Track Listing

1. Oh Pretty Woman - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
2. Stand Back Baby - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
3. My Time After A While - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
4. Snowy Wood - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
5. Man Of Stone - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
6. Tears In My Eyes - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
7. Driving Sideways - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
8. The Death Of J.B. Lenoir - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
9. I Can Quit You Baby - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
10. Streamline - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
11. Me And My Woman - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
12. Checkin' Up On My Baby - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
13. Curly - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
14. Rubber Duck - John Mayall
15. Greeny - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
16. Missing You - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
17. Please Don't Tell - John Mayall, Mike Vernon, Gus Dudgeon, David Grinsted
18. Your Funeral And My Trial - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
19. Double Trouble - John Mayall, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
20. It Hurts Me Too - John Mayall, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
21. Suspicions - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Mike Vernon
22. Suspicions - John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11446 in Music
• Released on: 2007-09-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 78 minutes

Customer Reviews

Mayall's Golden Years - Part 3
I bought this on vinyl all those years ago, played it to death for months and promptly forgot about it! I remember thinking it was ever so slightly disappointing after the overwhelming brilliance of the Clapton and Green albums. Mick Taylor's playing was great but seemed slightly stilted compared to his illustrious predecessors. How wrong can you be! "Oh Pretty Woman" is the definitive version in my book, "Snowy Wood" is a guitar instrumental par excellence and Taylor's contribution is outstanding throughout. That's not to mention the tight brass section and Mayall's astonishing harmonica solo on "Checkin' Up on my Baby". Even Mayall's usually reedy voice achieves real passion on Buddy Guy's "My Time After Awhile" and shows remarkable sensitivity with his tribute "Death of JB Lenoir".
That's the original tracks 1-12. I'd really like to know who was responsible for what's been added here. If you expect a few outtakes or alternate versions you're likely to be disappointed. Most of the other tracks feature Peter Green and consist in the main of disposable instrumental workouts and an Aynsley Dunbar drum solo on "Rubber Duck". Not awful if you like British blues but what on earth are these tracks doing here? I'm still giving the record five stars though, it's that good.

Good but not Great
Third of the unintentional sixties Bluesbreakers trilogy comprising: "The Beano" (Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton) and "A Hard Road" (with Peter Green), "Crusade" continues with the same formula of covers of blues standards from the likes of Freddy King, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush, Sonny Boy Williamson combined with Mayall (and Mick Taylor) originals.
"Crusade" was part of Mayall's campaign to bring the blues to a wider audience back in 1967, coupled with the release of various singles in that year (featuring various line ups from this and the previous album) all to no avail although "Suspicions" did enter the top 40. Alas with the likes of Cream's classic psychedelic blues rock album "Disraeli Gears" and the Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut "Are You Experienced", Crusade's tired formula was over shadowed and did n't make me part with my money back then, as much as I tried to like it. Nevertheless "Crusade" reached a respectable number 8 in the UK album charts.
Yes I realise as a callow youth myself I was expecting too much from the 18 year old Mick Taylor, but as much as his technical ability and musical maturity belied his tender years, for me there was no comparison to Eric Clapton at age 21 and his blistering savage guitar work on the "Beano" or equally the beautiful melodic economy of the 23 year old Peter Green's playing on "A Hard Road" - what a difference a few years make! Mayall moved on from this formula with his next album - the jazz/blues fusion tinged "Bare Wires" - where Mick was able to stretch and grow (such as on the bonus track "Knockers Step Forward" instrumental).
But good music is not all about guitarists or individual band member contributions is it? The Bluesbreakers line up on "Crusade" was expanded with the addition of a horn section comprising Chris Mercer and Rip Kant, who added more colour and depth to the arrangements as well nice interplay with Mick's guitar work. All in all good songs, good ensemble playing and vocals but no magic or fire.
God knows what the "Hard Road" line up singles and rarities, featuring Peter Green, are doing here (probably would have been more suitable on the expanded version of "Hard Road" or a "Decca London Years" compilation), maybe it's because the more relevant singles and bonus tracks featuring Mick Taylor are now on "Bare Wires".

British Blues at it's best!
Re-release of Mayall's 1967 with lots of extra tracks, all of which have been available on cd before apart from Rubber Duck (Aynsley Dunbar's drum solo, which was on the "b" side of the 45rpm single Curly). A terrific band at the top of their form, and a stunning debut from 18 year guitarist Mick Taylor, who had a fluency and sound belying his tender years. Tracks 13-20 are from the line-up with Peter Green, so not quite sure why they appear here, but who is complaining when the music is so good!

This is an essential album for any lover of British blues.