Bare Wires, John & The Bluesbreakers Mayall, LP

Hailing from Macclesfield, Cheshire, and growing up in Cheadle Hulme, John Mayall had already made a name for himself on the Manchester blues scene before relocating to London in 1963 at the urging of Alexis Korner. John McVie was next to leave the Bluesbreakers, joining Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood in their new venture, Fleetwood Mac. Reedsman Dick Heckstall Smith joined, alongside drummer Jon Hiseman from the Graham Bond Organisation and bass player Tony Reeves. The resulting album, Bare Wires, was Mayall's most successful album, reaching No 3 in the UK charts. If it could be said that if Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton was the foundation stone of UK blues tock, then Bare Wires did similar for jazz rock. Mick Taylor's playing on the album is little short of superb. This re- issue faithfully replicates the original 1968 Decca Records UK stereo release with gatefold sleeve and is pressed onto high quality 180gm vinyl.