Customer Reviews

Back to the Roots

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been a fan of John Mayall since I was 10 years old and have enjoyed nearly all his music before and since, but Back To The Roots merits a special place on the long list of Mayall blockbusters. The 1960s and early 1970s were a period of tremendous creative ferment in the world of music and Mayall was always in the vanguard of experimentation. He is known to most who know of him as a blues artist, but on this CD he stretches that concept even beyond the new musical ground covered on his groundbreaking album Turning Point. On Back to the Roots, Mayall touches more on social issues and the everyday concerns of the people than at any time before or since. What commuter couldn't relate to Prisons on the Road, a song even more meaningful today than it was in 1970? Accidental Suicide is a cautionary song about the dangers of excessive drug use. Groupie Girl ridicules the bimbos who are "chasing after fake love in the world". Marriage Madness expounds Mayall's view that marriage is a legal albatross around an individual's neck, however he has since come a long way from the libertine sentiments expressed in this and in his earlier hippie anthem, Room to Move. Mr. Censor Man lashes out at the tyranny of the censorship that was then fairly prevalent. One of my favorites, lyrically, is Television Eye, which denounces the hypnotic and addictive power of television and its commercials which try to make him "buy things I'll never use". Along with the social commentary the listener is treated to some damn good music throughout, including the remixes of some of the songs with Joe Yuele on drums dubbed in. Mayall once again assembled an all-star cast of musicians, some of whom are still well-known today and those who have faded into obscurity. The well-known include Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor, while the more obscure include such late 60s-early 70s heavyweights as guitarist Harvey Mandel, sax and flute player Johnny Almond, violinist Sugarcane Harris, and legendary drummer Keef Hartley. While Back to the Roots offers little in the way of traditional blues, there is a lot of Mayall's signature piano here and a lot of good progressive music in the inimitable Mayall style. This CD deserves more than five stars and I say its about time that this superb Mayall album is available to both his old stalwarts and a new generation of fans.

This is a first rate collaborative album by Mayall and former associates and his current band at the time of the original recording in 1971. I'm not certain that the tracks that have been partially re-recorded add significantly to the overall standard.
It remains a mellow album, which spans many blues styles, and even touches on elements of softer jazz-rock, which Mayall had been experimenting with at the time.

It contains some excellent all-round work by Clapton, (my personal favourite is "Prisons on the Road") fresh from recording Layla around this time, Mick Taylor's best slow blues solo ever, on "Marriage Madness" some superb blues sax work by Johnny Almond on "Television Eye", blues violin by Sugarcane Harris, a somewhat obscure figure today.
Mayall certainly believes in expressing his forthright opinions, and at times some of the lyrics are a little too preachy, but that's a minor quibble. Then as now his vocals which often sound weak on record, strangely are much stronger in live performance.

Enjoy!

I must say i waited for years for this one to re-appear.
The album contained the finest selection of musicians to be collected under one roof. Mick Taylor is in exceptional form especially on "Marriage Madness". This session was almost like a continuation for Taylor from his previous gem of a recording with Mayall (i.e. "Crusade") Sugarcane Harris's electric violin added a truly cutting edge to the whole session. Eric Clapton plays on several tracks.
Listen to "Unanswered Questions". I searched for this song everywhere whilst "Back to the Roots" remained a deleted album. This track contains a mindbending guitar solo by the masterful Harvey Mandel. Sugarcane's violin wails also on this psychedelically funky minor blues. Great lyrics for this song especially during the times we live in today.
If you were young in 1970 then you'd relate to the scene that this album generates.
Buy this one before it's deleted again!

I am going to confine my comments to just one song on this album because it alone justifies the purchase, many times over.

In "Marriage Madness", Mick Taylor plays what is perhaps the most exquisite piece of blues guitar that I have ever heard. The guitar work shows great touch throughout, perfectly complementing John Mayall's distinctive and apt vocals.

"Subtle", "fluid" and "sublime" are words that spring to mind even before the agonisingly beautiful guitar solo that starts at 1 minute into the song and stretches your emotions for another 1 minute 15 seconds or so. Mick Taylor makes the Les Paul cry, and if you allow yourself to be immersed in its gentle wailing it is hard not to be moved, too.

Spoil yourself with this masterpiece which is performed with sheer genius.

When John Mayall initially started out to make this recording, he didn't realize that he was attempting the near impossible. He traveled the world with master tapes in hand, determined to succeed. What most of his fans didn't realize is that the majority of the musicians were not playing together. In fact, on some of the tracks, the musicians didn't even know each other. Today we are fortunate to hear most of the tracks that Mayall recorded and produced. Together with his long time drummer, Joe Yuele, we can once again appreciate this Herculean task. The list of great tracks is endless. My favorites are "Blue Fox" and the remix of "Boogie Alert." Yet I must admit that the remix of "Home Again" is something of a must. Mayall and Clapton are once again at their creative best. Your Mayall collection is not complete without the addition of "Back to the Roots."

The surprise that I've kept listening to for 30 years--with many of the people Mayall nurtured--Clapton, Mick Taylor, Johnny Almond, and some great violin work from Sugarcane Harris. From his caution about drugs in Accidental Suicide to his comments on modern life (Prisons on the Road and Television Eye) to home and family, Mayall melds blues, rock, and his own style.

I remember pulling a used 8 track tape of "BTR" out of a church basement sale box! I wore that baby out driving around in my '66 Ford convertible in the early 70's. For years I didn't realize I had only half of the album on that 8 track! You can imagine the joy of finding so much more of the same to listen to.

I was not a real Mayall fan back then. More of a R'nR'er! But I knew Clapton, Taylor & Sugar. Not to mention Harvey Mandel who to me is "the guy" here on BTR! Believe me, Mick & Eric played some of the best stuff of their lives here! But as a guitar player, I know what Harvey is doing, and it may be more subtle, but vastly more creative and "out of the box" than the other players!

Looking back at the time this album was made, critics were saying Mayall was breaking away from his "roots" and he was "too progressive". Also, many of the musicians on this album didn't play together, or even know each other! But, that may be a reason I like the album too! The "progressive" side of John Mayall is more melodic and pensive, in a good way!

My favorite cut on the album 35 years ago, and now is "My Children". I didn't know then I would end up having 9 of my own! LOL This album just makes me happy, and touches a special place inside!

I don't care for the remixes. I like it the way it "was"! As a matter of fact, I put them in the 8 track order on a cd, and listen to the songs driving around in my "old Ford" and return to a simpler time, Great music! Get it!

John Mayall / Back To The Roots (Two CD set - Remastered 1971 original album plus, as bonus cuts, Eight remixed versions from the 1988 "Archives to Eighties" release):

Here are the other musicians on this album; Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Keef Hartley, Sugarcane Harris, Jerry McGee, Johnny Almond, Larry Taylor, Paul Lagos, and Steve Thompson.

Among the songs are, "Accidental Suicide" which John wrote about the death of Jimi Hendrix. Both Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor play on this cut, which makes it an extraordinary session and an extremely good song as well. "Prisons on the Road", if you drive, you have one. "Television Eye", about media brainwashing. "Groupie Girl" about, well, you know. "Mr. Censor Man" is, or course, about censorship. These and every other cut on this album are superb.

Speaking of censorship, one of the things that this double CD set does Not do is reproduce the original LP book. That book was wonderful but it did have one pornographic drawing in it and so the produces of this CD decided Not to reproduce it. Mr. Censor Man still lives.

This is a Masterpiece album. This is early 1970's Blue-eyed blues and social commentary at its very best, with the very best musicians of the era. This is one you ought to own. It deserves a Sixth Star.

I first listened to this record as an undergraduate and I was hooked the moment I heard the lush blues vocal stylings of John Mayall and his loose but engaging blues rock band. There are superb performances by Eric Claption and Sugarcane Harris and even Mick Taylor, another alumnus of John Mayall's blues bands of the mid sixties. The songs are great, mellow and hip sounding, with lyrics that are filled with interesting messages. I really enjoy this record, and if you enjoy British Blues music, this one must be a part of your collection. John Mayall also includes bonus tracks, which are are overdubbed versions of a few of the original recordings. He re records some vocals and drums on the original multitrack recordings, to polish them up abit, modernize them. They are fun to compare and listen to. Great record!!

This is one of my favorite records. Great from start to finish. The list of stars playing on it is incredible. Great songs. This is however, one time, I must disagree with the Artist. Re-mixes were not needed for any track on this double cd.