar
Album & Cover
On their self-titled debut album, the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation flashed a British blues-rock approach that was rather similar to that of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers circa 1967. That was unsurprising considering that leader and drummer Dunbar had played on the Bluesbreakers’ 1967 A Hard Road album, and that bassist Alex Dmochowski would later play with Mayall himself. Although everyone in the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation was a skilled player, the record ultimately comes off as rather second-division late-’60s British blues, though in a little heavier and darker a style than Mayall’s. That’s not to say it’s mediocre, but the material (mostly original) is only average, and not quite up to the level of the musicians’ instrumental proficiency. Too, Victor Brox isn’t the greatest singer, though he’s OK, and while Jon Morshead plays guitar well, his style sometimes seems quite influenced by Peter Green (listen especially to his work on the cover of Percy Mayfield’s “Memory of Pain”). Review by Richie Unterberger
Cover Location: Richmond Park pond, London, UK.
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell/S. Thorgerson/C. Rose. Artwork – Bryan Morrison.
Label: Blue Thumb BTS4(US), Liberty LBL83154(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell.
Tracklist
| Side One Watch ‘n Chain My Whisky Head Woman Trouble No More Double Lovin’ See See Baby Roamin’ An’ Rumblin‘ |
Side Two Sage Of Sydney Street Memory of Pain Mutiny |
Credits
Bass Guitar [Uncredited] – Alex Dmochowski
Engineer – Victor Gann
Guitar [Uncredited] – John Moorshead
Leader, Drums [Uncredited] – Aynsley Dunbar
Organ [Uncredited] – Victor Brox
Producer – Ian Samwell
