JOHN MAYHEW

John Mayhew (27 March 1947 – 26 March 2009) was the third drummer for the progressive rock band Genesis. He replaced previous drummer John Silver in August/September 1969. He appears on the album Trespass as well as the Genesis Archive 1967-75 box set. He was replaced in July/August 1970 by Phil Collins.

Mayhew grew up in Ipswich with his brother Paul who was some ten years older. His parents parted and John, who by then was in his teens, went with his father. After that he saw very little of his brother, who had remained with John's mother. He inherited his love of music from his mother, and played with bands in the Ipswich area, moving to the London scene in the late sixties.

Despite legend saying Mayhew was recruited via an advert in Melody Maker, Mayhew said in a 2006 interview that he was contacted by Mike Rutherford after the bassist had found his phone number, which Mayhew had been leaving 'all over London.'^[2] The band was impressed by Mayhew’s long-haired appearance and professionalism, plus the fact he brought his own drums with him. As well as being a professional musician, Mayhew was also a carpenter. He installed proper panelling and seating in the band’s transport, a former bread delivery van, as well as building the cabinet for a home-made Leslie speaker that would often grind to a halt during live performances.^[3]

He famously earned himself a good-natured rebuke from his bandmates when, upon being offered a wage of £15 per week by new record company Charisma (approximately £181 as of 2011), insisted that £10 was more than enough. Mayhew stayed with Genesis until his dismissal in July 1970. He was replaced by Phil Collins.^[4]

John moved to Australia in 1982 and found work as a carpenter and briefy returned in 1989 to visit his ailing mother. John returned permernantly in [date required] to live in Scotland.

In 2006, he attended a Genesis convention in London and played drums for a tribute band's performance of The Knife.

John was working as a carpenter for a furniture company but died of a heart condition in [place required] in Scotland on 26 March 2009, the day before his 62nd birthday

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