JOHN MAYALL' GODFATHER OF BRITISH BLUES' SPECIAL GUEST ON 'INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS' W/RAY SHASHO -BBS RADIO

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THE GODFATHER OF BRITISH BLUES

NEW ALBUM 'NOBODY TOLD ME'

FEATURING ALL-STAR CAST OF LEGENDARY MUSICIANS

Including 

Todd Rundgren

Little Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band

Alex Lifeson from Rush

Joe Bonamassa

Larry McCray

and Carolyn Wonderland 

EXCLUSIVE

For over 50 years, John Mayall has served as a pioneer of blues music, rightly earning him the title, "The Godfather of British Blues". In 2013, John signed with producer Eric Corne's label, Forty Below Records, and has since been experiencing a true artistic and career renaissance, including a Blues Hall of Fame induction in 2015.

On February 22nd Forty Below Records will release Nobody Told Me, the new studio album from The Godfather of British Blues, John Mayall. ​ As with his last handful of albums, Mayall again shares production duties with Forty Below Founder Eric Corne who also handles engineering and mixing duties.  

The album boasts an impressive and diverse list of guest guitarists, all personal favorites of Mayall’s including Todd Rundgren, Little Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band, Alex Lifeson from Rush, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray and Carolyn Wonderland who will be joining the band on tour. Also, on hand are Mayall’s dynamic Chicago rhythm section of Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums, along with Billy Watts (Lucinda Williams) on rhythm guitar and Mayall’s regular horn section, moonlighting from their day job in The Late Show with Conan O’Brien’s house band. 

Eric Burdon from The Animals-Stu Leathwood from The Koobas

Keith Ellis from The Koobas-Roy Wood  from Woods and The o'jays-Jimi Hendrix from The Jimi Hendrix Experience-Noel Redding from The Jimi Hendrix Experience-Carl Wayne-John Mayall-Steve Winwood from Traffic-Trevor Burton from Steve Gibbons Band-Roy Morris The Koobas

The album was recorded at The Foo Fighters’ Studio 606 on the same legendary Sound City Neve console his one-time protégés from Fleetwood Mac used to record parts of the best-selling Rumors album.  

“This project has been a true labor of love for me and I can’t wait for people to hear the fireworks that took place,” beams Mayall. Nobody Told Me is an apt title for the blues icon who suffered a recent unexpected health scare shortly after recording the album. But, the seemingly ageless road dog, who famously takes no days off and carries his own gear on tour, has been given a clean bill of health and plans to return to his usual grueling touring schedule to support the release. 

QUOTES

John Mayall has actually run an incredibly great school for musicians. …Eric Clapton

John Mayall, he was the Master of It. If it wasn't for the British musicians, a lot of us black musicians in America would still be catchin' the hell that we caught long before. So, thanks to all you guys, thank you very much! …BB King

I had this friend in London, John Mayall of the Bluesbreakers, who used to play me a lot of records late at night. He was a kind of DJ-type guy. You'd go back to his place, and he'd sit you down, give you a drink, and say "Just check this out." He'd go over to his deck, and for hours he'd blast you with B.B. King, Eric Clapton - he was sort of showing me where all of Eric's stuff was from, you know. He gave me a little evening's education in that. I was turned on after that, and I went and bought an Epiphone. So, then I could wind up with the Vox amp and get some nice feedback. …Paul McCartney

Purchase Nobody Told Me, the new studio album from Blues Hall of Fame member, John Mayall boasts an impressive and diverse list of guest guitarists, all personal favorites of Mayall’s including Todd Rundgren, Little Steven Van Zandt of The E Street Band, Alex Lifeson from Rush, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray and Carolyn Wonderland who will be joining the band on tour. 

Nobody Told Me will be available Feb 22^nd at amazon.com

JOHN MAYALL 

"NOBODY TOLD ME"

TRACKS

01 What Have I Done Wrong (featuring Joe Bonamassa)

02 The Moon Is Full (featuring Larry McCray)

03 Evil And Here To Stay (featuring Alex Lifeson)

04 That’s What Love Will Make You Do (featuring Todd Rundgren)

05 Distant Lonesome Train (featuring Carolyn Wonderland)

06 Delta Hurricane (featuring Joe Bonamassa)

07 The Hurt Inside (featuring Larry McCray)

08 It’s So Tough (featuring Steven Van Zandt)

09 Like It Like You Do (featuring Carolyn Wonderland)

10 Nobody Told Me (featuring Carolyn Wonderland)

For more information about John Mayall and the latest tour information visit www.johnmayall.com 

And www.facebook.com/JohnMayall/ 

JOHN MAYALL ON TOUR 2019

Date  Venue        City

Tue 26 Feb 2019  Pakkahuone       Tampere, Finland

Wed 27 Feb 2019 Cirkus        Helsinki, Finland 

Fri 01 Mar 2019   Nalen Stora Salen        Stockholm, Sweden    

Sat 02 Mar 2019  Slagthuset  Malmö, Sweden  

Sun 03 Mar 2019 Rockefeller Oslo, Norway     

Mon 04 Mar 2019 Pustervik    Gothenburg, Sweden   

Tue 05 Mar 2019 Kulturhuset Viften        Rødovre, Denmark      

Wed 06 Mar 2019 Train Aarhus, Denmark

Fri 08 Mar 2019   Rosenhof    Osnabrück, Germany  

Sat 09 Mar 2019  Die Kantine Cologne, Germany      

Sun 10 Mar 2019 Colos-Saal  Aschaffenburg, Germany     

Tue 12 Mar 2019 Die Fabrik in Altona      Hamburg, Germany    

Wed 13 Mar 2019 Columbia Theater Berlin, Germany 

Thu 14 Mar 2019 Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Halle Halle, Germany  

Fri 15 Mar 2019   Forum Karlín       Prague, Czech Republic

Sun 17 Mar 2019 Klub Stodoła       Warsaw, Poland  

Mon 18 Mar 2019 Klub Studio Krakow, Poland  

Tue 19 Mar 2019 Akvárium Klub     Budapest, Hungary     

Wed 20 Mar 2019 Porgy & Bess       Vienna, Austria   

Thu 21 Mar 2019 Dom Im Berg      Graz, Austria      

Fri 22 Mar 2019   Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine     Udine, Italy

Sun 24 Mar 2019 Teatro Delle Muse        Ancona, Italy     

Mon 25 Mar 2019 Teatro Obihall     Florence, Italy    

Tue 26 Mar 2019 Auditorium Parco della Musica        Rome, Italy

Wed 27 Mar 2019 Teatro Politeama Genova      Genoa, Italy      

Thu 28 Mar 2019 Auditorium Santa Chiara       Trento, Italy      

Fri 29 Mar 2019   Campus Industry Music 43123       Parma, Italy      

Sat 30 Mar 2019  Pala Phenomenon Fontaneto d'Agogna, Italy    

Sun 31 Mar 2019 Les Docks   Lausanne, Switzerland 

Tue 02 Apr 2019  La Laiterie  Strasbourg, France     

Wed 03 Apr 2019 Le Splendid Lille, France       

Thu 04 Apr 2019  Zeche        Bochum, Germany      

Fri 05 Apr 2019   Hirsch        Nuremberg, Germany  

Sun 07 Apr 2019 Im Wizemann     Stuttgart, Germany     

Mon 08 Apr 2019 Muffathalle Munich, Germany

Tue 09 Apr 2019  Volkshaus   Zürich, Switzerland     

Thu 11 Apr 2019  Le Bataclan Paris, France      

Fri 12 Apr 2019   De Roma    Borgerhout, Belgium   

Sat 13 Apr 2019  Patronaat   Haarlem, Netherlands  

Sun 14 Apr 2019 De Oosterpoort   Groningen, Netherlands

Tue 16 Apr 2019  Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Tue 16 Apr 2019  Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Wed 17 Apr 2019 Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Wed 17 Apr 2019 Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Thu 18 Apr 2019  Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Thu 18 Apr 2019  Ronnie Scott's     London, UK

Sat 18 May 2019 Doheny Blues Festival 2019   Dana Point, CA, US     

Tue 18 Jun 2019  Aladdin Theater   Portland, OR, US

Thu 20 Jun 2019  Tower Theatre    Bend, OR, US     

Sat 22 Jun 2019  Rio Theatre Santa Cruz, CA, US     

Tue 25 Jun 2019  Crest Theatre      Sacramento, CA, US    

Wed 26 Jun 2019 The Siren   Morro Bay, CA, US      

Thu 08 Aug 2019 Iridium      New York, NY, US

Fri 09 Aug 2019   Iridium      New York, NY, US

Sat 10 Aug 2019  Iridium      New York, NY, US

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

on Interviewing the Legends

with Ray Shasho

BBS Radio

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

Also don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business ... available now at amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!

Have a great week everybody!

Jack Bruce Interview: ‘Rock’ Icon Releases Brilliant New Album Entitled ‘Silver Rails’

By Ray Shasho                                  Jack Bruce 1943-2014  RIP

Jack Bruce is the esteemed bassist, lead vocalist, and songwriter for an array of legendary bands and distinguished musicians. Most notably, Bruce was a key member with the British rock power trio Cream which featured Eric Clapton (guitars, vocals), Ginger Baker (drums, vocals) and Jack Bruce (bass guitar, lead vocals). Bruce handled most of the lead vocalist and songwriting duties for Cream, recognized as one of the most revered groups in rock history.

Bruce wrote or co-wrote such Cream classics as… “I Feel Free” (1966), “We’re Going Wrong” (1967), “Sunshine of Your Love” (#5 Hit in1968), “White Room” (#6 Hit in 1968), “Politician” (1968), and “Doing That Scrapyard Thing”(1969). Bruce co-penned many of those classic tracks with poet & lyricists Pete Brown. Cream remained a group for less than three short years. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. The original lineup reunited briefly in 2005.

When you think of well-respected quintessential musicians, Jack Bruce immediately comes to mind. Bruce has performed in such bands as … Alex Korner’s Blues Band Inc., the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, Eric Clapton and the Powerhouse, Cream, Lifetime, West, Bruce & Laing, Jack Bruce & Friends, Robin Trower, Ringo’s All-Star Band, and The Big Blues Band.

Jack Bruce almost joined Marvin Gaye’s band when he was in his early 20’s.


Bruce fronted many other bands that included artists …Carla Bley, Mick Taylor, Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Tony Hymas, David Sancious, and Gary Moore .

Jack Bruce is a multi-instrumentalist and has collaborated on albums with Frank Zappa, Lou Reed, and Kip Hanrahan to name just a few. Bruce also wrote “Theme for an Imaginary Western” which was performed by classic rock legends Mountain.

The critically-acclaimed ‘Seven Moons’ (2008) was Jack Bruce’s most recent album with longtime friend and collaborator Robin Trower.

‘SILVER RAILS’ NEW RELEASE:

JACK BRUCE has recorded 14 solo albums, but his highly anticipated new release ‘Silver Rails’ may be his very best yet. It’s his first studio release in more than ten years. The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. I gave ‘Silver Rails’ (5) STARS.

‘Silver Rails’ is an all-embracing blend of pure innovative musical genius, while complemented by brilliant lyrical content. The album features legendary guest artists … Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions), Robin Trower, Bernie Marsden (White Snake), and others. Many of the lyrics were co-penned with Cream lyricist Pete Brown, long-term collaborator Kip Hanrahan, and Jack’s wife Margrit.
‘Silver Rails’ is available NOW on CD, Vinyl or as Digital Download. The limited edition deluxe version of the album comes with a behind the scenes documentary DVD filmed on location at Abbey Road Studios. -Released on Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records.
You can purchase ‘Silver Rails’ [HERE] or at Amazon.com.

I had the rare pleasure recently of chatting with legendary bassist, singer, and songwriter Jack Bruce to talk about his highly anticipated new release ‘Silver Rails.’

Here’s my interview with Cream legend, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Lifetime Grammy Achiever, and just an incredibly nice man … JACK BRUCE.
Ray Shasho: Hello Jack!
Jack Bruce: “How are you doing Ray?”
Ray Shasho: Did you have a rough winter in the UK?
Jack Bruce: “It was very wet and there was so much rain here that you wouldn’t believe it. It rained for like six months. It was very bad, a lot of flooding.”
Ray Shasho: I’d like to dive in and talk about your new album ‘Silver Rails.’ “Reach for the Night” was definitely one of my favorite tracks.
Jack Bruce: “I think that’s also one of my favorites because it’s kind of biographical isn’t it. To me it’s like a film noir version of me. I can see myself in the Philip Marlowe look, wearing the fedora and smoking camels.”
Ray Shasho: The first track of Silver Rails is entitled “Candlelight” which has a Calypso flavor to it.
Jack Bruce: “You being from Florida and not far from Cuba … I was over there a couple of years ago with Phil Manzanera who plays guitar on “Candlelight.” We went over there to play with some Cuban musicians and we became good friends. He’s a great guy and guitar player. So when I wrote that I thought I needed to get him on there.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, I’ve always admired the collaboration between you and Robin Trower. Robin and you perform together on the song “Rusty Lady” which is about the death of Margaret Thatcher? Talk about the track.
Jack Bruce: “Yea, I thought it was a lot like “Politician.” So I said to Pete Brown, let’s write a more modern version of “Politician.” So while trying to write something more up to date he came up with the death of Thatcher. So I thought, okay then, that’s cool. But the song is about … a lot of changes came out of that period in the 80’s in this country, and we’re still feeling the effects of it, like economically. I’m no politician but I do feel that a lot of damage was done because of misguided principals and the country is still suffering from it. You’ve got to write some stuff that has something to say.”
Ray Shasho: I really enjoyed all your work over the years with Robin Trower. I was saddened to hear of the loss of Robin’s wife recently.
Jack Bruce: “Yes, it was just terrible. He really had a bad time for years. I’m feeling for him right now, he’s a beautiful guy.”
Ray Shasho: One of my favorite albums with you and Robin was B.L.T. (1981).
Jack Bruce: I liked ‘Seven Moons.’ Robin is much underrated but I think he gets more recognition in the states and I’m glad to see that. I’m sure he’ll be touring again soon because he loves to tour. He toured nonstop. With his wife going like that it was very hard for him and he had to cancel a lot of tours. He’ll be back, I know him, and he’s a wonderful guy. He’s one of those hard workers who gets out there and plays.”
Ray Shasho: Were you trying to model ‘Silver Rails’ after your first solo album … ‘Songs for a Tailor’?
Jack Bruce: “Yes, it was sort of like a template, because when I did my first album, I didn’t just want to do a blues rock thing like Cream, great as it was, I wanted to do something different. I wanted horns … wanted to play piano, cello, and just wanted to do different things. This is my fourteenth album and I think that’s what I was trying to do, just continue that diverse thing. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and rather than just doing one thing when I make an album, the challenge to myself is to write all these diverse tracks, but to make them work. It’s like a jigsaw because if you’ve got a lyrical track going into a hard rock track …it’s got to work. You’ve got to write things that will work together.”
Ray Shasho: Pete Brown and Kip Hanrahan collaborated with you on various tracks on the new album. We all know about your relationship with Pete Brown that began back in your Cream days, but you’ve also established a bond with Kip Hanrahan over the years.
Jack Bruce: “Kip Hanrahan wrote “Hidden Cities.” It was through Kip I got to know about Cuban and Afro-Cuban music. He had those great bands and we used to go to New York a lot. We made some really cool records. I learned a lot from Kip, he’s one of my closest friends. So he just came over to my house and wrote that lyric, but that was just an excuse to get him to come and hang out. Although he hates trees, he gets kind of fidgety when there are trees around (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: You played a beautiful piano on “Industrial Child.”
Jack Bruce: “I played piano on the entire album. Because we recorded at Abbey Road, they had a bunch of wonderful pianos there among other things, so I was able to choose each piano for each track, which is a great thing. Working at Abbey Road was such a joy.”
Ray Shasho:”Hidden Cities” is another great track, the song could easily be a soundtrack to a movie.
Jack Bruce: “Love that track … that’s my version of Metal (Laughing). That’s why I’ve got Uli Jon Roth on guitar because he’s been with the Scorpions and all that. He understood that track immediately and got it.”
Ray Shasho: When was the last time you worked at Abbey Road?
Jack Bruce: “Over the years I’ve been in and out of there on sessions, but the last album I made was actually in 1965, so that’s going back a bit. It’s just fantastic that place, the music just oozes off the walls.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, how did you decide on ‘Silver Rails’ as a title for the new album?
Jack Bruce: “I know this wonderful artist called Sacha Jafri who painted the cover and some other pictures on there. I’m very fortunate to know him; he’s a friend of mine and probably one of the most well known artists in Britain. I asked him if he would improvise. I gave him a bunch of titles that I might call the album, and so he listened to the album and painted the cover. He did that and said “You’ve got to call it ‘Silver Rails’ because that’s what I was thinking.” I always create a bunch of funny titles and then end up with one.”
Ray Shasho: You have a wonderful sense of humor. In an interview you did, you said that many of the personal issues between you and Ginger Baker occurred because Ginger didn’t have a sense of humor …is that true?
Jack Bruce: “Well he’s got his own sense of humor, I don’t understand. He doesn’t get my humor that’s for sure. I think I’m a pretty funny guy but then I guess a lot of idiots do (Laughing). If you haven’t got a sense of humor you’re making your life a hundred times harder. It doesn’t matter what happens to you, if you can have a laugh about it, and don’t take yourself so serious, you have the battles halfway won.”
Ray Shasho: Who were some of the artists that got you interested in becoming a musician?
Jack Bruce: “As far as the big name influences I would say Charlie Mingus, a great bass player and American composer. I played upright bass. I wanted to write great tunes, play the bass, be a band leader, and smoke a big funny pipe like Charlie Mingus. So I went out and bought the pipe when I was around 18 or 19 years old. You know even women smoke a pipe in Glasgow. I worked with Carla Bley and she smoked a pipe, which I find fascinating. She worked in a band of mine with Mick Taylor.”
Ray Shasho: They used to say that James Brown was the hardest working man in show-biz … I think it’s Jack Bruce!
Jack Bruce: “That’s nice of you to say so but I have to take my hat off to James Brown. He was amazing. Another one of my influences over the years who is also a hard worker is Albert Collins. ‘The Ice Man’ they called him. He was a fantastic guitar player. I like the people who work hard in their career and on stage. He was one of those guys who had the big long guitar cable and would go in the audience. He said to me, “Jack, don’t forget you’re just an entertainer when it comes down to it.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, you’ve played with so many legendary artists … and you were actually asked to play in Marvin Gaye’s Band?
Jack Bruce: “I was man, when I was around 21 or something like that. We did this TV show and we just got to talking and he said let’s go to your place. We sat up all night talking about music. Then he asked me to join his band. Of course I was thrilled to be asked but at the time I couldn’t do it. I was going to get married a couple days after he asked me, I couldn’t not show up at the wedding. I don’t know the way things have panned out; maybe I should have gone to Detroit.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve been extremely successful crossing into various genres, not only on the new album but throughout your music career.
Jack Bruce: “Yea, that’s what I do. But I think people who basically do one thing like Eric Clapton is great, although he has crossed over more in recent years, doing a bit of jazz here and there. But I’ve always enjoyed playing different kinds of music and playing with different kinds of musicians because I find that really interesting, like learning and working with Kip Hanrahan. There’s a great conga player called Milton Cardona and he taught me a lot of the nuances, he’s a Santeria Priest and so he knows his onions as it were.”
Ray Shasho: You wrote lyrics on Frank Zappa’s ‘Apostrophe’ album?
Jack Bruce: “I wrote “Apostrophe,” just the one track. That was simply Frank Zappa who I got to know when Cream first went to New York. Eric and I used to go to this little theater in the Village and Frank used to do these mad things in the afternoon. At these gigs he would gather hobos off the street and give them a ukulele or something, I thought this guy’s outrageous; and then of course I had the first Mothers of Invention album and fell in love with him. Frank was very kind and helpful to me. He liked my singing. He called me up when I was in New York and asked me to come down to the studio and play some cello. I told him that I didn’t have my cello with me; it’s not something I carry around that much. He said we can rent one. I told him that you can’t really rent a cello, it’s very personal. So I went down to the studio and there was this really terrible cello and I tried to play it but it sounded awful. Frank said, “Oh well, why don’t you just play bass guitar.” So I played on “Apostrophe” with Jim Gordon on the drums and Frank. Then when he mixed it, it had that sort of distorted sound I used in Cream.”
Ray Shasho: You also worked with Lou Reed on the ‘Berlin’ album?
Jack Bruce: “That was fun because the drummer was Aynsley Dunbar who also worked with Frank. It was kind of funny to me because Lou Reed was pretty out of it actually. There was Bob Ezrin who was producing it. When I finally heard the finished product, I thought wow, this Bob Ezrin is good, and he’s really taken it somewhere else.”
Ray Shasho: I was a huge Rory Gallagher fan …one of the most energizing performances I’ve seen you do was a You Tube video with Rory doing “Politician” on the German music television show Rockpalast … what a jam!
Jack Bruce: “Rory and I should have done more together.”
“I was a big fan of Gary Moore, he was my buddy and I miss him a lot. I loved his playing because you’ve got that passion; it was sort of a Celtic thing. The Irish and Scots they just go for it and not too worried about looking good. When I was in the states touring, I landed in Seattle to do a gig and one of the fans came to me and told me about Gary’s death. It was very hard for me to carry on, it was awful.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, you’ve worked in numerous band configurations prior to the inception of Cream … Blues Incorporated, the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Manfred Mann, Eric Clapton with Powerhouse. And although Cream was only together for about three years, it appeared that you finally found the musical chemistry you may have been searching for.
Jack Bruce: “I definitely was. I had worked with Eric a little bit with John Mayall, but he left the band quite soon after I joined. But it wasn’t because of me (All laughing). He left the band because he wanted to do this world tour, but he got as far as Greece. Then he saw this butcher shop with this lamb hanging up and all the flies crawling all over it and he said I’m going home. That’s the story anyway. I didn’t play with him much with Mayall. The Powerhouse thing was purely a get together thing that Joe Boyd did …the great record producer. So we did that and it was great fun. As soon as Cream got together for the first time, we all knew that there was magic there.”
Ray Shasho: You wrote or co-wrote many of the classic tracks for Cream.
Jack Bruce: “Well somebody had to do it (All laughing).”
Ray Shasho: I would have thought there’d be a little more songwriting collaboration at that time.
Jack Bruce: “That was really done because of the management. They just worked us so hard. When we were off the road, which was briefly, we just didn’t have time. Later on in the 70’s people always said we were going to go and get it together in the country… that was the phrase. But we never had that. We were making so much money you can’t fret about it. They didn’t want us to stop, because every time we had a day off they were losing money. They just kept us going because I think they thought it wasn’t going to last, and it didn’t last as long as it might have because of that. We had a shortsighted and really terrible manager. He just kind of worked the band to death. The one thing that would have kept the band alive would have been if we all got together and co-written the songs, but we never had the chance to do that.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, I’m really going to put you on the spot now …Do you think Jimi Hendrix or Eric Clapton was the better blues guitarist?
Jack Bruce: “That’s a hard one, but I would say Eric. Simply because Jimi was this force of nature, and I don’t even think of him as a great blues guitarist, he was something else, like from another planet. Just this amazing force and he was a friend of mine. But it’s very difficult to say whose better. Eric had such a great knowledge of the blues; he knows the blues inside out, like a musicologist. So I would have to say Eric, but that’s probably out of loyalties love.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
Jack Bruce: “It’s a tricky one for me. We nearly had a band with Jimi Hendrix and Tony Williams. We were talking to each other about forming a band with those guys and I would have loved to see what would have happened if the three of us had got together. So I would say Jimi and Tony Williams.”
Ray Shasho: Final thoughts Jack?
Jack Bruce: “I’ll probably be doing some gigs in the UK later on in the year and hopefully get to the states, do the odd festival here and there. But I’m going to be taking it nice and easy. I just really like what I’m doing …enjoying life. I bought a wonderful new house in New York. I just want to go hang there and write some more songs and then get back into Abbey Road … I’ve got the recording bug back. It’s not a bad life.”
Ray Shasho: Jack, thank you for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring.
Jack Bruce: “Ray, I really appreciate speaking to you and it’s been very interesting.”

Purchase ‘Silver Rails’ the brand new CD by Jack Bruce available now at amazon.com
Jack Bruce official website
Jack Bruce on Facebook
Jack Bruce on Twitter
Jack Bruce on Myspace

Very special thanks to Chip Ruggieri of Chipster PR

Coming up NEXT … My recent interview with Chris Thompson former lead singer and guitarist of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (“Blinded by the Light”)

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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Exclusive: John Mayall to Celebrate his 80th Birthday while performing in Sarasota

By Ray Shasho

John Mayall Interview:

John Mayall is appropriately acknowledged as the “Father” or “Godfather of British Blues.” His magnificent musical journey spans over a half century. Mayall is a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader acclaimed for founding and pioneering The Bluesbreakers, a medley of musicians that integrated various lineups and prompted the careers of legendary artists such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Roger Dean, Mick Fleetwood and Keef Hartley to name just a few. Many of the proficient musicians that Mayall inducted into his Bluesbreakers band are already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame … So why hasn't John Mayall been inducted yet?

In 2008, John Mayall officially retired the name ‘Bluesbreakers’ and opened an exciting new chapter with The John Mayall Band. Mayall is revived and revitalized. His new band features a fearsome foursome of dynamic blues musicians. The John Mayall Band is … John Mayall (vocals, guitar, keyboards and harmonica), Rocky Athas (guitar), Greg Rzab (bass) and Jay Davenport (drums).

John Mayall will be celebrating his 80th birthday while performing with his band on November 29th at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium in Sarasota, Florida with special guests Larry McCray and Tucci. For tickets and further information visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/466811 or call (941) 954-4165 for more information. The Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is located at 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.

JOHN MAYALL grew up in a village near Manchester, England and initially learned about jazz and the blues by listening to his father’s record collection. Mayall spent two years at art school. At 18, he worked in the Royal Engineers for national service (military duties) as an office clerk in the south of England and Korea.

In 1962, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies opened a new club devoted entirely to blues music. This became the catalyst for Mayall to give up his day job of graphic design and form a blues band. He moved from Manchester to London and began assembling musicians under the branding of 'The Bluesbreakers.' Mayall was thirty years old.

THE BLUESBREAKERS debut release was entitled John Mayall plays John Mayall featuring Roger Dean on guitar. After Eric Clapton quit The Yardbirds he was invited to play with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. A lineup of John Mayall (vocals, piano, Hammond organ and harmonica), Eric Clapton (guitar and vocals), John McVie (bass guitar) and Hughie Flint (drums) would lead to the band’s best- selling classic …Blues Breakers John Mayall with Eric Clapton (1966). Jack Bruce had also contributed to the recording. After the album hit the charts, Clapton and Bruce left to form Cream.

Peter Green replaced Eric Clapton on their next release A Hard Road (1967). Green and John McVie also had ambitions goals of starting their own band and formed Fleetwood Mac. The Bluesbreakers hired Mick Taylor for their next release entitled Crusade (1967). Taylor would eventually leave to join The Rolling Stones.
Throughout the years …Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Roger Dean and Jack Bruce revisited The Bluesbreakers while contributing on various studio recordings. John Mayall is highly respected for incorporating legendary band members and studio musicians under the Bluesbreakers umbrella.

In 1969, John Mayall moved from England to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles.

Throughout the 70’s … Mayall incorporated jazz, pop and funk into his repertoire while working with such performers as Red Holloway, Blue Mitchell, Larry Taylor, and Harvey Mandel.

In 1982, John Mayall reformed with original Bluesbreakers Mick Taylor, John McVie and Colin Allen while embarking on a worldwide tour. The tour spawned a video concert film entitled ‘Blues Alive’ and featured guest artists Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Etta James.
In 1984, a new Bluesbreakers lineup was comprised of future legends Coco Montoya and Walter Trout.
Wake Up Call, the 1993 release by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers featured guest artists Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Albert Collins and Mick Taylor. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award. Also in 1993, Texas guitarist Buddy Whittington joined The Bluesbreakers while making his debut on the Spinning Coin album.

The 2001 release, Along for the Ride featured Peter Green, Mick Taylor, John McVie, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Steve Miller, Billy Preston, Steve Cropper, Otis Rush, Gary More, Jeff Healey, Shannon Curfman and Jonny Lang.
John Mayall celebrated his 70th birthday during a fundraiser event called ‘Unite for Unicef’ in Liverpool, England and was filmed, recorded and released as a DVD and double CD in December of 2003. The concert featured old friends Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Chris Barber.
The BBC aired an hour-long documentary of John’s life and career entitled ‘The Godfather of British Blues.’ Mayall was also awarded an OBE (Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom) by The Queen’s Honours list.

In 2007, John Mayall released his 56th album, the critically-acclaimed … In the Palace of the King a tribute to Freddie King.
John Mayall has also released numerous live recordings on his own online label, Private Stash Records which are available on his website at www.johnmayall.com.
In 2008, John Mayall officially retired the name ‘Bluesbreakers’ and opened a new chapter with The John Mayall Band.
In 2009, John Mayall released Tough with his new band.

I had the rare privilege of chatting with John Mayall recently about the current tour, his incredible band of blues virtuosos and a musical career that has spanned more than 50 years.
Here’s my interview with singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and legendary leader of The Bluesbreakers … JOHN MAYALL.
Ray Shasho: Hello John, happy Friday the thirteenth.
John Mayall: “Is that what day it is … oh my God.”
Ray Shasho: You’re currently on a rather lengthy tour.
John Mayall: “Not sure which tour you’re talking about, we do several tours. We’ve got an east coast tour which is almost three weeks, is that the one you’re talking about?
Ray Shasho: So you correlate the tour as east coast or west coast in the states and maybe by continent when travelling abroad instead of classifying it as a worldwide tour?
John Mayall: “It’s just whenever the offers come in and where the agents can group together and we tour. The next one we’re doing is the east coast tour and like I say is about three weeks.”
Ray Shasho: You’ve got about eighty confirmed dates worldwide and counting, in my book that’s still a lot of touring.
John Mayall: “It’s really nothing …nothing at all.” (All laughing)
Ray Shasho: John, you’ll be making a rather rare appearance in Sarasota, Florida on November 29th at the Municipal Auditorium. I for one is extremely excited to have John Mayall performing in my backyard.
John Mayall: “We’ll certainly try and stir things up for you. I will also be celebrating my 80th birthday when we perform in Sarasota.”
Ray Shasho: I just can’t believe it.
John Mayall: “Yea, time rolls on doesn’t it?
Ray Shasho: It’s obvious you still have a passion for touring and you look incredible man …Do you have any secrets for looking young and keeping so incredibly fit?
John Mayall: “No, I guess I’m just blessed with good genes I suppose. But I keep healthy and I’m always very active and always have been so. I don’t really see any signs of aging yet. Music keeps you young.”
Ray Shasho: We have a lot of Brits that live here in Sarasota, usually on a part-time basis, do you have any connections here?
John Mayall: “Florida is a state that we don’t get to nearly often enough, but we don’t pick places, it always has to do with promoters in various areas and coming forward with gig offers. So it’s not really up to us.”
Ray Shasho: John, I really like your current band … Rocky Athas on guitar, Greg Rzab on bass guitar and Jay Davenport on drums … they’re all amazing musicians.
John Mayall: “They are pretty amazing; we’ve been together for five years now but it really doesn’t feel like anything at all, we just love playing together.”
Ray Shasho: They all have incredible resume too. What inspired you for putting this particular band together?
John Mayall: “Initially it was because I was taking a break after the disbanding of The Bluesbreakers and it coincided with Eagle Records wanting a new album. It was the last one on the contract that I have with them and that kind of triggered a new chapter.”
Ray Shasho: The band definitely captures that traditional classic blues sound and image onstage. I watched numerous You Tube videos from various 2013 live performances and the band sounds great! My favorite video was the group performing “Stormy Monday” the classic T- Bone Walker tune at B.B. Kings … just awesome!
John Mayall: “We just started doing that one again. A lot of things songs we lay dormant for several years and then decide to bring them out again … giving them a fresh life.”
Ray Shasho: John, it’s reassuring seeing the blues persevering and attracting audiences worldwide.
John Mayall: “Just judging by the amount of young players that always seem to be popping up … it will. Some of them are better than others, but the whole point about it is they are all attracted to the blues and want to play it.”
Ray Shasho: I’ll admit, I’ve been worried about the blues genre sustaining. Younger generations may not be able to sense or experience what it takes to conceive a bona-fide blues song … maybe too preoccupied with their cell phones.
John Mayall: “Anybody can get the blues because the world in a tangle the way it is; there are plenty of things to get you depressed about. Smartphone’s aren’t for everybody, there is an amazing amount of young players who devote all of their time to learning the guitar or whatever instrument …it’s usually guitars that seem to attract everybody.”
Ray Shasho: You play a variety of instruments effortlessly and you’re also an incredible harp player. I’ve never been able to master the harmonica, were there any special techniques that you used in learning how to play?
John Mayall: “It’s all self-taught and I just bumble my way through it into whatever best way I can. I don’t know how to explain it; I guess I do the best I can with any instrument I get attracted to. But they’re just tools in order for you to express yourself and that’s really the upshot of it.”
Ray Shasho: There were so many great blues artists from the very early days. Kim Wilson of the Thunderbirds introduced me to Harmonica Frank Floyd who actually played the harmonica without holding it or assistance of a neck brace while singing at the same time. And Maria Muldaur turned me on to the legendary Memphis Minnie.
John Mayall: “There was a lot to listen to out there. Memphis Minnie was one of the very few and very popular female blues singers and guitar players in the 30’s. She was a friend of Big Bill Broonzy who saw it all from that era of the 30’s and 40’s.”
Ray Shasho: John, what do you remember about growing up in England during World War II?
John Mayall: “We had the bomb shelters in the schools and had air raid drills. So I guess that was exciting I suppose. It was all part of what was going on. I was about eleven or twelve so I remember a lot of it. We lived about twelve miles from Manchester and Manchester was bombed pretty heavily. You could see the sky was red from the bombs.”
Ray Shasho: Was it difficult finding blues music while growing up in England?
John Mayall: “I had my father’s record collection right from when I was a kid and so I was kind of weaned on jazz and blues … mainly on jazz I suppose. 78’s were the only thing invented at that time, so there were plenty of 78’s to get the background of what was going on.”
Ray Shasho: Jim McCarty told me that Eric Clapton actually auditioned for The Yardbirds. Did he have to audition for The Bluesbreakers?
John Mayall: “No, he was a known quantity by then. The Yardbirds were a pop band from the beginning although they were doing blues material. Their final direction showed where they were really at.”
Ray Shasho: John, here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a ‘Field of Dreams’ wish like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with anyone from the past or present, who would that be?
John Mayall: “I guess Big Maceo Merriweather was one of the people that I missed. He’s my idol on piano. So he’s the first one that comes to mind. I just feel lucky because I’ve played with most of the people who are no longer with us, so it’s great to have had that experience. But there are lots of people I would have loved to heard play … Lead Belly… Blind Lemon Jefferson … All the pioneers of boogie-woogie … just so many people, the list is endless.”
Ray Shasho: John, thank you so much for being on the call today but more importantly for all the incredible music you’ve given us and continue to bring. We’ll see you in Sarasota on November 29th for your 80th birthday.
John Mayall: “Excellent Ray, we’ll see you in Sarasota.”

John Mayall’s 80th Birthday Concert starring The John Mayall Band will be performing on Friday November 29th at the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium in Sarasota, Florida with special guests Larry McCray and Tucci. For tickets and further information visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/466811 or call (941) 954-4165 for more information. The Sarasota Municipal Auditorium is located at 801 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.

John Mayall official website www.johnmayall.com
John Mayall tour schedule www.johnmayall.com/tour.html
John Mayall on Facebook
John Mayall on Myspace
John Mayall Historic Live Shows (Never before released live recordings from the 70’s to the 90’s) available to purchase at CD Baby!

Very special thanks to Jane Ebdon

Coming up NEXT … My interview with Julian Lennon

Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com

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