Gypie Mayo

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]

Gypie Mayo
Birth nameJohn Phillip Cawthra
Born(1951-07-24)24 July 1951
Hammersmith, London, England
Died23 October 2013(2013-10-23) (aged 62)
GenresRock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
InstrumentsGuitar
Associated actsDr. Feelgood, The Yardbirds

Early career

Mayo was born in Hammersmith, London on 24 July 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 Johnson's 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 was "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]

gollark: I meant what the "moderative actions" are.
gollark: No, I mean the "no telling people what they are".
gollark: There goes the "this seems kind of wrong" again...
gollark: Sure, why not.
gollark: Good to know. Could you actually give me it, though?

References
  1. "Q&A session at Dr. Feelgood's official website". Drfeelgood.com. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  2. Laura_Trem. "Dr Feelgood guitarist Gypie Mayo from Bath dies". Bath Chronicle. Archived from the original on 24 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  3. "DR FEELGOOD – Gypie Mayo Questionnaire". Drfeelgood.de. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  4. Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 290–292. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  5. Moon, Tony (2002). Down by the Jetty – The Dr Feelgood Story (2nd ed.). Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing Ltd. p. 60. ISBN 1-900711-15-X.
  6. Moon, Tony (2002). Down by the Jetty – The Dr Feelgood Story (2nd ed.). Borden, Hants: Northdown Publishing Ltd. pp. 124–125. ISBN 1-900711-15-X.
  7. "Gypie Mayo dies aged 62". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
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