Almanac Music: Vale John Mayall – Now the Blues has lost a King
John Mayall, the bluesman from Macclesfield, pioneer of British blues has died at the age of 90. An accomplished guitarist, pianist, keyboard and harmonica player with a distinctive voice, his recording output was prodigious. When not in the studio he was on the road taking his particular style of blues music to appreciative audiences. He was mentor to a large number of artists who went on to reach dizzy heights in the music business – Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Peter Green and Mick Taylor to name but a few. While Mayall’s music received much critical acclaim it was not measured in terms of superstar popularity or number one hits. Somewhat belatedly, just this year he was inducted into the musical influence category of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
On news of his death, one of the first to pay tribute was Eric Clapton who said that Mayall had given him the “courage and enthusiasm to express himself”, that it was OK to “play the music I wanted to play”.
Mayall and Clapton’s first collaboration was on the John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton album from 1966. It contains great music. To me the standout is the Mayall composition ‘Have You Heard’, a brilliant slow blues. Side 2 track 3. A scorching saxophone opening is followed by Mayall’s tenor voice in call and response with Clapton’s guitar before the guitar launches into the stratosphere. As the album liner notes say, Clapton at his best can ‘make time stand still’.
While I have several Mayall albums on vinyl and CD and saw him at a terrific concert at the Arkaba in Adelaide in the 80s, I am not in the same league as my friend Joffa, a real Mayall tragic. He bought every LP released in Mayall’s early career, even when living in the UK at a time when he didn’t own a record player. Eventually volume and cost got the better of him. He has also seen Mayall in concert on numerous, memorable occasions. He jumped the fence to see Mayall perform at a Uni Orientation Ball in Adelaide (a concert I missed because of, shall we say, pre-Ball activities) and then at the Rainbow in London when Mayall invited those who had to catch the last tube train home to come to the front to enjoy the last song. He witnessed the madness of a midnight concert in Amsterdam which finished after 4 am and then back home at Thebarton Theatre with Mayall wearing black footy shorts. Finally, a gig at The Gov at which sound problems meant an 11 pm start with Mayall taking the stage with steam emanating from his ears and the audience collectively holding their breath. The band played till 1 pm.
Somewhat in contrast with this are the live concerts that may be viewed on-line with Mayall at ease with his band and enjoying the interaction with his audience.
Mayall’s ‘The Death on JB Lenoir’ is a standout, poignant contribution to Soul of A Man, the first film in Martin Scorsese’s story of the Blues series.
The most recent Mayall CD in my collection is Three For The Road, recorded live in concert in Germany in 2017, some 50 plus years after his first Bluebreakers record. Mayall’s voice is a little thinner but remarkable considering his age and he is in fine form on keyboards, still taking his blues to the people.
A line from his composition, ‘The Death on JB Lenoir’ could well refer to John Mayall himself.
Now the Blues has lost a King
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About Peter Crossing
Peter Crossing loves the pure 'n natch'l blues. He is a member of the silver fox faction of the Adelaide Uni Greys. He is something of a cricket tragic although admitting to little interest in the IPL or Big Bash forms of the game.
Thanks Peter, great tribute to a fine muso. Brought back a few memories for me as well. In the late 60s early 70s I would meet up with mates on a Thursday night at the Prospect Hill Hotel, Kew for pool and pizza. Often, we would afterwards head back to Lefty’s place and listen to music. For whatever reason, he would more often than not put on a track by John Mayall called ‘The Bear’, and before long it was a favourite for us all, and soon we’d be all singing along. Great memories!
Ditto Peter re your tribute to John Mayall.
There’s a wikipedia website I look at regularly called ‘List of deaths in popular music’. My heart lost a beat when I saw John Mayall’s name, despite that fact that he was a well deserved 90. His albums rarely charted outside the UK but his influence, as you clearly show, was enormous. I was also surprised that belatedly (only this year) was he recognised by the RnR establishment.
Back in my high school days, me & my mates adopted ‘Plan Your Revolution’ as a go to song. It was on the Empty Rooms album, which surprisingly charted higher in Aust (no.6) than anywhere else including the UK (no.9). I listened to that album quite a lot then and it remained on my list of albums to play at least once a year. A few years back I did a list of my top 100 albums (limiting any artist to 1 album) and Empty Rooms came in at no.48. So, JM is a great loss to me. I’m so pleased that someone on this site has found the desire to write a fitting tribute. Thanks Peter.
Thanks Peter. Such an influential figure.
Incredible that one man gave us Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac, Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser of Free.
Clapton and Cream at the forefront of psychedelic rock and laying the early blues-based foundations for what became heavy metal. Setting such a high bar that it took the genius of Hendrix to top it. Clapton was never the same once he tried to move away from the blues guitar hero that Mayall allowed him to be.
On the subject of heavy metal, Peter Green’s offerings of ‘The Green Manalishi’ and ‘Oh Well’ are two of the earliest templates. Give me Peter Green’ Fleetwood Mac over the ‘Rumours’ iteration any day.
Black Sabbath then take this blues-based rock, down tune it, and you have a version of heavy metal that then goes on to be influential in the evolution of grunge rock, stoner rock ….
Do Led Zeppelin reach the heights they did without the groundwork of Mayall’s Bluebreakers in bringing the American blues to the English masses? They just took it to the next level (even if they weren’t quite as willing to acknowledge the source of their inspiration ….).
John Mayall recommends a teenaged Mick Taylor to The Rolling Stones and they go on to create their best suite of albums with the combination of Richard’s and Taylor.
Another teenager, bass player Andy Fraser, watches how Mayall runs the show during his stint with the Bluesbreakers and goes on to form (and run) the blues-rockers Free. Drugs and in-fighting brought them undone far too soon, but not before having an influence on a young lad from Elizabeth in Jimmy Barnes. The stage presence of Barnes in the Cold Chisel days owes a lot to the Free front man Paul Rodgers. The English press first thought that Bon Scott was just another Paul Rodgers knock-off ….
I hadn’t listened to the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton album for ages, but something made me dig it out on the weekend before John Mayall died. I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible.
Thanks Peter. I saw John Mayall at His Majestys in Perth in 1974 or 75. In those days it was a bit of a wreck. Mayall drank a bottle of brandy during the show. That’s kinda impressive. But I was at the matinee performance, there was another show in the evening (and another bottle?).
Thanks for the stories and the related music Colin, Karl, Greg and Les.
The examples given display the diversity of Mayall’s music.
Correct Greg, early Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green in full flight is great. Have you heard any of their Blues Jam in Chicago with Otis Spann, Walter Horton et al?
Do you think it might have been cold tea Les?
Cheers Peter – gave Blues Jam in Chicago at run at work this arvo.
I’m not especially drawn to blues, nor really a Mayall aficionado, but I own one pure blues album: The Turning Point, Mayall’s acoustic landmark and predecessor of Empty Rooms. I first sought it out so I could own the track ‘Room to Move’, for which the late Chris Winter named his unmissable weekly program of new music on 3LO. I fell in love with the entire album, most of all ‘California’, and followed Jon Mark and Johnny Almond into their next manifestation.as Mark-Almond. That’s two more musicians to add to Mayall’s great alumni list.
Love the somewhat frantic harp Andrew. Apparently the last song he played on his final tour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfWU2MV9_ZI
Great memories and what a legacy left by John Mayall. Probably the first time I heard blues was when a friend played me one of his albums when I was about 15. I didn’t really understand it at the time. Also I remember ‘Room to move’ and Chris Winters radio program. Thanks for your article on the great man.