[snoot]

slipkid: Just wanted to clarify the Mayall bit. John Mayall was seeking out Peter's services around the time he was a gravedigger. I think that was late '71?

Would have been around that time. If it's indeed true, could have been in preference to McGee or Robinson. 'Verrrry interesting' as Arte Johnson used to say.

slipkid: I don't think there would've been an "End of the Game" without drugs. Actually one has to ask what songs Peter wrote were drug inspired (Manalishi of course) or weren't.

Ha! There wouldn't have been TPO without drugs either me thinkz. As I see it, End Of The Game stems more from excessive drug use than probably anything else. That, or the played out visions of a ramblin' recluse. Take your choice. Yet take the same material, condense it and sift it through the right band members to hone it more tightly, and you might have a basis to work with. At least in part.

slipkid: In today's world, Peter's lack of self for charity would be seen as an admirable trait. Forty years ago, you were crazy.

Well charity as such was not unheard of back then; after all it was the free love, hippie in beads, "cultural revolution" era (blah blah blah for broken dreams). But it wasn't the altruistic impulse that was alarming, it was the go-for-broke framing he was looking to put it in to the others in the band. It was all or nothing in Pete's mind. And here they were, just beginning to taste the monetary fruits of their labors. If he had his way, they would have chucked all their moolah and carried on as near penniless paupers. They might have well donned robes and joined the hippies in their tree palaces on the isle of Kauai. LOL

Mick was clearly looking at the bigger picture when he told Pete he was crazy to want to take things to such lengths. Fortunately he convinced John of the same when JM started to ponder the notion - seriously.

slipkid: I always thought Kirwan snapped because he was the de-facto leader, and couldn't take it. By Bare Trees, you really felt Kirwan was taking the lead in songwriting in terms of output.

What do you mean, he was taking the lead - or co-lead - from TPO on. By Future Games, he was carrying the band on his shoulders for the most part.

slipkid: As long as Green was in the band he didn't have that pressure of being a leader. Of course this thread speculated the rumor that Kirwan was thinking of leaving before Green, so who knows.

I think DK would have been happiest as second banana, albeit one that had a distinct hand and say in the final delivery. Whether he was destined all along to flame out like PG is hard to say (born under a bad sign type of thing), but something tells me he would have survived the game longer if Peter and then Jeremy didn't bow out in the rather abrupt ways they did. Beyond that, it probably didn't help that he only got along marginally with Bob Welch (no fault of Bob's I think it's fair to say), even if the two played beautifully together. I always saw him in the role of Dickey Betts to Duane and Gregg, if you get my drift.

In the end, I think it's fair to say that the pressure got to him for sure. Same with Pete in many ways, no doubt true of Jeremy in other ways. It was rough enough being a full time rocker back then without having to be the point man to boot, and in Danny's case, an innately shy and reserved one into the bargain (did I mention ridiculously sensitive also?). And it goes without saying, not everyone is meant to take front and center. That damn near takes a coat of armor - and an almost limitless well from which to tap from.