"Bare Wires" by JOHN MAYALL'S BLUES BREAKERS (2007 Decca 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Open Up A New Door..."

When this CD was reissued in September 2007 – John Mayall had released his 55th album in 2005 called “Road Dogs”. This strapping Cheshire lad with the Blues hot-wired into his very DNA is 84 in November 2016 and still touring – wow!

In November 1968 Mayall would release the brilliant "Blues From Laurel Canyon" album only months after the June 1968 issue of the equally cool "Bare Wires". And on re-listening to this wicked CD remaster today (expertly transferred from first generation Stereo master tapes by Paschal Byrne) – I'm not in the least bit surprised we're still loving "Wires" and "Laurel Canyon" from that explosively creative decade. These albums represented John Mayall at the height of his Blues Rock songwriting powers – complimented by a band that featured collective genius in the shapes of Chris Mercer and Dick Heckstall-Smith on Saxophones, Jon Hiseman on Drums, Henry Lowther on Cornet and Violin, Tony Reeves on Bass and of course the future Rolling Stones guitar genius of Mick Taylor. And all of this musical exploration helmed by Mayall working Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica and four different types of keyboards. What’s not to love? And it’s less than a fiver in most places. Here is the Saxophone flicks, groovy chicks and zippy licks...

UK released September 2007 – "Bare Wires" by JOHN MAYALL'S BLUES BREAKERS on Decca 984 217-8 (Barcode 602498421789) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD and plays out as follows (73:58 minutes):

1. Bare Wires Suite (22:59 minutes)

(a) Bare Wires

(b) Where Did I Belong

(c) I Started Walking

(d) Open Up A New Door

(e) Fire

(f) I Know Now

(g) Look In The Mirror

ANOTHER SIDE

2. I'm A Stranger [Side 2]

3. No Reply

4. Hartley Quits

5. Killing Time

6. She's Too Young

7. Sandy

Tracks 1 to 7 are the album "Bare Wires" – released June 1968 in the UK on Decca LK 4972 (Mono) and SKL 4945 (Stereo) in the USA on London PS 537 in Stereo only (the Stereo mix is used for the CD). The album was co-produced by Blue Horizon label boss MIKE VERNON with John Mayall – and peaked at No. 3 on the UK LP charts - No. 59 in the USA – credited in both countries to JOHN MAYALL'S BLUES BREAKERS.

BONUS TRACKS:

8. Picture On The Wall

9. Jenny

Tracks 8 and 9 are the non-album MONO A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released February 1968 on Decca F 12732

10. Knocker's Step Forward

11. Hide And Seek

Tracks 10 and 11 are session outtakes recorded April 1968 that first appeared on the October 1971 UK compilation LP "Thru The Years" on Decca SKL 5086

12. Intro – Look At The Girl

13. Start Walkin'

Tracks 12 and 13 recorded at Falmer College, Brighton, UK on 25 May 1968 that were first released April 1983 on the "Primal Solos" LP in the UK on Decca TAB 66.

The 16-page booklet is beautifully laid out. There is a collage of black and white photos of the band in the studio, playing live at various UK venues, British and US trade adverts for the Decca album and even the lyrics at the end. Punctuating the period snaps (many in colour) are really informative and knowledgeable liner notes from MARK POWELL - head honcho at the revered Esoteric Recordings CD reissue company. And all of that reissue goodness is complimented by the best bit...the Audio...

PASCHAL BYRNE has done stunning Remasters at The Audio Arching Company in London from original tapes. Byrne has a long-standing Audio Engineer career and multiple prestigious reissue credits to his name (he also did the Mayall “So Many Roads” 4CD Anthology Book Set in 2010).  His work here is exemplary – great presence – the tracks allowed to breath so you can hear the musicians and not dampened to avoid hiss. This CD sounds fabulous...

The album is somewhat dominated by the 7-part 23-minute "Bare Wires Suite" - a kind of English Blues meets Frank Zappa avant-garde Jazz wig out. Each band member gets their soloist part - Mayall opening proceedings on a lone organ. And just when you think it's all getting out of hand - he slows the pace in "I Know Now" section singing "...they'll be needing me to lean on much more..." before bringing it all home with Saxophones on the last part. Even today it stands up and doesn't feel as long as its playing time would suggest.

Side 2 opens with some slinky Georgie Fame nightclub organ - "I'm A Stranger" sounding just fabulous - all Bluesy and Jazz at one and the same time. A 'one, two, three' count in prefaces the Harmonica shuffle boogie of the very cool "No Reply" while the band's goes all Colosseum with the Jazz/Guitar rock of the salacious yet honest "She's So Young" - a song about a lass whose just about to turn seventeen - an event our John is a little too eager to see arrive. It ends on the weird Acoustic Slide Blues of "Sandy" - the kind of ditty you'd hear on a John Mellencamp album in 1989.

But what elevates this CD reissue into the solid 5-star bracket is the superb extras - all six are more than worthy inclusions. "Picture On The Wall" is the kind of sliding Dobro Blues Rock that I adore slinking along like a naughty brat enjoying himself too much. That single's B-side is "Jenny" - a four and half-minute Slow Crawl that sounds like deep Fleetwood Mac Blues complete with that 'Mono' echo on the guitar and repeated vocals (the remaster here is so clean). The Stereo duo of 1968 outtakes that turned up on the 1971 compilation "Thru The Years" feature amazing guitar and Sax work on "Knocker's Step Forward" - an instrumental that boogies - and a rocking Harmonica and Guitar driver called "Hide And Seek" - which is just great. The live stuff only shows what a shin-kicking band they were live.

So there you have it - "Bare Wires" is still a wickedly good album and I can understand why kids in Blighty pushed it up to No. 3 on the LP charts. The Decca platter that followed in November 1968 "Blues From Laurel Canyon" was another winner cut from pretty much the same cloth (see separate review). And I’ll wear those duds any day of the week...

"Blues From Laurel Canyon" by JOHN MAYALL - November 1968 Album in STEREO (co-Produced by MIKE VERNON of Blue Horizon Records fame) featuring Mick Taylor, Stephen Thompson and Colin Allen and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac Guesting on Guitar on One Track (September 2007 UK Decca 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster in STEREO Plus Two Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…A New Magic World…Where I Never Felt So Free…"

Arriving in California in late July 1968 for a 3-week vacation - John Mayall met other like-minded people and it prompted a splurge of songs that musically documented his feelings of elation and finally belonging. 

When he got back to Britain - Mayall took his new stripped-down 4-piece band into Decca's Studios in West Hampstead for a 3-day session - 26 to 28 August 1968 - and out popped what many feel is his best album - "Blues From Laurel Canyon" – the entire record infused with reinvigoration and purpose. Here are the Californian details via E17...

The band for the session was:

JOHN MAYALL – Guitar, Harmonica, Keyboards & Vocals

MICK TAYLOR – Guitars

STEPHEN THOMPSON – Bass

COLIN ALLEN – Drums & Tablas

Guests:

Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac plays Guitar on "First Time Alone"

UK released 3 September 2007 - "Blues From Laurel Canyon" by JOHN MAYALL on Decca 984 083-9 (Barcode 0602498408391) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks that breaks down as follows (61:13 minutes):

1. Vacation [Side 1]

2. Walking on Sunset 

3. Laurel Canyon Home

4. 2401

5. Ready To Ride 

6. Medicine Man 

7. Somebody's Acting Like A Child

8. The Bear [Side 2]

9. Miss James 

10. First Time Alone

11. Long Gone Midnight

12. Fly Tomorrow

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Blues From Laurel Canyon" - released November 1968 in the UK on both MONO and STEREO - Decca LK 4972 and Decca LKS 4972 (Stereo Mix used for CD). The LP peaked in the UK charts at Number 33 in January 1969 and was also issued February 1969 in the USA in STEREO-only on London PS 545 - peaking at No. 68. 

BONUS TRACKS: 

13. 2401 (Single Version)

14. Wish You Were Here (Live)

Track 13 is 'Single Version' of "2401" - the B-side of the "The Bear" which issued on 45 on Decca F 12846 in November 1968 in the UK

Track 14 is a rare eight and half minute live version of "Wish You Were Here" recorded in Sweden in December 1968 with the same band as the album line-up. It was first released on the "Primal Solos" LP in 1977 on London LC 50003 in the USA and then in 1983 in the UK on Decca TAB 66. 

A real let down however is that the MONO mix of the LP didn’t make the CD - but in fairness to the compilers - even if you drop the twelve and half minutes of the two bonus tracks - it would have been a push to get both versions on here intact – and the live track is a great addition – especially for fans of this wonderful band line-up.  

Co-produced by MIKE VERNON (of Blue Horizon fame), the sound quality achieved on the original vinyl albums was famously superb and PASCHAL BYRNE of Audio Archiving has only amplified that in this truly fantastic remaster – ballsy, clean and beautifully clear. The 16-page booklet features the original Mayall liner notes, the lyrics and a detailed and affectionate appraisal of the album by noted writer and project co-ordinator MARK POWELL. There are even outtake photos from the album cover shoot.

The LP itself played like his emotions - tracks segue into each other, which either lifts the mood up or down depending on the tempo of the song – a clever representation of what he was feeling – jumping one moment, mellow the next. Highlights include the blisteringly good "Walking On Sunset" (lyrics above) which itself segues into the slinky and fabulous piano blues of "Laurel Canyon Home" which name-checks Zappa's girl-group signing "The GTO's" - while genuinely lamenting his departure from that Californian suburb in the lyrics "…here's a way of living that I will sorely miss…"  

"The Bear" was a tribute to Canned Heat's lead singer BOB HITE - while the quietly plaintive "First Time Alone" features the echoed licks of PETER GREEN as a guest guitarist. It's followed by superb keyboard work from Mayall on "Long Gone Midnight" which then gives way to the album's big finisher – and what an Outro it is – the stunning nine minutes of "Fly Tomorrow". After Chris Allen's Tabla intro - Mick Taylor finally gets room to stretch out and show how he can play guitar. It's magnificent stuff and when I feature it on a shop play list - it brings customers to the counter asking - "who's this?"

So there you have it – John Mayall's "Blues From Laurel Canyon" is like Blodwyn Pig's "Ahead Ring Out" from 1969 (see review), Fleetwood Mac's "Then Play On" (also from 1969) and Taste's "On The Boards" (January 1970) – a properly great rock album from that extraordinary period of time – and it still stands up some forty-to-fifty years after the event. 

Mick Taylor went on of course to join the Stones and the wow of "Beggars Banquet", "Let It Bleed", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main St." - and in 2017 aged 83 - John Mayall is still playing the music he loves – the blues – with a little bit of boogie and rock thrown in. 

A fab reissue then with quality remastered sound and annotation. 

Five out of five...