- Edited
1969-05-22, Bremen W GER, Die Glocke
John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (Mick Taylor, Member)
Mick Taylor Live Review by GimmeMTguy
This is the penultimate of Mick Taylor's performances as a Bluesbreaker (first stint, 1967-69). It is -- at present -- the last recording in existence before Mayall disbanded the group and Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones.
Got a Pretty Baby (aka Never Satisfied)
Mick Taylor plays a nice solo on this upbeat one, in a Freddie King style, with a jazz excursion in the last bars hinting at songs and solos to come.
Checkin' Up on My Baby
Other than the bouncy riff throughout, the biggest MT thrill on this one is hearing him play "his ending" and that reverse strum to check the tuning, that will become quite common during the 1969 Stones tour.
All My Life
John Mayall introduces this as a slow Blues, that will perhaps "relax things down a bit."
It does, until about the five minute mark, when Mick Taylor starts his solo. He stays low key, establishing his baseline for the first minute, but he ramps it up in the second minute and brings the heat.
Parchman Farm
The Bluesbreakers turn this Mose Allison song about the notorious Mississippi State Prison (based on the Bukka White song) into a freeform jam with plenty of soloing.
As Mayall's solo winds down, Mick Taylor plays a rapid-fire single note theme with varying undertones that I can't really figure out how he does it, then it evolves into a more traditional long psychedelic Blues solo of the late-60s era while Mayall plays frantic organ chords against it.
It is an accomplishment of guitar playing and perhaps captures the psychosis induced by the harsh and unjust circumstances endured at Parchman Farm by its prisoners.
The guitar coda ending the performance is also a psychedelic testament of musical virtuosity and creativity. John Mayall appears to tell Mick "come around" as his solo spins an endless, otherworldly circular cycle into outer space for the ending.
What is interesting to me is that we don't ever really hear that kind of style of playing again from MT in a long subsequent career. Which does make me wonder . . . .
The Time Has Come
John Mayall turns in a jazzy and atmospheric organ solo. No MT guitar can be clearly heard until the final notes of the song.
2401
A big guitar riff song, it's a perfect send-off for Mick Taylor to commence the process of joining the Rolling Stones within a matter of days. His soloing in this Blues from Laurel Canyon song against reminds of that in the Stones' Stop Breaking Down yet to come.
Goin' Down the Road
This is a fun, fast-paced mod Blues with a full Mick Taylor solo beginning mid-song with lots of fast arpeggios, licks and bends in classic Mick Taylor style. He even keeps soloing while Mayall picks up with more lyrics all through the ending.
Just minutes from becoming a full member of the Rolling Stones.
They were definitely on notice of what was to come!
--end--
JOHN MAYALL - THE FIRST GENERATION 1965 – 1974
Bremen Zwei
