By Andre Torrez
A legend in his own right, Ian McLagan was an integral part of the 1960s British mod band Small Faces. In 1965, shortly after the group’s inception, he was brought in as a keyboardist. Before an inevitable move towards full-blown psychedelia, (see 1967’s classic “Itchycoo Park” and “Here Come the Nice”) the East Londoners were Britain’s answer to Stax and Motown’s hard-driving soul and R&B. They did straightforward, no-frills covers of Otis Redding (“Shake”) and Smokey Robinson and The Miracles (“You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me”) for Decca before a move to more experimental territory at ex-Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham’s Immediate label.
Since 1977, McLagan’s played with his Bump Band, starred on Austin City Limits (in a town he now calls home), opened for the Stones on one of their latter-day tours, and perhaps more notably, performed as part of Billy Bragg’s band. To be young and fashionable in swingin’ sixties London. McLagan lived the life.
IAN MCLAGAN AND THE BUMP BAND
Tues/5, 8 p.m., $20
Red Devil Lounge
1695 Polk, SF
(415) 447-4730