Along for the Ride

John Mayall

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 8, 2001)
• Original Release Date: May 8, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Red Int / Red Ink
• ASIN: B00005J9PN
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #134,039 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Indie Music > Rock > Blues Rock

Track Listings

1. A World Of Hurt

2. Along For The Ride

3. Put It Right Back

4. That's Why I Love You So

5. Yo Yo Man

6. If I Don't Get Home

7. Testify

8. Early In The Morning

9. Something About My Baby

10. So Many Roads

11. World War Blues

12. California

13. She Don;t Play By The Rules

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

British bluesman John Mayall is primarily known as the guy whose band massive guitarists like Eric Clapton and Peter Green got their start in. Mayall's always been a better bandleader than musician; it's not that he's bad at the latter, but rather that he's so good at the former. So it is perhaps appropriate that Along for the Ride is essentially a showcase of other artists, many of them young up-and-comers, including Shannon Curfman and Jonny Lang.

As you have no doubt guessed, there is some serious guitar playing here, but what's most special about this CD is that these gifted ax men really get a chance to shine. Lang's lead guitar on "That's Why I Love You So," for instance, sure doesn't sound much like Mick Taylor's on "She Don't Play by the Rules," and neither of those resembles Gary Moore's work on "If I Don't Get Home" or Buddy Whittington's lead on "So Many Roads." Along for the Ride's cast also includes a few Mayall emeriti, such as Green, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie, as well as Jeff Healey, Steve Miller, Otis Rush, and plenty of others. Lots of musicians do the all-star-album thing, but you know Mayall's going to integrate his guest stars smoothly, and that's exactly what he does. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars John Mayall-Never One To Disappoint, May 12, 2001

By	Stuart S. Lawler "bluestu" (Orange, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a John Mayall fan since 1970 and it seems impossible that in all these years and the many albums he has put out that I have yet to be dissapointed. The latest album is no exception. Critics claim that John is not an accomplished musician, vocalist or songwriter and that his talented sidemen often eclipse him. I tend to disagree and I buy his product because of HIM and not who is currently in his band or has been in his band in years gone buy. Along For The Ride is an extension of his illustrious career. My favorite track is "If I Don't Get Home" which features Gary Moore on guitar. It is a very meaningful song, full of emotive feeling and the lyrics hit home with anyone who has had to leave a loved one for any period of time. "So Many Roads" is another great song and Buddy Whittington's guitar playing is excellant throughout. One critic's review stated it was a shame that the writer, Otis Rush, got only a vocal part and no guitar solo. My thought is with the great solo Buddy plays-so what! The great tune "California" is resurrected from John's Turning Point LP. This time different, but Red Holloway takes an excellant solo outing on sax can't and it can't help but remind one of Johnny Almond. In closing the entire album is terrific and is an testimant to the respect John Mayall is afforded by other musicians. Again I must say that even with all of these wonderful musicians taking part I love the album because I get to here the man himself, JOHN MAYALL, play his harp, piano, guitar, and sing his wonderful brand of blues. Long live John Mayall!!!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get on the Bandwagon Now, July 1, 2001

By	Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I am usually leery of all-star albums as so many turn out to be all hype and very little substance. But John Mayall has a reputation for assembling great bands for whatever the project at hand so I didn't hesitate buying this for one second. On this CD, Mayall has recorded each song with a different set of all-stars. Not only that, with the exception of the masterfully redone California, none of the compositions are his. Compositionally and musically, Mayall here sits back and allows his invited guests to shine. The only Mayall regulars present on most cuts are guitarist Buddy Whittington and drummer Joe Yuele. There are an impressive number of greybeards joining Mayall here: Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, John McVie, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Billy F Gibbons, Otis Rush, and many others. But one of Mayall's strengths is to recognize talent wherever it may be and so he has brought in a few young blues musicians like Jonny Lang and Shannon Curfman to add chronological diversity to his music. I like every song here but my favorites are the intense rocking blues of A World of Hurt, Put it Right Back featuring Billy Gibbons on lead guitar, the mournful So Many Roads with Otis Rush on vocals, and California with an outstanding sax solo by Red Holloway. This is a CD which deserves to be in every rock fan's and every blues fan's collection, so get on the bandwagon now and come along for the ride.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saturday night jam session raised to new heights, June 19, 2001

By	Don McKenzie - See all my reviews

I've got to admit up front, I am prejudiced. I love this kind of music. This new release is like a Saturday night jam session with some of the oldest and newest but always greatest artists stopping in to play with an established veteran of good music. Music you can tap your foot to based in blues, gospel, funk, and rock. How can you argue with soloists like Gary Moore, who somehow has made guitar notes exploding like the 4th of July his mantra, to Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame, to Stevie Rae Vaughn's rhythm section, to Steve Miller, or the many Fleetwood Mac vets including original guitartist and forever great Peter Green, and the ripping Johnny Lang, to even the young but extremely powerful teenaged Shannon Curfman whose simply amazing vocal talent and lilting but emotion squeezed guitar gives me total faith for the future. Not every cut is my favorite, but some are absolutely fabulous, and all are right there. Hey, it's a jam session. Thank you, John Mayall, for having such great friends and for inviting a mix ranging from Otis Rush and Billy Preston to Shannon Curfman and Johnny Lang. I really really like this CD and recommend it without reservation.