John Mayall RIP

[seeformiles]

John Mayall: Pioneer of British blues dies aged 90

His band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton and Mick Fleetwood.

www.bbc.co.uk

The blues godfather is no more.

 

[klang]

Oh

 

[seeformiles]

 

[klang]

This shocked me more than i thought it would!

 

[krtek a houby]

Must dig out Bare Wires, its the only release I own... so far

 

[dessiato]

I became a fan of blues listening to John Mayall. Today I will listen to his blues band to remind me of how I discovered and started to enjoy the genre.

RIP John

 

[blossie33]

Sad to read that, I knew he was 90 but still...
Saw his band a couple of times at the legendary Mothers club in Birmingham back in the day. So many musicians who went on to become very well known started off playing with his band the Bluesbreakers.
I think he was still working until fairly recently.
RIP John

 

[Knotted]

He was older than I thought he was. Obviously such a pivotal figure at the time, and he would have been in his 30's surrounded by young men in their early 20's. I don't know anything about his earlier life, where that passion for the blues came from, what was cooking in the 50's. He always seemed to be more about Elmore James than skiffle. Anyway it's a good opportunity to re-listen to that one he did with Peter Green.

 

[blossie33]

More about his early life in the Guardian..

John Mayall, pioneering figure of British blues, dies aged 90

Influential musician, whose band the Bluesbreakers played leading role in 60s blues revival, dies at home in California

www.theguardian.com

 

[danny la rouge]

The Beano album with Clapton is still a classic, and a guitar sound people still try to emulate. I still listen to it from time to time.

 

[Chilli.s]

RIP and thanks for all the tunes

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Yep, blues legend RIP

 

[seeformiles]

The Beano album with Clapton is still a classic, and a guitar sound people still try to emulate. I still listen to it from time to time.

I still think Hard Road is the better album - what a line up - (Green, McVie, Dunbar) and Green could bury Clapton on any day you like

 

[petee]

(repeat from the death pool thread, sry)

he was the first gig i ever saw, aged 15.
so, extra sad.

October 20, 1972 Academy of Music, New York City, NY

concerts.fandom.com

 

[danny la rouge]

I still think Hard Road is the better album - what a line up - (Green, McVie, Dunbar) and Green could bury Clapton on any day you like

It’s all about the sound, though. A Les Paul through an overdriven Marshall. That’s The Tone.

 

[seeformiles]

It’s all about the sound, though. A Les Paul through an overdriven Marshall. That’s The Tone.

I reckon that the spiky tone on the Clapton Bluesbreakers LP is well inferior to Peter Green’s tone on “Hard Road” or on every subsequent LP - and PG was an infinitely better and more beautiful player than EC will ever be. We may have to agree to differ here

 

[danny la rouge]

I reckon that the spiky tone on the Clapton Bluesbreakers LP is well inferior to Peter Green’s tone on “Hard Road” or on every subsequent LP - and PG was an infinitely better and more beautiful player than EC will ever be. We may have to agree to differ here

I’m not a Clapton fan particularly. I just love that album.

 

[seeformiles]

I’m not a Clapton fan particularly. I just love that album.

My problem is that I just don’t get the awe for EC. He does nothing that any fairly competent blues guitarist can’t do as a matter of course. Then we get to his elevation in blues circles when an absolute genius like Rory Gallagher is well down on the list.

 

[brogdale]

The Beano album with Clapton is still a classic, and a guitar sound people still try to emulate. I still listen to it from time to time.

Sad news.

Picked this album up at a rummage sale at the Baptist in 1978 and enjoyed blues music ever since. It's quite scratchy, but I still love it in all of its mono glory!

 

[danny la rouge]

My problem is that I just don’t get the awe for EC. He does nothing that any fairly competent blues guitarist can’t do as a matter of course. Then we get to his elevation in blues circles when an absolute genius like Rory Gallagher is well down on the list.

I agree. Like I say, it’s not about the notes, it’s the tone.

But also, I’m not particularly into virtuosity in rock.

 

[seeformiles]

I agree. Like I say, it’s not about the notes, it’s the tone.

But also, I’m not particularly into virtuosity in rock.

Neither am I - it’s all about the feel - Rory Gallagher proved himself to be possibly the greatest Irish(or even any country) blues guitarist of all time but is almost invisible I love hearing players like Paul Kossoff who let three notes wail and moan. I’m a bit drunk so, in conclusion, economy and feeling

 

[krtek a houby]

My problem is that I just don’t get the awe for EC. He does nothing that any fairly competent blues guitarist can’t do as a matter of course. Then we get to his elevation in blues circles when an absolute genius like Rory Gallagher is well down on the list.

The whole racism thing puts me off, when it comes to EC.

Give me RG, or GM or RJ anyday

 

[editor]

I don't like Clapton at all, but this strikes me as a very gracious tribute to his friend: