John Mayhew

John Mayhew (27 March 1947 – 26 March 2009) was an English musician, best known for his brief tenure as the drummer of the progressive rock band Genesis. He replaced the band's previous drummer, John Silver, in August 1969, and was himself replaced in August 1970 by Phil Collins. Mayhew appears on the album Trespass, as well as the Genesis Archive 1967-75 and Genesis 1970–1975 box sets. Early years 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, such as 'The Clique' and 'The Epics'. He moved to the London scene in the late sixties, where he joined another band, 'Milton's Finger', and recorded a few songs, two of which (Jenny's mother / Love of my life) ended up on an acetate 7". Ex- 'Clique' and 'Epics' member Tony Coe who was with Geno Washington at that time, remembers him jumping out of a van in Dean Street, London and saying he was with this new band 'Genesis' who were playing at Ronnie Scott's (upstairs) for £40. Genesis Mayhew joined Genesis in the summer of 1969 to replace departing drummer John Silver, who enrolled at Cornell University in the US to study leisure management. 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'. 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. 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 £142 as of 2016), insisted that £10 was more than enough. Mayhew stayed with Genesis until his dismissal in July 1970. He was replaced by Phil Collins.