Empty Rooms
Encyclopedia
Empty Rooms is a studio album
by blues musician John Mayall
, released in late 1969 on Polydor. It is a follow-up to the live album The Turning Point, released the previous year with the same musicians: Jon Mark on acoustic guitar, Johnny Almond on saxophones and flute, and Stephen Thompson on bass. John Mayall sings, plays harmonica, guitars and keyboards (including a moog synthesizer
). Former Canned Heat
bassist Larry Taylor
guests as second bass player on one track, "To a Princess," improvising with Thompson on an unusual bass duet. The absence of a drummer leaves the rhythm rather fluid and the resulting sound is unusual, even for a John Mayall album. The songs, all written by Mayall, mostly addressed his romance with photographer Nancy Throckmorton, a theme he would pursue further on USA Union
.
Empty Rooms was the only known set of studio recordings by the Turning Point lineup, which broke up shortly after the album was recorded. Larry Taylor, however, would join Mayall as one of three American musicians (electric guitarist Harvey Mandel
, also a former member of Canned Heat; and, electric violinist Sugarcane Harris would complete the new lineup) to join him for USA Union
.
and
Jon Mark and Johnny Almond would leave the group just after the recording of this album, to form the duo Mark-Almond
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by blues musician John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
, released in late 1969 on Polydor. It is a follow-up to the live album The Turning Point, released the previous year with the same musicians: Jon Mark on acoustic guitar, Johnny Almond on saxophones and flute, and Stephen Thompson on bass. John Mayall sings, plays harmonica, guitars and keyboards (including a moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
). Former Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
bassist Larry Taylor
Larry Taylor
Larry Taylor is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work as a member of Canned Heat from 1967. Before joining Canned Heat he had been a session bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee Lewis...
guests as second bass player on one track, "To a Princess," improvising with Thompson on an unusual bass duet. The absence of a drummer leaves the rhythm rather fluid and the resulting sound is unusual, even for a John Mayall album. The songs, all written by Mayall, mostly addressed his romance with photographer Nancy Throckmorton, a theme he would pursue further on USA Union
USA Union
USA Union is a 1970 album by blues musician John Mayall,featuring Harvey Mandel on guitar, Larry Taylor on bass and Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin...
.
Empty Rooms was the only known set of studio recordings by the Turning Point lineup, which broke up shortly after the album was recorded. Larry Taylor, however, would join Mayall as one of three American musicians (electric guitarist Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel is an American guitarist known for his innovative approach to electric guitar playing. A professional at twenty, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, and John Mayall before starting a solo career...
, also a former member of Canned Heat; and, electric violinist Sugarcane Harris would complete the new lineup) to join him for USA Union
USA Union
USA Union is a 1970 album by blues musician John Mayall,featuring Harvey Mandel on guitar, Larry Taylor on bass and Don "Sugarcane" Harris on violin...
.
Track listing
- "Don't Waste My Time" - 3:10
- "Plan Your Revolution" - 2:38
- "Don't Pick a Flower" - 3:53
- "Something New" - 4:40
- "People Cling Together" - 2:53
- "Waiting for the Right Time" - 5:36
- "Thinking of My Woman" - 2:29
- "Counting the Days" - 5:33
- "When I Go" - 4:46
- "Many Miles Apart" - 2:56
- "To a Princess" - 3:34
- "Lying In My Bed" - 4:21
Personnel
- John MayallJohn MayallJohn Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Jon Mark - guitar
- John Almond - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Larry TaylorLarry TaylorLarry Taylor is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work as a member of Canned Heat from 1967. Before joining Canned Heat he had been a session bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee Lewis...
- bass - Steven Thompson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and
- Engineer - Barry Ainsworth, Eddie KramerEddie KramerEdwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
, Eddy Offord, John Judnich
Jon Mark and Johnny Almond would leave the group just after the recording of this album, to form the duo Mark-Almond
Mark-Almond
Mark–Almond were an English band of the late 1960s and early 1970s, who worked in the territory between rock and jazz.In 1970 Jon Mark and Johnny Almond formed Mark-Almond...
.