More information here: John Mayall / The First Generation 1965-1974 deluxe box set | superdeluxeedition
There are box sets and then there are BOX SETS. John Mayall’s ‘The First Generation 1965-1974 set sits firmly in the latter category, being substantial both in the artefacts contained within and the superb music it encompasses. It is the first time a set of this size has been released documenting John Mayall’s early years and, not only does it have all the albums from his much lauded formative career, but it also contains unreleased tracks aplenty. Featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Blue Mitchell, Jon Mark and many more outstanding musicians, this mammoth package contains 35 CDs plus a beautiful hardback book and much more. Not for nothing did John Mayall earn the moniker ‘The Godfather of British Blues’. For a short but compelling time in the ‘60s and ‘70s he recognised raw talent when he saw it, he took it in, he nurtured it, and everyone thrived and benefitted as the result. Many of the best musicians of the period passed through the hallowed ranks of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and all are on show here in a stunning set crammed with musical highlights. Put together with John Mayall’s full co-operation, the full list of contents is as follows: – 35 discs, including 3 CD Singles & 8 previously unreleased discs, alongside newly remastered versions of the original Decca & Polydor albums. – Music from seven unreleased gigs (including Windsor 1967, Gothenburg 1968, Berlin 1969 and San Francisco 1970 and others). – 28 unreleased BBC tracks featuring Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor. – Individually signed photograph. – Hardback book including many rare photos and memorabilia plus a full gig listing for the period. – Separate book including fan club letters and correspondence. – Two replica posters – Ten Years Are Gone and tour poster from 1968. – Replica press pack for John Mayall Plays John Mayall. This box set will be limited to 5,000 copies worldwide and is released on January 29th, 2021 on the Madfish label through Snapper Music.
I'd buy it if it was all live and unreleased stuff, I'm sure there's plenty floating around, Already got all the albums though. This kind of price doesn't seem to stop these big sets from selling out, though.
One would have to be quite the Mayall fan to plow through 35+ hours. And pay a lot for the privilege.
£275 - 35 discs = bargain central, unreleased Clapton & Taylor bonus. Yet I can still see missed opportunities mono and stereo mixes of some of those albums
What about those of us who already have the material on the first 26 CDs (plus some of the BBC and 1967 live material)?
I don't understand the logic of the CD singles- padding? They could have easily been added to the albums they preceded as bonus tracks, like has already been done.
Someone posted on another site that the Bremen show is the only soundboard recording with others being audience recordings. Not sure about the sound quality. I would settle for a standalone 2 cd BBC sessions set.
I believe the Bremen show was a radio broadcast. The audience recordings vary in quality from good to bad. There's a fillmore east show from spring of 70 that's a true sb. I would have thought that would have been a better choice than some of the others. There's also a couple of very good turning point era audience recordings that apparently didn't make the cut either.
I think I have the Bremen show on cdr somewhere but I would have to find it. Some of this material used to be posted on Youtube. I don't know if it is still there or not. The Fillmore East shows used to be on the Wolfgang's Vault site.
[QUOTE="John Fell, post: 25306421, member: I would settle for a standalone 2 cd BBC sessions set.[/QUOTE] Me too
Zooming in on the live and BBC stuff featuring Peter Green it's nothing unless the BBC tracks are a sonic upgrade. Pass.
Despite 35 CDs, there are still a few tracks missing, including the single Let Me Give and its non album b-side Passing Through, neither of which have ever been released on CD.
For those interested in buying (like me), you may want to compare the Burning Shed and SDE price (£275) with jpc.de. Their price outside of Europe is €283, so about £255. But for me in Oz, the postage from the two UK sites is c.£80-88, yet the jpc.de postage is only £22, so in Oz money, the total comparison is $656 vs. $491 - quite a difference.
I see JPC has their international shipping worked out, do they charge cards immediately or when shipping, they have a great price on the Focus set.
My thoughts exactly. Interestingly, the last Mayall album I bought was Ten Years are Gone and I was disappointed with it. Stopped following him after that. He had a hell of a run though.
Although this is true, JPC makes the reservation of the amount immediately with the order placement. Also I had noticed in the past that they also refresh such reservation every 15 days until the item is in stock. Since my bank would cancel the unfulfilled reservations every 30 days, I had double and sometimes triple reservations until shipment. So eventually I pay them now with Paypal and cancel if for any reason I change my mind.
