John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers: A Hard Road 1967 (2CD Expanded Edition 2003) + Crusade 1967 (Expanded Edition 2007)

Throughout the '60s, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers acted as a finishing school for the leading

British blues-rock musicians of the era. Guitarists Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor joined his band in a remarkable succession in the mid-'60s, honing their chops with Mayall before going on to join Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones, respectively. John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser (of Free), John Almond, and Jon Mark also played and recorded with the band for varying lengths of times in the '60s.
                                                                                       

Mayall's personnel tended to overshadow his own considerable abilities. Only an adequate singer, the

multi-instrumentalist was adept in bringing out the best in his younger charges (Mayall himself was in his thirties by the time the Bluesbreakers began to make a name for themselves). Doing his best to provide a context in which they could play Chicago-style electric blues, Mayall was never complacent, writing most of his own material, revamping his lineup with unnerving regularity, and constantly experimenting within his basic blues format.                                                                                 

A HARD ROAD  1967  2CD EXPANDED EDITION 2003

                                                                              

A Hard Road is the third album (and second studio album) recorded by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, released in 1967. It features Peter Green on lead guitar, John McVie on bass, Aynsley

Dunbar on drums and John Almond on saxophone. Tracks 5, 7 and 13 feature the horn section of Alan Skidmore and Ray Warleigh. Peter Green sings lead vocals on "You Don't Love Me" and "The Same Way". The album reached #8 on the UK album charts which is Mayall's third biggest chart next to Bare Wires and Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton which reached #3 and #6, respectively.
The cover art and the original LP sleeve design are by Mayall. In 2003 and 2006 two different expanded versions of the album were released.
                                                                                           

[AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger
Eric Clapton is usually thought of as John Mayall's most important right-hand man, but the case could also be made for his successor, Peter Green. The future Fleetwood Mac founder leaves a strong stamp

on his only album with the Bluesbreakers, singing a few tracks and writing a couple, including the devastating instrumental "Supernatural." Green's use of thick sustain on this track clearly pointed the way to his use of guitar riffs with elongated, slithery tones on Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" and "Black Magic Woman," as well as anticipating some aspects of Carlos Santana's style. Mayall acquits himself fairly well on this mostly original set (with occasional guest horns), though some of the material is fairly mundane. Highlights include the uncharacteristically rambunctious "Leaping Christine" and the cover of Freddie King's "Someday After a While (You'll Be Sorry)."]
                                                              

Recorded in October and November of the previous year, A Hard Road was released on the Decca label in February 1967. In addition to the leader on vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, and organ, Green on guitar, John McVie (soon to contribute the third syllable to Fleetwood Mac) on bass, either Hughie Flint or Aynsley Dunbar on drums, this version of the Bluesbreakers also packed brass in its pocket. John Almond and Alan Skidmore added sax while Ray Warleigh contributed ‘wind instruments’.
                                                                   

A Hard Road is a solid sixties British blues album. Mayall’s vocals were never the slam-you-against-the-wall kind, but he truly sings with character. Eight of the fourteen tracks are Mayall originals with Green getting onto the scoreboard with two songs. Indeed, where this LP really flies is when Peter Green steps forward, as on the instrumental number “The Stumble” and his own “The Super-Natural”, two highlights. The latter piece is worth the price of admission alone. In fact the sustained opening note of “The Super-Natural” is worth the entry fee.

Personnel
                                                     

Original album

John Mayall – vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, organ
Peter Green – guitar, vocals
John McVie – bass
Hughie Flint, Aynsley Dunbar – drums
John Almond, Alan Skidmore – saxophones
Ray Warleigh – wind instruments

2003 expanded edition Same as above with the addition of:

Colin Allen – drums
Paul Butterfield – harmonica, vocals
Mick Fleetwood – drums
Henry Lowther – trumpet
Nick Newell – saxophone

John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers ‎– A Hard Road
Label: Deram ‎– B0001083-02, Chronicles ‎– B0001083-02
Series: Blues Classics Remastered & Revisited –
Format: CD, Album, Reissue
Country: US
Released: 2003
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues, Harmonica Blues

DISC ONE

                                                                                              

01. A Hard Road     3:08
02. It's Over     2:48
03. You Don't Love Me  (Vocals – Peter Green/Written-By – Cobbs)  2:48
04. The Stumble  (Written-By – King, Thompson)  2:51
05. Another Kinda Love     3:04
06. Hit The Highway     2:15
07. Leaping Christine     2:22
08. Dust My Blues  (Written-By – James, Josea)  2:46
09. There's Always Work     1:37
10. The Same Way  (Vocals – Peter Green/Written-By – Green)  2:09
11. The Super-Natural  (Written-By – Green)  2:55
12. Top Of The Hill     2:39
13. Some Day After Awhile (You'll Be Sorry)  (Written-By – King, Thompson)  3:00
14. Living Alone     2:23

Bonus Tracks

15. Evil Woman Blues (From Raw Blues)     4:02
16. All Of My Life     4:23
17. Ridin' On The L&N     2:27
18. Little By Little     2:45
19. Eagle Eye     2:52

MP3 @ 320 Size: 124 MB
Flac  Size: 307 MB

DISC TWO

                                                                                

01. Looking Back (Single A-Side)     2:34
02. So Many Roads (Single B-Side)     4:46
03. Sitting In The Rain (Single A-Side)     2:56
04. Out Of Reach (Single B-Side)     4:42
05. Mama, Talk To Your Daughter (Session Outtake)     2:37
06. Alabama Blues (Session Outtake)     2:32
07. Curly (Single A-Side)     4:49
08. Rubber Duck (Single B-Side)     3:57
09. Greeny (Session Outtake)     3:54
10. Missing You (Session Outtake)     1:57
11. Please Don't Tell (Session Outtake)     2:26
12. Your Funeral And My Trial (Session Outtake)     3:54
13. Double Trouble (Single A-Side)     3:19
14. It Hurts Me Too (Single B-Side)     2:55
15. Jenny (Single A-Side)     4:46
16. Picture On The Wall (Single B-Side)     3:01
17. First Time Alone (From Blues From Laurel Canyon)     5:00

MP3 @ 320 Size: 139 MB
Flac  Size: 352 MB

CRUSADE  1967 EXPANDED EDITION  2007

                                                                        

Crusade is the fourth album and third studio album by the British blues rock band John Mayall & the

Bluesbreakers, released on 1 September 1967 on Decca Records. It was the follow-up to A Hard Road, also released in 1967. As with their two previous albums, Crusade was produced by Mike Vernon. The album was the first recordings of the then-18-year-old guitarist Mick Taylor.
                                                            

[AllMusic Review by Matthew Greenwald
The final album of an (unintentional) trilogy, Crusade is most notable for the appearance of a

very young, pre-Rolling Stones Mick Taylor on lead guitar. Taylor's performance is indeed the
highlight, just as Eric Clapton and Peter Green's playing was on the previous album. The centerpiece of the album is a beautiful instrumental by Taylor titled "Snowy Wood," which, while wholly original, seems to combine both Green and Clapton's influence with great style and sensibility. The rest of the record, while very enjoyable, is standard blues-rock fare of the day, but somewhat behind the then-progressive flavor of 1967. Mayall, while being one of the great bandleaders of London, simply wasn't really the frontman that the group needed so desperately, especially then. Nevertheless, Crusade is important listening for Mick Taylor aficionados.]
                                                      

Personnel

John Mayall – vocals, organ, piano, harmonica, bottleneck guitar
Mick Taylor – lead guitar
John McVie – bass guitar (except tracks 21–22)
Keef Hartley – drums
Chris Mercer – tenor saxophone (except tracks 13–20)
Rip Kant – baritone saxophone (except tracks 13–22)
Peter Green – lead guitar (tracks 13–20)
Aynsley Dunbar – drums (tracks 13–18)
Mick Fleetwood – drums (tracks 19–20)
Paul Williams – bass guitar (tracks 21–22)
Dick Heckstall-Smith – tenor and soprano saxophone (tracks 21–22)
                                                                                  

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers ‎– Crusade
Label: Decca ‎– 984 217-5
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered
Country: Europe
Released: 2007
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock

TRACKS

                                                                                    

01. Oh, Pretty Woman  (Written-By – A.C. Williams)  3:35
02. Stand Back Baby  (Written-By – John Mayall)  1:45
03. My Time After Awhile  (Written-By – Robert L. Geddins, Ronald Dean Badger)  5:09
04. Snowy Wood  (Written-By – John Mayall, Mick Taylor)  3:37
05. Man Of Stone  (Written-By – Eddie Kirkland)  2:26
06. Tears In My Eyes  (Written-By – John Mayall)  4:17
07. Driving Sideways  (Written-By – Beverly Bridge, Freddy King, Sonny Thompson)  3:58
08. The Death Of J.B. Lenoir  (Written-By – John Mayall)  4:24
09. I Can't Quit You Baby (Written-By – Willie Dixon)  4:31
10. Streamline  (Written-By – John Mayall)  3:15
11. Me And My Woman  (Written-By – Gene Barge)  4:01
12. Checkin Up On My Baby  (Written-By – Sonny Boy Williamson (2)  3:56

Expanded release
                                                                               

13. Curly  (Written-By – Peter Green)  3:25
14. Rubber Duck  (Written-By – Aynsley Dunbar, Peter Green)  3:46
15. Greeny  (Written-By – Peter Green)  3:55
16. Missing You  (Written-By – Peter Green)  1:58
17. Please Don't Tell  (Written-By – John Mayall)  2:28
18. Your Funeral, My Trial  (Written-By – Sonny Boy Williamson (2)3:56
19. Double Trouble  (Written-By – Otis Rush)  3:22
20. It Hurts Me Too  (Written-By – Melvene R. London)  2:55
21. Suspicious (Part One)  (Written-By – John Mayall)  2:48
22. Suspicious (Part Two)  (Written-By – John Mayall)  5:31

MP3 @ 320 Size: 181 MB
Flac  Size: 462 MB

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: Bare Wires 1968 (Remastered 2007)

Throughout the '60s, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers acted as a finishing school for the leading

British blues-rock musicians of the era. Guitarists Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor joined his band in a remarkable succession in the mid-'60s, honing their chops with Mayall before going on to join Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones, respectively. John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser (of Free), John Almond, and Jon Mark also played and recorded with the band for varying lengths of times in the '60s.
                                                                                                                          

Mayall's personnel tended to overshadow his own considerable abilities. Only an adequate singer, the

multi-instrumentalist was adept in bringing out the best in his younger charges (Mayall himself was in his thirties by the time the Bluesbreakers began to make a name for themselves). Doing his best to provide a context in which they could play Chicago-style electric blues, Mayall was never complacent, writing most of his own material, revamping his lineup with unnerving regularity, and constantly experimenting within his basic blues format.
                                                                                     

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.
                                                                           

John Mayall’s teenage obsessions: ‘I lived in a tree house until I got married’

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers ‎– Bare Wires
Label: Decca ‎– 984 217-8, Decca ‎– 9842178
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered: 2007
Country: Europe
Released: 1968
Genre: Rock, Blues
Style: Blues Rock

MEMBERS

                                                                            
                                                                 

Bass [String Bass], Bass Guitar – Tony Reeves
Cornet, Violin – Henry Lowther
Design [CD Package] – Phil Smee
Drums, Percussion – Jon Hiseman
Engineer – Derek Varnals
Guitar, Guitar [Hawaiian] – Mick Taylor
Lead Guitar – Peter Green  (tracks: 8, 9)
Liner Notes, Research, Compiled By, Reissue Producer – Mark Powell
Producer – Mike Vernon
Remastered By – Paschal Byrne
Research [Assistance With Tape Research] – Jayne Byrne
Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Chris Mercer
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Dick Heckstall-Smith
Vocals, Harmonica, Piano, Harpsichord, Organ, Harmonium, Guitar [Assorted Guitars], Producer – John Mayall
Written-By – John Mayall, Michael John Taylor

TRACKS

                                                                                  

Bare Wires Suite     (22:59)
01.1  Bare Wires    
01.2  Where Did I Belong    
01.3  I Started Walking    
01.4  Open A New Door    
01.5  Fire    
01.6  I Know Now    
01.7  Look In The Mirror
    
Another Side

02. I'm A Stranger     5:13
03. No Reply     3:09
04. Hartley Quits     2:55
05. Killing Time     4:48
06. She's Too Young     2:22
07. Sandy     3:48

Bonus Tracks

08. Picture On The Wall     3:03
09. Jenny     4:40
10. Knocker's Step Forward     3:13
11. Hide And Seek     2:23
12. Intro - Look At The Girl     6:46
13. Start Walkin'     8:23

MP3 @ 320 Size: 169 MB
Flac  Size: 428 MB

John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers: Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton 1966 (2 CD Deluxe Edition 2008)

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are an English blues rock band led by singer, songwriter, and multi-

instrumentalist John Mayall. While never producing a radio hit of their own, the band has been hugely influential as an incubator for British rock and blues musicians. Many of the best known bands to come out of Britain in the 1960s and 1970s had members that came through the Bluesbreakers at one time, forming the foundation of British blues music that is still played heavily on classic rock radio.
                                                                                    

Among those with a tenure in the Bluesbreakers are Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce (both later of

Cream), Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie (the three of whom would form Fleetwood Mac), Mick Taylor (the Rolling Stones), Aynsley Dunbar (Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention), Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Tony Reeves (these three would form Colosseum), and numerous others.
                                                                                 

In August 1966 John Mayall and Eric Clapton released the single "Lonely Years", with the b-side "Bernard Jenkins", which was released by Purdah Records. The album Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton was released in July; it reached the Top Ten in the UK.
                                                                        

Shortly after Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton was released, Eric Clapton saw Buddy Guy in concert,

and being impressed by his trio, the idea for Cream was formed, and he left to form this new group with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce. Clapton was replaced by Peter Green for the album A Hard Road, which was recorded with McVie on bass and Aynsley Dunbar on drums. Then the same line-up served as backing band for the album Eddie Boyd and His Blues Band Featuring Peter Green. After this, Green left to form Fleetwood Mac.
                                                                             

Mick Taylor then joined the group, and they recorded Crusade on 12 July 1967. Soon after, McVie

joined Fleetwood Mac and was replaced by Tony Reeves for the album Bare Wires, which was their highest-charting UK album. Then Reeves, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman left to form Colosseum. Following a further album, Blues from Laurel Canyon, Taylor then left to join the Rolling Stones, and the name "Bluesbreakers" was dropped from John Mayall albums.
                                                                           

Mayall used the band name between 1963 and 1967, then dropped it for some fifteen years. In 1982 a 'Return of the Bluesbreakers' was announced, and the name was used until the band again dissolved in 2008. The name has become generic, without a clear distinction between recordings by Mayall alone and those by Mayall and his band.
                                                                               

Studio albums

Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966)
A Hard Road (1967)
Crusade (1967)
Bare Wires (1968)
Return of the Bluesbreakers (1985)
Chicago Line (1988)
A Sense of Place (1990)
Cross Country Blues (1992)  
                                                                                        

BLUESBREAKERS WITH ERIC CLAPTON  (1966)

                                                                                         

The album was commercially successful and most critics viewed it positively. In 2003 and 2012,

Rolling Stone ranked it number 195 on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". It was voted number 391 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000). The album is often called The Beano Album by fans because of its cover photograph showing Eric Clapton reading The Beano,[10] a British children's comic.[11] Clapton stated in his autobiography that he was reading The Beano on the cover because he felt like being "uncooperative" during the photo shoot. David Wedgbury took the photograph near the Old Kent Road.
                                                                      

This album was the culmination of a very successful year of playing with John Mayall, a fully realized blues creation, featuring sounds very close to the group's stage performances, and with no compromises. Credit has to go to producer Mike Vernon for the purity and simplicity of the record;

most British producers of that era wouldn't have been able to get it recorded this way, much less released.One can hear the very direct influence of Buddy Guy and a handful of other American bluesmen in the playing. And lest anyone forget the rest of the quartet: future pop/rock superstar John McVie and drummer Hughie Flint provide a rock-hard rhythm section, and Mayall's organ playing, vocalizing, and second guitar are all of a piece with Clapton's work. His guitar naturally dominates most of this record, and he can also be heard taking his first lead vocal, but McVie and Flint are just as intense and give the tracks an extra level of steel-strung tension and power, none of which have diminished across several decades.

MEMBERS
                                                                              

John Mayall – lead vocals, piano, Hammond B3 organ, harmonica
Eric Clapton – lead guitar, lead vocals on "Ramblin' on My Mind"
John McVie – bass guitar
Hughie Flint – drums

Additional musicians

Geoff Krivit – guitar (disc two tracks 8–10, not featured on original album)
Jack Bruce – bass (disc two tracks 14–19, not featured on original album)
Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone
Johnny Almond – baritone saxophone
Derek Healey – trumpet

John Mayall With Eric Clapton ‎– Blues Breakers
Label: Decca ‎– UICY-93705/6
Format: 2 CD,  Reissue, Remastered, Stereo, Mono, Deluxe Edition 05 Nov 2008
Released: 1966
Genre: Rock

Style: Electric Blues, Blues Rock

                                                                                      

DISC 1. - CD1. - The Original Mono Album And 1969 Stereo Mix

                                                     
                                                

Mono Mix (April 1966)

01. All Your Love     3:35
02. Hideaway     3:14
03. Little Girl     2:33
04. Another Man     1:44
05. Double Crossing Time     3:02
06. What'd I Say     4:26
07. Key To Love     2:06
08. Parchman Farm     2:19
09. Have You Heard     5:54
10. Ramblin' On My Mind     3:07
11. Steppin' Out     2:28
12. It Ain't Right     2:41

Stereo Mix (November 1969)

13. All Your Love     3:35
14. Hideaway     3:14
15. Little Girl     2:33
16. Another Man     1:45
17. Double Crossing Time     3:01
18. What'd I Say     4:26
19. Key To Love     2:05
20. Parchman Farm     2:21
21. Have You Heard     5:52
22. Ramblin' On My Mind     3:07
23. Steppin' Out     2:27
24. It Ain't Right     2:41

MP3 @ 320 Size: 180 MB
Flac  Size: 388 MB

BONUS DISC - CD2.

                                                                                       
                                                                                  

BBC "Saturday Club" Session - 26th April 1965

01. Crawling Up A Hill     2:06
02. Crocodile Walk     2:22
03. Bye Bye Bird     2:47

Immediate 45 IM012 - Released October 1965

04. I'm Your Witchdoctor     2:09
05. Telephone Blues     3:56

Purdah 45 3502 - Recorded Oct 1965, Released Aug 1966

06. Bernard Jenkins     3:47
07. Lonely Years     3:17

BBC "Saturday Club" Session - 25th Oct 1965

08. Cheatin' Woman     2:01
09. Nowhere To Turn     1:40
10. I'm Your Witchdoctor     2:08

Recorded 2nd Dec 1965, At Pye Studios (Unreleased Stereo Mix)

11. On Top Of The World (Take 2)     2:49

BBC "Saturday Club" Session - 14th March 1966

12. Key To Love     2:01
13. On Top Of The World     2:32

Recorded Live At Flamingo Club, London, 17th March 1966.

14. They Call It Stormy Monday     4:33

Recorded Live At Flamingo Club, London, 30th April 1966.

15. Intro Into Maudie     2:25
16. It Hurts To Be In Love     3:21
17. Have You Ever Loved A Woman     6:42
18. Bye Bye Bird     3:49
19. Hoochie Coochie Man     3:53

                                                                                  

MP3 @ 320 Size: 144 MB
Flac  Size: 254 MB

John Mayall on Urban Aspirines HERE