Eric Clapton has shared his heartfelt tribute to British blues legend John Mayall. Mayall recently passed away at 90 years old on July 22. Clapton shared the story of him and his musician friend about his decision to quit music. He said:
“I wanna say a few words about my friend John who I learned passed last night, sometime yesterday. I wanna say thank you chiefly for rescuing me from oblivion and God knows what. When I was a young man around the age of 18, 19 when I decided I was gonna quit music he found me and took me into his home and asked me to join his band. I stayed with him and learned all that I really have to draw on today in terms of technique and and desire to play the kind of music I love to play.”
He then also paid tribute to the band and explained how Mayall helped him musically:
“I did all my research in his home in his record collection, the Chicago blues that he was such an expert on. I played with his band for a couple of years, with Hughie [Flint] and John [McVie], and it was a fantastic experience, and he taught me that it was OK to just play the music you wanted to play without dressing it up or making anybody else like it, whether they liked it or not. To listen to myself, to my inner motivations.”
He added:
“He was my mentor, and, as a surrogate father, he taught me all I really know, and gave me the courage and enthusiasm to express myself without fear, without limit. And all I gave him in return was how much fun it was to drink and womanize when he was already a family man. I wished to make amends for that, and I did that while he was alive. I have since learned that that is not the best way to carry on. I shall miss him, but I hope to see him on the other side. Thank you John, I love you, I’ll see you soon, but not yet.”
Mick Jagger’s Tribute To Mayall
Clapton released one album with Mayall’s band — the 1966 classic ‘Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton’ — before leaving to form Cream. Clapton was later replaced in the Bluesbreakers by Peter Green. He later went on to co-found Fleetwood Mac along with Mayall’s bandmates McVie and Mick Fleetwood.
Other notable members of Mayall’s band included Jack Bruce, Andy Fraser from Free, Harvey Mandel from Canned Heat, Jesse Ed Davis, and Mick Taylor, who later joined the Rolling Stones with Mayall’s recommendation.
The singer Mick Jagger himself also talked about Mayall’s influence in a tribute on Wednesday. He wrote:
“So sad to hear of John Mayall’s passing. He was a great pioneer of British blues and had a wonderful eye for talented young musicians, including Mick Taylor – who he recommended to me after Brian Jones died – ushering in a new era for the Stones.”
You can see Clapton’s statement below.