Gypie Mayo
born on 24/7/1951 in Hammersmith, West London, England, United Kingdom
died on 23/10/2013
Gypie Mayo
Gypie Mayo |
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Gypie Mayo (born John Phillip Cawthra; 24 July 1951 23 October 2013)[1] was an English guitarist and songwriter, playing in Dr. Feelgood from 1977 to 1981, and from 1996 to 2004 in the reborn Yardbirds with Alan Glen.[2]
Early career
Mayo was born in Hammersmith, London on July 24 1951. At an early age, he listened to the classical music his father played while at home. Later, he heard "Apache" by The Shadows and enjoyed the record. However, it was when Mayo saw the group on television with their Fender Stratocasters that he became passionate.
I was instantly hooked. I bought all their records etc. aged 10-11. Then the Beatles happened and the whole music thing changed. At about this time I acquired a cheap Russian made acoustic (1964) and taught myself Beatles/Stones etc. songs. I chose the guitar 'cos I'd always been fascinated with its sounds + looks ever since becoming a Shadows freak. —Gypie Mayo, May 1997 [3] |
After being expelled from school, Cawthra began using the performing name of Mayo and worked in a printing shop before joining the blues band White Mule in 1969. The band stayed together for about a year and played all over the United Kingdom, along with gigs in Switzerland and France. They released a single on MCA Records which was produced by Mike Leander. After White Mule, Mayo played in various rock line-ups during the early to mid-1970s including Halcyon, 747 and Alias. He also was part of an Irish traditional band called Concrete Mick where he played the mandolin before becoming Wilko Johnsons replacement in Dr Feelgood.
With Dr. Feelgood
Mayo had been relatively unknown until early 1977 when he replaced Wilko Johnson in Dr. Feelgood, although Henry McCullough had temporarily stood in when Johnson left.[4] He was known as John Mayo until, having suffered several minor ailments, Dr. Feelgood's Lee Brilleaux said "you've always got the gyp" and the nickname stuck.[5]
Mayo played with Dr. Feelgood for four years and on six albums (Be Seeing You, Private Practice, As It Happens, Let It Roll, A Case of the Shakes and On The Job).[4] He co-wrote the Feelgood's only UK Top 10 single "Milk and Alcohol" with Nick Lowe, and played on four of the five other Dr. Feelgood singles to have appeared in the UK Singles Chart ("She's A Wind Up", "Down at the Doctors", "As Long As The Price is Right" and "Put Him Out of Your Mind"); the only Feelgood single to have charted without him, being "Sneakin' Suspicion".[6]
Later career
Mayo's guitar work was featured on the Yardbirds' 2003 album, Birdland.
He lived in Bath, Somerset, where he played in several bands, taught guitar, and made guest appearances on albums such as Pete Gage's Tough Talk.
On 23 October 2013, it was announced that Mayo had died at the age of 62. News of Mayo's death broke, when former Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson posted a message on his Facebook page stating: "Very sad to hear Gypie Mayo passed away this morning..RIP Gypie."[7]
References
- Q&A session at Dr. Feelgood's official website. Drfeelgood.com. Retrieved on 2008-11-03.
- By Laura_Trem. Dr Feelgood guitarist Gypie Mayo from Bath dies. Bath Chronicle. Retrieved on 2013-10-23.
- DR FEELGOOD - Gypie Mayo Questionnaire. Drfeelgood.de. Retrieved on 2013-03-19.
- 4.0 4.1 Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography, 5th, p. 290292, Edinburgh: Mojo Books.
- Moon, Tony (2002). Down By The Jetty - The Dr Feelgood Story, 2nd, Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing Ltd..
- Moon, Tony (2002). Down by the Jetty - The Dr Feelgood Story, 2nd, p. 124125, Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing Ltd..
- http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/23/gypie-mayo-dies-yardbirds-dr-feelgood
External links
- Concert photographs @ Musicpictures.com
- Photographs from BBC Radio 2 recording session @ Note-music.co.uk
Dr. Feelgood | |
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Robert Kane P H Mitchell Kevin Morris Steve Walwyn Lee Brilleaux Wilko Johnson John B Sparks The Big Figure John 'Gypie' Mayo Johnny Guitar Buzz Barwell Pat Mc Mullen Gordon Russell Dave Bronze Pete Gage | |
Studio albums | Down by the Jetty Malpractice Sneakin' Suspicion Be Seeing You Private Practice Let It Roll A Case Of The Shakes Fast Women and Slow Horses Doctor's Orders Mad Man Blues Brilleaux Primo The Feelgood Factor On The Road Again Chess Masters Speeding Thru Europe Repeat Prescription |
Live albums | Stupidity As It Happens On The Job Live In London Stupidity Plus (Live 1976-1990) Down At The Doctors Live at the BBC 1974-75 BBC Sessions 1973 - 1978 Down at the BBC: In Concert 1977-78 |
Compilation albums | Casebook Case History - The Best of Dr. Feelgood Singles - The UA Years Looking Back Twenty Five Years of Dr. Feelgood Centenary Collection (The Best Of Dr. Feelgood) Singled Out - UA/Liberty As, Bs & Rarities Finely Tuned The Complete Stiff recordings 2CD |
Singles | "Roxette" "She Does It Right" "Back in the Night" "Roxette" (live) "Sneakin' Suspicion" "She's A Wind Up" "Baby Jane" "Down at the Doctors" "Milk and Alcohol" "As Long As The Price is Right" (live) "Put Him Out of Your Mind" "Hong Kong Money" "No Mo Do Yakamo" "Jumping From Love to Love" "Violent Love" "Waiting For Saturday Night" "Trying To Live My Life Without You" "Crazy About Girls" "Dangerous" "My Way" "Don't Wait Up" |
The Yardbirds |
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John Idan Ben King Chris Dreja Billy Boy Miskimmin Jim McCarty |
Keith Relf Paul Samwell-Smith Top Topham Eric Clapton Jeff Beck Jimmy Page Rod Demick Ray Majors Laurie Garman Alan Glen Gypie Mayo |
Discography |
Studio albums: Roger the Engineer Little Games Blue Eyed Blues Birdland |
Live albums: Five Live Yardbirds Sonny Boy Williamson and The Yardbirds Live Yardbirds: Featuring Jimmy Page Blueswailing '64 Yardbirds Reunion Jam Vol II Live At B.B. King Blues Club |
Compilations: For Your Love Having a Rave Up The Yardbirds Greatest Hits BBC Sessions Ultimate! |
Songs: "I Wish You Would" "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" "Boom Boom" "For Your Love" "Heart Full of Soul" "My Girl Sloopy" "Evil Hearted You" "I'm a Man" "Train Kept A-Rollin'" "Shapes of Things" "Over Under Sideways Down" "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" "Little Games" "Ha Ha Said the Clown" "White Summer" "Ten Little Indians" "Goodnight Sweet Josephine" "Think About It" "Dazed and Confused" |
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This article uses material from the article Gypie Mayo from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.