John Mayall's Bluesbreakers "Bare Wires" : Wow

I just listened to a red label UK Decca mono copy of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers "Bare Wires" album, first time I've ever heard this album. Indulge me here -- bloody fantastic! I can't believe I've overlooked this fantastic piece of 60s rock/rnb. It is a great album.

Here's what allmusic has to say about it:

“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.”

They give it 3 stars out of 5. I think they are way, way off on that. I think there's a good reason the British record buying public pushed that LP to number 3 in a year (1968) when there was an abundance of fantastic music -- it is that good.

Admittedly, I didn't really listen to the lyrics, they may be right about it being "self-indulgent", but then 1968 was a year for self indulgence. I think allmusic made a fact error with the "first Bluesbreakers album of new studio material since A Hard Road" statement, because "Crusade" (another great Mayall/Bluesbreakers album) was relased in 1967 between "A Hard Road" and "Bare Wires". I don't really hear the jazz influence allmusic cites, but I hear some folk blues in addition to the trademark Mayall electric style.

I think Stones fans will want to hear this one for Mick Taylor. He really plays some fluid blues rock guitar on this one and sounds like he got much better since his first inclusion as a Bluesbreaker on "Crusader". It's really amazing -- I think he was still a teenager when this stuff was recorded. Incredible.

Sound quality: this mono Decca is with beautiful, clear, crisp instruments and with a Mayall's voice alive with the mids just right. A really well balanced and I think well recorded record. I love how the mids and bass sounds!

I know there were MFSL editions of the Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton and The Blues Alone, but I really think these Mayall mono Deccas are super candidates for a SH treatment. The raw material sounds so good IMO...

Here are some details on my copy:

LK 4945
Side A: ARL-8340-1A
Side B: ARL-8341-1B

from the liner notes:

"Rercorded at Decca West Hampstead Studios on the 3rd, 9th, 24th and 30th April 1968.

"Produced by Mike Vernon and John Mayall - Engineer: Derek Varnals

John Mayall - vocal, harmonica, piano, harpsichord, organ, harmonium, assorted guitars

Chris Mercer - tenor, baritone saxes

Dick Heckstall-Smith - tenor, soprano saxes

Jon Hiseman - drums, percussion

Henry Lowther - cornet, violin

Mick Taylor - guitar, Hawaiian guitar

Tony Reeves - string bass, bass guitar

Once again, I have to say

Dale

 

Well, on second listen, some of this is pretty jazzy -- "I Know Now", kind of keyboard driven, has got a jazz feel to it. Nice. "Look In The Mirror" seems pretty jazzy too.

Dale

 

I agree,a great album.Been listening to it since it was new.
Nice score on the Mono Decca.

 

I still can't understand the allmusic review -- 3 stars would be equal to a letter grade of "C" ...

Dale

 

Yeah, Bare Wires was a great album that has always remained special for me, and I agree about that 3/5 score, definitely too low. You probably would also enjoy "Blues From Laurel Canyon", if you haven't already heard it, Mayall went back to a basic lineup and Taylor sounds as good as ever.

 

AMG's ratings can be confusing and uninformed, IMO.

Check this out. Same album, listed in two places. One listing at 2/5 stars, the other at 4.5/5 stars:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kifuxqr0ldke

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:avfpxqt5ldhe

Oh, and Bare Wires is great!

 

I love "Blues From Laurel Canyon" Another great one.

Dale

 

hi all,

this album sounds very interesting! i had never thought to check it out.

i would like to find the best LP pressing - any recommendations? is the UK Decca MONO the one to get? how much does it differ from a STEREO?



thanx all!

 

BUMP

...also, what would be considered the best CD pressing available?



thanx all!

 

The live stuff is great, but the recording sound quality sucks (imo).

 

hi Chris,

thanks for the reply!

...are you referring to the sound quality of both the vinyl and CD? which do you feel is the better of the two?

i've never heard this album before - perhaps the masters and/or mastering choices leave a lot to be desired.


...can anyone else recommend a best CD/LP pressing of this title?



thanx!

 

I had the original album and liked it, but the live stuff just sounds like an
audience bootleg to my ears. I got the recent remastered c.d. and it
still sounds crappy to me. The performances are great though. Mick Taylor
(very young when he played this stuff) is awsome.

 

hi Chris,

thanx again for the reply!

..anyone else have a favorite pressing of this title?



thanx all!

 

I disagree with many of allmusic estimates,so it is not big surprise.

 

Try also "The Blues alone"

 

I love this record. The title track is the perfect blend of blues, jazz and psychedelia. I'm surprised it isn't mentioned more often, whenever people talk about the great songs of this era. And Mick Taylor is so underrated it's ridiculous.

 

I think you are refering to another album called 'Primal Solo's', an archive compilation from 1977 which has a photo on the cover which is also on the inner sleeve of BW, right ?.

Nice find dgsinner. This pressing is still on my wantlist.

BTW, the reviewer clearly shows his lack of knowledge by saying that this was the first studio album after 'A Hard road'. Of course, he forgot 'Crusade'.

 

They added the tracks from Primal Solos to Bare Wires and Bluesbreakers. I actually enjoyed them a lot more when I heard them again... the Mick Taylor ones I mean. The Clapton ones are nice... but all were recorded by John with a basic set up... as was Diary Of A Band. Sad thing is, there were a lot more tapes in his collection which went up in smoke. Laural Canyon fire got all his archives, and his huge porn collection

I got an original stereo when ti came out, but never saw a mono. My Hard Road is mono though.

I was disappointed that none of the Mick Taylor BBC stuff has been released. There is a lot, including a few unreleased songs like Supermarket Days. A 1968 Fillmore West show has also surfaced which is incredible.

 

The BBC stuff they released on the current remasters is pretty much what circulated on bootleg. My guess is that all other BBC stuff was erased.
All the Mayall mono's I have heard so far (the first four albums) make the stereo mixes useless. Too bad the reissue producers didn't see it that way (except for the first two albums).

 

I'd have to check, but I think some of the Taylor era material has been rebroadcast, which would mean it exists somewhere. It's always hit and miss, and depends on who might have saved a copy, or it it was rebroadcast on BBC World Service. These transcription discs have been the source for some reissues.

 

what got me interested in checking out this album is dgsinner's review above, as well as reading a post where someone mentioned it has a similar feel to Peter Green's "End Of The Game"...

...can't find the post, or remember if it was in comparison with this album, i think it was.

anyone think so, and/or can comment more on what the album sounds like / compares to?



thanx all!

 

BUMP

 

Absolutely a great album. And as mentioned, followed by another one Blues From Laurel Canyon.

 

the guitar player on this was pretty good. wonder whatever happened to him...

 

A UK Decca or in pinch a German Decca is the way to go for vinyl.

A forum member claims the Mayall Decca recordings in mono - from Crusade onward - are stereo fold downs. Same track timings, same sound as the stereo summed to mono. No distinct variation to the mix. I know 'Diary Of A Band Vol. 1' and '2' certainly are. (These were live, recorded on a double track).

I have a mono 'The World Of John Mayall' - a compilation of his Decca years but haven't sat down to do a A/B comparison with his catalog - which I have in Stereo. (Except the Beano and Hard Road LPs which have a dedicated mono mix). I have to say I haven't heard anything unique about these alleged fold down tracks, but if they are - they still sound good!