Ranking the Albums: Tommy Bolin

Join Pete Pardo as he ranks his Top 10 favorite albums featuring the late, great guitar legend Tommy Bolin. #tommybolin

[jasonellsworth]

Tommy is still a legend in my region here. I live in Sioux Falls, SD and Tommy was from Sioux City, IA which is only like 75 miles from me or so. Been lots of Tommy Bolin annual festivals to remember him. Thanks for remembering him as well Pete. I played with his brother Johnnie Bolin in the Sioux City Rockestra group. Johnnie has been the drummer of Black Oak Arkansas for many years.

[billyshane]

Tommy was an absolute genius. His death was one of the greatest tragedies in the history of music.

[davideckert]

Great show Pete! I'm 60 and was at alot of the concerts you went to.My favorite albums are
1) Come Taste the Band
2) Spectrum
3)Teaser
4)Moxy
5)Zephyr
6)Bang
7)Miami
8)Private Eyes

[captainbeyond]

1- Come Taste The Band my sentimental favorite Purple album.
2- Teaser
3- Spectrum
4- Private Eyes
5- Miami/Bang Tie
6- Mind Transplant
7- Moxy

[cheezruff]

Tommy Bolin's playing on Spectrum was fantastic, that album broke so many barriers at the time. I was at Tommy's final show in Miami in December 1976, his band (with Mark Craney and Jimmy Haslip) opened up for Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer Band. Great music was played that night, but Tommy was not playing at his best, and the world was shocked the next day as the news of his tragic death shook the music community. As time went on I bought other albums/CD's that he played on. As a fusion fan, Mouzon's Mind Transplant is really enjoyable, and I always go back to the song Marching Powder from Teaser, the energy between Tommy Bolin and Narada Michael Walden is off the Richter Scale! RIP Tommy.

[clevebaker]

His playing on the two zephyr LPs was exceptional also!!

[BlackMoore]

When I saw Whitesnake again seven years ago, during their performance of 'You Keep On Moving' Coverdale pounded his chest and gave me the a-okay sign once he spotted my Tommy Bolin shirt 🙂

[paulricketts]

...I was there for the Long Beach was the only time I saw him. As time went bye I could really hear the influence he made on Jeff Beck. The guy was a MONSTER Guitar

[franklanger]

Tommy Bolin war ein großartiger Sänger und Gitarist

[flazjsg]

Tommy's playing is phenomenal on "Spectrum." He has a swagger and a hipness that is so of that era. One amazing fact about that record that I learned from watching Lee Sklar's (bassist on that LP) channel, is that at around 1:46 on "Taurian Matador" Tommy breaks a string right in the midst of trading licks with Jan Hammer! You can hear it. Tommy doesn't miss a beat and continues on. They used that track for the LP. If that isn't a consummate pro, I don't know what is. Tommy was ridiculously versatile as a guitarist and super talented. I really think he was amongst the best players rock and roll ever produced.

[dancranford]

PostToastie was a kick ass tune that ranks up in my top fifty of all time! Yes it’s that good!

[michaeljozwiak]

I have Tommy Bolin’s “Teaser” and “Private Eyes” albums. I bought both for about a dollar each out of cutout bins in the late 1970s.

[jgsrhythm]

Thanks for doing this!!! Bolin, the tastiest greasiest guitarist that ever lived!

[rainbowbill]

Saw Tommy with The Outlaws, Oct. 2 1976 at the Tower Theater, Upper Darby, Pa. Excellent Concert. RIP

[anthonytice]

So glad to see Tommy getting more recognition. The only thing I would change on your list is flipping the top three. Teaser has to be number one for me. Can still remember putting the needle down and hearing the Grind for the first time. That album stayed on my turntable for months back in 75

[georgekiel]

1.Teaser
2. Come taste the band
3. Bang
4. Spectrum
5. Energy
6. Private eyes
7. Miami
8. Mind Transplant
9. Going back to Colorado
10. zephyr

[symon]

I have the Exact shirt on right now. Tommy was My 1st Guitar Hero!!

[RZmedia]

My favourite would be Teaser purely because I'm so familiar with it having bought it when it came out. Loved it from the first. CTTB, Private Eyes and the two James Gang albums have also featured in my collection since the 70's. A great talent that sadly was destroyed and taken from us by drugs when he really should have had his best years ahead of him. RIP Tommy.

[alecj]

I forgot how fun "ranking the albums" videos were. Good stuff. Thanks Pete.

[jamesbennett]

I like every song on Bang, one of my favorite albums, and a great showcase for Tommy's playing singing and writing. And people forget how good the rhythm section of the James Gang was