Broken Wings - John Mayall

Rock Trivia - What is the connection between Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and today's headline? 

My first, and most arduous task of every day here, is refilling the 'bird feeders' before I'm allowed anywhere near the Moth Trap. There is a real and genuine concern for birds here (unless you happen to be a Wood Pigeon or Pheasant - yum, yum) so much so that filling of the feeders is continuous and priority. Some idea of cost, 2 x tubs of Fat Balls £20 last 5 days while a 12.75Kg (28lb) sack of Seed (£10) lasts no more than 7 days.
After a warm, overcast night with one or two light showers there was great expectation as the trap was opened this morning. However, while the catch was a good one first out was not a Moth at all. Instead a

BROWN HAWKER DRAGONFLY

Something of an irony really as it, and others, have been flying around

the garden all week but, regardless a great deal of patience, none

were seen to perch.

Still docile from it overnight confinement, it remained photogenic

and despite a Broken Wing (left-fore) it flew off purposefully.
Other interest from the trap included

these 2

POPLAR HAWK-MOTHs

COPPER UNDERWING*

and

MAIDEN'S BLUSH
both additions to the Property List,

a few SIX-STRIPED RUSTIC

along with what is believed to be

COMMON WAINSCOT

For me the very best track from his (solo) Blues Alone album 1967,

Broken Wings - John Mayall OBE

while Kurt Cobain went a huge step further by stating it to be

"the best record I have ever heard".

Having been weened on Bill Haley, Presley, Jerry Lee, Little Richard et al in the 50's my first recollection of 'The Blues' was in 1960 when hearing the Howlin' Wolf recording of the Willie Dixon penned 'Spoonful' and, if my memory serves me, (coincidentally) The First Time I Met The Blues by Buddy Guy. What was to follow was a Christmas present from my mother of 'The Blues Collection Vol II' - that was IT! During the early 60's multi-instrumentalist John Mayall (along with others) brought to the masses what was to become known colloquially as 'White Blues' with his album 'John Mayall Plays John Mayall' (1965). There followed 2 fine albums featuring unarguable a pair of the best Axe Wielders this country has ever produced, 'Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton' and 'A Hard Road' with Peter Green now on lead guitar. Personally, my favourite remains the 1968 offering 'Blues From Laural Canyon' (where John later lived and suffered the greatest disaster of his life as a result of a 'wild fire') with Mick Taylor, tracks from which featured strongly the first time I saw 'The Man' at the 1969 Bath Blues Festival. While Alexis Corner was dubbed the 'Grandfather of British Blues', Mayall went on to be far more influential and now close to the age of 80 the realisation becomes what an honour it was to have meet one of my 'all time heros' back in 2009.

In memory of JB Lenoir.

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