Aug 05, 2015 My recording of Bare Wires by John Mayall was made possible by my nephew, Hugo 5 years, who allowed me to borrow his Casio keyboard whilst he was away on holiday. John Mayall's Bluesbreakers classic album from 1968 has been digitally remastered and now boasts an extra six bonus tracks including the A & B sides of the single 'Picture On The Wall' and the songs 'Knocker's Step Forward' and 'Hide and Seek' only previously available on the Decca compilation, Thru The Years.
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Bare Wires was the first Bluesbreakers album of new studio material since A Hard Road, released 16 months before. In that time, the band had turned over entirely, expanding to become a septet. Mayall's musical conception had also expanded - the album began with a 23-minute 'Bare Wires Suite,' which included more jazz influences than usual and featured introspective lyrics. In retrospect, all of this is a bit indulgent, but at the time it helped Mayall out of what had come to seem a blues straitjacket (although he would eventually return to a strict blues approach). It isn't surprising that he dropped the 'Bluesbreakers' name after this release.
The album was Mayall's most successful ever in the U.K., hitting number three. The 2007 UMVD import edition includes bonus tracks. William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide.PersonnelJohn Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: John Mayall (vocals, harmonica, piano, harpsichord, organ, harmonium, guitar); Mick Taylor (guitar, Hawaiian guitar); Henry Lowther (violin, cornet); Dick Heckstall-Smith (soprano & tenor saxophones); Chris Mercer (tenor & baritone saxophones); Tony Reeves (acoustic & electric basses); Jon Hiseman (drums, percussion). Recorded at Decca Studios, London, England in April 1968. Includes liner notes by John Tracy. One of Mayall's bravest and best changes of style and line-ups. He enlisted some of the cream of the British jazz movement (Henry Lowther, Dick Heckstall Smith, Chris Mercer) who, together with drummer Jon Hiseman, made a formidable, brassy album.
Mayall's lyrics, although often obscured by the great musicianship, were also notable, as this was a highly reflective time in his life. The album is best enjoyed complete, as the links between songs are vital to its enjoyment, especially the Bare Wires suite containing the sad but beautiful 'I Know Now.' Guitarist Mick Taylor added the obligatory but indispensible lead breaks. Very probably his finest album.
John Mayall with Band ( and Jay Davenport) (2017)Born in, Cheshire in 1933, Mayall was the son of Murray Mayall, a guitarist and music. From an early age, John was drawn to the sounds of American blues players such as, and, and taught himself to play the piano, guitars, and harmonica.Mayall spent three years in Korea for and, during a period of leave, he bought his first electric guitar. Back in England, he enrolled at Manchester College of Art (now part of ) 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 lived in the US. A brush fire destroyed his house in in 1979, seriously damaging his musical collections and archives.Mayall has been married twice, and has six grandchildren. His second wife, Maggie Mayall, is an American blues performer, and since the early 1980s took part in the management of her husband's career. The pair divorced in 2011 and Maggie wrote online about the experience.In 2005 Mayall was appointed (OBE) in the Honours List. Early years In 1956, with college fellow Peter Ward, Mayall had founded the Powerhouse Four which consisted of both men and 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 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, whom Mayall already knew. In 1962 John and his band were frequent and popular artists at all night R&B sessions at the 'Twisted Wheel' cellar club in central Manchester.
Persuaded Mayall to opt for a full-time musical career and move to London, where 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. The line-up was Mayall, Ward, on bass and guitarist Bernie Watson, formerly of and the R&B All-Stars. The next spring Mayall obtained his first recording date with producer. The band, with Martin Hart at the drums, recorded two tracks: ' as well as 'Mr. Shortly after, Hughie Flint replaced Hart and took the guitar from Bernie Watson.
This line-up backed 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 later studio-recorded single, 'Crocodile Walk', was released along with the album, but both failed to achieve any success and the contract was terminated.In April 1965 former guitarist replaced Roger Dean and John Mayall's career entered a decisive phase. Mid-1960s through 1971.
Mayall in 1970 Eric Clapton as guitarist, 1965–66 In 1965, with as their new guitar player, the Bluesbreakers began attracting considerable attention. That summer the band cut a couple tracks for a single, ' b/w 'Telephone Blues' (released in October). In August, however, Clapton left for a jaunt to Greece with a bunch of relative musical amateurs calling themselves the 'Glands'. John Weider, John Slaughter, and Geoff Krivit attempted to fill in as Bluesbreaker guitarist but, finally, took charge. John McVie was dismissed, and during the next few months, from the, played bass.In November 1965 Clapton returned, and Green departed as Mayall had guaranteed Clapton his spot back in the Bluesbreakers whenever he tired of the Glands.
McVie was allowed back, and Bruce left to join, but not before a live date by the Mayall-Clapton-Bruce-Flint line-up was recorded on Mayall's two-track tape recorder at London's Flamingo Club in November. The rough recording provided tracks that later appeared on the 1969 compilation Looking Back and the 1977 Primal Solos. The same line-up also entered the studio to record a planned single, 'On Top of the World', which was not released at that time. Mayall and Clapton cut a couple of 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 's Purdah Records label (both tracks appeared again two decades later in Clapton's box set).
In a November 1965 session, blues pianist-singer (originally from New Orleans but in the 1960s living in Europe) got Mayall and Clapton to play on a few tracks.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. 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 's ' and 's hit instrumental ' 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 co-writer Clapton); and Eric debuted as lead vocalist, and began his practice of paying tribute to, with '. The album was Mayall's commercial breakthrough, rising to No.
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 —Clapton, bassist, and drummer —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 scheduled gig with the Bluesbreakers was 17 July in Bexley, south-east of London; Cream made a warmup club debut 29 July in and its 'official' live debut two days later at the Sixth National Jazz and Blues Festival,.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 was released in February 1967. Today its expanded versions include most of this material, and the album itself also stands as a classic. In early 1967, Mayall released an recorded with American.But Peter Green gave notice and soon started his own project, Peter Green's, which eventually was to include all three of Mayall's Bluesbreakers at this time: Green, McVie, and drummer who was a Bluesbreaker for only a few weeks. Two live albums, 'Live in 1967' Volumes I and II, featuring this lineup were released on Forty Below Records in 2015 and 2016.Mick Taylor as guitarist, 1967–69 Mayall's first choice to replace Green was 18-year-old, guitarist from the.
O'List declined, however, and went on to form with organist. Through both a 'musicians wanted' ad in 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. The latter made the band quickly, but Mayall 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 assembled a studio album to showcase his own abilities. Former drummer appeared on only half of the tracks, and everything else was played by Mayall. The album was released in November titled The Blues Alone.A six-piece line-up—consisting of Mayall, as lead guitarist, John McVie still on bass, or Hartley on drums, and Rip Kant and Chris Mercer on saxophones—recorded the album 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 line-up changes had occurred: McVie had departed and was replaced by Paul Williams, who himself soon quit to join and was replaced by Keith Tillman; had taken the sax spot.Following a US tour, there were more line-up changes, starting with the troublesome bass position. First Mayall replaced bassist Tillman with 15-year-old. Within six weeks, though, Fraser left to join 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 (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, co-produced by Mayall and Mike Vernon, which came up to No. 6.Hiseman, Reeves, and Heckstall-Smith then moved on to form. The Mayall line-up retained Mick Taylor and added drummer Colin Allen (formerly of /, and ) and a young bassist named Stephen Thompson. In August 1968 the new quartet recorded.On 13 June 1969, after nearly two years with Mayall, Taylor left and joined the.John-Almond period, 1969–70 Chas Crane filled in briefly on guitar. Drummer Allen departed to join. 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 and flautist-saxophonist. Mark was best known as 's accompanist for three years and for having been a member of the band (which included pianist and future collaborator, also a guitarist). Almond had played with Zoot Money and 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. 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 US debut at the on 5 July, whilst the performance of 12 July at the provided the tracks for the live album. A studio album, Empty Rooms, was recorded with the same personnel, with Mayall's next bassist, former member, 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 and bassist, both plucked from, and wailing violinist, lately of the Show and formerly with. On (recorded in Los Angeles, 27–28 July 1970), though, Mandel was compelled to make do without his remarkable and usage of as musical, even melodic, technique; and on Memories the band was stripped down to a trio with Taylor and guitarist.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, Gerry McGee and Harvey Mandel on guitar; Sugarcane Harris on violin; Almond on woodwinds; Thompson and Larry Taylor on bass; and Hartley on drums. 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 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. Mayall reunited for a brief tour in the early 1980sBy 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 and a few months later took on tour the musicians present in the studio.A live album was released in the following year, with Mayall on harmonica, guitar and piano, on trumpet, Clifford Solomon and on saxophones, Larry Taylor on bass, Ron Selico on drums and 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., and 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 even adding 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.
Return of the Bluesbreakers. Mick Taylor during his return to the Bluesbreakers on tour in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1980sIn 1982 Mayall was reunited with, and, three musicians of his 1960s line-ups, 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 line-up comprising the two lead guitars of and, 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 became the sole lead guitarist in a formation which included then organist Tom Canning. Mayall's 'Pistoia Blues', Pistoia, Italy 2000s On the occasion of the 40th year of his career, Mayall invited 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, Greg Rzab, and.To celebrate his 70th birthday, Mayall reunited with special guests, and during a fundraiser show. This 'Unite for Unicef' concert took place on 19 July 2003 at the, and was captured on film for a DVD release.In 2005, Mayall was appointed an OBE in the.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.In 2018, Mayall made a new addition to his band; his first female lead guitarist,. Forty Below Records Period.
Mayall performing in Seattle, 2019In 2013, Mayall signed with producer Eric Corne's label, Forty Below Records. The two have produced 4 studio albums together, A Special Life featuring accordionist, Find a Way to Care, Talk About That featuring and Nobody Told Me. Corne also re-mastered some live recordings from 1967 featuring Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood released as Live in 1967 Volumes I and II. In 2016, Mayall was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.On June 25, 2019, listed John Mayall among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the.Mayall's autobiography, Blues From Laurel Canyon: My Life As A Bluesman, co-written with author, was published by in August 2019.
Band members. 29 November 2019.
From the original on 24 December 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020. British blues musician John Mayall in 1933 (age 86). Retrieved 15 June 2013.
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Biography 26 December 2011 at the at the Official John Mayall site. As of 2009 there is no privileged source for biographical data on John Mayall.
The book John Mayall: blues breaker by Richard Newman, Sanctuary Publishing, Ltd. (1996); is an disavowed by Mayall himself. Many of his songs have lyrics directly referring to events in his life., interview by Michael Limnios, Blues.Gr, 19 May 2012. by Maggie Mayall, 7 December 2011. Goldsmith, Margie (12 February 2013). Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. CN 5585. A chronicle of the main events in Mayall's early career is to be found in Blues-rock explosion, eds. And Roos, J., (2001) Old Goat,. During Clapton's stay with the Bluesbreakers, the (in)famous graffito 'Clapton is God' appeared on a wall in the London Underground.
Marc Roberty, The Eric Clapton Scrapbook, 1994, New York: Citadel Press, p.14. Roberty, pp. 12–14. ^ (2007). London, UK: Jawbone Press.
Pp. (2007).
London, UK: Jawbone Press. Pp. Beat Instrumental, September 1966.
(2007). London, UK: Jawbone Press. Pp. ^ Hjort, Christopher (2007).
London: Jawbone. P., The Complete Rock Family Trees, Omnibus Press 1993. The result was shelved, but ultimately it was released in 1986 as The Lost Session. Mayall had played in 1968 at the and in San Francisco, sharing triple bills with Albert King and (concert available from ). A recording of the show at in New York, 10 July 1977 is available from. Archived from on 26 December 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
Retrieved 16 August 2018. Rosen, Jody (25 June 2019). The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
Mayall, John; McIver, Joel (31 October 2019). Blues from Laurel Canyon: John Mayall: My Life as a Bluesman.External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to. Concerts in: Fillmore West '68; Bottom Line '77. on. in libraries ( catalog). (in French) published in the French magazine. July 3, 2015.
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