Did you know this roots rock n roll band from Downey California helped launch Dwight Yoakam career?

This is the Blasters doing little Wille John’s,  “I’m Shaking” 

A cross-genre powerhouse of the Los Angeles roots rock n roll,, rockabilly and cowpunk scenes, The blasters were know know being a tight live band.

From Bill Bateman’s infamous drummer, to Phil Alvins incredible voice, and Dave Alvin’s ripping guitar, the band was flawless at every turn. At 17 years old, the Alvin Brothers were brought by their mother to clubs in Los Angeles to watch blues greats, T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner, on a weekly basis. Seeing them turned into jamming with them. The Blasters weren’t revivalists of a past genre. They were touch bearers.

Even legendary early rock and roll Tenor player Lee Allen joined the Blasters for a time, bring that authentic sound to another level. Lee Allen played with the likes of Fats Domino, Little Richard, Professor longhair and Dr John , just to name just a few. 

Los Angeles in '79 - '80 was a major melting pot of sounds and the scene was cooking. Rockabilly was making a major comeback with bands like the Stray Cats winning national acclaim.  Punk was taking on stranger dimensions with bands like X going big time.   Even the blues had taken on an even more aggressive and drunken edge with underground favorites, Top Jimmy and the Rhythm Pigs. Finally, Weridos came out of the wood work in full force, mixing it all up into something called Cowpunk, a mix of , punk and country, giving exposure to someone like Mojo Nixon.   

Often times, you'd could find this whole weird cast of characters on a local cable access TV show, called Art Fien’s poker party. If you haven’t seen it, I’d recommend tuning into a couple episodes. The people you’ll see, and the awesome performances (with awful sound) are endlessly delightful.   They had punks, rockabilly roots artists and country stars alike.  Art Fien deserves a whole article himself. Unfortunately he passed away just last year (2025) 

RIP to a great supporter of music in Los Angeles. 

The blasters became kind of father figures in these up and coming scenes.  They had reached regional success and were knocking on the door to national recognition earlier than some of their peers, with their cover of I’m Shakin. This acclaim landed opening spots for major acts like The Cramps and Queen.  

But they were also known for sending the ladder back down to new artist and helping them become more established.  Los Lobos opened for the Blasters on tour and then exploded as a national act, still packing huge theaters worldwide.  Dwight Yoakum is another example.  He was on tour opening for the Blasters and got introduced to the head of A&R at reprise records and landed his major record deal.  

The Blasters have been known to be “musician’s musicians.”  They impressed the heck out of every other band that saw them and then returned the favor 10 fold to bands coming up behind.  And while I’m Shakin shook the charts, no other song they wrote had breakout success and they remained a regional legend instead of the national treasures they deserve to me. They are important to the music scene in Los Angeles and incredible impactful world wide. 

The Blasters are Los Angeles legends and a group of rock and roll underdogs.