Reminiscences of F Mac Gigs prior to Mid 70's or Memoirs of an English Blues Fan
 

As I posted a couple of reminiscences( Lyceum Ballroom April 1970 ) on other disparate threads it seems like a good idea to put these in one thread ,in the one place ,so that other reminiscees? can find them easily
So here goes. I'll start with the first one I saw -Battersea town Hall 1968,but I'll make it a new post .
.

Battersea Town Hall ,22Oct 1968
 

My mum had to phone up the number from the B&W posters plastered around Battersea (see attached photo) to find the details as I was too scared -I hated using the phone . I went with my best friend Dave we were both enthusiastic young guitar players,aged 16 , in our own band We might even have gone on his Honda 125 We were a bit apprehensive ,as local grammar school boys ,that there might be trouble ie a fight might break out or at least I was- My fears were groundless The gig was in a hall at the back half of Battersea town Hall (Now the Battersea Arts Centre) The band hadn't arrived. Need Your Love So Bad was playing on a Dansette type record player ! The crowd was building up, and a couple other school friends had arrived At some point Fleetwood Mac arrived. Mick was very ,very tall .I'd read on the sleeve notes of Mr Wonderful that he was 6 ft 6, and seen him on TV, but that was sitting down behind a kit .Seeing him in the flesh for the first time was startling! Danny was wearing a green Harris tweed Jacket (Now how come I remember this, but not what anyone else was wearing ?) He'd only recently joined the band They got on stage and played brilliantly I can only remember two specific numbers Albatross and Stop messin' Round, and Jeremy did his slide numbers( but no parodies .) and was brilliant I was concentrating on what he did with his slide , how he did it ! Before the Dustbin Album, w,hich I borrowed of a mate I'd never heard a slide guitar (that I was aware of ) It said on the notes Slide Guitar ,so when I first heard it it blew my mind! It was like my first kiss ,the first Indian meal ,So exotic! How did he get that sound out of a guitar ?Then you saw them on TV Oh that's it- a metal tube on his finger , but it still doesn't sound right when I try! Then a clue in the magazine Beat Instrumental -you have to tune your guitar a different way Ah that's it ! And when he wasn't performing his numbers, Jeremy would slope off and quietly sit behind a speaker cab at the side of the stage ! I feel they might have done Jigsaw puzzle Blues but it's a vague feeling Stop messin' Round had a really extended guitar break in which, for several verses, Peter just played the same two notes, but with devastating effect , like he was teasing us This is difficult to explain in words, but the song begins with the guitar phrase dee dur dee dur dee If you can imagine him playing just the two notes dur dee over and over for four verses (OK I don't know how many in reality) but varying the syncopation then you've got the idea ,and then he returned into a solo of more varied phrases . Somehow I think this was the last number they did The climax of the night I learned two great lessons from this : that you can keep it incredibly simple ,but have a devastating effect. It was incredibly exciting .And that what the rhythm section do here is vital- they built it up to more a more overpowering level without this it would have been nothing
I wish now I'd waited behind to meet them leaving, but I was too timid and there was school tomorrow I don't remember what Peter was wearing, or what he said other than it one point" Let's try that thing in G minor !" But I do remember he made a profound impression on me , and made me feel I'd like to play the guitar in such a way that moves people in way he moved me ,as no doubt did thousands of young players who saw them live .

Wonderful notes, THD! Thanks so much for sharing and looking forward to seeing more! :thumbsup:

You're very welcome
Incidentally, When I was returning from school one day ,prior to the concert when I noticed corrugated steel fence in Battersea Park road which had been plastered with several of these posters I managed to get one off intact ,amazingly! The poster is on my wall at home!(the one in the photo ,of course !)

Where the hell is my time machine???
 

Wonderful reminiscences (difficult to spell!), THD!

It's almost like being there: "Need Your Love So Bad was playing on a Dansette type record player"........"But I was too timid and there was school tomorrow..." - it's like a film. You almost expect Carol White and Terence Stamp to enter :laugh: Sigh!

Well thank you. Thank you for sharing - we are looking forward to read on - in your own time of course.

Ms Moose

Oh! Did I forget to mention they were there too ?!!! I snubbed them of course!

Terrific sunday reading, thanks THD!

/z

Thanks Zoork I appreciate it .

Standby for the 2nd bit of the Lyceum show memories which I've just finished writing

Of course you did!

Ms Moose

Thd
 

Did it sound like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl3c8H3Dd6I

a) Are you asking did the Stop Messing Round 2 note instrumental break sound like this ?
Or
(b) are you saying did the band in general sound like this at Battersea ?

(A quote from my post would have helped me get at the heart of the question !)

Er ..well no it/they didn't (Though they may have played something similar at some point at the Battersea gig) for two reasons:

1) Also answering point(a)Stop Messin Round is a high octane blues shuffle, and when I say he was playing only the same two notes for several verses I really mean that -only the same two notes

2) Also answering point( b) The whole show sounded different cause Danny was now in the band ,so you didnt get the sparseness such as you you get in the clip you offered ,which is pre Danny (I'm not knocking this clip, it's excellent playing from them all , and gives almost a premonition of Fighting for Madge, and those extended Jams that were to come, and thanks for directing me to it, as I'd never heard it )
But, it indicates Peter's problem .When ,at that time ,Jeremy slunk off behink the amps, FM became a trio . Being a trio alows a lot of freedom , but to a man like Peter ,there's only so much you can do live before it becomes harmonically boring,One of Peter's many musical gifts was his instinctive feel for harmony He(Peter) didnt even have anyone to do an imitation sax riff on guitar like he did for Jeremy on Heart Beat Like A Hammer , for example, and he was listening to BB King,(say Live at the Regal )and hearing BB backed with a brass section or organ or whaever .).Danny or someone had to join!

The clip above proves the point .You've got a bass line ,you've got a lead line( if Peter's not playing chords, which he isn't ,)then all harmony is implied ( compare the sparse trio format of Merry go Round from the Dustbin album (very fine )with say some tracks on blues jam at chess where Danny provides almost jazzy 9th and 13th chords to Peter's lead line .

I've listened to this clip a few times now, and there's something wrong here .
To my ears it just doesn't sound like the Mac in the summer of 1968 (pre Danny ) I know it is dated as june 68, but it sounds like it should be a year later It sounds like a Les Paul through an Orange amp to me(a bit contraversial -my necks on the block now) ,
But here's the puzzle ,if it is later, and somehow mis-dated, why is there only one guitarist playing?
It just doesn't make sense .

Confused? You will be !

Surrey Rooms 9th May 1969
 

I recommend Blue Horizons really excellent account of this gig Thread :Early Mac Memories 12.17.2004 (can’t figure out how to do a direct link --is it possible? ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=17300&highlight=surrey+tavern

I can only add a few things :

The Surrey Rooms or Surrey Tavern was an ugly 1960’s box shaped building stuck on to the elegant Victorian redbrick structure of the Oval cricket ground, (and it was recently demolished - it won’t be missed !) The gig was upstairs, in a low ceiling- ed boring big white? room, probably with supporting columns getting in the way ,and some one said, possibly Peter , something along the lines of “the sound is going to be a nightmare cause of this low ceiling.” Can’t honestly say that I noticed . I think it was actually during the show (though it could have been before they started but had taken the stage ) that Peter ,who wanted to do a very slow blues number (so I’m deducing it was Love that Burns) complained that it was too bright to play the blues properly , and could they turn off the lights above him to make it “more intimate “ and I think everything stopped, and a roadie actually took bulbs or fluorescent tubes out of the ceiling panels above his head and above the stage ,When he resumed it was very moving bit of guitar playing (there was no stage lighting ie directed at the stage from a distance or it was rudimentary)
I can absolutely confirm what Blue Horizon says in his account , that Peter played in a Gorilla mask for part of the show , for some reason Also, at some point a (drunk?)guy attempted to get on the stage to help sing one of the numbers, and the roadies grabbed him, but Peter indicated it was OK, and to let him sing ,which he did . I think they were using a mix of Orange amps and Fenders I don’t recall offstage desk with multicore ,if not it was soon to come I remember being in the midst of a ,basically all male audience rocking along with the music, and leaving a happy man(youth)
I wish I could remember more!
I wish I’d kept a diary at that time!,
I wish I’d kept the ticket !
I wish……………

Regrets……. I’ve got a ………

……..million !

If you believe Paul McCartney died with a woman named "Rita" in a downpour 11/9/66, then you believe this long winded story.

Give Me Fillmore East 3/71 WITHOUT TORRENT (Youtube!), and we can do there.

I don't understand what you are trying to say . Could you explain please?

Slipkid, I have no idea what you're trying to say either. Your last few posts here make no sense at all to me. What seems "phony" to you about THD and his recollections of seeing Fleetwood Mac in the '60s? Personally I've enjoyed reading about his memories of those times, and I can't imagine why you are trying to drive him away.

We want more Memoirs of an English Blues Fan!!!
 

I agree with both THD and sharksfan. THD's reminiscences have really added a lot to "Life on The Ledge" with their authen(ti?)sity and - first and foremost - humour. The concerts are not only very well remembered, but the pieces are also of litterary and historical value.

It's nice to hear from someboby who wasn't so stoned out of his mind that he can´t remember what he did - and most important - listened to in the sixties and seventies. The guy that slept through Peter Green and John Mayall at the festival in Bath for instance.....:p

Just keep'm coming THD!

Ms Moose

Concert at the Royal Albert Hall 22April 1969
 

We were right in the highest balcony which goes most of the way round the circular building, but we were a long way from the stage watching at a very steep angle. In this position there was always a problem of hearing a loud reverb reflection, being so close to the domed roof You hear it louder and sooner than the people at lower level They put glass fibre baffles, shaped like flying saucers suspended below the dome, but I don’t recall them helping much -they were probably for the benefit of those in the main body of the hall Don’t even remember if they’d been installed at this time.
Duster Bennet was very good he sat on a stool ,played a goldish coloured les Paul -probably the one Peter had given him ,played harmonica on a harness round his neck, and played a bass drum with one foot and hi-hat with the other. It was a delight to see ,and he kicked up a storm, but it became a little monotonous after several numbers and the novelty had worn off .
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee were on the bill , but I remember nothing !if indeed I saw them (The only memories I seem to have of them are TV appearances )
Fleetwood Mac were as usual excellent At one point Peter was heckled from the floor of the hall with” You’ve sold out!” when he announced Albatross (I think ) He probably said something back, but if he did ,I don’t remember what it was! I recall one number was a master class in building the excitement up to a climax and then Peter signalled with his hand I think and they took it right down, but still a swinging little blues shuffle like you could hear a pin drop, and then they built it back up to an intensity that you didn’t think was possible- higher than the original climax .That was the exciting part of FM and then Peter would break your heart with some sad song., Danny and Jeremy did their numbers all fine stuff but I don’t remember any R&R parodies this night !
BB King and band were great, I think they were the last on . Exciting ,moving and I was really impressed .Only time I’ve seen him live . BB broke a string and regaled us with the story of how Lucille got her name.
I enjoyed Fleetwood Mac the most and hoped that my school pals who accompanied me were suitably impressed, and had learned something about the real way to play blues I’ve read accounts that say Eric Clapton was there ,with George Harrison and Patti Boyd so I’d make a guess that Mick’s wife Jenny ( Patti’s sister )was there with them (it would be interesting to hear her first hand account if she and the others were there because the accounts say BB said something like” sorry but Peter’s the best English blues player” from the stage to Clapton and Harrison. If he said this I’m sure I would have remembered ,I didn’t see any of the aforementioned sitting in the front rows they may have been in a box of course and from our position it would have been impossible to even see the boxes below us let alone anyone in them !

THD, thanks so much for your impressions of this show! It is one for which a bootleg recording exists of Fleetwood Mac's set - though as with most bootlegs, the sound quality is not very good. The setlist from the bootleg is this:

Before the Beginning
Coming Your Way
My Baby's Sweet
Jumping At Shadows
Tallahassee Lassie
Like Crying
Something Inside of Me
Can't Hold Out
Long Tall Sally
Albatross

It's a shorter set than usual for the band, no doubt since there were so many other performers on the bill for that show. Interesting that Green chose to play "Jumping At Shadows" with Duster Bennett on the same bill! I believe "Albatross" was played as an encore, and you're probably correct about the intro for that song being when the heckler shouted out.

So you can't hear the Mac being heckled on the bootleg then? My memory puts the outburst earlier in the set , so maybe it wasn't Albatross that was targetted ! Not many straight blues numbers in their set ,so maybe I remembered wrong ,and he heckled a R&R number-or definitely after Peter introduced the number by name . I think Peter did tend to introduce the songs- does he do that on the bootleg ?
And finally that is remarkable about Jumping at Shadows . I would've thought Duster might have joined them for this but I don't remember it if he did !

Well, it's been awhile since I've listened to this one, so I'll have to see if there was some heckling earlier than "Albatross". I know Peter gave a fairly lengthy intro for "Albatross" during other shows but I'll have to listen again to the Albert Hall show to find out about intros for this and other numbers.

I certainly don't recall hearing Duster Bennett during "Jumping At Shadows" but I'll have another listen.

One question I have is: Did Duster play "Jumping At Shadows" as well, or did only Fleetwood Mac play it??

If the latter, then Duster probably considered "Jumping At Shadows" a Fleetwood Mac song, the same way John McVie considered "Black Magic Woman" a Santana song after a while, due to the cover version being the infinitely more popular & well-known version.

It's a good question Chili D -if only I could remember !
I did not even remember that the Mac played it, at this concert!
Worse still ,I have no memory of seeing them play it at any concert I attended !
And without Sharksfan's set list, I would have guessed that Duster played it, as it was his best known song (I certainly associated it with him at the time rather than FM ) He may well have played it ! Someone obviously smuggled a tape recorder in there (not an easy thing to do then if you were part of the audience as they were quite bulky) so did that person record the other acts also ?

I listened to the Albert Hall show this evening, and you can hear someone shouting from the audience just before "Jumping At Shadows" and again before "Tallahassie Lassie," then again just after "Like Crying," and briefly after "Something Inside Of Me," but the sound quality is not good enough for me to tell what they were shouting. Can't tell if they were heckling the band or just shouting out for a particular favorite song. You can hear more than one person shouting at times. There's more of it as Peter is trying to introduce "Albatross." Again, I can't tell what's being shouted, but Peter and the audience start laughing in response at a couple of points before they play "Albatross."

I'm pretty certain that Duster Bennett was not part of Fleetwood Mac's performance of "Jumping At Shadows" - there's certainly no audible trace of his being there as far as I can tell.

It's actually a better quality recording than what I'd remembered it to be, though it's still far from a "good" recording. Regardless, it's nice to have a document of this show.

Thanks very much for listening to it so quickly and giving the info Sharksfan.So the most likely contenders for hekling are Talahassie Llassie and Albatross , and it's probably the latter, as Peter seems to have made some drole put down ,which made the audience laugh! (He could be very funny when introducing songs -Rattlesnake Shake for example (which has witty lyrics as it is !) But he could also be very serious and factual ) So did he announce each number ( please don't listen to it all again- just if you can remember !

Bennett had recorded the song, with members of FM backing him in September of 1968 – he performed the number for a BBC Radio broadcast that October, where he included a verse not heard in the studio version – worth seeking out
Other than that, I am not sure that the song was one that Bennett played often in concert –
Years ago Indigo Records released six discs collecting Bennett home recordings, BBC air-shots, and some clandestine club recordings, and only one other version of the song appears –
The first two recordings of Green performing the song with Fleetwood Mac date from shows in March and April of 1969 during a Scandinavian tour – the next available version is the one from the Royal Albert Hall –
Could this have been a situation similar to that of ‘Black Magic Woman’? Where Green had written and recorded the number in early ’68 and then only performed the number a few times before mothballing it, not returning to it for almost two years?
The song grew in stature as seminal recording in his career because of the success of Santana’s cover – at the time, I do not believe Green thought of it as a “break through” in the way he came to think of ‘Albatross’ or ‘Oh Well’
The same may have been true for Bennett and ‘Jumping at Shadows’

THD, I believe that "Albatross" was the only song that got a spoken introduction during the set...or if there were other intros they were edited out, but it doesn't sound that way on the recording. The other shouting from the audience that can be heard is just between numbers, not during any announcements. Peter also did give a nice acknowledgment of Jeremy as the crowd were applauding after "Can't Hold Out".

Then I think we can conclude that he was heckled after he announced Albatross, and my feeling that it happened earlier was wrong Thanks for the research . I appreciate it !

I've wondered if that was the same gold-top Kirwan used at one point...

Didn't that also happen to Lindsey around the "Tusk" tour?

I'm afraid I don't know , when I say it was "goldish " I don't mean it was a gold topped Les Paul de Luxe ** with the smaller sized humbuckers I mean it looked sort of like Peter's .Did Danny play a Les Paul deluxe at some point then ?
What I do know is: I remember hearing a radio interview with Duster and he said something like "God Bless Peter he was so kind -he just gave me a Les Paul- the one I use now ." during this int he played a couple of songs live in the studio and his guitar was out of tune so he had to stop and start again !

** (I had one once and it was nearly seized off me by Her Majesty's customs and excise -but that's another story !)

Upon further review, it appears they're different guitars. Although both are gold-tops with p-90s, the bridge is different. Pete's had a trapeze style tailpiece, where Danny's had a stop tailpiece.

http://www.qpratools.com/gallery/big...l._1-front.jpg

http://www.classicdriver.com/upload/...4070/img02.jpg

FM gigs at the Roundhouse
 

The Roundhouse concerts I think I attended three of them but Dinkie Dawson says they only did two Feb 25 1970 and Apr24 Pop Prom? 1970 I certainly remember listening to John Peel’s Sunday radio show and him announcing that FM were doing a show at the Roundhouse in a couple of days time at very short notice and we went to it , maybe that explains why I recall this third concert but it’s not noted ?
The problem I have is separating out what incidents happened at which concert at this venue , as it seems my memory works by associating what happened with the venue So I have problems if I saw them at the same place more than once So what I say happened will have occurred at at least one of them that I attended, but I don’t know which one( unless I say otherwise in the text )

The Roundhouse is a round Victorian building in Camden north London , which was once a railway turntable for quickly changing the direction of,steam locomotives I think there was a balcony all round it- don’t know if this was in the original railway design ..

I remember seeing Mick and someone , poss Peter, standing at the Bar when we arrived , but I was far too timid to go there and try to talk. When we were waiting for the bands, music would be playing and at least twice in the same evening they played Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky which really worked well , and I still think is a great record (I think this wasn’t the rock Prom Concert )
John Peel(British BBC radio DJ ) was master of ceremonies at ( at least ) one of these, and people were throwing paper plates, ,some with messages written on them, Frisbee style at the stage ,and he picked up a couple , read them and was certainly displeased by the comment on one of them . ! I guess others were messages for the Mac (I don’t know why there were paper plates around !) We sat on the floor, there being no seating in the body of the hall ,or not at the front a least At one concert I was dying for a pee well before FM took the stage ,but I daren’t leave my position as it was jam packed with people sitting on the floor It seemed though, when the Mac took the stage all thoughts of this problem went out of my mind till after the show When you are young, you are prepared to put up with inconveniences that are intolerable when you’re older! ,

Supporting acts:
One was Elton John: I wasn’t impressed Again ,the reports say he was topping the bill at one of the pop proms but I would not have gone to a concert to see Elton, and my recollection is he was supporting FM at one of these Roundhouse gigs. Also a group called ,Hookfoot, and possibly one called Sassafras, and also Nico ,formerly of the Velvet underground, who sat on the stage and sang several dirges, accompanying herself on a pumped organ thing She was OK though ,and I quite liked it (all I can say is, again , I don’t think this was at he rock prom either )

FM
There was a huge inflatable pink penis dangling over the stage from the balcony, which circumnavigates the place I’m sure Peter made some quip about this when they took to the stage
He started to play Man of the World I think (could have been Albatross I
I suppose)










and after a few bars ,made some comment about doing something more exciting or “that’s enough of that “or ( words to that effect, ) **and just started playing the riff to Oh Well* and they continued with that song till the end, though it may have been an extended version going into a jam I feel this happened pretty early on in the set -,May have even started like that.
These concerts were very loud, too loud in retrospect ,my ears would ring for hours afterwards. At one, the drums were mixed far too high in the mix,-Though I noticed this, it didn’t worry me- it was so exciting They played a great Madison Blues at this show I think they played Lke it that Way
Peter introduced Rattle Snake shake with “this is a song about Masturbation “and sort of said the word with relish I remember being absolutely overwhelmed at some point and wanted to get up on stage and join in the jam- the fact that I didn’t have my guitar with me didn’t seem to be a problem -though of course I didn’t move , but this is how powerful it could be! )
I noticed Christine Mc Vie at the side/,back of the stage, looking intently and admiringly at Peter ,whilst they were playing -,dare I say almost in disbelief at how good he was!


My memory is that these were all superb concerts, and ,as I had dragged along as many friend as possible to convert them to the cause ,I’m very glad ,to say FM came up with the goods !(Having said that, I didn’t ever see a bad concert by them !)


** if anyone would be kind enough to tell me if anything like this happens on any of the bootlegs that would be interesting cause if not, it might give an indication that there was a third concert.., If anyone can sort out the concerts ,I’d be very grateful!

Get yer hands off Greeny's guitar, man! :cool:

Yeah -but did you know that the chord they make with the total of their eight fingers is the unusual Bb demented fifth !

To me it looks like the "made up 5th" ... :D

That Goldtop in the picture is actually Duster Bennett's guitar, originally given to him by PG who - as myth has it - had it from Clapton - who had it from B.B. King ect... It was left in the boot of the car Duster had the accident in. It was later auctioned for the benefit of Dusters widow Stella. I can't remember where I have seen this information....Probably in the capture below the picture in a music magazine.

Ms Moose

THD -
Memory does play tricks on us - The Pop Proms in April of 1970 were actually a week long set of shows running from Monday to Saturday, and the promoter put together a wildly eclectic line-up of acts, both established and new, for each of the nights.

There were jazz-rock hybrids such as IF (heavy with horns), Quintessence (incorporating Indian music into their jazz-rock), a newly reformed Traffic, the folk stylings of Fairport Convention, the hard blues rock of Johnny Winter and Juicy Lucy and the quieter solo / small band efforts of Matthew’s Southern Comfort and Elton John (who may or may not have been previewing songs from his up-coming “Empty Sky” album).

On the bill with Fleetwood Mac on Friday April 24th were Mighty Baby and Hookfoot.

The show is available for download at : www.wolfgangsvault.com

The tape reveals that the inflatable phallus was deployed at the end of the opening number, 'Black Magic Woman' -

I always thought that unveiling the prop after the first number seemed a bit "pre-mature" :sorry: as they then had to top that - worse, the next song Green plays is 'Before the Beginning' turning in a stunning version, one of his finest in my opinion. I'm thankful that I only have the audio as I don't think I'd be able to really appreciate the performance with that thing swaying in time to the music.

this is followed, after a some delay by 'World in Harmony'

I don't understand why they wouldn't have waited until a number such as 'Rattlesnake Shake' or the encore numbers, when everyone was already excited to push the audience over the top

Dinky Dawson claimed that Fleetwood got the prop from Mick Jagger; The Rolling Stones would employ a similar prop (was it the same one? How many of these things were out there?) when then toured North America - five years later! Was this something that Jagger just had hanging around the house, that he lent to Fleetwood for the night?

Thematically the phallus would have made more sense during Rattlesnake, yeah ;).

Interesting memories you guys have. Thanks.

My memory is certainlty not infallible (perhas that should be my memory is not inphallible in this case (Lucky I didn't say my phallus was unmemorable !)

Howerver The only time I've ever seen concerts in the Roundhouse they were Fleetwood Mac concerts Despite the published listings, I definitely saw Elton at the Roundhouse, therefore it MUST have been at one of these Fleetwood Mac gigs I can't explain it but it did happen ! Similary Nico Now I'm well aware that in the scheme of things, whether Elton appeared or not, doesn't have much releveance to FM own performance, but it reflects the credibility of my memories But the one thing I am aware about my memory is that it does play tricks with the order of events(I wish so much that I'd kept a diary at this time but didn't do so untill1983 ,and when I look back I'm shocked by what I've forgotten ,and how an event I thought happened before another ,actually happened months after it !

I don't remember anything about Mighty Baby,but it's certainly possible I saw them.

I think the inflatable was up there before they began .It may have been up there for the whole concert(ie while the support acts were on) after all I don't think it could be instantly inflated ,so it would have to have been moved into position( and it was huge) ,or uncovered suddenly I,too, think it would have been far more apt for it to have been revealed for Rattlesnake Shake Perhaps this is an argument for the fact that it couldn't be suddenly revealed ,and they would have liked to have it coincide with this number ,but couldn't co-ordinate it for these reasons

So I would speculate that it had been up there all the time, but some one started waggling it about at the end of BlackMagic Woman -hence Peter's comments on the Wolfgangs vault recordings (Ive listened to these carefully and thanks Brooklyn Blue for that !)

I speculate that if these recording came from Dinkie Dawson then, when he listened to them, prior to writing his memoir , to remind himself of what happened, he interpreted wrongly ,Peter's comments to mean that the inflatable was revealed at that point

Finally ,listening too the recordings was great I do remember Peter complaing about snappers ,but not that he went on so long about it !
I remember John Mc Vie telling photographers to stop at one concert somewhere , and making some sort of semi serious threat like "and you know what will happen to you if you dont !" Also ,one time Mc Vie made some announcement to" be careful 'cause we've heard that the Chelsea Drugs Squad were around (not at these Rouncdhouse concerts )