John Mayhew
Encyclopedia
John Mayhew was the third drummer (as well as percussionist and vocalist) for the progressive rock
band Genesis
. He replaced previous drummer, John Silver
, in August 1969. He appears on the album Trespass
as well as the Genesis Archive 1967-75
box set. He was replaced in August 1970 by Phil Collins
.
with his brother Paul who was some ten years older. However his parents parted and John, who by then was in his teens, went with his father. After that he saw very little of his brother, who had remained with John's mother. He inherited his love of music from his mother, and played with bands in the Ipswich area, moving to the London scene in the late sixties. In early 2009 Paul Mayhew had begun a search for him, having not seen John for 18 years and having had little to do with him since the early 1970s.
, who was moving to Cornell University in the US to study leisure management.
Despite popular legend having it that he was recruited via the time-honoured method of an advert in the Melody Maker
Mayhew said in a 2006 interview that he was contacted by Mike Rutherford
after the bassist had found his phone number, which Mayhew had been leaving 'all over London.'
Come audition time the band, recalls keyboardist Tony Banks
, were impressed by Mayhew’s long-haired appearance and professionalism, as well as the fact that he brought his own drums with him. Mayhew apparently sealed the deal by performing an impressive drum roll around the kit, ending with a triumphant cymbal splash, which neither of his Genesis predecessors could have managed.
As well as being a professional musician, Mayhew was also handy with a tool kit and installed some proper panelling and seating in the band’s transport, a former bread delivery van.
There were some struggles between the working-class Mayhew and his public school-educated peers, who were between three and four years younger than him, but he said his time with Genesis was one of the 'one of the best years of my life.'
He famously earned himself a good-natured rebuke from his bandmates when, upon being offered a wage of £15 per week by new record company Charisma
(approximately £181 as of 2011), insisted that £10 was more than enough!
Nevertheless he stayed with the band for eleven months until he was dismissed in July 1970 to make way for a more creatively-minded drummer.
royalty cheque had gone unclaimed, and there was speculation that he was dead or missing. In 1982 he moved to Australia, where he eventually found work as a carpenter (he also became an Australian citizen). In 1989 he briefly returned to England to visit his ailing mother.
Strangely, Phil Collins would appear in a 1985 episode of Miami Vice
playing a con artist named Phil Mayhew. Whether or not this was an inside joke has never been revealed.
In 2006, he attended the Genesis Convention in London (along with Anthony Phillips
and Steve Hackett
), even playing drums for a tribute band's performance of "The Knife
" (from Trespass
).
His brother had believed he was living in New Zealand. It transpired that Mayhew had moved to Scotland some years previously and was working as a carpenter for a furniture company.
John was working in NZ as drummer certainly during 1979-80 He was drumming and recording with Kelly & Friend. He then went over to Australia.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
. He replaced previous drummer, John Silver
John Silver
Jonathan Silver was the second drummer for the English rock band Genesis. He replaced Chris Stewart in the summer of 1968 and appears on their first full length album, From Genesis to Revelation, and on the Genesis Archive 1967-75 box set...
, in August 1969. He appears on the album Trespass
Trespass (album)
Trespass is the second studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1970. Their last with guitarist Anthony Phillips, Trespass had a folk-flavoured progressive rock sound that was a marked departure from their earlier work....
as well as the Genesis Archive 1967-75
Genesis Archive 1967-75
Genesis Archive 1967–75 is a 1998 boxed set by progressive rock band Genesis.This set features live recordings and rarities from the band's classic years when Peter Gabriel was lead singer. The first two of the four discs consist of a previously unreleased live recording of The Lamb Lies Down on...
box set. He was replaced in August 1970 by Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
.
Career
Believed to have been born in 1947, he grew up in IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
with his brother Paul who was some ten years older. However his parents parted and John, who by then was in his teens, went with his father. After that he saw very little of his brother, who had remained with John's mother. He inherited his love of music from his mother, and played with bands in the Ipswich area, moving to the London scene in the late sixties. In early 2009 Paul Mayhew had begun a search for him, having not seen John for 18 years and having had little to do with him since the early 1970s.
Genesis
Mayhew joined Genesis in the summer of 1969 to replace departing drummer John SilverJohn Silver
Jonathan Silver was the second drummer for the English rock band Genesis. He replaced Chris Stewart in the summer of 1968 and appears on their first full length album, From Genesis to Revelation, and on the Genesis Archive 1967-75 box set...
, who was moving to Cornell University in the US to study leisure management.
Despite popular legend having it that he was recruited via the time-honoured method of an advert in the Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
Mayhew said in a 2006 interview that he was contacted by Mike Rutherford
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
after the bassist had found his phone number, which Mayhew had been leaving 'all over London.'
Come audition time the band, recalls keyboardist Tony Banks
Tony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
, were impressed by Mayhew’s long-haired appearance and professionalism, as well as the fact that he brought his own drums with him. Mayhew apparently sealed the deal by performing an impressive drum roll around the kit, ending with a triumphant cymbal splash, which neither of his Genesis predecessors could have managed.
As well as being a professional musician, Mayhew was also handy with a tool kit and installed some proper panelling and seating in the band’s transport, a former bread delivery van.
There were some struggles between the working-class Mayhew and his public school-educated peers, who were between three and four years younger than him, but he said his time with Genesis was one of the 'one of the best years of my life.'
He famously earned himself a good-natured rebuke from his bandmates when, upon being offered a wage of £15 per week by new record company Charisma
Charisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
(approximately £181 as of 2011), insisted that £10 was more than enough!
Nevertheless he stayed with the band for eleven months until he was dismissed in July 1970 to make way for a more creatively-minded drummer.
Post-Genesis
For many years Mayhew's post-Genesis life was a mystery to most fans. It was said that his TrespassTrespass (album)
Trespass is the second studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1970. Their last with guitarist Anthony Phillips, Trespass had a folk-flavoured progressive rock sound that was a marked departure from their earlier work....
royalty cheque had gone unclaimed, and there was speculation that he was dead or missing. In 1982 he moved to Australia, where he eventually found work as a carpenter (he also became an Australian citizen). In 1989 he briefly returned to England to visit his ailing mother.
Strangely, Phil Collins would appear in a 1985 episode of Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
playing a con artist named Phil Mayhew. Whether or not this was an inside joke has never been revealed.
In 2006, he attended the Genesis Convention in London (along with Anthony Phillips
Anthony Phillips
Anthony Edwin "Ant" Phillips is an English multi instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of the band Genesis. He played guitar and sang backing vocals until leaving in 1970, following the recording of their second album, Trespass...
and Steve Hackett
Steve Hackett
Stephen Richard Hackett is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist. He gained prominence as a member of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career...
), even playing drums for a tribute band's performance of "The Knife
The Knife (song)
The Knife is a song by progressive rock band Genesis from their second album Trespass from 1970. It was performed live often in the band's early days and has appeared sporadically in the band's setlists all the way up through 1982...
" (from Trespass
Trespass (album)
Trespass is the second studio album by Genesis and was recorded and released in 1970. Their last with guitarist Anthony Phillips, Trespass had a folk-flavoured progressive rock sound that was a marked departure from their earlier work....
).
Death
John Mayhew died of a heart-related condition on 26 March 2009.His brother had believed he was living in New Zealand. It transpired that Mayhew had moved to Scotland some years previously and was working as a carpenter for a furniture company.
John was working in NZ as drummer certainly during 1979-80 He was drumming and recording with Kelly & Friend. He then went over to Australia.