"Godfather of British Blues": John Mayall turns 90

"Godfather of British Blues": John Mayall turns 90

He is known as the "Godfather of British Blues". Since the 1960s, John Mayall has shaped the blues like few other British musicians. Over the decades, many stars played in the band he founded, The Bluesbreakers.

The influential British multi-instrumentalist and bandleader continued to tour regularly into old age before retiring last year. John Mayall turns 90 on November 29.

Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, he had already announced in 2021 that he would no longer be touring in the future. For the time being, he has not ruled out individual concerts, especially in his adopted home of California. However, a performance in San Juan Capistrano, California, in March last year apparently marked his departure from the stage after all. A live recording of "Room To Move" is presented on Mayall's website as the "final performance".

Musician, border crosser, promoter

Although he always moved a little outside the mainstream, Mayall, who was born on November 29, 1933 in Macclesfield near Manchester, England, is considered one of the most influential musicians of his genre. His passion for the blues and his desire to experiment and explore musical boundaries defined his long career.

The singer, guitarist, keyboardist and harmonica player not only made a name for himself as a gifted musician, but also as a bandleader and mentor who supported talented musicians and offered them a platform.

The band he founded, The Bluesbreakers, whose members changed several times, became a breeding ground for some of the greatest talents on the British music scene. The later Fleetwood Mac musicians Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, for example, Mick Taylor, who was the Rolling Stones' guitarist for a few years in the early 70s, and last but not least Eric Clapton shone alongside Mayall. The debut album "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" is considered a classic.

The fact that Mayall's father was a guitarist with a passion for blues and jazz and a large record collection certainly played a role in his development. "I discovered jazz and blues at about the same time as boogie-woogie," Mayall told the Guardian, "it all went together for me." At a time when there were no instructional videos on the internet, he taught himself to play several instruments.

A late starter

However, his professional career started late. Mayall was already 30 years old when he founded the Bluesbreakers. He had previously spent three years as a soldier in Korea and worked as a graphic designer after studying art. A practical side effect: he later designed many of his own record covers.

At first, he only played music on the side. His friend Alexis Korner, himself a blues legend, is said to have finally convinced the late starter to make music his main profession and provided him with contacts in London. From 1963, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers performed regularly at the famous Marquee Jazz Club, where the Rolling Stones had also given their first concert a year earlier.

"It was like an explosion", Mayall recalled in an interview with the music portal "Ultimate Classic Rock" about that time in London. "There was such an energy there, because people were coming from all over the country to make a name for themselves in the London clubs."

The arrival of former Yardbirds guitarist Clapton made the band even more famous. After the success of "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton", released in 1966, which reached number six in the British album charts, Mayall went all out the following year and released three LPs in 1967. He released "A Hard Road" and "Crusade" with the Blues Breakers and also his first solo album. On "The Blues Alone" he played all the instruments himself, supported only on a few songs by drummer Keef Hartley, who also played with the Bluesbreakers.

From 1970, Mayall renounced the name Bluesbreakers, but continued to make music with former members. On his album "Back To The Roots", Clapton, Taylor and Hartley are joined by other greats such as Harvey Mandel and Larry Taylor from Canned Heat or the rock'n'roll violinist and pioneer of the electric violin, Sugarcane Harris.

When Mayall called, the stars came. And it stayed that way. His 2001 album "Along For The Ride" featured Gary Moore, Steve Miller, Chris Rea and ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons, among others.

It was not until 1982 that he reactivated the Bluesbreakers in the line-up with Mick Taylor, John McVie and Colin Allen for a longer world tour, which resulted in a live album. He continued to be active with the Bluesbreakers intermittently. Over 100 different combinations of members are said to have played with Mayall under this name.

Around 70 albums released

With the large number of studio and live albums, it is easy to lose track. With the Bluesbreakers and under his name alone, John Mayall has released around 70 to date. His last was probably "The Sun Is Shining Down" in 2022. The original tapes of many earlier recordings no longer exist because they were destroyed in a fire at his house in the Hollywood Hills in 1979. He moved to the USA in 1970, where he still lives today.

John Mayall was awarded the Order Of The British Empire at Buckingham Palace in 2005 and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016. His private life was somewhat more stable than the line-up of his Bluesbreakers. Mayall was married twice. This resulted in six children. He is now a grandfather several times over.

1. Despite the retirement of John Mayall from regular touring, his website still features a live recording of "Room To Move" from his performance in San Juan Capistrano, California, last March, which is touted as his final performance.
2. Eric Clapton, who later became a renowned guitarist for the Rolling Stones, was one of the many talented musicians who shone alongside Mayall in the Bluesbreakers, contributing to the band's debut album "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton," which is considered a classic.
3. John Mayall, born on November 29, 1933, in Macclesfield near Manchester, England, was influenced by his father's passion for blues and jazz and developed an affection for both genres, ultimately shaping his long career in music.
4. Over the decades, Mayall's band, the Bluesbreakers, became a breeding ground for some of the British music scene's greatest talents, including Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, and more, offering them a platform and helping them rise to prominence.

Source: www.dpa.com