Eric Clapton's best-ever album? Maybe, this is the definitive album of the 1960s British R 'n' B scene. Eric Clapton has previously been with the Yardbirds but had left when the single For Your Love was released claiming that they had moved away from blues. The inclusion of Eric Clapton in guitar helped John Mayall reach a wider audience than the blues purists as Clapton had already established a reputation. Eric Clapton was added to the album's title to help give it broader commercial appeal. 

This tactic worked and the album reached number six in the UK despite the fact that the band had no hit single. 

The Bluesbreakers were the starting and maturing ground for many of Britain's greatest blues musicians. Aside from Mayall and Clapton, this album features Hughie Flint on drums and John McVie on bass. Both Clapton and McVie had left the band and rejoined before the album was recorded. However, Clapton had already departed for a second time by the time this album had been released, joining up with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce in Cream. (His replacement in the Bluesbreakers was Peter Green) However, many believe that Clapton's best-ever playing was on this album and the phrase "Clapton is god" started appearing on London walls around this time. And he was still only 21!

This album is the first time that Clapton sang lead on an album, taking the vocals on Robert Johnson's Ramblin' on My Mind. What'd I Say is the Ray Charles standard but with the addition of Clapton launching into Day Tripper following Flint's drum solo. Parchman Farm  was later issued as a single while I'm Your Witchdoctor (not on the album) was the Bluesbreakers only release on Immediate Records.

The CD release features both mono and stereo versions of the album. By the way, the album is frequently referred to as the Beano album as Clapton is reading a copy of the Beano comic on the cover. 

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton has been a major influence on countless guitarists and can certainly be counted as one of the defining albums of the electric blues sound.

Essential Tracks:

• Hideaway

• What'd I Say

• Parchman Farm

Track Listing:

1. All your Love
2. Hideaway
3. Little Girl
4. Another Man
5. Double Crossin' Time
6. What'd I Say
7. Key to Love
8. Parchman Farm
9. Have you Heard
10. Rambling on my Mind
11. Stepping Out
12. It Ain't Right