Talk:Mike Bloomfield

Not an easy read at present. It's just a solid block of text without logical subdivisions. It could benefit from being split into, I'd suggest three sections (a) Early years (b)Heyday & (c) Decline. Have put this into my TODO list. --Rodhullandemu 03:09, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

Also, the article is rife with original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.244.137.86 (talk) 04:08, 26 January 2023 (UTC)

Mike Bloomfield – It 's Not Killing Me. [Colombia Records] 1969. <snipped>

• This album now has its own page, where this info now resides. --Rodhullandemu (Talk) 19:29, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

The sentences that discuss his work with Bob Dylan are confusing. It makes it sound like history contradicts that fact that Mike passed on touring with Dylan, because he played at Newport. It is my understanding that he played, impromptu, at Newport with Dylan and then declined to play on Dylan’s upcoming tour. Jared s 22 (talk) 19:25, 20 March 2008 (UTC)

I am concerned that the entire section about Bloomfield losing his guitar after a gig, although interesting to fans like myself, is really too particular to interest someone new to Bloomfield. It seems like this space could contain more essential biographical information important to someone reading about Bloomfield for the first time. However, if the guitar losing story is to stay, it should have a reliable reference or two to support it since, if it isn't accurate, it doesn't paint Bloomfield in the most positive light.

Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Robot433 (talk • contribs) 15:41, 19 August 2016 (UTC)

The original text was worded bizarrely, and I rewrote it. Original wording said to the effect his "tombstone resides in the Hillside Memorial Park" in California, which would mislead people into thinking it is a cenotaph. However, it is not. I reworded it to indicate his remains are interred in a crypt there, which is true. --SN 2020 May 8 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.58.51.190 (talk) 00:54, 9 May 2020 (UTC)

Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified one external link on Mike Bloomfield. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:

• Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20120828034645/http://www.mikebloomfield.com/bloomfield_chronicles_allen2.htm to http://www.mikebloomfield.com/bloomfield_chronicles_allen2.htm

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

This message was posted before February 2018. After February 2018, "External links modified" talk page sections are no longer generated or monitored by InternetArchiveBot. No special action is required regarding these talk page notices, other than regular verification using the archive tool instructions below. Editors have permission to delete these "External links modified" talk page sections if they want to de-clutter talk pages, but see the RfC before doing mass systematic removals. This message is updated dynamically through the template {{source check}} (last update: 5 June 2024).

• If you have discovered URLs which were erroneously considered dead by the bot, you can report them with this tool.
• If you found an error with any archives or the URLs themselves, you can fix them with this tool.

Cheers.—InternetArchiveBot (Report bug) 10:04, 14 December 2017 (UTC)

Previously in Michael's death section it stated he was found in his Mercedes. Changed it to Mercury. ZumaDangerBird (talk) 22:41, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

There is an error in the Death section. It says "No drugs were found in his system." This is incorrect. The coroner found Cocaine and Methamphetamine. The mystery is that those were drugs he was not known to use. He was a chronic insomniac and avoided uppers.

Someone is white-washing Mike's death by claiming no drugs were found. It was cocaine poisoning. I read a few online article that claim no drugs were found in his system - that was false. I happen know from the time of his death. Here's an article that correctly states it. It's from the local paper in Marin, where Mike lived:

https://www.marinij.com/2016/08/25/michael-bloomfields-mill-valley-lifestyle-detailed-in-new-bio/

"Nevertheless, on Feb. 15, 1981, his body was found slumped in a beat up 1971 Mercury Marquis parked on the street in the affluent Forest Hill neighborhood of San Francisco. The coroner concluded he died of cocaine and methamphetamine poisoning, drugs that Bloomfield, being a hot-wired insomniac, had never been known to use."

If this is changed back to "no drugs", it's false and the editor should be called out.

Shortened the first paragraph in the early years section. Cleared up the confusion of Harold starting his business career at such a young age. Switched the description of his mother from being an actor to an actress.ZumaDangerBird (talk) 23:57, 2 August 2020 (UTC)

Wrote that Michael married Susan Smith.ZumaDangerBird (talk) 23:16, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

In The Butterfield Blues Band section it previously said the Fickle Pickle was Michael's club. Corrected it by saying he ran a weekly showcase. The club was actually owned by Herman Fleishman.ZumaDangerBird (talk) 02:44, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

Added the years that Michael was in the groups to the headings of both sections.ZumaDangerBird (talk) 23:42, 3 August 2020 (UTC)

The discography lists a posthumous album titled "Between the Hard Place and the Ground" and says this is different from the 1979 album titled "Between a Hard Place and the Ground". I'm pretty sure this is backward -- I have the 1979 album and it's titled "Between the Hard Place and the Ground" (not "... a Hard ..._). But it has a _song_ called "Between a Hard Place and the Ground". Maybe there are other pressings of this album where the song and title name match and the album is really supposed to be called " ... a Hard", but I don't think so. Anybody else have any thoughts about this? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Psychlist (talk • contribs) 15:56, 24 May 2022 (UTC)

Was Son House also an influence on Mike Bloomfield? Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIrx3M5aLL0 76.190.213.189 (talk) 22:19, 2 March 2024 (UTC)

Michael Bloomfield played several guitars throughout his career that are not always listed.

At age 12, Bloomfield's first guitar was a Harmony acoustic. Although left-handed, he learned to play right-handed.

On his 13th birthday, he studied guitar with his mother's hairdresser, Tony Carmen, learning show tunes and jazz standards. Tony played a Les Paul Custom, which he would sometimes let Michael use.

At age 15, Michael acquired a Gibson ES-175 and a Gibson GA-20 amplifier.

After purchasing his ES-175, he also bought an updated version of Tony's Les Paul Custom: a three-pickup model with a Bigsby.

Alongside his 1954 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, he also played other Gibson guitars, including a 1956 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop with a Bigsby, a Gibson ES-345, and a Gibson SG Standard with a Bigsby that belonged to Sam Andrew.

Alongside his 1963 Fender Telecaster, which he played on Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," Bloomfield also owned a black Fender Stratocaster and another Telecaster—a 1966 model known as the "Blue Tele." In 2025, the "Blue Tele" was listed for sale and sold by Carter Vintage Guitars for $175,000. GuitarAStone (talk) 10:39, 14 December 2025 (UTC)

"In 1975 he recorded an album with the group KGB. The group's name is an acronym of the initials of singer and songwriter Ray Kennedy, Barry Goldberg and Bloomfield."

-- It would be helpful if someone added added entries on KGB (disambiguation) for Bloomfield's KGB band and KGB album. - ~~~ Marcus Rugman (talk) 07:30, 8 February 2026 (UTC)

Im fairly sure. It's known that prior to Mike Johnson's time with The Exkursions (1968 - 1970), Johnson played in the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He also played with Mike Bloomfield. Johnson was never a member of The Electric Flag, but he was asked to join prior to the group's formation in '68. It can be read here,
⦿ Michael Bloomfield An American Guitarist website - Michael Bloomfield Recollections, October 24, 2007 (link)
OK so we have a Mike Johnson in this here,
⦿ Discogs - Mike Bloomfield – Don't Say That I Ain't Your Man! Essential Blues 1964-1969 (link)
⦿ The booklet notes say,
Personnel:
Tracks 1-5 ~ John Hammond & Bob Morgan sessions
Michael Bloomfield: guitars & vocals; Charlie Musselwhite: harmonica; Mike Johnson: guitar; Sid Warner: bass; Norman Mayell: drums; Brian Friedman: piano
⦿ And here's some more below,
Mike Bloomfield Disko (Internet Archive)
“The Group” in a picture - Mike Johnson, guitar - Sid Warner, bass - Brian Freidman, piano - Norman Mayell, drums Michael Bloomfield, guitar - Charlie Musselwhite, harmonica, Picture title: "THE GROUP - in the Columbia Recording Studio, Chicago - Dec. 7, 1964", Photo ©: Mike & Patrick Shea - Page 38 (Link: see picture here)
Thanks Karl Twist (talk) 11:09, 2 March 2026 (UTC)