John Mayall Massive Box Set Due: ‘Live Magic 1968-1993’

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British blues musician John Mayall performs live on stage in Amsterdam, Netherlands circa 1975. (Photo: Gijsbert Hanekroot; used with permission)

The “mad” team at Madfish are collaborating once again with the John Mayall estate for another box set celebrating the British blues giant’s remarkable career. The Second Generation: Live Magic 1968-1993 collects 30 previously unreleased concerts on 30 CDs, spanning a 25-year period. It will be released on March 7, 2025, and is available for pre-order in the U.S. here. 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. The complete list is below.

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.

The pack shot of 2025’s John Mayall live box set

The set also includes a large hardback book with many previously unseen photos plus a commemorative art print.

DISC 1 – Fillmore West, San Francisco – 9.2.68
1 – Dust My Broom
2 – So Many Roads
3 – I Can’t Sleep
4 – It`s My Own Fault
5 – Soul Of A Short Fat Man

DISC 2 – Newport Jazz Festival – 5.7.69
1 – The Laws Must Change
2 – Don`t Waste My Time
3 – California
4 – So Hard To Share
5 – Room To Move

DISC 3 – Aragon Ballroom, Chicago – 9.11.70
1 – Introduction
2 – You Must Be Crazy
3 – My Pretty Girl
4 – Hookers And Winos
5 – Crying
6 – Took The Car
7 – Possessive Emotions

DISC 4 – Konserthuset, Gothenburg – 12.4.72
1 – Driving Dangerously
2 – Mess Around
3 – Good Time Boogie
4 – Drum Solo
5 – That`s All Right
6 – Times Are Getting Tougher
7 – I Wish I Could Understand
8 – Baby What Do You Have To Lose
9 – Dry Throat

DISC 5 – Record Plant, Los Angeles -1.2.75
1 – Early In The Morning
2 – Step In The Sun
3 – Looks Like Love
4 – Mighty Tight Woman
5 – So Much To Do
6 – Taxman Blues
7 – When She Loves
8 – Room To Move
9 – St. James Infirmary
10 – Driving On / Band Introductions

DISC 6 – My Father`s Place, NYC – 3.10.76
1 – Introduction
2 – Gasoline Blues
3 – Play The Harp
4 – The Boy Most Likely To Succeed
5 – Room To Move
6 – Have You Ever Loved A Woman

DISC 7 – Pavillon de Paris – 23.5.79
1 – Tucson Lady
2 – California
3 – Dreamboat
4 – Separate Ways
5 – Gypsy Lady
6 – Parchman Farm
7 – Arizona Bound
8 – Bottom Line

DISC 8 – Paradise Club, Boston – 2.2.80
1 – Hideaway
2 – Road Show
3 – All Your Love
4 – Long Gone Midnight
5 – My Train Time
6 – Stormy Monday Blues

DISC 9 – Rolling Stone, Milan – 7.7.8
1 – Another Man
2 – Send Me Down To Memphis
3 – An Eye For An Eye
4 – So Many Roads
5 – Parchman Farm
6 – Talk To Your Daughter
7 – The Rock `n` Roll Kitchen
8 – Rock It In The Pocket
9 – Stormy Monday 10 – We Gotta Move (Keep On Rolling)
11 – Black Cat Moan
12 – Room To Move
13 – Baby, What You Want Me To Do?

DISC 10 – Gaz`s Rockin Blues, UK – 31.12.81
1 – Mardi Gras In New Orleans
2 – Blow Wind Blow (Gaz`s Rockin Blues
3 – Blues Jam 1 (Gaz`s Rockin Blues
4 – Bring It On Home To Me (Gaz`s Rockin Blues
5 – Blues Jam 2 (Gaz`s Rockin Blues
6 – Have You Heard (Gaz`s Rockin Blues

DISC 11 – Keystone Berkeley, CA – 16.1.82
1 – An Eye For An Eye
2 – Rock It In The Pocket
3 – Have You Heard
4 – Black Cat Moan
5 – My Time After Awhile
6 – The Stumble
7 – Oh, Pretty Woman
8 – Checkin` Up On My Baby
9 – Road Show (Keystone Berkeley
10 – Room To Move
11 – Happy Birthday

DISC 12 – Club Chevron, Melbourne – 1.2.82
1 – Introduction
2 – Oh, Pretty Woman
3 – Checkin` Up On My Baby
4 – My Time After Awhile
5 – Black Cat Moan
6 – The Dark Side Of Midnight
7 – The Stumble
8 – Road Show
9 – Ridin` On To Santa Fe

DISC 13 – Teatro Tenda, Padova – 14.12.82
1 – Introduction
2 – An Eye For An Eye
3 – Rock It In The Pocket
4 – Oh, Pretty Woman
5 – Have You Heard
6 – Little Baby
7 – The Stumble
8 – Italiano Style

DISC 14 – Teatro Tenda Padova – 14.12.82
1 – Checkin’ Up On My Baby
2 – You Never Can Be Trusted
3 – Lookin` For Willie
4 – I Should Know Better
5 – My Time After Awhile
6 – Catfish Blues

DISC 15 – Casino de Paris – 23.5.83
1 – Introduction
2 – Rock It In The Pocket
3 – Oh, Pretty Woman
4 – My Time After Awhile
5 – You Never Can Be Trusted
6 – Lookin’ For Willie
7 – The Stumble

DISC 16 – Casino de Paris – 23.5.83
1 – Catfish Blues
2 – Checkin’ Up On My Baby
3 – Italiano Style
4 – Sitting Here Alone
5 – The Dark Side Of Midnight
6 – Room To Move
7 – Ridin` On To Santa Fe

DISC 17 – Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach, CA – 5.4.84
1 – Checkin` Up On My Baby
2 – Introduction
3 – Streamline
4 – Get Me Some Dollars
5 – Ready To Ride
6 – Parchman Farm
7 – Italiano Style
8 – Dust My Blues
9 – I Can`t Quit You Baby
10 – Somebody`s Acting Like A Child
11 – Muddy Waters Blues
12 – Room To Move
13 – Rockin`… At The Tavern

DISC 18 – Coach House, San Juan Capistrano 28.4.84
1 – Streamline
2 – Get Me Some Dollars
3 – Have You Heard
4 – Parchman Farm
5 – I Want It
6 – 8000 Miles Drive

DISC 19 – Coach House, San Juan Capistrano 28.4.84
1 – Checkin` Up On My Baby
2 – Italiano Style
3 – Oh, Pretty Woman
4 – I Can’t Quit You Baby
5 – Catfish Blues
6 – Baby What You Want Me To Do
7 – Room To Move
8 – Band Introductions
9 – Rockin` … At The Coach House

DISC 20 – Maxim, Stuttgart 24.2.86
1 – Tuning Up
2 – Built For Comfort
3 – If You Ever Had The Blues
4 – Band Introductions
5 – All Your Love
6 – Little Girl
7 – Somebody`s Acting Like A Child
8 – Parchman Farm
9 – In My Mind
10 – Fly Tomorrow

DISC 21 – Town Pump, Vancouver – 17.9.86
1 – Standing On The Corner
2 – If You Ever Had The Blues
3 – Band Introductions
4 – Help Me
5 – Little Girl
6 – I Ain`t Got You
7 – Come Back Baby
8 – Our Love Will Be Through
9 – Look To The Clock
10 – Band Introductions

DISC 22 – Town Pump, Vancouver 17.9.86
1 – Woke Up This Morning
2 – Somebody`s Acting Like A Child
3 – Ridin’ On The L and N
4 – Checkin’ Up On My Baby
5 – In My Mind
6 – The Bear
7 – Room To Move / Layla Medley
8 – Band Introductions
9 – Looking Back

DISC 23 – Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia 6.6.87
1 – Dust My Broom
2 – An Eye For An Eye
3 – All Your Love
4 – Little Girl
5 – Help Me
6 – Red House

DISC 24 – The Catalyst, Santa Cruz 10.6.88
1 – Got To Find My Baby
2 – An Eye For An Eye
3 – Band Introductions
4 – All Your Love
5 – Ridin` On The L and N
6 – Oh, Pretty Woman
7 – Parchman Farm

DISC 25 – The Catalyst, Santa Cruz 10.6.88
1 – Checkin’ Up On My Baby
2 – Rolling With The Blues
3 – The Bear
4 – Wild About You
5 – You Don`t Love Me

DISC 26 – Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis 31.3.91
1 – Chicago Line
2 – I Want To Go
3 – Congo Square
4 – All My Life
5 – The Last Time
6 – Jacksboro Highway
7 – Sensitive Kind
8 – I Can`t Complain
9 – Black Cat Moan
10 – Dyin` Flu
11 – Room To Move

DISC 27 – Gaz`s Rockin` Blues, London 20.2.92
1 – John’s Slow Blues
2 – John`s R&B
3 – Wilf`s R&B In A
4 – Not At Home
5- Got My Mojo Working
6 – Cut it Out
7 – I Believe To My Soul
8 – Gaz`s Boogie Woogie
9 – The Last Time

DISC 28 – Town & Country Club, London 29.6.92
1 – Introduction
2 – Maudie
3 – I Want To Go
4 – Congo Square
5 – Chicago Line
6 – Blues For the Lost Days
7 – Movin` Groovin` Blues
8 – The Bear
9 – How Can You Live Like That?

DISC 29 – Town & Country Club,London 29.6.92
1 – The Break Of Day
2 – Nature`s Disappearing
3 – T.V. Mama
4 – Room To Move
5 – Band Introductions
6 – Get Me Some Dollars

DISC 30 – Tempodrom, Berlin 12.5.93
1 – Congo Square
2 – Wake Up Call
3 – Nature`s Disappearing
4 – I Could Cry
5 – Ain`t That Lovin` You Baby
6 – Maydell
7 – I`m Done With You

Mayall’s influence spread far beyond the confines of the blues scene. Inspired by renowned American blues players, his music career began while at art school playing with fellow student Peter Ward and other local bands. Following advice to move to London’s burgeoning British blues scene he immediately found an enthusiastic receptive audience. His own obsession with the blues found a natural home in clubs Marquee, The Flamingo, The Fillmore, The Scene and Klooks Kleek, all finding fertile proving grounds for Mayall’s style and various line-ups. His reputation quickly grew as he introduced upcoming exciting new talent into his Bluesbreakers line-ups. Throughout his musical career Mayall provided a springboard for musicians who would themselves move on to greater recognition in some of the world’s greatest bands – Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Taylor, and Peter Green, to name just a few. His ability to give opportunities to new artists earned him the nickname the Godfather of British Blues.