From: WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote
Subject: Peter Green (was Re: Let's inject some blues into this thing)
Date: 18 Aug 92 20:12:53 GMT
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

In article <1992Aug18.135501.12123@ultb.isc.rit.edu>, whc2993@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
says:
>
>Can anyone list the names of the early Fleetwood Mac albums with Peter Green
>and whether they are still available.

Fleetwood Mac's first album is called simply "Fleetwood Mac" taken from the
last names of the drummer (Mick Fleetwood) and bass player (John McVie).  These
two apprenticed with John Mayall's Blues Breakers before joining forces with
Peter Green (Eric Clapton's replacement in the Blues Breakers) and Jeremy
Spencer (no relation to Lady Diana) to form a really kick-ass British blues
band.

The album cover is in subdued tones of blue and depicts a back alleyway
complete with trash cans and stray dog.  The British pressing has the picture
covering the complete 12"x12" surface while the American version ran a reduced
copy of the same picture surrounded by a pinkish border.

Each has the same number of tunes presented in the same order and shows off
some very stylish playing on the parts of all concerned.  Peter Green's "I
Loved Another Woman" features some of the eeriest guitar playing ever recorded
and, while paraphrasing an old Howlin' Wolf tune, forms the basis for Santana's
mega-hit "Black Magic Woman" (credited in its initial release to Santana's
organist Greg Rollie).

Jeremy Spencer's slide playing on "Shake Your Money Maker" and other tunes is a
delight adding a completeness to the guitar-heavy sound of the very blusey
early Fleetwood Mac.

Unfortunately I have never been able to locate this side on CD.  I have copies
of both the American and British LPs but would like to retire them in favor
of an optical disk.  Not much help?  Sorry.

The entire band also cut at least two albums with Eddie Boyd, an American piano
player with a gravely voice and rolling, boogie-woogie playing style that
meshed perfectly with his "blues brothers" from the other side of the pond.  I
never did see either of these albums in an American release and more's the pity
for they are both well worth hearing.

This first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac was one of many fine blues bands that
came out of the British Isles in the late sixties.  Others include Chicken
Shack whose guitarist listened to a LOT of Freddie King and whose pianist is
listed as Christine Perfect (she married John McVie and joined a later
incarnation of Fleetwood Mac), Love Sculpture with Dave "I Hear You Knockin'"
Edmunds on lead guitar, The Savoy Brown Blues Band featuring Kim Simmons on
lead guitar and whose first British album "Shake Down" is killer and not
generally available in the US, plus solo artist Chris Farlowe with a ballsy,
bluesy voice to make Stevie Winwood turn and take notice.

I am running out of memory at this point but hope that I have conveyed the
point that the late sixties British Blues scene was a rich, multi-faceted genre
responding to the more commercially viable product of the Beatles, the Hollies,
Herman' Hermits and others.  If you are not familiar with it, take some time,
do some homework and check it out.  If you're in Northern California, drop over
for some beers and blues.  Bring your axe and maybe we can pound out a few bars
of your favorites.

Brian Waugh                       |    "What's for dinner?"
WAUGH@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU    |   Chester Arthur Burnett
Newsgroups: rec.music.bluenote