Before the Beginning

[David]

All right, you guys, all you early Mac experts with opinions & preferences, gimme yer opinions. "Before the Beginning" is one of my favorite Green tunes, but I have not heard the live version off the "Shrine" collection. I hope I will soon, though.

Which do y'all prefer, the studio or the Shrine live? Or what are the relative strengths of each?

Also, is the song available on anything else Mac officially released that just isn't showing up in discographies on Penguin & elsewhere?

[chiliD]

My favorite is the original "Then Play On" version...

But, hearing it played live on "Shrine'69" was really cool, too.

On "Vaudeville Years" there is an early instrumental take of it (when it was simply called "Blues In Bb minor").

The thing I've realized from hearing these recent releases of outtakes & early recordings, Peter Green plays each take of a song nearly identically to the one before. (One especially amazing example is on Disc 1 of the Blue Horizon Sessions box..."I Loved Another Woman"...same tone, same feel, same attitude for 6 straight attempts...and then the final take, too! Amazing!)

One difference between TPO version & the Shrine version...the song modulates to a different key when it repeats the intro riff at the end of the song. On the original studio version it mods to Gm...on the Shrine version it mods to different key (I forget exactly, but "Dm" comes to mind)

David, you HAVE to get "Shrine '69"..."Before The Beginning" is worth the price of the CD alone...the entire set is just incredible...Peter, Danny, Jeremy, Mick & John just light up the stage!! The only downer on the album is the first 3:10 of "Tune Up"...they really could've edited down that part of the tapes.
Jeremy's take of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire" is just a rockin' way to end the CD...this version of "Albatross" is much better than their BBC performance. When I first looked at the songlist of this CD, I was kind of disappointed that there weren't many of the "hits" (BMW, Rattlesnake Shake, Oh Well, etc...but, before the first verse of "If You Be My Baby" ended, I KNEW it was a great purchase!!)



If ANYONE ever doubts that Peter Green was ever a peer of Eric Clapton's, just play this CD for 'em...they'll get the picture REAL fast. Eric would be hard pressed to keep up with Peter on this one!! (Disclaimer: I used to be a Clapton-wannabe, so consider that when thinking about my last statement)

[wetcamelfood]

Ya beat me to it ChilD, couldn't agree more.

John

[Blue Horizon]

ChilliD

Spot on! I can recall seeing the Mac Several times during 1969 and early 1970 when they played 'Before the Beginning', and for me it was one of the highlights of their set. Peter's tone with lots of reverb made this song truly amazing live. Perhaps Pete and the Splinter Group might revisit this track oneday soon for inclusion in their live set and a cd.

Blue Horizon

[chiliD]

That and "Oh Well" are the tunes I'm pining for the PGSG to resurrect!

Heck, I wouldn't mind even if they added "Wild Dogs" to their set!!

[David]

Originally posted by chiliD
David, you HAVE to get "Shrine '69"..."Before The Beginning" is worth the price of the CD alone...the entire set is just incredible

I'm a'goin' ta! "Shrine '69" is actually on my notify list at Django's. The moment it comes in, I'm snatching it up!