Back Door

**Back Door** was a groundbreaking British jazz-rock trio that blew minds in the 1970s with their bass-forward, genre-blurring sound. Formed in 1971 by bassist Colin Hodgkinson (a pioneer of lead bass playing), saxophonist Ron Aspery, and drummer Tony Hicks, the band ditched guitars entirely, letting Hodgkinson’s funky, melodic basslines drive their raw, improvisation-heavy jams. They built a cult following with albums like their self-titled debut (*Back Door*, 1972) and *8th Street Nites* (1973), blending jazz, blues, and rock with a DIY energy that felt closer to a pub gig than a conservatory.

Though they split in 1977, their legacy lives on through releases like *The Impulse Session* and *BBC in Concert (Live)*, which capture their explosive live chemistry. Reunions in the ’90s and 2000s proved their fiery interplay never faded. Tracks like “Slivadiv” and “Human Bed” remain staples for bassists worldwide, and their fearless experimentation still inspires genre rebels today.