BLUES BREAKERS MONO LP REVIEW

My article discussing this landmark 1966 British blues album and Sundazed’s recent mono reissue is now on-line at Michael Fremer’s MusicAngle.com. Included is a brief history of the role Eric Clapton played in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers band and how the various pressings compare for this often preferred mono mix.

(Photographer: Unknown. Layout: John Mayall)

Update 6/4/12: My article did not make the transition when MusicAngle switched to AnalogPlanet, but is still available here.

Sundazed was less than pleased with my review (see below), but that doesn’t bother me in the least. I don’t receive free records, and I don’t accept advertising on my blog, so I am not obliging to anybody. I tell it like I hear it, and I do not have an agenda. That said, Sundazed’s reissue of Gene Clark’s Roadmaster belongs in everyone’s collection. My system and listening preferences are listed at the bottom of this page.

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Beano In Mono – On Vinyl Again

Blues Breakers (reissue)
John Mayall with Eric Clapton
Sundazed LP5371 Mono 180g LP
Produced by: Mike Vernon
Engineered by: Gus Dudgeon
Mixed by: Gus Dudgeon and John Mayall
Mastered by: Bob Irwin
MUSIC: 10
SOUND: 6

The Mono LP of Blues Breakers on Sundazed – Was It Worth the Wait?

By Randy Wells
February 20th, 2012

When Eric Clapton left The Yardbirds on March 13, 1965, he helped change the course of both British rock and blues. The Yardbirds got a replacement lead guitarist in Jeff Beck (and later Jimmy Page), who lent a rawer early psychedelic beat to that group’s influential rock sound. And John Mayall got Clapton, who introduced a groundbreaking electric guitar tone to the British blues. With future Fleetwood Mac founding member John McVie on bass and Hughie Flint on drums, Mayall and Clapton produced an album of searing 12-bar Chicago blues standards and improvisations that was mixed to mono on April 2, 1966.

Blues Breakers was intended to be a live album, and essentially it was. The recording happened over three days at the small Decca Studio 2 in London engineered by the late Gus Dudgeon, who worked with Elton John on his classic albums. Produced by Blue Horizon label founder Mike Vernon, this record became one of the most influential British blues albums ever. Principal among its influences is the style and character of Clapton’s electric guitar sound.

Combining a ’59 Gibson Les Paul Standard (a choice inspired by bluesman Freddie King), an overdriven ’65 Marshall Model 1962 KT66 tubed amplifier, and a Dallas Rangemaster treble booster, the then 21-year old Clapton produced a thick rich tone that became synonymous with blues-rock guitars for decades to come. In fact, so innovative was Clapton’s playing with this band that it inspired London graffiti that labeled him with the famous slogan “Clapton is God.”

“The whole plan was to make that record as live-sounding as we possibly could, and in those days that was not easy, because there were so many restrictions in terms of the way people used to do things,” says Vernon. “I think all the solos, with the possible exception of ‘Steppin’ Out’, were done live. You can actually tell they were, because the drums suffer as a result of it. There was an enormous amount of guitar on the drums. The studio wasn’t very big — it was big enough, but nobody had had to deal with a band making that kind of noise.”

Mayall was thrilled with his new addition and gave Clapton free reign to introduce his revolutionary guitar technique and “up-front” presentation on record. But by the time this album was released in mono three months later on July 22, 1966, Clapton was gone, leaving to find international acclaim with the first rock “supergroup” Cream, then later shunning the spotlight with Derek & the Dominos and Blind Faith, and finally achieving mainstream stardom going solo.

“Beano” – a name given to the album because of the comic book that Clapton is seen holding on the cover – did not receive a stereo mix until September 14, 1966, nearly two months after the initial mono release of the album (Decca LK4804). The stereo version (Decca SKL4804) would not be released in the UK until December 1969. In the USA, both the mono and stereo albums were released on the London label in early 1967 but failed to chart. In the UK, “Beano” went all the way to #6 and remained a staple on the British airwaves for some 17 weeks.

In retrospect, this album deserves its iconic status not only for its presentation, but for the music it brought to light. From the opening guitar riffs of the very first song, Willie Dixon/Otis Rush’s “All Your Love” to the Mayall tune “Have You Heard” there’s no mistaking what’s on tap. British white boys playing the blues with surprisingly deep understanding and feeling. Clapton and Mayall worked together to elevate the music above the usual British fare to something that not only remained authentic to its African-American roots but also gained a unique emotional authority.

Tunes like “Hideaway”, a Freddie King/Sonny Thompson instrumental, are rendered with unstoppable momentum. Clapton’s fat guitar sound is front and center with lots of power and drive. And when Clapton’s rips it up on “Double Crossing Time” it’s hard not to be inspired even today. This collaborative tune was reportedly written about the earlier departure of Jack Bruce from the band.

Ray Charles’ “What I Say” is an enjoyable romp as played by the Blues Breakers (dig that “Day Tripper” riff and pre-Cream drum solo). “Parchman Farm” written by Mose Allison features a Mayall acoustic harp performance that bounces off the studio walls. Clapton even recorded his first solo lead vocal performance on Robert Johnson’s “Ramblin’ On My Mind,” a song that would become a signature for him in future years.

Picking between the mono and stereo mix is made easier when you consider what Mayall intended. It’s never going to be a full-blown audiophile experience, but Mayall has said that the dedicated mono mix is the way this record should be heard. It’s hard to disagree when you consider that the mono version with its built-in compression sounds punchier, more solid, and better focused than the stereo mix.

The mono rendition comes across as more raw and energetic, sounding more like the urban blues it draws its inspiration from. The stereo mix has the advantage of being aurally smoother, but it seems a bit too clean and clinical in comparison. The advantage is greater instrumental separation and more distinct bass on the stereo album. It’s also less bright and better balanced overall. Interestingly, early stereo masterings have a false start on the song “Parchman Farm.”

Sundazed chose to reissue this hugely influential cornerstone to the British blues last year and reportedly used the “UK mono masters.” Sundazed has made this mono release available in both LP and CD formats, making it highly anticipated. The mono LP has not been previously available for decades, and the superb 2009 Audio Fidelity Mono Gold CD recently went out-of-print.

As good as the mono mix is (fidelity issues not withstanding), the Sundazed reissue falls a bit short of the very best masterings of this mono recording. It’s much better than the harsh and one-dimensional 1998 Mono/Stereo CD mastered by Jon Astley (what isn’t), and it’s a significant improvement over the 2006 40th Anniversary 2-disc Deluxe Edition mono CD, which at least has some midrange and was reportedly remastered from the original master tapes by Paschal Byrne. But it doesn’t quite sonically stand up to the original LPs or the recent Audio Fidelity Gold CD. Back to Black advertised a Universal LP a few years ago with the entire mono album on side one, but I’ve never heard it.

Granted, this reissue by Sundazed is being sold for less than $20, and you get a brand new record, so there’s really nothing to complain about. At the same time, I do feel there’s room in this article to describe how it compares to what’s been done before and what spending more can bring you.

In contrast to the best masterings, the Sundazed mono reissue (Note: I’m speaking of the LP here) has reduced dynamics, a polite and laid-back treble, a drier mid-range, and a fairly flat soundstage. There’s a bit of air around the vocals, but apparent depth is truncated. The upside is the vinyl surfaces on the LP are essentially silent with just a few ticks, bass is tight, and this pressing never sounds harsh or bright. But for me, it simply doesn’t rock as hard as the originals.

Even though its labels replicate the original US London red label mono album (LL 3492), the Sundazed LP only approximates that earlier vinyl’s presentation, which has a deeper and wider soundstage, livelier presence, and more cleanly and realistically rendered drums, guitars, and vocals. Unlike the Sunazed reissue, the cymbals on the London can be a little splashy at times, the vocals can verge on hardness, and the bass is diffuse and somewhat buried in the mix, but this original is ultimately a more engaging, toe-tapping listen.

The Audio Fidelity 24 Karat Gold CD/HDCD in mono (AFZ 056) is even better. It has the best mid-range of any mono CD of this title I’ve heard, which for me is critical for this album’s enjoyment. Vocals are realistically textured with less high frequency emphasis compared to the London LP, while at the same time being somewhat recessed. Drums and guitar are very convincing. Best of all, the bass reproduction is perhaps the most fully realized of all – taught, deep, and well integrated in the mix.

As good as the AF CD is, it still lacks the ultimate realism present on the 1A/1A lacquer cut UK Decca mono LP (LK 4804). This unboxed red label original Decca pressing has an involving life-like purity that the others only come close to. There is no harshness whatsoever. Vocals are you-are-there real. The soundstage is deep and wide. Drums are rendered with clarity and realism. Cymbals sound detailed and natural. Guitar, harp, and organ are reproduced in all their complexity, and the subtle harmonic variations in Clapton’s tone are easily heard. This is the mastering that sounds most like a band playing in the room.

On the very best Blues Breakers mono masterings everything is smooth and balanced, but there remains an “aliveness” to the music that sucks you in. Yes, it’s still a rather simple mono mix so it blends together a bit, but every instrumental line can be followed without effort. You can hear deeper into the mix. In essence, the improved resolution brings you closer to the performance, and isn’t that what it’s all about? Negatives? The bass continues to be lumpy and somewhat diffuse even on the original UK LP. And, oh, here’s the real bummer… This rare British pressing sells for well over $100 today in excellent condition. Fortunately the 1A/1A matrix can often be found on later “boxed” Decca label mono pressings at lower prices and in usually better condition.

After Blues Breakers, Mayall remained true to the blues and went on to enlist such talents as Peter Green (future Fleetwood Mac) on his next album, A Hard Road. Mick Taylor (future Rolling Stones) would take Green’s place on the follow up called Crusade. But Mayall’s first pairing with Clapton was arguably his greatest and resulted in his best-known album today. Not only is this the landmark British blues album, it is one of the ultimate guitar player’s records of all time. Heck, it’s even said a guitarist named Jimi Hendrix was inspired by it. Be sure and check out Sundazed’s mono offerings for Mayall’s two later releases as well.

-Randy Wells

Michael Fremer’s Viewpoint

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Listening Preferences:

I tend to like a more “vintage sound” with excellent midrange presence and believability. I‘m not a big fan of squeezing more detail out of a mastering at the expense of musicality and listenability. While ideally I wish to hear a balanced presentation that does not emphasize bass, midrange or treble, I will take a natural, warm and liquid sound over something that is analytical, cold and dry. A bright or hard sounding remaster that cannot be cranked up in volume is simply not my cup of tea. If you have similar preferences, then you will probably find my reviews helpful, if not – well at least you know what to expect. My goal with all music/sound reviews, while inherently subjective, is to remain as objective as possible and base my observations on thorough research and in-depth comparisons. – RW

My System