"Bare Wires" is a studio album by John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, including guitarist Mick Taylor. Released in 1968, it showcases Mayall's evolving taste towards a more experimental approach. While it remains grounded in blues tradition, the album incorporated elements from jazz, psychedelia, and rock.
This album saw a shift in the band's structure, with Mayall mostly abandoning his traditional lineup (guitar, bass, drums plus Mayall on keyboards) to explore a flexible, brass-oriented direction. The album's title track is reflective of this new direction, with 22 minutes of complex score featuring a brass section arranged by Henry Lowther and Derek Wadsworth.
"Bare Wires" peaked at number 59 on the American Billboard 200 chart, a significant achievement given the experimental nature of the music. Despite its deviation from traditional blues, critics praise Mayall's innovation and risk-taking, considering it one of his best works.
It was Mayall's highest charting album to that date, reaching number 3 in the UK LP chart, mainly due to a heavy touring schedule across England and Europe. However, despite its success, it also marked the end of a line up from the Bluesbreakers as both drummer Aynsley Dunbar and bassist Tony Reeves decided to leave shortly after the release, leading to another significant shift in Mayall's music style.
