Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton

After the release of Mayall's first album, the live John Mayall Plays John Mayall, Eric Clapton joined the group as the lead guitarist. Mayall originally intended for his second album to be also a live one in order to capture the guitar solos performed by Clapton. A set was recorded at the Flamingo Club, with Jack Bruce (with whom Clapton would subsequently work in Cream) on bass. The recordings, however, were of bad quality and were not used,[4] although one song, "Stormy Monday" was included on Mayall's retrospective Looking Back (1969).

With the original plan of a live album now discarded, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers recorded Blues Breakers at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London in May 1966.[5] The guitar that Eric Clapton used during these sessions was a sunburst 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard with two PAF humbucking pickups. This guitar was stolen in 1966; its whereabouts remain unknown.[6] However, blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa claims to have been told the guitar is in a private collection in the eastern United States. Bonamassa also asserts that the guitar is a 1959 rather than 1960 model.[7] The guitar became known as the "Blues Breaker" or "Beano" Les Paul and a replica was issued by Gibson in 2012.[6] Critics consider Clapton's guitar tone and playing on this album to be influential in the artistic and commercial development of rock-styled guitar playing.[8]

The band on this album includes Mayall on piano, Hammond organ, harmonica, and most vocals; bassist John McVie; drummer Hughie Flint; and Clapton.[9] Augmenting the band on this album was a horn section added during post-production, with Alan Skidmore, Johnny Almond, and Derek Healey.[9]

The album consists of blues standards by well-known artists, such as Otis Rush, Freddie King and Robert Johnson, as well as a few originals penned by Mayall and Clapton. Most tracks serve as a showcase for Clapton's playing. Although he provided some co- and backing vocals with his former group, the Yardbirds, "Ramblin' on My Mind" is Clapton's first solo lead vocal to be recorded.[1]

The album is often called The Beano Album by fans because of its cover photograph showing Eric Clapton reading The Beano,[10] a British children's comic.[11] Clapton stated in his autobiography that he was reading The Beano on the cover because he felt like being "uncooperative" during the photo shoot.[1] David Wedgbury took the photograph near the Old Kent Road.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
About.com	[3]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of the Blues	[13]
BBC	(Highly Positive)[14]
Chicago Tribune	[15]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[16]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[17]

It was voted number 391 in the third edition of Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000).[18] In 2003 the album was ranked number 195 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,[19] maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list.[20]

Robert Dimery included the album in his book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[21] Apart from being one of the most influential blues albums, it also started the now-iconic combination of a Gibson Les Paul guitar through an overdriven Marshall Bluesbreaker amplifier.[10]

Blues Breakers[22]

• John Mayall – vocals, piano, organ, harmonica
• Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals on "Ramblin' on My Mind"
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Hughie Flint – drums

Horn section on tracks 7, 9, 11[22]

• Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone
• Johnny Almond – baritone saxophone (also on track 5)
• Derek Healey – trumpet

Additional musicians

• Geoff Krivit – guitar (disc two tracks 8–10, not featured on original album)
• Jack Bruce – bass (disc two tracks 14–19, not featured on original album)

Production

• Gus Dudgeon – engineer
• Mike Vernon – producer

• Clapton, Eric (2007). Clapton: The Autobiography. New York City: Broadway Books. ISBN 978-0-7679-2536-5.
• Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (Revised and Updated ed.). Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
• Hjort, Christopher (9 February 2007). Strange Brew. Jawbone. ISBN 978-1-906002-00-8.
• Maloof, Rich (2004). Jim Marshall, Father of Loud: The Story of the Man Behind the World's Most Famous Guitar Amplifiers. Hal Leonard. ISBN 978-0-87930-803-2.
• Roberty, Mark (1993). Slowhand: The Complete Life and Times of Eric Clapton. New York City: Crown Trade Paperbacks. ISBN 0-517-88118-7.
• Schumacher, Michael (2003). Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton. New York City: Citadel Press. ISBN 978-0806524665.
• Slaven, Neil (1966). Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (Album liner notes). John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. New York City: London Records. LL 3492.

• Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton at Discogs (list of releases)