Arthur Lee Dead at 61

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:04 am

Arthur Lee has died in hospital from Leukemia.
The frontman for 60's band Love had been suffering from the disease for many years and was thought to have been making good progress thanks to stem cell procedures but it was not to be.His wife Diane by his side as he passed.
Lee was born Arthur Taylor Porter in Memphis in 1945. He formed Love in Los Angeles in 1965.
Love were one of the psychedelic bands of the West Coast, taking their influences from the Byrds and The Stones.In turn, Arthur Lee and Love became a major influence on The Doors.
Lee was a prolific songwriter, often passing on songs that he could not use for himself to other artists. One song was recorded by Rosa Lee Brooks and featured Jimi Hendrix as a session guitarist. His songs have been recorded by Boo Radleys, Alice Cooper, The Damned, The *******, Lenny Kravitz, Lime Spiders, Matthew Sweet, Ramones, Robert Plant, Sarah Brightman and Urge Overkill. Love broke up in 1968 but in recent years, Lee went back on the road to perform songs from that era.On June 23, Love's friends and fans gathered at the Beacon Theater for a benefit concert for the sick musician. The show featured Robert Plant, Ryan Adams, Ian Hunter, Nils Lofgren, Yo La Tengo and Garland Jefferys.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:39 am

"Alone Again Or" is one of my favorite songs from that era. He put out a DVD a couple of years ago of him with a backing band of great musicians doing all of LOVE's best songs at a gig in England.

mgauction · Post by **mgauction** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:57 am

I always though his songs from the 60s sounded a lot like songs that Jimi Hendrix might have performed.

aceonbass · Post by **aceonbass** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 11:09 am

....if the Association were backing him.

rickfan60 · Post by **rickfan60** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:36 pm

Unfortunately, I just learned about Arthur Lee last year. His stuff was very innovative - ahead of its time. It is too bad he did not enjoy more success in the music biz. He influenced a lot of big name musicians including members of Pink Floyd and Hendrix.

myfretless · Post by **myfretless** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 7:15 pm

Hmm...
Syd Barrett AND Arthur Lee in the same year?

Who's next? Brian Wilson? Roky Erikson?

nab · Post by **nab** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:53 am

As I remember, Lee was the first acknowledged "speed demon" when it came to soloing, long long before some made it plain obnoxious.
Haven't listened to him in years, will introduce something new to my son to work on (he's into the 64 notes-per-second phase!)

eatswodo · Post by **eatswodo** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:52 am

Are you perhaps thinking of Alvin Lee?

nab · Post by **nab** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:39 am

Oof, you are right (shows you how long it has been...) Thanks for the correction, and apologies to Mr Arthur's fans.