John Mayall 2004
| Background information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 November 1933 Macclesfield, England |
| Genres | Blues rock, harmonica blues, British blues, electric blues |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, organ |
| Years active | 1956–present |
| Labels | Decca, DJM, ABC, Eagle, Snapper, One-Way Records, Polydor, Silvertone, GNP Crescendo |
| Associated acts | John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Canned Heat, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, Keef Hartley Band, Mark-Almond, Pure Food and Drug Ac |
John Mayall, OBE født 29. november 1933 er en engelsk blues - sanger , sangskriver og multi-instrumentalist. Hans musikalske karriere strækker sig over halvtreds år, med de største successer i 1960'erne. Han grundlagde John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, og har påvirket mange instrumentalisters karrierer, blandt andre Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Harvey Mandel, Larry Taylor, Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser, Walter Trout og Coco Montoya.
John Mayall OBE (born 29 November 1933) is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years. In the 1960s, he was the founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers a band which has included Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Don "Sugarcane" Harris, Harvey Mandel, Larry Taylor, Aynsley Dunbar, Hughie Flint, Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser, Johnny Almond, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya and Buddy Whittington.
Biografi
Mayall's far var Murray Mayall, en guitarist og jazzmusikentusiast. Fra en tidlig alder blev John draget til lyden afamerikanske bluesmusikere som Leadbelly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith, og Eddie Lang, og lærte sig selv at spille klaver, guitar, og mundharmonika.
Mayall tilbragte tre år i Korea som værnepligtig, og i en periode med orlov, købte han sin første elektriske guitar.Tilbage i Manchester, blev han indskrevet på Manchester College of Art (nu en del af Manchester Metropolitan University) og begyndte at spille med semi-professionelle bands. Efter eksamen, fik han et job som kunstdesigner, men fortsatte med at spille med lokale musikere. I 1963 valgte han en fuldtids musikalsk karriere og flyttede til London. Han fik god brug for sit tidligere håndværk med udformningen af mange af hans kommende albums.
Siden slutningen af 1960'erne har Mayall boet i USA. En brand ødelagde hans hus i Laurel Canyon i 1979, og skadede alvorligt hans musikalske samlinger og arkiver.
Mayall har været gift to gange og har seks børnebørn.Maggie Mayall er en amerikansk blues performer og har siden begyndelsen af 1980'erne, taget aktiv del i ledelsen af sin mands karriere.Maggie og John blev skilt i sommeren 2011.
I 2005 blev Mayall udnævnt til Officer af Ordenen af det britiske imperium (OBE) Ordenslisten.
Biography
Mayall's father was Murray Mayall, a guitarist and jazz music enthusiast. From an early age, John was drawn to the sounds of American blues players such as Leadbelly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith, and Eddie Lang, and taught himself to play the piano, guitars, and harmonica.
Mayall spent three years in Korea for national service and, during a period of leave, he bought his first electric guitar. Back in Manchester, he enrolled at Manchester College of Art (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University) and started playing with semi-professional bands. After graduation, he obtained a job as an art designer but continued to play with local musicians. In 1963, he opted for a full time musical career and moved to London. His previous craft would be put to good use in the designing of covers for many of his coming albums.
Since the end of the 1960s Mayall has been living in the U.S. A brush fire destroyed his house in Laurel Canyon in 1979, seriously damaging his musical collections and archives.
Mayall married twice and has six grand-children. Maggie Mayall is an American blues performer and has, since the early 1980s, taken an active part in the management of her husband's career. Maggie and John divorced in the 2011 summer.
In 2005 Mayall was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Honours List.
De tidlige år
I 1956, med kollegie kollegaen Peter Ward havde Mayall dannet Powerhouse Four, som bestod af begge mænd plus andre lokale musikere, med hvem de spillede på lokale klubber.I 1962 blev Mayall medlem af Blues Syndicate.Bandet blev dannet af trompetisten John Rowlands og altsaxofonisten Jack Massarik, der havde set Alexis Korner band på en Manchester klub og ønskede at prøve en lignende blanding af Jazz og Blues. Den omfattede også rytmeguitaristen Ray Cummings og trommeslageren Hughie Flint, som Mayall allerede kendte. Det var Alexis Korner, der overtalte Mayall til at vælge en fuldtids musikalsk karriere og flytte til London. Det var her Korner introducerede ham til mange andre musikere og hjalp dem med at finde jobs.I slutningen af 1963 begyndte Mayall at spille på Marquee Club med sit band, der nu blev kaldt Bluesbreakers. Opsætningen var Mayall, Ward, John McVie på bas og guitaristen Bernie Watson, tidligere medlem af Cyril Davies og R & B All-Stars. Det følgende forår fik Mayall sin første aftale om en pladeindspilning med produceren Ian Samwell. Bandet, med Martin Hart ved trommerne, indspillede to numre: "Crawling Up a Hill" samt "Mr. James." Kort efter, erstattede Hughie Flint Hart, og Roger Dean tog guitaren fra Bernie Watson. Denne opsætning brugte John Lee Hooker også på sin britiske turné i 1964.
Mayall blev tilbudt en pladekontrakt med Decca og den 7. december 1964 blev en live performance af bandet registreret ved Klooks Kleek. En single, "Crocodile Walk", blev indspillet senere i studiet og udgivet sammen medalbummet, men ingen af dem opnåede nogen succes, og kontrakten blev opsagt.
I april 1965, afløste den tidligere Yardbirds guitarist Eric Clapton Roger Dean og bragte John Mayall's karriere ind i en afgørende fase.
The early years
In 1956, with college
fellow Peter Ward, Mayall had formed the Powerhouse Four, which consisted of
both men plus other local musicians, with whom they played at local dances. In
1962, Mayall became a member of the Blues Syndicate. The band was formed by
trumpeter John Rowlands and alto saxophonist Jack Massarik, who had seen the
Alexis Korner band at a Manchester club and wanted to try a similar blend of
Jazz and Blues. It also included rhythm guitarist Ray Cummings and drummer
Hughie Flint, whom Mayall already knew. It was Alexis Korner who persuaded
Mayall to opt for a full time musical career and move to London. There, Korner
introduced him to many other musicians and helped them to find gigs. In late
1963, with his band which was now called the Bluesbreakers, Mayall started
playing at the Marquee Club. The lineup was Mayall, Ward, John McVie on bass and
guitarist Bernie Watson, formerly of Cyril Davies and the R&B All-Stars. The
next spring Mayall, obtained his first recording date with producer Ian Samwell.
The band, with Martin Hart at the drums, recorded two tracks : "Crawling Up a
Hill" as well as "Mr. James." Shortly after, Hughie Flint replaced Hart, and
Roger Dean took the guitar from Bernie Watson. This lineup backed John Lee
Hooker on his British tour in 1964.
Mayall was offered a recording contract by Decca and, on 7 December 1964, a live performance of the band was recorded at the Klooks Kleek. A single, "Crocodile Walk", was recorded later in studio and released along with the album, but both failed to achieve any success and the contract was terminated. In April 1965, former Yardbirds guitarist Eric Clapton replaced Roger Dean and John Mayall's career entered a decisive phase.
Midten af 1960'erne til 1971
Eric Clapton som guitarist, 1965-66
Med Eric som deres nye guitarist, begyndte Bluesbreakers at tiltrække stor opmærksomhed. Denne sommer skar bandet et par numre til en single, "Jeg er din heksedoktor" B / W "Telefon Blues" (udgivet i oktober). Dog i august tog Clapton en udflugt til Grækenland med en flok relative musikalske amatører. John Weider, John Slaughter, og Geoff Krivit forsøgte at udfylde som Bluesbreaker guitarister, men til sidst tog Peter Green ledelsen. John McVie blev afskediget, og i løbet af de næste par måneder holdt Jack Bruce fra Graham Bond Organisation, bassen.I november 1965 kom Clapton tilbage, og Green måtte gå ud. Mayall have garanteret at Clapton ville få sin plads tilbage i Bluesbreakers, når han blev træt af kirtlers fiasko. McVie fik også lov at komme tilbage, og Bruce forlod gruppen. Senere på måneden var bandet i studiet for at indspille en single, "On Top of the World". Mayall og Clapton skar et par numre uden de andre (selv om nogle kilder siger at dette forekom tidligere på sommeren): "Lonely Years" b / w "Bernard Jenkins" blev udgivet som single den næste august på producer Mike Vernon's Purdah Records (begge spor dukkede op igen to årtier senere i Claptons Crossroads bokssæt). I en februar 1966 session, fik blues pianist-sanger Champion Jack Dupree (oprindeligt fra New Orleans, men som i 1960'erne boede i Europa) Mayall og Clapton til at spille med på et par numre. En live date af hele Bluesbreakers opsætningen med Jack Bruce midlertidigt på bas - blev optaget på Mayall's to-track båndoptager på Flamingo den 17. marts.
I april 1966 kom Bluesbreakers tilbage til Decca Studios for at optage endnu en LP med produceren Vernon. De sessioner, med horn på nogle spor (John Almond på baryton sax, Alan Skidmore på tenor sax, og Dennis Healey på trompet), varede kun tre dage. Blues Breakers med Eric Clapton blev udgivet i England den 22. juli 1966. Flere af de 12 tracks var forsiderne af ren Chicago blues (side 1 sparker off stærk med Otis Rush "All Your Love" og Freddy King's hit er det instrumentale "Hide Away" [her stavet uden en plads som "Hideaway", Mayall skrev eller arrangerede 5 (såsom "Double Crossing Time", en langsom blues med en brændende solo af cowriter Clapton), og Eric debuterede som forsanger, og begyndte sin praksis med at hylde Robert Johnson med "Ramblin 'On My Mind" Albummet. Mayall's kommercielle gennembrud, steg til # 6 på den britiske chart og har siden fået klassisk status, væsentligst for sin dristige aggressivitet og smeltede fluiditet af Claptons guitarspil. "Det er Eric Clapton, der stjæler rampelyset," fortæller music magasinet Beat Instrumental, og tilføjer med utilsigtet underdrivelse, "og uden tvivl vil flere eksemplarer af albummet blive solgt på grund af hans navn."
Mid-1960s through 1971
Eric Clapton as guitarist, 1965-66
With Eric as their new guitar player, the Bluesbreakers started to attract considerable attention. That summer the band cut a couple tracks for a single, "I'm Your Witch Doctor" b/w "Telephone Blues" (released in October). In August, however, Clapton left for a jaunt to Greece with a bunch of relative musical amateurs as the Glands. John Weider, John Slaughter, and Geoff Krivit attempted to fill in as Bluesbreaker guitarist, but finally, Peter Green took charge. John McVie was dismissed, and during the next few months, Jack Bruce, from the Graham Bond Organisation, held the bass.
In November 1965 Clapton returned, and Green had to depart, Mayall having guaranteed Clapton his spot back in the Bluesbreakers whenever he tired of the Glands fiasco. McVie was allowed back, and Bruce left. Later in the month the band entered the studio to record a single, "On Top of the World". Mayall and Clapton cut a couple tracks without the others (although some sources give this as occurring back in the summer): "Lonely Years" b/w "Bernard Jenkins" was released as a single the next August on producer Mike Vernon's Purdah Records label (both tracks appeared again two decades later in Clapton's Crossroads box set). In a February 1966 session, blues pianist-singer Champion Jack Dupree (originally from New Orleans but in the 1960s living in Europe) got Mayall and Clapton to play on a few tracks. A live date by the whole Bluesbreakers outfit—again with Jack Bruce temporarily on bass—was recorded on Mayall's two-track tape recorder at the Flamingo on 17 March. The rough recording provided tracks that later appeared on the 1969 compilation Looking Back and the 1977 Primal Solos.
In April 1966 the Bluesbreakers returned to Decca Studios to record a second LP with producer Vernon. The sessions, with horn arrangements for some tracks (John Almond on baritone sax, Alan Skidmore on tenor sax, and Dennis Healey on trumpet), lasted just three days. Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton was released in the UK on 22 July 1966. Several of the 12 tracks were covers of pure Chicago blues (side 1 kicking off strong with Otis Rush's "All Your Love" and Freddy King's hit instrumental "Hide Away" [here spelled without a space as “Hideaway”; Mayall wrote or arranged 5 (such as "Double Crossing Time", a slow blues with a scorching solo by cowriter Clapton); and Eric debuted as lead vocalist, and began his practice of paying tribute to Robert Johnson with "Ramblin' on My Mind". The album was Mayall's commercial breakthrough, rising to #6 on the British chart, and has since gained classic status, largely for the audacious aggressiveness and molten fluidity of Clapton's guitar playing. “It’s Eric Clapton who steals the limelight,” reports music mag Beat Instrumental, adding with unintended understatement, “and no doubt several copies of the album will be sold on the strength of his name.”
In the meantime, on 11 June the formation of the Cream--Clapton, bassist Jack Bruce, and drummer Ginger Baker--had been revealed in the music press, much to the embarrassment of Clapton, who had not said anything about this to Mayall. (After a May Bluesbreakers gig at which Baker had sat in, he and Clapton had first discussed forming their own band, and surreptitious rehearsal jams with Bruce soon commenced.) Eric's last gig with the Bluesbreakers was 25 June at the Flamingo; the Cream made a warmup club debut 29 July in Manchester and its "official" live debut two days later at the Sixth National Jazz and Blues Festival, Windsor.
Peter Green som guitarist, 1966-67
Mayall måtte udskifte Clapton, og det lykkedes ham at overtale Peter Green til at komme tilbage.
I det følgende år med Green på guitar og forskellige andre sidemænd blev omkring 40 numre indspillet. Albummet A Hard Roadblev udgivet i februar 1967.
De udvidede versioner i dag omfatter de fleste numre fra dette materiale, og albummet selv fremstår som en klassiker.
Men Peter Green afgav et varsel og snart startede han sit eget projekt, Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac, som i sidste ende kom til at omfatte alle tre Mayall's Bluesbreakers på dette tidspunkt: Green, McVie, og trommeslageren Mick Fleetwood.
Peter Green as guitarist, 1966-67
Mayall had to replace Clapton, and he succeeded in persuading Peter Green to come back. During the following year, with Green on guitar and various other sidemen, some 40 tracks were recorded. The album A Hard Road was released in February 1967. Today its expanded versions include most of this material, and the album itself also stands as a classic.
But Peter Green gave notice and soon started his own project, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac , which eventually was to include all three of Mayall's Bluesbreakers at this time: Green, McVie, and drummer Mick Fleetwood.
Mick Taylor som guitarist, 1967-69
Mayall første valg til at erstatte Green var 18-årige David O'List, guitarist fra Attack. O'List afslog imidlertid og gik med til at danne Nice med organist Keith Emerson. Gennem både en "musikere søges" annonce i Melody Maker den 10. juni og hans egen søgen, fandt Mayall tre andre potentielle guitarister til sine Bluesbreakers, en sort musiker ved navn Terry Edmonds, John Moorshead, og 18-årige Mick Taylor. Mayall havde også nysgerrigt besluttet at ansætte Edmonds som en rytmeguitarist i et par dage.I mellemtiden, på en enkelt dag i maj 1967 havde Mayall sammensat et studiealbum og fremviste sine egne evner som multi-instrumentalist. den t idligere Artwoods trommeslager Keef Hartley optrådte kun på halvdelen af indspilningerne, og alt andet blev spillet af Mayall. Albummet blev udgivet i november med titlen The Blues Alone.En seks-styks opsætning bestående af Mayall, Mick Taylor på lead guitar, John McVie stadig på bas, Hughie Flint eller Hartley på trommer, og Rip Kant og Chris Mercer på saxofoner, indspillede albummet Crusade den 11. og 12. juli 1967. Disse Bluesbreakers tilbragte det meste af året med at turnere i udlandet, og Mayall optog numrene på en bærbar båndoptager. I slutningen af turnéen, havde han over tres timers bånd, som han redigerede ind i et album i to bind: Diary of a Band, Vol. 1 & 2, udgivet i februar 1968. I mellemtiden fandt et par opsætnings ændringer sted: McVie havde forladt bandet og blev erstattet af Paul Williams, der selv snart holdt op igen for at slutte sig til Alan Price og blev erstattet af Keith Tillman, Dick Heckstall-Smith havde taget saxofonpladsen.Efter en amerikansk turné, var der flere opsætnings ændringer, begyndende med den besværlige bas position. Først erstattede Mayall bassisten Tillman med den 15-årige Andy Fraser. Fraser forlod dem dog kort efter for at deltage i Free og blev erstattet af Tony Reeves, tidligere medlem af New Jazz Orchestra. Hartley var forpligtet til at forlade gruppen, og han blev erstattet af New Jazz Orchestra trommeslageren Jon Hiseman (som også havde leget med Graham Bond Organisation). Henry Lowther, der spillede violin og cornet, tilsluttede sig i februar 1968. To måneder senere indspillede Bluesbreakers Bare Wires, co-produceret af Mayall og Mike Vernon, der kom op på en 6. plads.Hiseman, Reeves, og Heckstall-Smith bevægede sig derefter videre og dannede gruppen Colosseum. O psætningen med Mick Taylor beholdt Mayall og tilføjede trommeslageren Colin Allen (tidligere af Zoot Money Big Roll Band / Dantalian s Chariot, og Georgie Fame) og en ung bassist ved navn Stephen Thompson. I august 1968 indspillede den nye kvartet pladen Blues fra Laurel Canyon.Den 13. juni 1969, efter næsten to år med Mayall forlod Taylor ham og tilsluttede sig officielt Rolling Stones.
Mick Taylor as guitarist, 1967-69
Mayall's first choice to replace Green was 18-year-old David O'List , guitarist from the Attack . O'List declined, however, and went on to form the Nice with organist Keith Emerson . Through both a "musicians wanted" ad in Melody Maker on 10 June and his own search, Mayall found three other potential guitarists for his Bluesbreakers, a black musician named Terry Edmonds, John Moorshead, and 18-year-old Mick Taylor . The latter made the band quickly, but Mayall, curiously, also decided to hire Edmonds as a rhythm guitarist for a few days. In the meantime, on a single day in May 1967, Mayall had put together a studio album to showcase his own abilities as a multi-instrumentalist. Former Artwoods drummer Keef Hartley appeared on only half of the tracks, and everything else was played by Mayall. The album was released in November with the apt title The Blues Alone.
A six-piece lineup—consisting of Mayall, Mick Taylor on lead guitar, John McVie still on bass, Hughie Flint or Hartley on drums, and Rip Kant and Chris Mercer on saxophones—recorded the album Crusade on 11 and 12 July 1967. These Bluesbreakers spent most of the year touring abroad, and Mayall taped the shows on a portable recorder. At the end of the tour, he had over sixty hours of tapes, which he edited into an album in two volumes: Diary of a Band, Vols. 1 & 2, released in February 1968. Meanwhile, a few lineup changes had occurred: McVie had departed and was replaced by Paul Williams, who himself soon quit to join Alan Price and was replaced by Keith Tillman; Dick Heckstall-Smith had taken the sax spot.
Following a U.S. tour, there were more lineup changes, starting with the troublesome bass position. First Mayall replaced bassist Tillman with 15-year-old Andy Fraser . Within six weeks, though, Fraser left to join Free and was replaced by Tony Reeves, previously a member of the New Jazz Orchestra. Hartley was required to leave, and he was replaced by New Jazz Orchestra drummer Jon Hiseman (who had also played with the Graham Bond Organisation). Henry Lowther, who played violin and cornet, joined in February 1968. Two months later the Bluesbreakers recorded Bare Wires, co-produced by Mayall and Mike Vernon, which came up to #6.
Hiseman, Reeves, and Heckstall-Smith then moved on to form Colosseum . The Mayall lineup retained Mick Taylor and added drummer Colin Allen (formerly of Zoot Money's Big Roll Band / Dantalian's Chariot , and Georgie Fame ) and a young bassist named Stephen Thompson. In August 1968 the new quartet recorded Blues from Laurel Canyon.
On 13 June 1969, after nearly two years with Mayall, Taylor left and officially joined the Rolling Stones .
(Det følgende oversættes senere. M.P. 13. januar 13)
Mark-Almond period, 1969-70
Chas Crane filled in briefly on guitar. Drummer Allen departed to join Stone the Crows . This left as the only holdover bassist Thompson (who would also eventually join Stone the Crows).
Mayall tried a new format with lower volume, acoustic instruments, and no drummer. He recruited acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Jon Mark and flautist-saxophonist John Almond . Mark was best known as Marianne Faithfull 's accompanist for three years and for having been a member of the band Sweet Thursday (which included pianist Nicky Hopkins and future Cat Stevens collaborator Alun Davies , also a guitarist). Almond had played with Zoot Money and Alan Price and was no stranger to Mayall's music—he had played baritone sax on 4 cuts of Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton and some of A Hard Road. This new band was markedly different from previous Mayall projects, and its making is well documented both on the 1999 double CD The Masters and on the 2004 DVD The Godfather of British Blues: The Turning Point.
Along with the big change in sound, Mayall decided on a big change in scenery: a move to Los Angeles. The new band made its U.S. debut at the Newport Jazz Festival on 5 July, whilst the 12 July performance at the Fillmore East provided the tracks for the live album The Turning Point. A studio album, Empty Rooms, was recorded with the same personnel, with Mayall's next bassist, former Canned Heat member Larry Taylor , playing bass in a duet with Thompson on "To a Princess."
Harvey Mandel as guitarist, 1970-71
Mayall continued the experiment of formations without drummers on two more albums, although he took on a new electric blues-rock-R&B band in guitarist Harvey Mandel and bassist Larry Taylor , both plucked from Canned Heat , and wailing violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris , lately of the Johnny Otis Show. On USA Union (recorded in Los Angeles, 27-28 July 1970), though, Mandel was compelled to make do without his remarkable sustain and usage of feedback as musical, even melodic, technique; and on Memories the band was stripped down to a trio.
In November 1970 Mayall launched a recording project involving many of the most notable musicians with whom he had played during the previous several years. The double album Back to the Roots features Clapton, Mick Taylor, and Mandel on guitar; Sugarcane Harris on violin; Almond on woodwinds; Thompson and Larry Taylor on bass; and Hartley on drums. Ventures guitarist Jerry McGee came along with Larry Taylor to the L.A. sessions and appears on a couple tracks; Paul Lagos was with Sugarcane and ended up drumming on five. Mayall wrote all the songs and sang all the vocals, as usual by now, plus played harmonica, guitar, keyboards, drums, and percussion. The London sessions took place in January 1971 and as such represent some of Clapton's last work before Derek and the Dominos' attempted Layla follow-up sessions and band disintegration that spring.
Back to the Roots did not promote new names, and USA Union and Memories had been recorded with American musicians. Mayall had exhausted his catalytic role on the British blues-rock scene and was living in L.A. Yet, the list of musicians who benefited from association with him, starting with ruling the London blues scene, remains impressive.
1970s-1990s
By the start of the 1970s Mayall had relocated in the USA where he spent most of the next 15 years, recording with local musicians for various labels. In August 1971, Mayall produced a jazz- oriented session for bluesman Albert King and a few months later took on tour the musicians present in the studio.
A live album Jazz Blues Fusion was released in the following year, with Mayall on harmonica, guitar and piano, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Clifford Solomon and Ernie Watts on saxophones, Larry Taylor on bass, Ron Selico on drums and Freddy Robinson on guitar. A few personnel changes are noted at the release of a similar album in 1973, the live Moving On.
During the next decade Mayall continued shifting musicians and switching labels and released a score of albums. Tom Wilson , Don Nix and Allen Toussaint occasionally served as producers. At this stage of his career most of Mayall's music was rather different from electric blues played by rock musicians, incorporating jazz, funk or pop elements and adding even female vocals. A notable exception is The Last Of the British Blues (1978), a live album excused apparently by its title for the brief return to this type of music.
The return of the Bluesbreakers
In 1982 Mayall was reunited with Mick Taylor , John McVie and Colin Allen , three musicians of his sixties lineups, for a two year world tour from which a live album would emerge a decade later.
In 1984 Mayall restored the name Bluesbreakers for a lineup comprising the two lead guitars of Walter Trout and Coco Montoya , bassist Bobby Haynes and drummer Joe Yuele. The mythic name did perhaps something to enhance the interest in a band which by all standards was already remarkable.
A successful world tour and live recordings achieved the rest. In the early 1990s most of the excitement was already spent and Buddy Whittington became the sole lead guitarist in a formation which included then organist Tom Canning.
On the occasion of the 40th year of his career Mayall received carte blanche to invite fellow musicians for the recording of a celebratory album. Along for the Ride appeared in 2001, credited to John Mayall and Friends with twenty names listed on the cover, including some Bluesbreakers, old and new, and also Gary Moore , Jonny Lang , Steve Cropper , Steve Miller , Otis Rush , Billy Gibbons , Chris Rea , Jeff Healey , Shannon Curfman and a few others.
Photo: Federico Maria Giammusso
To celebrate his 70th birthday Mayall reunited with special guests Eric Clapton , Mick Taylor and Chris Barber during a fundraiser show. This "Unite for Unicef" concert took place on 19 July 2003 at the Kings Dock Arena in Liverpool and was captured on film for a DVD release. In 2005, Mayall was awarded an OBE in the Honours List . "It's the only major award I've ever received. I've never had a hit record or a Grammy or been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." commented Mayall.
In November 2008, Mayall announced on his website he was disbanding the Bluesbreakers, to cut back on his heavy workload and give himself freedom to work with other musicians. Three months later a solo world tour was announced, with: Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass, and Jay Davenport on drums. Tom Canning, on organ, joined the band for the tour which started in March 2009. An album was released in September 2009. Since then, Mayall has continued to tour with the same backing band, minus Canning, who left due to other priorities.
Discography
Original John Mayall albums
1965: John Mayall Plays John Mayall (Decca) [live,
December 1964]
1966: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (Decca)
UK #6
1967: A Hard Road (Decca) UK #10
1967: Crusade (Decca) UK #8
1967: The Blues Alone (Ace of Clubs) UK #24
1968: The Diary of a Band - Volume One (Decca)
[live] UK #27
1968: The Diary of a Band - Volume Two (Decca)
[live] UK #28
1968: Bare Wires (Decca) UK #3
1968: Blues from Laurel Canyon (Decca) UK #33
1969: Looking Back (Decca)
1969: Thru the Years (London)
1969: The Turning Point (Polydor) [live] UK #11
1970: Empty Rooms (Polydor) UK #9
1970: USA Union (Polydor) UK #50
1971: Back to the Roots (Polydor, 2LP) UK #31
1971: Memories (Polydor)
1971 (<-1968): John Mayall - Live In Europe
(London PS 589) [a US release of The Diary Of A Band Vol. 2]
1972: Jazz Blues Fusion (Polydor) [live, US,
November - December 1971]
1973: Moving On (Polydor) [live, US, July 1972]
1973: Ten Years Are Gone (Polydor, 2LP/December 2008
reissue) [studio + live New York 1972]
1974: The Latest Edition (Polydor)
1975: New Year, New Band, New Company (ABC - One
Way)
1975: Notice to Appear (ABC - One Way)
1976: Banquet in Blues (ABC - One Way)
1977: Lots of People (ABC - One Way) [live Los
Angeles, November 1976]
1977: A Hard Core Package (ABC - One Way)
1977: Primal Solos (Decca) [live 1966 and 1968, UK]
1978: The Last of the British Blues (ABC - One Way)
[live US]
1979: Bottom Line (DJM)
1980: No More Interviews (DJM)
1982: Road Show Blues (DJM), reissues:
1995: Why Worry
1997: [Bluesbreaker]
2000: Lost and Gone
2001: Reaching for the Blues
2006: Godfather of the Blues
2007: Big Man
1985: Return Of The Bluesbreakers (AIM Australia)
[1981 and 1982]
1985: Behind the Iron Curtain (GNP Crescendo) [live
Hungary], reissue:
2004: Steppin' Out
1987: Chicago Line (Entente - Island), reissues:
1994: Uncle John's Nickel Guitar
1999: Blues Power (with bonus CD Life in the
Jungle - Charly Blues Masterworks Vol.4)
2000: Blues Breaker (with two bonus tracks)
1988: The Power of the Blues (Entente) [live Germany
1987]
Reissues:
1993: New Bluesbreakers (The Blues Collection
8)
2003: Blues Forever (Fuel) (with bonus CD Life in
the Jungle - Charly Blues Masterworks Vol.4)
1988: (<-1971) Archives to Eighties (Polydor)
1990: A Sense of Place (Island)
1992: Cross Country Blues (One Way) [1981 and 1984]
1992: London Blues 1964-1969 (Deram Chronicles, 2CD)
1993: Wake Up Call (Silvertone) UK #61
1994: The 1982 Reunion Concert (One Way) [live, US]
1994: John Lee Boogie (Charly)
1995: Spinning Coin (Silvertone)
1997: Blues for the Lost Days (Silvertone)
1999: Padlock on the Blues (Eagle)
1999: Rock the Blues Tonight (Indigo) [live 2CD 1970
and 1971, Canada]
1999: Live at the Marquee 1969 (Eagle) [live '69,
London]
1999: The Masters (Eagle) [live 2CD, UK 1969]
1999: Live:1969 (Eagle), reissue:
2004: The Turning Point Soundtrack
2000: New Year, New Band, New Company/Lots Of People
(Beat Goes On, 2CD)
2001: Along for the Ride (Eagle/Red Ink)
2002: Stories (Eagle/Red Ink)
2003: 70th Birthday Concert (Eagle) [live in
Liverpool ]
2005: Road Dogs (Eagle)
2005: Rolling with the Blues (Recall) [live 1972 and
1973 and 1980 and 1982, various countries, 2CD + DVD interview], reissue:
2006: The Private Collection (Snapper 2CD)
2007: Live at the BBC (Decca) [1965 and 1967 and
1975]
2007: In the Palace of the King (Eagle)
2007: Live from Austin, Tx (NW Records) [live 1993]
2009: Tough (Eagle)
2011: Live In London (Nov. 1, 2010, 2CD, Dvd,
Private Stash or CD Baby)
Unofficial, limited editions and bootlegs
1990: Crocodile Walk
1984: Blues Alive (RCA/Columbia)
198?: Back to the Roots (Gaha 02) [same as Blues Alive]
198?: Dal vivo a Milano (bootleg) [live 26 Nov. 1982]
1996: Bulldogs For Sale (bootleg) [same as Crocodile Walk]
199?: Beano's Boys (bootleg)
199?: The First 5 Years (Pontiac) [Crocodile Walk+BBC Sessions +unreleased]
199?: Simply Outstanding, live at the Fillmore West '68 (Vintage Masters VMCDR 107) [same as Wolfgang's Vault]
1999: Horny Blues (Massive Attack) [live '72]
1999: Mayallapolis Blues (Blues Tune BT09) [live in Minneapolis 3 March 1993]
2000: Time Capsule (Private Stash) Limited release (J.Mayall's private archive 57-62)
2001: UK Tour 2K (Private Stash) Limited release
2001: Boogie Woogie Man (Private Stash) Limited release
2001: Archive:live (Rialto)
2003: No Days Off (Private Stash) Limited release
DVDs
2003: 70th Birthday Concert (Eagle) live '03 CD & DVD
2004: Live at Iowa State University DVD live'87
2004: Cookin' Down Under DVD (Private Stash) Limited release
2004: The Godfather of British Blues/Turning Point DVD (Eagle)
2005: Rolling with the Blues (Recall) live'72-82 2CD+DVD
2007: Live at the Bottom Line, New York 1992
2008: Live At Iowa State University
Singles
1964: "Crawling Up The Hill / Mr. James" (Decca F11900)
1965: "Crocodile Walk / Blues City Shakedown" (Decca F12120)
October 1965: " I'm Your Witchdoctor / Telephone Blues" ( Immediate IM012)
August 1966: "Lonely Years / Bernard Jenkins" (Purdah 453502)
September 1966: " Parchman Farm / Key To Love" (Decca F12490)
1966: "Looking Back / So Many Roads" (Decca F12506)
1967: "Sitting In The Rain / Out Of Reach" (Decca F12545)
1967: "Curly / Rubber Duck" (Decca F12588)
1967: " I'm Your Witchdoctor / Telephone Blues" (Immediate IM051)
1967: "Double Trouble / It Hurts Me Too" (Decca F12621)
1967: "Suspicions Pt.1 / Suspicions Pt.2" (Decca F12684)
1968: "Picture On The Wall / Jenny" (Decca F12732)
1968: "No Reply / She's Too Young" (Decca F12792)
1968: "The Bear / 2401" (Decca F12846)
John Mayall's sidemen
A comprehensive list of musicians who have recorded and/or toured with John Mayall .
A few notable names
Guitar: Eric Clapton , Roger Dean , Peter Green , Mick Taylor , Harvey Mandel , Freddy Robinson , Jimmy McCulloch , Kal David , Walter Trout , Coco Montoya , Randy Resnick , Sonny Landreth , Buddy Whittington , Eric Steckel , Robben Ford
Bass: Jack Bruce , John McVie , Steven Thompson , Larry Taylor , Tony Reeves , Hank Van Sickle
Drums: Hughie Flint , Keef Hartley , Aynsley Dunbar , Soko Richardson , Jon Hiseman , Colin Allen , Mick Fleetwood .
Keyboards: Dr. John
Vocals/Harmonica: Paul Butterfield
