I Want to Take You With Me (Live 2005)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the soulful grooves of Robin Trower's "I Want to Take You With Me (Live 2005)" from the album Living Out of Time, and the Zoo Freaks are surely vibing to this blues-rock gem. This live rendition, recorded during Trower's 60th birthday concert at the Rockpalast Crossroads Festival in Bonn, Germany, on March 9, 2005, captures the raw energy of his performance. The track, one of the newer cuts from the 2003 studio album, showcases Trower’s signature Stratocaster sound, with its liquid tone and soaring bends, as noted in a Vintage Guitar review. It’s a standout moment where Trower unleashes extended solo work, a rarity on the album’s more restrained studio versions, making it a treat for fans craving his guitar prowess. The concert, aired by German television channel WDR, was later released on DVD and CD, cementing its place as a pivotal moment in Trower’s later career.

Digging into the song’s context, "I Want to Take You With Me" was part of a reunion effort with vocalist Davey Pattison, bassist Dave Bronze, and drummer Pete Thompson, a lineup echoing Trower’s mid-1980s albums like Passion. A review from TrowerPower highlights how this track, with its medium-tempo bluesy vibe, reflects Trower’s knack for blending soulful melodies with his Hendrix-inspired guitar style. In a 2019 interview on TrowerPower, Trower shared his approach to solos, saying, “I’m trying to capture something that happens, rather than something that’s pre-worked out. It’s got to come from the gut.” This spontaneity shines in the live version, where his guitar work feels like a conversation with the audience, a hallmark of his improvisational ethos. Fans on the Robin Trower Fans Facebook group often cite this performance as a high point, praising how Pattison’s vocals complement Trower’s emotive playing.

Turning to Trower’s origins, the English guitarist, born on March 9, 1945, in Catford, London, and raised in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, kicked off his musical journey in the early 1960s. At 17, he formed The Paramounts in 1962, a rhythm-and-blues band that included future Procol Harum bandmate Gary Brooker. The Paramounts disbanded in 1966, and Trower briefly led a three-piece outfit called The Jam (distinct from Paul Weller’s later band). His big break came in 1967 when he joined Procol Harum, fresh off their hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” contributing to their first five albums until 1971. After a short-lived stint with the band Jude alongside Frankie Miller and James Dewar, Trower launched his solo career in 1973 with the Robin Trower Band, featuring Dewar on vocals and bass. His 1974 album Bridge of Sighs, produced by ex-Procol Harum mate Matthew Fisher, became a defining work, blending blues-rock with psychedelic undertones and establishing him as a guitar hero.

For Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, Trower’s official website, robintrower.com, offers tour updates, album news, and merch, including details on the upcoming 50th Anniversary Edition of For Earth Below, set for release in June 2025. Connect with him on social media via Facebook, Instagram, and X, where he shares glimpses of his ongoing projects, like his 2023 album Joyful Sky with vocalist Sari Schorr. Fans can join the vibrant Robin Trower Fans Facebook group to swap stories and rare finds, or visit TrowerPower.com, a fan-driven site chronicling his career with reviews and tour archives. These platforms keep the spirit of Trower’s music alive, perfect for the Zoo Crew and their listeners to keep the groove going.