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Blues From Laurel Canyon: John Mayall: My Life as a Bluesman
John Mayall has played with them all; Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Andy Fraser... the list goes on. Now, in his 80's, John continues to tour all over the world and perform to sell-out crowds. With an incredible blues career spanning over sixty years, which rightly earning him the title "The Godfather of British Blues," John shares his experiences and encounters in what will be a must read autobiography for any true blues fans.
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Published August 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 3, 2021
I rarely write reviews since inevitably my opinion has usually been voiced by many others but with this book I feel like my perspective is a bit different. First, though I have owned many Mayall albums over the years including a couple recent ones, I don't consider myself a fan really. And I've re-sold more of those albums than I have kept.
I feel indebted (and a bit of awe) to him in moving the British blues scene out into the open and highlighting the work of some of the original blues people. And I admire his endless ability to attract talent, especially the long list of great guitar players he's had over the years. But as a vocalist, guitarist, piano player, harmonica player during the years covered by this book, I feel adjectives like average, decent, pretty good probably sum things up. And as a composer, it seemed like every album could have used a bit of editing, some time to re-work things and as is, everything seems one step beyond the I-wrote-it-down-on-a-napkin stage. The earlier albums work partly because there are a bunch of cover songs there that other people did first. And there are awesome collaborators who went on to other ventures.
So for the book, I'd call it informative without being insightful. First, over a third of the book covers his pre-professional musician days. So very much in the traditional mode of "first there were my grandparents, then my parents did this, then I had a relatively happy childhood but my parents struggled, then off to college, etc". There is little attempt to tie his later experiences as a musician back to the early influences so readers are left to decide how much they're really interested in these details.
Later, there is a fairly detailed list of the comings and goings of a multitude of band members. A lot of detail on which of many relationships gone bad inspired which songs. Maybe more detail than we want on those failed romantic relationships.
But what I find surprisingly missing is that for someone who obviously had the stature and personality to attract some of the best players in the business, there's really no feel here for the people dynamics and how the music was developed. What role if any the producers played on directing the outcomes of albums? How did band members collaborate? What was the approach to rehearsals (or were there really very few)? Why does it feel like when band members were overplaying or underplaying in their roles that they just got fired (no attempt to critique and grow people rather than just discard them)? When he walked away from his first wife and four kids, what happened to the family relationships after? Why does it seem like so many art school students in the U.K. ended up as musicians? How does a youngster from a not real well-off family end up with a collection of hundreds of rare blues and jazz albums, mostly imported and an elaborate tree house (club house)? Looking back on things today, what does Mayall feel really worked and why in some of those years and what would he have done differently if given the chance?
Some of the details here may be hidden to protect the players involved although Mayall readily admits some negative things in his own behaviors. But to a degree I feel like there's not a lot here that you couldn't get from a detailed discography with personnel list for each album and reading through a few Wikipedia pages. So much is operating on the surface with nary a peak below that I'm not sure this autobiography is necessarily worth the time.
I feel indebted (and a bit of awe) to him in moving the British blues scene out into the open and highlighting the work of some of the original blues people. And I admire his endless ability to attract talent, especially the long list of great guitar players he's had over the years. But as a vocalist, guitarist, piano player, harmonica player during the years covered by this book, I feel adjectives like average, decent, pretty good probably sum things up. And as a composer, it seemed like every album could have used a bit of editing, some time to re-work things and as is, everything seems one step beyond the I-wrote-it-down-on-a-napkin stage. The earlier albums work partly because there are a bunch of cover songs there that other people did first. And there are awesome collaborators who went on to other ventures.
So for the book, I'd call it informative without being insightful. First, over a third of the book covers his pre-professional musician days. So very much in the traditional mode of "first there were my grandparents, then my parents did this, then I had a relatively happy childhood but my parents struggled, then off to college, etc". There is little attempt to tie his later experiences as a musician back to the early influences so readers are left to decide how much they're really interested in these details.
Later, there is a fairly detailed list of the comings and goings of a multitude of band members. A lot of detail on which of many relationships gone bad inspired which songs. Maybe more detail than we want on those failed romantic relationships.
But what I find surprisingly missing is that for someone who obviously had the stature and personality to attract some of the best players in the business, there's really no feel here for the people dynamics and how the music was developed. What role if any the producers played on directing the outcomes of albums? How did band members collaborate? What was the approach to rehearsals (or were there really very few)? Why does it feel like when band members were overplaying or underplaying in their roles that they just got fired (no attempt to critique and grow people rather than just discard them)? When he walked away from his first wife and four kids, what happened to the family relationships after? Why does it seem like so many art school students in the U.K. ended up as musicians? How does a youngster from a not real well-off family end up with a collection of hundreds of rare blues and jazz albums, mostly imported and an elaborate tree house (club house)? Looking back on things today, what does Mayall feel really worked and why in some of those years and what would he have done differently if given the chance?
Some of the details here may be hidden to protect the players involved although Mayall readily admits some negative things in his own behaviors. But to a degree I feel like there's not a lot here that you couldn't get from a detailed discography with personnel list for each album and reading through a few Wikipedia pages. So much is operating on the surface with nary a peak below that I'm not sure this autobiography is necessarily worth the time.
February 21, 2022
Saw Mayall in concert in 2021, just weeks before he announced his retirement from the road. That, and the fact that I am a fan of '60s British blues, inspired me to read this book. It's a look at his life and career told from his own perspective. A fast read, and a great exploration of his life, from young blues fan to major player, including lots and lots of detail on his romances, failed relationships, self-destructive behavior, and reliance on playing the blues to keep himself grounded.
Not enough is said, however, about the musicians he worked with over the years and his role in launching their careers. Yes he mentions who joined him and when, but goes into virtually no detail about the way his various guitar players impacted him or the sound his band was making at the time, or how the various incarnations of his band fit into the blues scene that was happening around them. In other words, not enough is said about the actual music (although he does talk about what inspired him to write certain songs).
The book shines a light on John Mayall the man but not enough on John Mayall the bluesman. That made it a bit disappointing for me, although overall I did enjoy it.
Not enough is said, however, about the musicians he worked with over the years and his role in launching their careers. Yes he mentions who joined him and when, but goes into virtually no detail about the way his various guitar players impacted him or the sound his band was making at the time, or how the various incarnations of his band fit into the blues scene that was happening around them. In other words, not enough is said about the actual music (although he does talk about what inspired him to write certain songs).
The book shines a light on John Mayall the man but not enough on John Mayall the bluesman. That made it a bit disappointing for me, although overall I did enjoy it.
October 3, 2025
I listened to john Mayall's memoirs as an audiobook. Derek Perkins reads Mayall's memoirs with a very clear and resonant voice, making it one of the more tolerable audiobooks I've listened to. If you want to skip all the "London bombing" stuff and get straight to the music, go to Chapter Six. You'll thank me later.
Mayall played it smart by discussing his legendary work when he was at the peak of his artistic powers in the Sixties and Seventies. I enjoyed listening to his tales of playing old blues clubs alongside musicians like Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Jack Bruce. One of the ironies of the book was at one point in his career he discarded girlfriends as frequently as his musicians (i.e.,"Nancy and I had enough and called it a day" b/w "After six months the band sounded stale so I had to give them the sack" LOL).
I was disappointed that he gave his innovative Mark-Almond band a very cursory mention with no particular insight into what made the band so crucial for its time. His ghostwriter Joel McIver should have pressed him about that, I think. Mayall also doesn't discuss his porn collection, one that spans nearly a century, allegedly one of the largest in the world and lost in his house fire. It would be interesting to hear what importance collecting porn meant to him.
There are some ugly moments in the book, like specifically calling out musicians from the past who soloed too much on stage - petty, and stealing bandmates' girlfriends on many occasions - sleazy. Still and all, honesty about dishonesty is the policy and Mayall confesses to it all for you.
Mayall played it smart by discussing his legendary work when he was at the peak of his artistic powers in the Sixties and Seventies. I enjoyed listening to his tales of playing old blues clubs alongside musicians like Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Jack Bruce. One of the ironies of the book was at one point in his career he discarded girlfriends as frequently as his musicians (i.e.,"Nancy and I had enough and called it a day" b/w "After six months the band sounded stale so I had to give them the sack" LOL).
I was disappointed that he gave his innovative Mark-Almond band a very cursory mention with no particular insight into what made the band so crucial for its time. His ghostwriter Joel McIver should have pressed him about that, I think. Mayall also doesn't discuss his porn collection, one that spans nearly a century, allegedly one of the largest in the world and lost in his house fire. It would be interesting to hear what importance collecting porn meant to him.
There are some ugly moments in the book, like specifically calling out musicians from the past who soloed too much on stage - petty, and stealing bandmates' girlfriends on many occasions - sleazy. Still and all, honesty about dishonesty is the policy and Mayall confesses to it all for you.
November 25, 2025
I found out about John Mayall from FM radio in my high school days. From one really good album, I listened for more. I have really enjoyed his earliest blues albums and bands. His newer music was never as good and I havent followed him in years. This book was very in depth about his career especially the first 30 years. So pretty interesting. So many folks have come thru his bands.
February 17, 2020
Clear recounting of JM's storied career. He is probably the artist whose changed band lineups more than ant other I know. Not many crazy stories, but interesting nonetheless. It’s curious to me that he never seemed to have major commercial success, but obviously he made scads of money. Glad I saw him, wish I'd read this first.
February 7, 2024
I have been a fan of JM since his first albums. I will say that Blues from Laurel Cyn and Turning Point are 2 very different and major contributions to the last 50 yrs. of music. It is to this merit I read this book with interest and respect. Yea, some flat parts, but the bridges in music require such.
I went to his last tour and saw him in Venice Beach with my wife and our small dog in a backpack we stuffed under the bar as we saw the show. I drove a 300 mile trip to see the show and loved every min.
If you have not listened to the 2 recordings I mentioned, they are a must for any level of music interest. Turning Point is the birth of "Un Plugged", like Miles Davis "Birth of bop". The title album Blues from Laurel Cyn. is just a musical masterpiece with Mick Taylor before he made the Rolling Stones famous.
I went to his last tour and saw him in Venice Beach with my wife and our small dog in a backpack we stuffed under the bar as we saw the show. I drove a 300 mile trip to see the show and loved every min.
If you have not listened to the 2 recordings I mentioned, they are a must for any level of music interest. Turning Point is the birth of "Un Plugged", like Miles Davis "Birth of bop". The title album Blues from Laurel Cyn. is just a musical masterpiece with Mick Taylor before he made the Rolling Stones famous.
September 25, 2021
Jon Mayall is one of my all time favorite blues musicians. The book started out with a lot of details of his early life and how they shaped his character. The book slowly lost steam becoming bogged down with details and constant discussion of his prolific love life. Within this there are some gems to be found. The end was abrupt with a lot of his life and career not covered, though he wrote a second book is in progress.
At 87 years old, he is still an impressive and important performing blues musician and this book did not change my opinion on that.
At 87 years old, he is still an impressive and important performing blues musician and this book did not change my opinion on that.
November 15, 2020
This book was an easy read. John Mayall is a very important player in British Blues. What is important to me as an American rock Fan from the 1960's and 70"s is that British musicians taught me a lot about American history.
January 18, 2020
Some terrific information but not especially well written. Of course being a fan I didn't put it down.
August 14, 2020
I really liked the emphasis on the early Mayall recordings!
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October 20, 2021A truly exceptional read about the god father of British Blues written by the man himself.
October 4, 2022
Looking forward to the next installment. What an amazing life.
March 16, 2023
Tedious.
March 3, 2020
Nicely written, and informative. I would've liked a bit more about the music, and Mayall's approach to songwriting within the blues framework. But, enjoyed it nonetheless.
March 7, 2021
Well written account of John's early life as well as his time as a musician. Fascinating insight into the childhood & family life that shaped him & the changing music scene in the late fifties & early sixties in which he made his name. The interaction with some of his peers that have gone on to be household names breathes life into he story.
All in all a very well written memoir, not sensationalistic but entertaining & informative for anyone interested in the birth of the British blues movement.
One of the best Autobiographies I've read in a while right up there with Bernie Marsden's & Levon Helm's
All in all a very well written memoir, not sensationalistic but entertaining & informative for anyone interested in the birth of the British blues movement.
One of the best Autobiographies I've read in a while right up there with Bernie Marsden's & Levon Helm's
January 14, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable read by an Artist that I have followed since his first venture onto the music scene. It was an engrossing read including lots of snippets of information about his life and times from a young age to adulthood. There is more to come from John I am sure and I am also looking forward to seeing him again in April here in Australia.
February 11, 2025
Excellent. How the Godfather of British Blues started the Blues revolution in the UK.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews