Blues Breakers, colloquially known as The Beano Album, is the debut studio album by the English blues rock band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, originally credited to John Mayall with Eric Clapton. Produced by Mike Vernon and released in 1966 by Decca Records (UK) and London Records (US), it pioneered a guitar-dominated blues-rock sound.
After the release of the Mayall's first album, the live John Mayall Plays John Mayall, Eric Clapton joined the group as the lead guitarist. Mayall originally intended for his second album to be also a live one in order to capture the guitar solos performed by Clapton. A set was recorded at the Flamingo Club, with Jack Bruce (with whom Clapton would subsequently work in Cream) on bass. The recordings, however, were of bad quality and were not used, although one song, "Stormy Monday" was included on Mayall's retrospective Looking Back (1969).
With the original plan of a live album now discarded, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers recorded Blues Breakers at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London in May 1966. The guitar that Eric Clapton used during these sessions was a sunburst 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard with two PAF humbucking pickups. This guitar was stolen in 1966; its whereabouts remain unknown. However, blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa claims to have been told the guitar is in a private collection in the eastern United States. Bonamassa also asserts that the guitar is a 1959 rather than 1960 model. The guitar became known as the "Blues Breaker" or "Beano" Les Paul and a replica was issued by Gibson in 2012. Critics consider Clapton's guitar tone and playing on this album to be influential in the artistic and commercial development of rock-styled guitar playing.
The band on this album includes Mayall on piano, Hammond organ, harmonica, and most vocals; bassist John McVie; drummer Hughie Flint; and Clapton. Augmenting the band on this album was a horn section added during post-production, with Alan Skidmore, Johnny Almond, and Derek Healey.
The album is often called The Beano Album by fans because of its cover photograph showing Eric Clapton reading The Beano, a British children's comic. Clapton stated in his autobiography that he was reading The Beano on the cover because he felt like being "uncooperative" during the photo shoot. David Wedgbury took the photograph near the Old Kent Road.
Blues Breakers
John Mayall – vocals, piano, organ, harmonica
Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals on "Ramblin' on My Mind"
John McVie – bass guitar
Hughie Flint – drums
Horn section on tracks 7, 9, 11
Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone
Johnny Almond – baritone saxophone (also on track 5)
Derek Healey – trumpet
1. All Your Love 3:37
2. Hideaway 3:17
3. Little Girl 2:37
4. Another Man 1:46
5. Double Crossin’ Time 3:03
6. What’d I Say 4:29
7. Key To Love 2:06
8. Parchman Farm 2:24
9. Have You Heard 5:57
10. Ramblin’ On My Mind 3:10
11. Steppin’ Out 2:30
12. It Ain’t Right 2:42
