What is the best way to celebrate 50 years walking the paths of rock and roll? That seems to have been the question drummer Roger Earl and the other members of Foghat asked themselves during 2021. The answer could not have been shaped in any way other than as music, that which forms the legacy of a band that, through the decades, has remained in force, in part thanks to the unstained classics that accumulate millions of plays on radios and playlists around the world, but also due to the originality of the sound created in 1971 by four British boys who loved blues and rock.

Recorded on November 17, 2019 at Daryl’s House Club in Pawling, NY, 8 Days on the Road is a 14-track live performance that will be released as a double CD/DVD package on July 16, 2021, on their own Foghat Records label. At a time when all who enjoy music are looking forward to experiencing live shows soon, this album is the perfect excuse to listen to old favorites, live and with excellent mix and sound quality.

The lineup is, in fact, a supergroup that works like a well-oiled machine. Roger Earl, the only remaining founding member, legitimizes the band’s permanence and amazes fans with its energetic, precise playing, keeping the sound intact and guiding his bandmates. It’s hard to believe this performance was recorded when he was 73 (and if you don’t believe me, wait till you hear Maybellene).

Former Humble Pie frontman and guitarist Charlie Huhn, who was chosen by original lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist “Lonesome” Dave Peverett prior to his death in 2000, meets every benchmark fans could expect of someone who faced the challenging task of replacing the great Peverett. Charisma, complicity with the audience, solvency, virtuosity, and a voice unscatched by the passage of time are the ingredients that make Huhn the singer this band needed to keep rocking. 

Lead guitarist Bryan Bassett (formerly of Wild Cherry, Lonesome Dave’s Foghat, and Molly Hatchet) replaced founding member Rod Price, the legendary Slide King of Rock and Roll, after his departure in 1999. This live recording is a sample of what Bassett has accomplished throughout his career, including his 22 years with Foghat: becoming one of the best live slide guitar players. His guitar is exquisite, each note perfectly fitting the needs of its song, and his solos are hypnotic. His brief but intense counterpoints with Huhn are a delight from which many rockers from younger generations could learn.

Rodney O’Quinn, successor to longtime bass player Craig Macgregor, has been in charge of the bass since 2015. Whoever listens to this album will understand why Macgregor personally chose O’Quinn to succeed him. Together with Earl, they create a solid base, well-coordinated, always swinging in the front line.

While this same lineup released Live at the Belly Up in 2017, 8 Days on the Road was recorded in a small, intimate venue, with the audience practically glued to the stage and that energy is palpable in the way that the musicians transform the feedback of the fans into a forceful performance. The audience vibrates, interacts and enjoys those songs that can never be absent on any Foghat´s show playlist: Slow Ride, Fool For The City, Road Fever, Drivin’ Wheel and so many others. Including a powerful version of “Play That Funky Music” from Wild Cherry is also a great choice and not out of step with the rest of the band’s repertoire.

8 Days on the Road is not just an invitation to celebrate 50 years of a legendary multi-platinum bluesy rock band that transcends changes in its lineup, but also the evidence that Foghat keeps its sacred fire intact and remains as one of the best live rock shows on the international scene.

 I’m Music Magazine Writer Emiliano Doldan