Love That Burns- A Chronical of Fleetwood Mac Volume 1
 

Micks new book; Love That Burns
at £325 +p&p, that's £1 per page.


http://fleetwoodmacbook.com/

It looks very nice, but I'm not sure if there'll be many new, unseen pictures included.

. . . yes indeed, it looks VERY nice, no doubt about that. but watch out for THIS , all you hard core f.m. aficionados:
the included 7" even boasts a musical holy grail to boost - at least that's what they make you think, as it reads "an exclusive 7" vinyl picture disc includes (...) a rare instrumental track, first recorded in February 1967, titled 'Fleetwood Mac' (...)."
WOW!!! what a stunning rarity! now this REALLY justifies a princely sum like that! do they really think they can fool the folks who spend the mere few bob on this tome??? but the end always justifies the means, doesn't it . . . OH WELL (to say it in greeny's own words)!
:distress: :( :mad:

There's a Heroes-era pic I never saw before.

or you could save a lot of money and read Love That Burns by our own Rich Orlando / Brooklyn Blue. Much cheaper and with the money you've saved you'll have a deeper understanding of the surviving musical work of Peter Green and be able to buy some spiffing cd cakes to allow you to burn off all those collectable radio sessions, concert tapes etc.. that Mick should be releasing on a Peter Green's Flacworld Meet download website :)

Thanks Mick, how about starting with the BBC master of that fabulous beyond words 1970 In Concert recording uncut. That's a scorcher.

Good suggestion, ash1!

And to clear up any potential confusion, Rich's book and Mick's book are indeed two entirely different books - just by coincidence they have very similar names (Rich's book is titled "A Love That Burns") and published around the same time. You can find Rich's e-book through the Smiling Corgi Press website (https://smilingcorgipress.com/), and you can also read his very illuminating blog posts there as well - for example, he recently posted a 3-part series on "All Over Again (I Got A Mind To Give Up Living)".

And for those who prefer a "real" book rather than the current e-book format of "A Love That Burns", I've heard that one is in the works. Apparently there's a lot of hassle involved in reformatting everything for this, but hopefully the paper-and-ink version will be available in a few months.

that's good news! hopefully rich will announce the print version here on "the ledge" - i'm very much looking forward to it. :thumbsup:

Do you know if Mick still has the right to do this ash 1 ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3463157.stm

very interesting case which i didn't know anything about - has anybody got a clue what became of it?

I've done some deeper research : they ultimately lost the case They then sued their lawyers for giving them bad advice !

So in answer to Ash 1 -it's no good lobbying Mick about the release of the In Concert material, you'll have to lobby the BBC and they would have to renegotiate with the artist ie Fleetwood Mac in this case ,and given the outcome of the court case I doubt Mick (out of pique )would agree (unless the law requiresit to be Fleetwood Mac, as they were at the time it was recorded , as a single entity ,that must agree ,in which case it may be irellevent what he thinks .)

http://www.musiclawupdates.com/?p=2146

Surprisingly it has been mentioned before here
http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=39758

many thanks for your enlightenment, thd!
:thumbsup:

no wonder this got lost on me - the "post-rumours" section is not my playground, really.
:o

Nor mine Lazt P !

Interesting that by sueing and loosing they had to pay the BBC lawyers costs and that would make Mick's company bankrupt , so in desperation they blamed their own advisors (possibly correctly -who knows -although the judge didn't think so ). N
o wonder Mick has to keep touring !!

And trying to sell £325 books! :)

Your not wrong there Sharksfan !

It did occur to me that the bass riff from the Chain(?)which is used for any promo or actual programme to do will Formula One motor racing (at least here in the UK ) must earn them a pretty penny (or do they give it all to Mc Vie ? or did Lynsey compose it and tell John what to play ??!!)

PS I hope the Chinese don't acquire a taste for Sharksfan soup !!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I would expect that all the writers, i.e. the whole band, will receive equal payment for the use of the music. Whether that is fair or not, that's how royalties and shared credit work.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that's the way it would work at all in this case. Songwriting for Fleetwood Mac's songs are nearly all credited to individuals (Green, Spencer, Kirwan, songwriters whose work they covered - or whoever else may own the copyright to the songs), and not to the band as a whole. So those individuals get the songwriting royalties, which generally earn a bit more than any other form of royalties from music - this is why disputes over songwriting credits can be so contentious and have torn apart more than one band over the years. So for Fleetwood Mac, the band members would not receive equal payment by a long shot.

Mick Fleetwood: ‘Peter Green is the reason there’s a Fleetwood Mac’
Fleetwood Mac are celebrating 50 years of making music. Mick Fleetwood discusses the line-up changes, the turbulent times, and the band’s plans for the future

Before being introduced to Mick Fleetwood on the top floor of a downtown hotel in Austin, Texas, I’m reminded by his publicist that the 70-year-old drummer’s new book focuses on the band’s early years (“Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac”, as it was sometimes known).
The band’s legendary period, though – which later involved Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and led to the stone cold classics of Fleetwood Mac and Rumours – is difficult to ignore.
The band’s penchant for cocaine, LSD and in-house extramarital relations – along with the classic lineups with Green followed by Buckingham, Nicks, Fleetwood, and Christine and John McVie – has, for many, crystallised the band’s identity.
The day before we meet, Fleetwood has been to see Stevie Nicks perform at the Frank Irwin Centre in downtown Austin. “She was great,” he says. “She did a lot of storytelling and even told the crowd to prepare themselves because she was going to be talking a lot more than she’s normally allowed to in Fleetwood Mac.”
The band turns 50 this year, with no signs of giving up. The publication of Love That Burns, the first in what will surely be a series, in the same year is merely coincidence, says Fleetwood. “We’ve been working on an idea like this for a while now and it’s just luck that we finally got it together this year.”
Diehard fans only
This, though, is one for diehard fans only. The 300-page “collector’s item” costs £325 and is filled with previously unseen photos. Only 2,000 copies are being made, with Fleetwood signing each one.
The book begins as autobiography, with many pages devoted to Fleetwood’s upbringing, part of which was spent in Norway and Egypt on account of his father’s position in the RAF. Fleetwood’s father, himself a keen drummer, encouraged his son’s interest in music, and, when he was 15, his parents reluctantly agreed to let him drop out of school to focus on music professionally. In 1963 he moved in with his older sister in London and began playing anywhere and with whomever he could.

Peter could have been the stereotypical superstar guitar player and control freak, but that wasn’t his style. He named the band after the bass player and drummer, for Christ’s sake

The British blues explosion of the late 1960s was in full swing and Peter Green recruited Fleetwood to play with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. Green had replaced Eric Clapton on guitar and was the rising star of the scene. He decided it was time to go his own way, but not without first poaching Fleetwood and later bassist John McVie from Mayall’s lineup.
Forever shying away from the limelight, it was Green who suggested naming the band after the rhythm section. But this, according to the book, was just one example of his generosity as a musician.
“Peter could have been the stereotypical superstar guitar player and control freak,” Fleetwood says. “But that wasn’t his style. He named the band after the bass player and drummer, for Christ’s sake. He was also always willing to give as much space and creative freedom to other members, like guitarist Jeremy Spencer, and songwriter Danny Kirwan, at the expense of his own creativity.”

Sense of confidence
Fleetwood attributes a lot of credit to Green for instilling in him a sense of confidence in his playing. “I’ve never been a technical player. I’ve always had quite a light touch and Peter was the first person to ever say, that’s okay. He made me believe in my style of playing, which really suited the blues we were so into at that time anyway.”
Both Fleetwood and longtime bassist John McVie subscribe to the “less is more” school of thought for drums and bass. “The rhythm section is there to serve,” he says. “John and I have always felt very strongly about that. It’s not about showing off. We’re there to support the front line so they can bounce around all over the place while we keep it cool.”
Major successes with songs such as Black Magic Woman, Albatross, Man of the World and Oh Well meant that by 1969 the band was enjoying significant success in the UK and on mainland Europe under Green’s tutelage. However, the lead singer and songwriter wasn’t that enamoured by the spotlight.
“It’s already public knowledge that he was taking a lot of acid and mescaline around the same time his illness began manifesting itself more and more,” says Fleetwood. “We were oblivious as to what schizophrenia was back in those days but we knew something was amiss.”
Hearing voices
Green began hearing voices and became increasingly paranoid.
“We might not have known it then but you can clearly hear his anguish in the lyrics of later songs such as The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown).”
When Green announced his decision to leave the band in 1970, the others were understandably devastated.

I’ve always believed you should accept musicians for what they are. That’s why Fleetwood Mac became so many different things over the years.

“When the unexpected happens you either run for the hills or, if you’ve got your head screwed on, you work with what you have left. There was definitely an element of fear and sadness when Peter left but also the realisation that we had to get our **** together or else we’d all be f**ked.”
Without Green, though, there would of course never have been a band at all. “For his legacy I think it’s important we remember that Fleetwood Mac was, first and foremost, a blues band. We all played and loved blues. And long after Peter left, we went to Chess Records in Chicago where we recorded with Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy. Can you imagine how that made us feel? Such an incredible experience could not have happened without Peter because, even though he wasn’t with us, the reason there’s a Fleetwood Mac at all is because of him.”
Peter Green continued making music after leaving Fleetwood Mac, initially with his old bandmate John Mayall. Over the years he recorded sessions with a variety of musicians, including BB King in 1972. While mental illness and drug abuse made it difficult for Green to stay focused on music, in the late 1990s he formed the Peter Green Splinter Group which went on to release nine albums between 1997 and 2004. In 1998 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tragic figure
It clearly irks Fleetwood that many incorrectly assume Green is seen as some tragic figure, 20 feet from stardom before the rug was ripped from under him. The reality for Fleetwood is that he was lucky enough to experience fame and success twice with the same band. “People still say to me, ‘Isn’t it sad how Green started the band but didn’t enjoy get to enjoy its success?’ That’s not true. It may have been a different world to what we enjoy now but we all discovered what success felt like back in the 1960s. We had number one hits in England and across Europe and Peter, while maybe not necessarily enjoying his new-found fame, certainly experienced it.”
Green’s departure left a significant vacuum in the band, leading both Fleetwood and McVie to take refuge in family life. It was here they discovered the answer to their problems had been right in front of them all along. McVie’s wife Christine had given up her music career to marry him, having previously been a well-known musician in her own right. She joined Fleetwood Mac two days before they embarked on a US tour, and the rest is history.

The story of Fleetwood Mac isn’t over but, without getting too serious, I am 70 years old. This can’t go on forever

While the direction the music took following the departure of Green might suggest otherwise, the group’s founding father still managed to leave an unconventional yet lasting impact on the approach Fleetwood and co took in terms of bringing on new members.
“Some bands, like AC/DC, have lost members and replaced them with someone who is almost a duplicate of their predecessor,” says Fleetwood. “Perhaps because I’m not a writer or lead player myself, I’ve always believed you should accept musicians for what they are. That’s why Fleetwood Mac became so many different things over the years.”
Glimpses of genius
Fleetwood says he could see glimpses of the same genius Peter Green had when he first saw Lindsey Buckingham perform.
“They had the same essence but with very different forms of expression. In both I recognised that quality in artists who have mastered their instrument to such an extent that they begin to create a sound unique only to them.
“Peter was a very generous musician who was always willing to take a step back and let others realise their own creative vision. I have always believed in this approach and try to have faith in the artistic vision of any new musicians and writers I work with. This is what has allowed Fleetwood Mac to become so many different things.”
After several years of infighting, Christine McVie’s decision to rejoin in 2014 after quitting in 1998 was met with jubilation by the band’s fans around the world. The full five-piece outfit, most of whom are now in their 60s and 70s, were on the road for the first time in 16 years. Their On With The Show world tour in 2014-2015 was a commercial and critical hit, making just under $200 million.

Scheduled to tour
The band are scheduled to tour again in 2018, and Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham are working on a new album, that also features Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, though it will not go out under the Fleetwood Mac name. In recent interviews, Nicks says she is reluctant to record another album.
“I don’t think we’ll do another record,” she told Rolling Stone. “If the music business were different, I might feel different. I don’t think there’s any reason to spend a year and an amazing amount of money on a record that, even if it has great things, isn’t going to sell.”
Mick Fleetwood is a little more sanguine. “The story of Fleetwood Mac isn’t over but, without getting too serious, I am 70 years old. This can’t go on forever, which is why I think it’s important to leave behind lovely things that chronicle those moments in life that one is most proud of.”
Love That Burns: A Chronicle of Fleetwood Mac Volume One 1967-1974 will be published by Genesis Publications in September. Copies can be pre-ordered. See genesis-publications.com



http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/bo...-mac-1.3020150

It sounds more and more like this new book will be mostly an expanded version of the first portion of Mick's two autobiographical books. Really, what would lead us to believe it would be anything much more than that, just with some new photos tossed in? There are already 140-150 pages of text in each of those two books covering the pre-1975 versions of the band - not including photos - so based on that alone, I would not expect to see a whole lot more substance in this new book.

Not that I'd pay the equivalent of £325 for a book regardless, but even assuming there will eventually be a less-expensive non-deluxe edition (which may or may not be the case), I'd still have to be persuaded that it would be worth the money. Mick's books to date have been fine for what they are, but for comparison, the Fleetwood Mac portion of Dinky Dawson's "Life on the Road" is a far more entertaining read that includes greater detail on the band's early days. Now if we could only get Dinky to release more of those early soundboard recordings!

agreed! :thumbsup:

oh, yeah - there MUST be more of that in existence, probably mouldering in some vaults!

"And long after Peter left, we went to Chess Records in Chicago where we recorded with Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy."
WOT???
:confused:

"Fleetwood says he could see glimpses of the same genius Peter Green had when he first saw Lindsey Buckingham perform."
so sorry, but again: WOT???
:eek:

LONG ROAD Fleetwood Mac’s Mick reveals pride over Scots roots but claims band dreaded drive to Scotland in clapped-out bus
The legendary drummer claimed the drive was like going to a different country

FLEETWOD MAC used to hate travelling to play gigs in Scotland when they were starting out — as they feared their tour van would BREAK DOWN.

The band’s legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood reveals the journey north of the border back in the late 60s almost felt like going abroad due to the distance they’d have to travel from their base in London.


And getting there when your mode of transport was a clapped-out rustbucket brought its own worries.

Mick, who is putting the finishing touches to a new tell-all book, says: “Back in the day it was always a schlep going to Scotland. It was like going to a different country.

“When we made the journey it was spent worrying if the van was going to break down because it was a long way.

“I get that it is not really that far but we felt, ‘S*** we’re going to Scotland’ — 350 miles seems like a long way when you are starting out.

“Going to Scotland felt like going abroad, like getting on the boat and going to Germany.”

Despite the travelling fears, the rocker says it was always worth the trek when they met the Scots fans — and Fleetwood Mac plan to return here as part of an upcoming farewell tour.

He says: “When we were starting out, there was always this wild enthusiasm.

“Off we would go and they were wild, wild audiences in Scotland. I think it is the nature of the culture.

“Also, we became aware that the Scots are so happy to see music come to them, even on a local level.

“They really appreciated that we were here and had come up from London.”

Mick also reveals how he discovered his own Scottish roots when his father — RAF Wing Commander John Joseph Kells Fleetwood — died and he went to deal with his estate.

Mick, who turns 69 in June, explains: “I found out much later in life that I have, on my mother’s side, Scots blood.

“I went down to my mother Biddy’s house after my father passed away and we were just hanging out.

“There was one of those moratoriums on, where they allow you to bring guns in and hand them in without being arrested.

“Mother said, ‘Oh, I think daddy had a service revolver’ in what she called the kids’ playroom down in Salisbury where she lived.

“I said, ‘Well, I think this would be a good time to hand it in, mum’.

“I went in the cupboard and his airforce service revolver and some ammunition was all wrapped up in a greasy, oily rag.

“I said, ‘Mum, this is in the kids’ room!’.”

Mick then found out his mum’s family had come to Britain during the Norman invasion before settling in Scotland as part of the ancient Kerr clan.

He adds: “It was while I was in the cupboard I saw this kilt and I said, ‘Mum, what’s with the kilt?’. She said, ‘It’s mine’. That was when I found out.

“There is a whole history with the ancient Kerrs and I have my kilt.”

But Mick reckons he should have twigged he was part-Scottish all along, having picked up fashion tips from former band-mate Sir Rod Stewart.

The pair played together in a group called Shotgun Express, before Fleetwood Mac formed and Sir Rod found fame with The Faces.

Mick says: “I should have known like my old bandmate Rod Stewart, who is a total advocate of his Scots roots.

“Any fashion sense of wanting to present myself well, I blame on him. Rod was immaculate back in the day.

“He was a star before he was a star. It also helped that he was whip smart with that great sense of humour.

“He was a real peacock. Rod would never help to load up the van if it was raining — it would ruin his hair.”

These days Mick can be seen strutting around the streets of Maui, Hawaii, where he now lives — decked out in the Kerr tartan.

And he has even added a Scottish flavour to the restaurant he owns on the island.

He says: “In Maui, I put my kilt on occasionally.

“As soon as I found out about my heritage, I said, ‘Mum, I want the kilt!’.

“We also have a bagpipe player at my restaurant and every night he pipes the evening in.”


Mick’s new book about Fleetwood Mac — called Love That Burns: A Chronicle Of Fleetwood Mac Volume 1: 1967-1975 — will be published by Genesis in September.

The handcrafted books are limited to 2,000 copies and each is signed by Mick.

They cover his account of Fleetwood Mac’s early blues years and the musical legacy of the group’s uniquely talented founding member Peter Green, who quit the band after being diagnosed with schizophrenia in the 1970s.

Mick said: “The book is dedicated to Peter Green.

“There simply wouldn’t be a Fleetwood Mac without him.

“Love That Burns is my very favourite song that Peter recorded and sang.”

But he adds wistfully: “Peter is greatly changed because of his illness.”

On a more positive note, Mick is celebrating after the news that his former bandmate — Fleetwood Mac’s bass guitarist John McVie — is now clear of the colon cancer he was diagnosed with in 2013.

Mick says: “John is all good. It was a scare a couple of years back. He is very, very healthy.”

Rock icons’ 50 years and 100 million record sales

FLEETWOOD Mac formed in London in 1967 and went on to sell a whopping 100million records worldwide, making them one of the biggest bands of all time.

The group’s high point came in 1977 as their album Rumours sold 45million copies and spent 31 weeks at No1 in the US.

It is also the eight-highest selling album of all time.


Fleetwood Mac have also been inducted into America’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and they received a Brit Award for their Outstanding Contribution to Music.

Mick Fleetwood is the only original member of the band in the current line-up, which has changed numerous times over the years due to fall-outs and relationship break-ups.

Now typically comprised of Fleetwood, Christine McVie and her ex-husband John, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac’s farewell tour is planned for next year.



https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/new...amped-out-bus/

And you can add the totally inaccurate account of the Lyceum Ballroom concert (London 1970 ) ,which Mick's first two books claim was with the Grateful Dead and was Peter's last concert wth Fleetwood Mac (Spencer Line up)!!!! Not hard to check and if it was incorrect in the first book it should have been amended in the second !

To be fair I think that the second instance is the writer's fault.

even if we agree on that . . . where mick detects "the same essence" in both players i still cannot see. and with all respect due to buckingham as a songsmith, singer and guitar player - to call his sound "unique" is greatly exaggerated. any comparison at all between buckingham and green is pretty unfair on both of 'em - they're simply two completely different kettle of fish, aren't they?! :distress:

What a shame that this book is priced so outrageously. As much as I'm sure I would enjoy it, there's no way I could justify spending £325 (nearly $430) for the less expensive of the two editions that are being released - the deluxe version is £495 (over $650!).

Maybe we'll see a "regular" edition of the book at some point, but if one is planned, it really should be made available at the same time as these limited editions. That's done all the time with music boxed sets that are available in various editions, for example - some people will want the most deluxe edition regardless of cost but most will be happy with a less expensive option. If a regular edition of the book appears later, I'm afraid many people will have paid a small fortune for one of these limited editions, believing that was their only chance to get a copy - that would not be fair to them. And if these super-expensive limited editions are the only ones that are ever published, then it really is a slap in the face of most Fleetwood Mac fans.

This seems like a wasted opportunity on Mick's part to spread the word about the band's early years. There must be loads of fans who know next to nothing about that period and might well be persuaded to buy a reasonably-priced book about it if Mick pitched it right, but they'll never pay the crazy prices for these limited editions - and there are only 2,000 copies being made anyway.

TRUE, TRUE, TRUE ! ! !
:distress: :(
if your words only rang in mick's ears . . .

any more new / detailed info on the possibility of a print version of rich's book? i'm still curious to know . . . !

I know that Rich has been working on it - apparently the reformatting necessary for a print edition has been time-consuming. Hopefully it will be ready sometime this summer but we'll have to see how things work out.

thanks very much, sharky - please keep me posted when things are getting "serious" . . . !
:thumbsup:

Too bad I hadn't seen this, it could have been interesting, has anyone watched it?

Watch Mick Fleetwood to Talk Fleetwood Mac History, New Book in Live Stream Chat
Drummer's discussion with 'Rolling Stone' contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis about 'A Chronicle of Fleetwood Mac, Volume One: 1967–1974' to air Tuesday night

Mick Fleetwood is joining Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis for a wide-ranging conversation about early Fleetwood Mac history – including the unique talents of original guitarist Peter Green, the band's first international tours, their wildest onstage moments and the friendships that propelled the pre-Rumours line-up to international fame.

Fans can livestream the discussion, currently taking place at New york City's 92nd Street Y, above. The chat promotes Fleetwood's upcoming book, Love that Burns – A Chronicle of Fleetwood Mac Volume One: 1967-1974, which is available for pre-order via Genesis Publications in two formats: a deluxe edition (numbered one to 350) and collector edition (numbered 351 to 2,000).

Both versions include a seven-inch picture disc featuring "Love That Burns" and rare instrumental track "Fleetwood Mac," along with 400-plus rare photos, memorabilia and illustrations. The deluxe edition includes two prints, one signed by blues legend John Mayall and another by graphic designer Günther Kieser.

Previous pre-orders of Love That Burns included a free ticket to today's discussion, along with a commemorative bookplate signed by Fleetwood in person before he took the stage.

Fleetwood Mac recently headlined the all-star, bi-coastal Classic East and Classic West festivals. Two of the band's songwriters, Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie issued their first collaborative LP, in June.



http://www.rollingstone.com/music/ne...stream-w495126

Wow, all these blurbs that Mick Fleetwood keeps posting on his Facebook page really make me want to plunk down $400+ on his book....NOT!!! :mad:

Mick Fleetwood Looks Back on Fleetwood Mac's Early Days
With release of new band history 'Love That Burns,' drummer reflects on group's blues origins and why he owes everything to Peter Green


This Sunday, August 13th, marks the 50th anniversary of Fleetwood Mac. On that date in 1967, the band played their first ever show, alongside artists like Cream and Jeff Beck, at the Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival. But according to drummer Mick Fleetwood, even with their massive success in the years since, much of Fleetwood Mac's early history remains unknown to everyday fans, many of whom quite likely believe the band to have begun life in the mid-Seventies, with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks at the helm. The drummer intends to shine a light on his band's oft-ignored formative years as a crack British blues outfit with a new book, Love That Burns: A Chronicle of Fleetwood Mac, Volume One 1967–1974, due September 19th from Genesis Publications. "It's about giving kudos to the founding fathers of a very strange journey that Fleetwood Mac ended up taking over the course of all these years," he tells Rolling Stone.

Those founding fathers include the founding father of Fleetwood Mac, guitarist and vocalist Peter Green, who formed the band with Fleetwood (the initial lineup was rounded out by guitarist Jeremy Spencer and bassist Bob Brunning; John McVie, the "Mac" in Fleetwood Mac, replaced Brunning not long after the Windsor gig) following a stint in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. They soon welcomed a third guitarist, Danny Kirwan, and achieved success in the U.K. with Green-penned songs like "Black Magic Woman," "Albatross" and "Oh Well." Over the next few years, the band cycled through members and musical styles; Green, Spencer and Kirwan each exited under unusual circumstances, among them psychological and emotional struggles exacerbated by drug and alcohol abuse, while later members like guitarists Bob Welch and Bob Weston and keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie – who remains with Mac to this day – came in and helped to lead the band down new sonic paths. In late 1974, Fleetwood and the McVies were joined by Buckingham and Nicks, which is the point at which Love That Burns concludes. "That's why it's called Volume One," Fleetwood says. "And hopefully there will be a Volume Two that will pick up from there. But I wanted this to be a separate story, because it is an important story in its own right."

In Love That Burns, this story is afforded a gorgeous presentation. Fleetwood's insightful and sometimes humorous first-person account of the band's origins is fleshed out by more than 400 stunning (and in some cases never-before-published) images, as well as intimate archival material and rare memorabilia. There are also additional recollections from those close to the band at the time, including John Mayall and early Mac members Jeremy Spencer, Christine McVie, John McVie and the rarely-heard-from Peter Green himself. It's all gathered together in an exquisitely produced large-format tome that is limited to just 2,000 copies, each one signed by Fleetwood himself. "A lot of care and a lot of love went into this, and I give kudos to Genesis for that," Fleetwood says. "They don't do it unless it's done right. And there aren't hundreds of thousands of these books that are going to be made. So it really is a labor of love that something like this gets to exist, and it also is great to know that this story can be told, and anybody who has an interest in it can now know about it.

"To me, selfishly, that was an important thing," Fleetwood continues. "Because you know, at some point in the next few years Fleetwood Mac will bonk it on the head. We probably won't be active. So there is some relevance to starting to tell this story. And this book, as with any type of chronicle, contains all of those potions of magic moments, of sad moments, all the moments that unfold when you're doing something like this. It's like going through an old family album. It's been a trip, and I'm so glad we've done it. And I hope we've done it beautifully."

With Love That Burns you clearly want to bring attention to the early history of Fleetwood Mac, a period that, at least in America, isn't very well known.
No doubt. I'm hoping this tells exactly that story, and that's why the book is dedicated to Peter Green, who started the band with me in 1967. He is the reason I'm here and the reason there is a band called Fleetwood Mac. So all of that is pregnant with having put this book together. And the hope is that someone who doesn't know that story will read about it here and they'll find it quite intriguing. And Genesis Publications, you know, they're certainly up there in that special area where there are only a few publishers that do books like this. In this day and age, it's sort of refreshing, to be quite candid. I almost don't know how any of that type of approach is even surviving anywhere on this planet right now, where it's all this "here today, gone tomorrow" mentality. What we've done is an art book, really.

There are so many spectacular photos in the book. Tracking down and sorting through all the images, and likely coming across many that you hadn't seen in a long time, if ever, must have been pretty intense.
Absolutely, 100 percent. And it was revealing. We tried to tell the story with pictures that mean a **** to the story of Fleetwood Mac, and I had to rein myself in so that I wasn't overloading the book with stuff that was only relevant to me. There are pictures in there that selfishly do tell a story to me, because I am sort of the maître d' of putting it together. And that makes it personal to an extent. But I had to watch out that I wasn't being too reactive on a personal level. But, yes, it was an extraordinary experience. There are things like the [1969] Chess recording sessions, where we found all these photographs that I hadn't seen before. I knew there was a few on our album, Blues Jam at Chess, but to get a hold of the original photographer and have him spew out all these images ...


Those photos are particularly striking.
We paid quite a lot of attention to that section. Because at the very beginning we were a bunch of kids that just loved playing blues, and we were blessed with being able to go to Chess. And that strongly resonates in those pictures. You know, I don't think about it every day, but to realize, there we were, Peter [Green], Jeremy [Spencer], Danny [Kirwan], John [McVie] and myself, with Willie Dixon and Buddy Guy and Shakey Horton and a bunch of other great dudes, that's a powerful ... that's probably the most powerful part of what I think this book is. For someone who knows nothing about this band it tells you a lot. It's like, "Wow, I never knew that!" But we were a blues band. This is what started Fleetwood Mac.

"Love That Burns" is a Fleetwood Mac song from the Peter Green era. Why did you choose to use it as the title of the book?
We came with different ideas for titles and I suddenly went, "'Love That Burns.' ..." It seemed so relevant to the whole story of Fleetwood Mac. It's a beautiful song that Peter sang and played and has always been one of my favorites. And when I spoke to Peter, I will never forget what he said to me. I don't talk to him every day, and his life took a turn that in a way took him out of my life, sadly. He's not the Peter that I originally knew. He's OK ... but he's not OK, you know? A bit of both. But we got on the phone, and one part of our conversation, I said to him, "We knew each other, we played with John Mayall, we played in a band before that. But, Peter, why did you ask me to be at your side playing drums [in what became Fleetwood Mac]?" Because after John Mayall, Peter was almost forced to put a band together by a bunch of agent thugs. He was sort of told, "You're like the new Eric Clapton," or whatever all those corny phrases were. But he just wanted to go to Morocco and hang out like Brian Jones, you know? And of course that didn't happen. So he asked me to join him.

And probably somewhere in there I was thinking to myself, "Well, you had the chops and you could play the blues ... you were the man!" And it was nothing of the sort. After I'd asked the question, Peter said, "Yeah, you were really unhappy, Mick." He said, "Think about it. You'd just broken up with Jenny" – my first love, who I later married and had two lovely children with – "and you were so sad, Mick. And lost. I just thought you needed to do something." And of course, it was true! That, to me, is "Love That Burns," you know? It wasn't about the music. It was about, he was my friend. I thought that was really powerful and extremely moving.


In addition to all the photos, there are some great first-person interviews and recollections in the book.
Absolutely. Think of me sitting with John Mayall. If it hadn't been for John Mayall, you go, "Wow, maybe none of this would have happened." You know, John [McVie], Peter and myself were all in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. And, by the way, people always assume that we all sort of left John Mayall to form Fleetwood Mac. It was nothing of the sort. I got fired from John Mayall's band for being too drunk and all that. John [McVie] stayed with John Mayall, and Peter formed with me the beginnings of Fleetwood Mac. Then John came with us, and Jeremy [Spencer] and later on Danny [Kirwan] came in. It's a fascinating story. And to sit there talking with John Mayall, and get his slant on what was happening ... it was like sitting with an old college mate or a childhood friend. When you get together you go, "Oh, my God! Of course! That's what happened!"

As the book touches on, Peter, Jeremy and Danny each exited Fleetwood Mac while dealing with mental and emotional issues. It must give you pause to have witnessed this happen with three vital band members. Do you ever wonder what might have caused this, or do you chalk it up to coincidence?
Well, I hope to God it is coincidence, or me and John [McVie] need to go to a church and get down on our knees and pray for forgiveness! But if you look at what happened later [with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham], which is not part of this book, that's pretty bizarre too, you know? The latter-day stories of Fleetwood Mac, that in truth continue to this day, you look at that and you think, "How the hell can any of this survive?" So I don't know how to address that other than that it's heartbreaking and you have to get over it. You have to let go of it. And so this book is about paying kudos to who these people are and not getting into the drama of what we're talking about now. I did not want that to be in there. And it's not in there. Rather, it's all about the special part of what everyone had to offer. But you're right, it has been a reminder of what happened. Talking to Danny [Kirwan]'s ex-wife ... you know, it's not a happy story for Danny. And there's nothing one can do about it. But I think it's even more of a reminder to pick your trousers up, brush yourself off and say, "But look at the amazing music Danny put together. Look at what he put into Fleetwood Mac." This guy was extraordinarily talented. So the hope was to celebrate all these players that have come through Fleetwood Mac. These are the founding fathers of this band.

Peter and Jeremy were both interviewed for the book, but Danny's voice is absent. Was there an attempt to reach out to him?
There was. And he ... his wife did it. Claire did it.

There has been talk over the years of a reunion of the original Fleetwood Mac. Is that something you still hold out hope might happen one day?
It's actually not. Mainly because I went there many years ago. We got into it and we were going to put a whole thing together at the [Royal] Albert Hall. This is years and years and years ago. Probably about 15 years ago. And right at the last minute, Peter, in the world that he lives in, just suddenly pulled out. "I don't wanna do it. ..." Suddenly it was not a good idea. And we had put a whole bunch of things together, I had even booked the venue. So I would never do that again. Because I don't want it to be a pressure, you know? Having said that, my dream with this book coming out, and I'm working really hard, is that there will be a lovely show where a few people that mean a damn can come out and pay quiet kudos and tribute to Peter. Maybe we could pull off a short tour in England, or something like that. That would be my dream.

As much as Love That Burns is a tribute to Peter, one thing that also comes across in the pages is how much reverence you have for another of your bandmates, John McVie. Which is illuminating, as we don't hear much from him or about him. He tends to stay in the shadows.
That's how he likes it [laughs].


You're giving him the recognition he doesn't seem to be so concerned with garnering for himself.
Very much so. He's my dearest friend. He's ... he's Johnny Mac. And you're right. He's very understated. But my hope is that John would celebrate all the things this book represents. Because it's his story, too. We've been there the whole time, for 50 years. John is my partner. And we huff and puff and do our thing, but I hope when he opens this book that he's really pleased with it. If this ends up on his desk in his office, not relegated to the dustbin, I'll be happy [laughs].

It's been 50 years since Fleetwood Mac began. Is it amazing to you to look back and realize it's lasted this long?
It is. And this book has become like an old friend, really, where it's triggered all sorts of things. I just turned 70, and during this process, it gave me huge pause about from whence I have come. It must, unless you're completely insensitive. And in truth I'm probably, as John would say, too much of a drama queen. Indulging in too much sort of Irish bursting into tears and stuff [laughs]. But I'm happy to be that person. And certainly, this book, I don't like to live in the past, but it's been really useful for me, and I am proud of the fact that there has been and is a band called Fleetwood Mac. Because at the beginning we were this funny bunch of English kids, amongst many others, that ostensibly had a love for a genre of music that really no one gave a **** about. And we were part of this group of bands that really had such a huge effect – certainly, at that point in time, a way bigger effect than us bunch. Bands like Eric [Clapton] and Cream, Led Zeppelin, the Yardbirds, the Rolling Stones.

But this is our story. And the band changed so much. If you look at the Rolling Stones – and it's just a "for instance," no comparison – they're always the Rolling Stones. But if you look at Fleetwood Mac, it's like, "Wow, they did that? And then they became this?" It's a pretty unique story. It's not like the band stayed the same. The style changed. The people changed. Me and John have hung in there since the beginning, but it's a lot different. And Bob Welch, Bob Weston, all the others that were there, they're all mentioned in this book. And rightly so. They're all part of this story right up to when Stevie and Lindsey joined. And that's where the book cuts off. Because it's about what came before.

And you know, the ups and downs of any band, the good and the bad of it, that is not unique property for really anyone, when it comes down to it. But the actual variety of what happened to Fleetwood Mac? That is quite unique. That is powerfully unique. And to know how that funny story started is what Love That Burns is all about.



http://www.rollingstone.com/music/fe...-burns-w495686

Thanks for posting the Mick Fleetwood interview, SisterNightroad. :thumbsup:

I just wish that Mick would make his book available to more than a relative handful of folks wealthy enough to pay the $400+ for a copy. I have a few beautifully-produced photo books that cost in the $50-60 range - for something like this, that's a price I'd certainly pay. I'm sure that to bring down the cost to a more reasonable amount would involve some compromises in the book production/format from the limited edition being put on sale next month, but it would have the potential to reach far more people.

Mick stated in his interview "it also is great to know that this story can be told, and anybody who has an interest in it can now know about it" but that's not true, is it? Only that select 2,000 people who can afford this super-expensive book will know the full story that he's now telling. I still don't get it...