Let’s Pick, Fleetwood Mac 2
By: Larue Friday June 10, 2011
Long ago, I began a diary to discuss the lolng history of OLD Fleetwood Mac, before Lindsey Buckingham N Stevie Nicks.
Because, I think they were always better, n I grew up loving that band.
As I mentioned in the first diary, that Mac with Lindsey/Stevie had commercial success, and indeed put out some great music, albeit it’s more pop centric nature.
This diary takes up from where the last one left off.
So, there we were loving the Old Mac 4 of Green (Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) which had a YOUNG Jeremy Spencer doing slide blues, old rock n roll and such, with Mic on drums, John McVie bass. N a few of them from John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, which also birthed Clapton, Beck N Page, but that’s another whole page n history of stuff.
N then some how The Mac found n added Danny Kirwin (see the wiki on Mac in first diary).
He was 18. N he changed the band.
But this band changed a LOT once they hit the USA.
Hey, here’s one with all Five Macs, early on.
Story is that Peter Green was working on this song, n Jeremy Spencer was no help with no desire to help. Don’t know if that’s true but it’s been said.
So, Danny Kirwin came on board, and helped Green finish this song, n that was the beginning of the end for Spencer. Sorta.
Shortly after the release of their second album Fleetwood Mac added guitarist Danny Kirwan, then just eighteen years old, to their line-up. Green had been frustrated that Jeremy Spencer had little desire to contribute to Green’s songs. A mature and accomplished self-taught guitarist, Kirwan’s signature vibrato and unique style added a new dimension to an already complete band. With Kirwan the band released their first number one single in Europe, “Albatross”.
Despite the supposed end of Spencer with the band, there was much to lie ahead before he completed his demise from the band.
Peter Green left the band according to WIKI in May of ’70. His problems with mental stability (LSD or or other?) led him to want to give all the band’s money to charity. N he quit. See the Mac Wiki for more detail.
So, the band’s in USA, touring, n Green leaves. First loss. 1970.
At this point, young Danny Kirwin n young Jeremy Spencer were left to carry on.
And dawg dayum did they carry on, with Kiln House, still one of my fav Mac albums of all time.
Kiln House:
This project showed the two of them reaching out, n doing their best without guru Green to lead. N they smoked it.
It also features one Christine Perfect, who did the album cover art work. N who on one or two songs, I forget, became part of the band.
You just can’t get any better than Christine Perfect, n she tears up the the blues classic I’d Rather GO BLIND (I’d Rather Be A Blind Girl) that Etta James made famous.
Lord I love them horns . . . but that’s another diary some time about Cold Blood, Chicago Transit Authority, Electric flag n of course, Tower Of power.
N all this time, I have failed to draw the connect from old Elmore James majestry that Jeremy Spencer was soooooooo good at!
At this time, a song called DragonFly by Danny Kirwin, showcased what was to come. N Kirwin was to become a hoss. This song tells his git flavor, just listen to that sustain n glory. We will talk more of Kirwin’s git sound, as we progress thru the Mac lineup changes.
Sadly, after Kiln House, and while on tour in the US, Spencer went out one day, and never came back. Per Wiki:
While on tour in February 1971, Jeremy Spencer said he was going out to “get a magazine”, but never returned. After several days of frantic searching, the band discovered that Spencer had joined a religious group, the Children of God. Liable for the remaining shows on the tour, they convinced Peter Green to help finish the tour. He brought along his friend, Nigel Watson, who played the congas (twenty-five years later Green and Watson would collaborate again to form the Peter Green Splinter Group). Green, however, would only be back with Fleetwood Mac temporarily, so the band decided to search for a new guitarist.
Incredible, now two greats had left, one had come back, for a bit.
N the band played on!
THIS led to a version of the band I can’t help feeling, was the best that Mic Fleetwood could ever have felt feeling, was the best (aside from Bucky/Stevie).
And this is definitely one of my fav versions of this band, ever.
They moved to LA, they went out and found Bob Welch, Green n Spencer were gone, and Kirwin had that haunting sound which paired up with the new gitslinger so well.
Bob Welch.
This led to two of the greatest Mac albums of all time IMHO.
Sadly, all the Fleetwood Mac youtube’s I want to present have been deleted.
So, just let me say that Future Games N Bare Trees were epic sounds with Kirwin N Welch.
My two favs of all time, Mac style.
Kirwin went on to be useless due to drink, n was fired from the band while on tour around ’72.
Others were added to the band, Bob Weston was a monster, but he fooled around with Mic Fleetwood’s wife, and was fired.
N by the end of Mystery To Me the band was hurting.
Christine was done with a drunken John McVie, Mic was dumped by his old lady, n then, along came Buckingham N Nicks.
N they disintegrated hard, too. The rest is history.
But before Buckingham N Nicks, The Mac had a few configurations that were incredible.
I hope all y’all will check out old Mac, their music, n chase their incredible history.
Especially the music of Welch/Kirwin, on Future Games and Bare Trees.
Man that was and is, some fine, fine music.
N that’s my end of The Mac.
Bless them, their music, and anyone who stops by.
http://my.firedoglake.com/larue/2011...eetwood-mac-2/