Album #3 JOHN MAYALL AND THE BLUESBREAKERS: A HARD ROAD (1967) 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 Tracklisting: Side one "A Hard Road" – 3:12 "It's Over" – 2:51 "You Don't Love Me" (Willie Cobbs) – 2:50 "The Stumble" (Freddie King, Sonny Thompson) – 2:54 "Another Kinda Love" – 3:06 "Hit the Highway" – 2:17 "Leaping Christine" – 2:25 Side two "Dust My Blues" (Elmore James, Joe Josea) – 2:50 "There's Always Work" – 1:38 "The Same Way" (Peter Green) – 2:11 "The Supernatural" (Green) – 2:57 "Top of the Hill" – 2:40 "Someday After a While (You'll Be Sorry)" (King, Thompson) – 3:02 "Living Alone" – 2:23 As we know, John/The Bluesbreakers' debut album is a live recording, so this is the second studio release - next in sequence, after the incredible 'Beano' album. To say that's a tough act to follow, is a major understatement (I know some prefer either one or the other, though) and I it was a long time before I would entertain hearing this... even as a fan of early Fleetwood Mac and Peter Green! I can't say I was knocked out by it on first listen and did indeed leave it for years until I went back to it. Then it immediately clicked and I now think it is fantastic and totally essential. I needed to hear it again, so am writing a few thoughts as it plays - shall post shortly.
Bizarre that Elmore James and Joe Bihari would be credited for Dust My Blues, or maybe the title change makes it not a Robert Johnson song?! One of many albums I need to hear, since my Mayall collection is extremely rudimental. Also as a Gary Moore fan, since there are four songs from the album that "Greeny disciple" Gary would later cover...
Good point - I was forgetting about Robert Johnson. I've always associated it with Elmore - even though I know and have the RJ version.
As I said above, just some thoughts... not a track-by-track analysis. I think the sound is a bit cleaner/clearer than the EC album overall - some might say that's a good or bad thing and of course, as the previous album was only available in mono for the first few years, this would have sounded very different - were you to have bought the stereo version. My copy is on the London lable, made in France. So I'd think it has to be the same mastering as the WG London. It's obviously an early press and has none of the many bonus tracks on later editions. I need to get an expanded edition! It gets off to a nice start with its title track but really grabs my attention with You Don't Love Me (a song that I first heard on Buddy Guy's Hold That Plane! album) not least because this introduces Greeny's voice to us. The Stumble is this album's Hideaway and dare I say, you could be mistaken as to who is playing on it? Love those swinging drums; on this album we have Ainsley Dunbar, as well as Hughie Flint. The former joined The Jimi Hendrix Experience instead of Mitch Mitchell, after they'd both auditioned, would Mitch have joined Mayall if it had not been the case? Interesting thought - to me, anyhow. Hit The Highway has some tasty boogie piano from John and unusually, double-tracked vocals. Leaping Christine has the same though this time he's harmonising with himself... I'd have liked that and some of the other songs to be a little longer and include a few more solos, both keyboard and harmonica from John and obviously Peter. Dust My Broom Rocks!! PG sings lead on The Same Way (one of my favourites of the album) and plays a short but very sweet lead break. Then the instrumental The Supernatural is the one that people usually point straight to, when this album is mentioned. It certainly sounds like the basis for Black Magic Woman and that reverby feedback is astounding. There's a couple of great Freddie King numbers on here and sad to say, I only have his Burglar album - I discovered it through this forum and have recommended it to others. Over to you, folks.
I forgot that I actually have "The Same Way" on a compilation CD called "Blues Romances" rolleyes and as the song is only credited to "John Mayall" I wondered about the voice until I learned that Peter sang some songs when he was in the Bluesbreakers. That made sense! I've got a CD of early Freddie King and have some other stuff floating around, but never really got into him seriously enough - another gap I need to take care of...
If you want a great version of this album, try this one. Mine's the German one if I remember correctly, but that matrix (823 305-2) was used in the US and other parts of Europe, so that mastering must be floating around in various forms. It's the 1st pressing CD version, basically (Released in 1987), and it's awesome. Dynamic, musical, and effortless as all get out. Really-shines on my tube setup. Not only does it sound well-sourced, but it sounds like it was mastered using a really-nice-sounding tape machine/mastering rig. Certain CD's in my collection have that quality, and this is definitely one of them. By the way, when I said I had the Deram stereo LP of "A Hard Road", I think I meant London. Same label pretty much though. But anyway...
And not sure if I posted this already, but I have this one on the original London vinyl. Never saw a US release of it on CD, but apparently there was a European one in 1994. The sound is pretty-muddy (This album was culled from some 60 hours worth of tape, recorded by Mayall himself, straight to two-track, while the Bluesbreakers were on tour in 1968, over in Europe I think), but there's some awesome guitar work from Mick Taylor that makes it worth the price of admission. I've had this LP since I was like 11 or 12 years old. The vinyl is still mint too. Always loved that custom guitar on the cover. ,
Yeah... I'll say it again... This is a good-sounding disc... Part of it's the recording, which is phenomenal, but this one really-pops.
Another 7” from the period of A Hard Road with a Peter Green B side composition (vocal) Sitting In The Rain / Out Of Reach I’m sitting out here in the rain baby, under that old green tree Which is also available on the 2006 expanded cd issue Nothing lacking at all when compared to the previous (Beano), this is an album full of potential 7” singles how about an A side “Top of the Hill” with B side “The Super-Natural” just wow.
I think the two disk expanded Hard Road is essential. I love Peter on Someday After Awhile You'll Be Sorry.
I love this one too. When I saw John in Escondido in 2008 he signed my reel to reel box of this one and Crusade.
Is there any chronological rhyme or reason to this thread? It's the most random patchwork of toss outs I've ever seen. When threads get out of control... yikes.
Just announced. TO MY FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS As many of you will have heard the dramatic news that I will now be performing live shows as a trio, I feel I should explain how it all came about in a chain of events that led to my decision. Due to severe storm conditions recently, guitarist Rocky Athas was unable to get out of Dallas for my recent festival shows that led to my performing as a trio. Having never performed anywhere or at any time without a guitar sidekick, I found that I was able to explore new territories in a trio configuration playing organ, keyboards, harmonica and guitar. Needless to say I was surprised at how different and stimulating the experience was for me as a performer. Several days after the show I made the decision to explore this new venture. When I told Rocky of my decision, he was very understanding and hopefully his popularity in my band for the past seven years will be increased as he resumes his solo career. To me it seems fitting that the final guitar position in my band featured one of the nicest and most talented guys I’ve known and the best in his field. We all wish him well. So now, as Greg Rzab, Jay Davenport and I embark on several weeks of intensive touring all around the States, we hope you all will enjoy the fireworks coming your way as my live show calendar brings us to your expectant ears. Thank you everyone. John Mayall September, 2016
Still exploring new configurations at the age of almost 83. You got to hand it to Mr Mayall. By the way, the last time that I saw John was 2 summers ago, and he still was darn good. May he continue on...
Sure. Although my comment would be more applicable in case Mayall had not used any guitar in his current band, since at USA UNION there is no drummer at all.
I think it's a logical step. From what I've heard on the last three albums, Rocky Athas hasn't exactly set the world on fire (I think Buddy Whittington was far more dominant) and the last album to date, "Find a Way to Care" (great album by the way), was already very much keyboard-led and I didn't notice much guitar on it.
Trying to get the discussion rolling again... A Hard Road → The Blues Alone Peter Green and John McVie became irritated with Aynsley Dunbar showing off all the time, and Green basically pushed him out of the band (‘too jazzy’!). Micky Waller stood in for a few gigs, before Mick Fleetwood (on suggestion of Green’s) was brought into the band. The line-up recorded one single on 19 April, 1967: “Double Trouble” (Otis Rush) / “It Hurts Me Too” (Tampa Red/Elmore James). Fleetwood got along well with Green and McVie (basically the nucleus of what would later become Fleetwood Mac) but John McVie basically turned Mick Fleetwood into a heavy drinker and Mayall fired him because of being drunk too often. Mayall had already set his eyes on Fleetwood’s successor, the twenty-three year old Keef Hartley, who joined on May 13, 1967. […] Hartley had started drumming with the Thunderbeats aged sixteen, before moving to Liverpool in 1962 to replace Ringo Starr in Rory Storm & the Hurricanes, when Ringo left to join the Beatles. Hartley moved to London 1964 to play with the Artwoods for three years, an R’n’B band run by Ron Wood’s older brother Art, and featuring future Deep Purple organist Jon Lord. Mayall’s next recording project was his ‘solo’ album “The Blues Alone” – a project dear to his heart, as he wrote all the songs, played practically all the instruments, designed the album sleeve, and even took the cover photographs. Around this time, according to Hartley, the band was “roughly split into two camps with John Mayall and me on one side, and Peter Green and John McVie on the other.” Like Clapton before him, Green was getting restless, and [...] he handed in his resignation at the end of May. He then recorded some demos with John McVie and Mick Fleetwood. The idea was to form an undiluted blues band, a pure blues trio in the style of Buddy Guy, with that sparse Chicago sound. Mike Vernon supported the project; in fact, he had already recorded a ‘secret’ session with the Mayall-less Bluesbreakers (Green, McVie and Dunbar) on February 16 – probably testing out whether they wanted to work as a power trio á la Cream or The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Among the songs recorded by the Green/McVie/Fleetwood trio, “Looking for Somebody” might ring a few bells. Another track was an instrumental called “Fleetwood Mac”! Quotes: “Aynsley was a very wild drummer with a jazz and rock ‘n’ roll background and he started taking too many solos.” – John Mayall on why Aynsley Dunbar was fired “Why do you want to get rid of him – he’s great!” – Mick Fleetwood on realizing that he should replace Aynsley Dunbar “As I sat down at the drum kit, there were shouts from the audience. ‘Where’s Aynsley?’ My heart sank, and we started to play. Then another punter screamed out at me. ‘You're not as good as Aynsley!’ I wanted to die, but suddenly John McVie stopped playing bass, walked up to the mike, and yelled, ‘Why don’t you **** off and listen!’ I loved John McVie from that moment on. His comment gave me back my confidence and put the whole thing right. And off we went. Our friendship has been cemented ever since the day he stuck up for me.” – Mick Fleetwood on filling large shoes and the spiritual beginning of Fleetwood Mac “I was very sad to leave the Bluesbreakers, mostly because Peter Green was incredible. And I also loved playing with McVie, whose style perfectly completed my own. I play slightly behind the beat, while John plays slightly ahead of it. We meet somewhere in the middle and to us it sounded just right. It was a real blow to leave Peter Green and John McVie.” – Mick Fleetwood “I only had one question, ‘Can I wear a T shirt on stage?’ ‘Yeah’ he replied, ‘You can wear whatever you want.’” – Keef Hartley on the first thing that came to his mind when John asked him whether he wanted to join the Bluesbreakers “John Mayall asked me to be at the Decca studios on the following Monday morning. It turned out he was making a solo album to be called “The Blues Alone”, but desperately needed a drummer. He had an ambition to make a solo album in the true sense of the world. This was to be a side step away from the Bluesbreakers, with John playing every instrument himself. We finished it in two long sessions, I used John’s drumming as a guide, but worked my own stuff over the top. At the time some critics claimed it to be […] one of the purest British blues albums ever made. The aim from the outset was to record a stark and dark album, stripped down to the bare bones, This is exactly what came out and it still is one of my favourite albums from this period.” – Keef Hartley “Keef wasn’t the right drummer for Peter, so Peter left. “ – John Mayall “The most important thing was that I didn't agree with the kind of material being played. It was becoming, for me, less and less the blues. And we’d do the same thing night after night.” – Peter Green
A Hard Road I love this album and Peter Green was such a talent. Shame this line-up only did one record though I suppose you could say that of most of these albums. I only have the 2006 Remaster but I think this and the other albums done by Paschal Byrne sound really good. Also, the extra tracks are great and the sleeve notes explain a somewhat confusing timeline of recordings and line-up changes! I'd love to get the original records in stereo and particularly mono but they're a bit pricey. I'd be interested to hear how people think they and the Sundazed reissue compare with the cds and how the mono compares with the stereo; I've yet to hear the mono. On another thread, it seemed to be established that Hard Road was a designated mono mix whereas the Crusade mono was a fold-down.
