Iconic blues guitarist John Mayall is set to burn up the Lake Stage this Saturday as one of the headliners of the 12th annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival.
In a phone interview from Los Angeles, Mayall said he and his new collection of band mates go where the audience is, and they have that right here in the Lower Mainland.
"Every time we play in Canada, the reaction has been really terrific," Mayall explained. "I really enjoy playing there."
"Vancouver over the years has been one of our main circuits."
Mayall has just wrapped up touring across Europe and started his Canadian shows early August in Kelowna, Nelson, Castlegar, Edmonton, Kitchener and Gravenhurst with a few pit stops in the U.S. before embracing Burnaby on Aug. 13.
"We travel so much," he added. "But travelling from A to B is the hard part. Getting on stage is easy."
"That's what we do." Mayall said he mostly plays at blues festivals wherever he can because he finds every experience worthwhile - from the attendees to fellow performers.
"Blues festivals are wonderful," he said. "You get to address a large audience and unite with other musical people from over the years."
Mayall was surprised when the Burnaby NOW informed him that he'll be a headliner with fellow icon k.d. lang.
"They never really tell us who we'll be playing with, it's a nice surprise," he said. "That'll be interesting. I never met her (k.d. lang) before."
When asked what inspired Mayall after a successful 40-plus-year career, he compared the work of being a musician with the like of being a painter.
"Music is like painting, you get inspired by the music itself," Mayall explained. "It's a form of self-expression."
The legendary guitarist was born Nov. 29, 1933 in Macclesfield, England, near Manchester. His guitarist father's extensive jazz record collection is responsible for drawing Mayall into the musical world.
After attending art college, spending three years with the British Army in Korea, and working as a graphic designer, Mayall finally dived into performing music when he was 30.
Around this time, Mayall was part of the leading components of the British Blues Boom in the late 1960s.
He soon formed the famous Bluesbreakers and eventually met Eric Clapton, which led to the band's first hit album and worldwide recognition.
Mayall's sidemen have included Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce (who would later leave to form Cream); Mick Fleetwood, who left to form Fleetwood Mac; and Mick Taylor, who joined the Rolling Stones shortly after moving on from Bluesbreakers.
In 2008, he disbanded the Bluesbreakers - although not retiring himself from the touring circuit.
Mayall, whom Clapton once described as running "an incredibly great school for musicians," said his advice to fledgling guitarists looking to make it a career is to stay true to themselves.
"My suggestion is don't play like anybody else. Put your own sound in there. Be honest with yourself and stay true to yourself. It's also all about being at the right place at the right time, it's luck. Start with what you know and be your own self-expression."
But to him, the process of creating music is still fresh.
"I feel lucky when people find and appreciate my music. I love the opportunity to make records and go out and confront people after. I'll be here as long as that is there."
Mayall will be playing from 7: 10 to 8: 25 p.m., with k.d. lang (the final act) following from 8: 45 to 10 p.m. at the Lake Stage.
For more information and tickets, visit www.burnabybluesfestival.com.
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 604-205-3000.
