Kiln House

***Kiln House*** is the fourth original album by Fleetwood Mac, released on September 18th 1970. It was their first release after the departure of their founder Peter Green. It was also their only album (the collaborative effort Blues Jam at Chess notwithstanding) on which both Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan actively took part as Spencer had not featured on the preceding album Then Play On. It is also the group's last original album not to feature Christine McVie as a full group member until Say You Will (2003).

## Background

After Green's departure, the band's drummer/namesake Mick Fleetwood assumed leadership and persuaded his colleagues to move in together communally along with their wives and children. Fleetwood was by now engaged to Jenny Boyd (whose sister Pattie was married to George Harrison at the time), and bassist John McVie to former Chicken Shack singer/pianist Christine Perfect (who from now on would work under her married name of Christine McVie) while Spencer and Kirwan were both married with young children. The home chosen was Kiln House near Alton in Hampshire. This not only provided the album with its title but the model for the cover artwork, drawn by Christine McVie.

## Content

Most of the lead vocals were handled by Spencer who had moved beyond his Elmore James pastiches and was now displaying influences of 1950s rock 'n' roll (This is the Rock), country (Blood on the Floor) and gospel (One Together). He also sang on covers of Big Joe Turner's Honey Hush (featured here as Hi Ho Silver and credited to Fats Waller and Ed Kirkeby based on Waller's recording of the song) and the song Mission Bell recorded by Gene Pitney in 1964. Buddy's Song was an amalgam of different bits of songs by Buddy Holly which Spencer credited to Holly's mother (Holly had died in a plane crash in 1959).

Kirwan's Station Man and Tell Me All the Things You Do both became live favourites while Earl Gray was an instrumental and Jewel-Eyed Judy, according to Mick Fleetwood's 2015 autobiography *Play On*, featured lyrical contributions from Jenny Fleetwood and Christine McVie. His Earl Gray was an instrumental.

## Subsequent events

Christine McVie contributed background vocals and keyboards to the album. Shortly afterwards it was decided to add her to the group's lineup. She already knew all the songs and the band members felt the music was missing something. The addition of McVie meant that the group would again be able to have two guitars and a piano at the same time on stage (Spencer had previously handled all live piano work).

A non-album single, Dragonfly, followed in 1971 but the band were jolted that year when Jeremy Spencer suddenly left to join religious sect the Children of God.

## Track listing

1. This is the Rock (Jeremy Spencer)
2. Station Man (Danny Kirwan/Jeremy Spencer/John McVie)
3. Blood On the Floor (Jeremy Spencer)
4. Hi Ho Silver (Turner)\*
5. Jewel Eyed Judy (Danny Kirwan/Jenny Fleetwood/Christine McVie)
6. Buddy's Song (Ella Holley)
7. Earl Gray (Danny Kirwan)
8. One Together (Jeremy Spencer)
9. Tell Me All the Things You Do (Danny Kirwan)
10. Mission Bell (Jesse D. Hodges/William Michael)

\*Incorrectly credited to Fats Waller and Ed Kirkeby in confusion with another song - see link for full details

## Personnel

Jeremy Spencer - vocals, guitar, piano

Danny Kirwan - vocals, guitar

John McVie - bass

Mick Fleetwood - drums, percussion

## Additional personnel

Christine McVie - keyboards, backing vocals, cover art