With 40 Albums, John Mayall’s Got the Mileage for a Long Haul

In “Always a Brand New Road,” a song on the latest album by John Mayall, the veteran British bluesman and bandleader sings, “I’ve built careers down through the years / Stood back and watched them take the credit / It might have made me a bitter man / But I’m much too strong to let it.”

The lyrics so succinctly describe Mayall’s 35-year recording career--which has helped launch those of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce and a slew of others--that it’s a bit of a shock to discover that he didn’t write them. They were crafted by two members of his current Bluesbreakers lineup, lead guitarist Buddy Whittington and drummer Joe Yuele.

Mayall says that song, from his “Padlock on the Blues” album, had to come from someone else.

“The words are so specific, it’s something I would never have dared to write,” said Mayall, a native of Manchester, England, who’s lived in the Los Angeles area since 1968. “My initial reaction was ‘Whoa, that’s a bit personal.’

“I didn’t know if I should be bragging or complaining,” he said. “But they both thought it was a pretty accurate summation of my career to this point.”

How does the 65-year-old musician, who’s released more than 40 albums since his 1964 debut, feel about the fame that’s greeted so many other musicians after they’ve left his fold?

“Recognition is coming slowly,” he said. “Well, John Lee [Hooker] turned a ripe old age before he got his proper due. I guess there’s this waiting list for blues people. But I really have nothing to complain about. I’ve always had the freedom to make my own music without any outside pressures, and my audience--although not massive--has been very loyal over the years.”

One reason for Mayall’s lack of sour feelings is that he keeps his focus on the present and the future--he’s released three albums in the last four years.

A documentary to be released soon, however, will give fans a full-length look into one chapter of Mayall’s past.

“The Turning Point” chronicles the making of Mayall’s 1969 album (of the same name) and tour. At a time in rock when wah-wah pedals and feedback were all the rage, Mayall’s acoustic-based, chamber-jazz-blues ensemble--featuring horns, flute and no drummer--was near-revolutionary.

“Castle Rock Entertainment is backing it, and, at least in England, they’re also planning to release two companion CDs,” Mayall said. “Back then, this lad named Peter Gibson shot all of this footage for a student film he was making. Well, it got lost in the shuffle and kinda disappeared--until now.

“I’m excited it’s resurfaced because I think it captures a very experimental period for me,” Mayall said. “Plus, it’ll feature some interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff that I think my hard-core fans will really enjoy.”