Late British blues legend John Mayall had an illustrious, decades-long career that lasted until he passed away in July of 2024. He was a one-man school of blues through which passed the likes of Eric Clapton and Fletwood Mac’s John McVie among others.
Now, reissue experts at Madfish Records are preparing a second, quite massive box set of John Mayall’s music. The Second Generation: Live Magic 1968-1993 collects 30 previously unreleased concerts on 30 CDs, spanning a 25-year period. The set follows the label’s 35-disc early years collection from 2021, The First Generation: 1965-1974.
The new collection features sound-desk and audience recordings capturing a host of line-ups with guitar legends Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout and Coco Montoya; drummers extraordinaire Keef Hartley, Mike Gardner and Colin Allen; bass supremos Larry Taylor, John McVie, Steve Thompson and horn maestros Blue Mitchell, Johnny Almond and Clifford Solomon all featured along with many more.
More from the label’s October 2024 announcement: Mayall’s influence and appeal was worldwide; the selection of recordings herein showcasing his timeless, singular sound. Captured from 30 incredible performances from cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, London, and more, the collection offers a comprehensive view of Mayall’s legendary live prowess.
This box set coincides with Mayall’s much-deserved and overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 and was approved and fully supported by the two-time Grammy nominee before his passing earlier this year. The Mayall estate also supplied two very special privately recorded shows for the set, both performances coming from Gaz Mayall’s legendary club night Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues in 1981 and 1982. The former features Alexis Korner and the latter is a rare example of John and his sons Gaz and Ben all appearing onstage together.
Madfish Records’ John Mayall box set will be released on March 7, 2025, and is available for pre-order here.
