Played: Guitar Mayall albums: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966) Came from: The Yardbirds Left for: Cream Story:
Eric Clapton left TheYardbirds, a band he fely uncomfortable with in general (or maybe the truth is that they didn't feel comfortable with him) because he felt by choosing "For Your Love" as their new single they betrayed their original blues ideals. Mayall soon found out that Clapton was available and hooked up with him. Clapton spent days practicing and listening to blues records at Mayall's house. After just one album he left to join Cream with Jack Bruce and Graham Bond Organisation-drummer Ginger Baker. Clapton himself have had a successful career after the Cream adventure and besides commercially successful solo releases he also played frequently with ex-Beatle George Harrison.
Peter Green
Played: Guitar Mayall albums: A Hard Road (1967) Came from: Shotgun Express Left for: Fleetwood Mac Story:
The unpleasant task of replacing Eric Clapton was given to the young and promising Peter Green. Clapton's reputation and respect had grown into something unheard of, but Green managed to fill his shoes. At first by copying Clapton, and later by developing a style of his own. Peter Green only stayed for one album. He formed Fleetwood Mac with several other musicians with a past in the Mayall line-up. Fleetwood Mac played blues and some of Peter Green's most famous Mac-songs are "Need Your Love So Bad", "Albatross", "Black Magic Woman" and "Man of The World". Sadly Peter was struck with psychological problems and drug abuse. It kept him away from the music for the better part of the 70's and 80's which has stopped him from gaining as much recognition as people such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. He has lately toured quite a lot and released a few albums with The Splinter Davis Group.
Mick Taylor
Played: Guitar Mayall albums: Crusade (1967), Barb Wires (1968), Blues From Laurel Canyon (1968) Came from: nowhere
Left for: The Rolling Stones Story:
Eric Clapton failed to show up to a gig when The Blues Breakers were playing. Mick Taylor was in the audience and offered to fill in. After Peter Green left The Blues Breakers, Mayall was able to track down Mick Taylor through an advert in a magazine. Taylor stayed for a few albums before joining TheRolling Stones and he made serious contributions on some of the groups most celebrated albums (Sticky Fingers, Let It Bleed and Exile On Main Street). The young guitarist left the Stones because of the hard rock & roll life and spent years and years guesting on other peoples albums and rarely released albums on his own. Some of the musicians that he lent a hand were Bob Dylan, Mike Oldfield, Little Feat and Ron Wood.
John McVie
Played: Bass guitar
Left for: Fleetwood Mac
Mayall albums: Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton (1966), A Hard Road (1967), Crusade (1967)
The rhythm guys:
The action heroes:
Hughie Flint
Played: Drums
Left for: Alexis Korner
Mayall albums: Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton (1966), A Hard Road (1967), Crusade (1967)
Aynsley Dunbar
Played: Drums
Left for: The Jeff Beck Group
Mayall albums: A Hard Road (1967)
Keef Hartley
Played: Drums
Left for:
Mayall albums: Crusade (1967), The Blues Alone (1967)
Just in for a quicky:
Jack Bruce
Played: Bass guitar
Left for: Cream
Mayall albums: none
Mick Fleetwood
Played: Drums
Left for: Fleetwood Mac
Mayall albums: A Hard Road (1967)
In the control room:
Mike Vernon
Produced: Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton (1966), A Hard Road (1967), Crusade (1967), The Blues Alone (1968)
Also worked with: Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, David Bowie, Savoy Brown, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Eddie Boyd
