John Mayall known as the godfather of British blues has died. His influential band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton, as well as bassist John McVie and the drummer Mick Fleetwood, on their way to found Fleetwood Mac. He remained a “musician’s musician” for most of his career, eclipsed in name recognition by artists who had graduated from his famed blues academy.
The years of the mid-1960s, he said, “were a special period in British music history” – the foundation of all today’s rock. “Our source was all the American black music that Americans weren’t listening to,” he said. “People mention Eric Clapton, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, the Animals, the Rolling Stones: all these people came out of a small time period – four years. We were all so dedicated to where this music came from and the injustice of the fact that the blues was not appreciated in America. We were damned if we were going to let it go on being unnoticed.”
He was born 29 November 1933 7.30am Macclesfield, England, with a father who played the guitar in pubs. After army service in Korea and four years at Art college in Manchester he formed his first band and worked as a graphic designer.
He had an extraordinary chart with a restless and bubbling-with-initiative Cardinal Grand Cross of Uranus in his performing 5th (often found with rock musicians) opposition Jupiter square Pluto opposition Venus. Not short of confidence, drive – and charm. He also had an Earth Grand Trine of a Taurus Moon also in his performing 5th trine Mars in Capricorn trine Neptune; with creative, musical Neptune square his 1st house Sagittarius Sun. He was certainly a go-getter, and well grounded.
His two marriages ended in divorce and he is survived by six children, Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak and Samson, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
His creative 5th and 7th harmonics were strong not surprisingly, as was his giving-pleasure 9H; and his global influencer 22H.
He was a huge person on the planet.
Thank you John for helping open my ears and mind. Oh, and yeah, who needs a drum kit?
Asteroid Rocknroll squares his MH.
I remember seeing John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers a couple of times in the latter years in the 1960’s. He was seen as one of the great acts to see. As Marjorie states; such an innovative and searching time in Britain during the 1960’s. So many clubs for the different genres of music, Blues, Folk and Jazz then the burgeoning Rock scene – something that doesn’t appear to be around anymore.
Thank you for this chart, Marjorie. My mother was born the exact same day (a few hours earlier) and possesses all those gifts and talent. Except she went into opera. Julliard gave her a scholarship when she was a teenager, if that gives any idea of her level of talent. She’s still going strong.
RIP to the legend John Mayall!