FM Album never released

[Blue Horizon]

Back in the 70's my local record store used to issue every month a list of expected new releases. In December 1976 they had listed the following:-

FLEETWOOD MAC--PLUS. DJM DJF20484

Before the Beginning
Uganda Woman
Heavy Heart
Beasts of Burden
Man of the world
Homework
Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight
Love it Seems
Trinity
Tell Me From the Start
Man of Action


Does anybody have any information as to why it was never released. Obviously with the record being released on the DJM label ( Danny Kirwan's solo label) I expect Clifford Davies was behind it rather than FM, but other than that I don't have any further info. Anybody out there who can shed some light on the subject?

Cheers,
Blue Horizon.

[greenfire]

Blue Horizon,

How did you happen to keep that album information for so long? Are some of these songs Danny solo? I've heard of "Trinity", seeing it on The Chain Box, but I'm not familiar with "Uganda Woman", "Heavy Heart", "Love It Seems", "Man of Action"? Where do these songs fit in the FM equation? Maybe there was a legal issue which came up at the last minute and prevented the album from actually being released. I hope someone else knows more about this.

[sharksfan2000]

Originally posted by greenfire
Blue Horizon,

How did you happen to keep that album information for so long? Are some of these songs Danny solo? I've heard of Trinity seeing it on The Chain Box, but I'm notl familiar with "Uganda Woman", "Heavy Heart", "Love It Seems", "Man of Action"? Where do these songs fit in the FM equation? Maybe there was a legal issue which came up at the last minute and prevented the album from actually being released. I hope someone else knows more about this.

This should help make sense of the tracks for you...

Uganda Woman, Beasts of Burden, Heavy Heart:
Solo Peter Green singles recorded in '71

Love It Seems, Tell Me From the Start:
"Then Play On" session tracks by Danny Kirwan (both on "The Vaudeville Years")

Man of Action:
Jeremy's '68 parody of John Mayall (also on "The Vaudeville Years")

Man of the World, Before the Beginning, Homework:
Probably the Clifford Davis versions from '69 & '70 - Peter Green is listed as playing all of the instruments while Clifford Davis sings

Trinity
As you noted, a Danny Kirwan song from '71

Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight
We all know this one, the B-side to Man of the World

I don't know for sure, but I suspect you're right that there was some sort of legal action preventing DJM from releasing this material.

[greenfire]

Sharksfan2000,

Thanks for filling me on those tracks! I knew I had seen the song name "Uganda Woman" somewhere, kind of odd name and one not to easy to forget. It makes sense when you said it came from PG's first solo album, as do some of the other tracks.

How does look for an album list? Would this have been a great album if it had been made, just curious?

[chiliD]

Originally posted by greenfire
Thanks for filling me on those tracks! I knew I had seen the song name "Uganda Woman" somewhere, kind of odd name and one not to easy to forget. It makes sense when you said it came from PG's first solo album, as do some of the other tracks.

It wasn't on ANY solo album...it was backed with "Beast Of Burden" and released as a single only.

The Peter Green Splinter Group re-recorded "Uganda Woman" for their Time Traders album.

[sharksfan2000]

Originally posted by greenfire
How does look for an album list? Would this have been a great album if it had been made, just curious?

Well, it's really just odds & ends, pretty uneven musically IMHO. But in '76 some of the tracks had never been released while I'm sure the others would have been tough to find since I don't believe they had appeared on any album. So it might have been great for collectors, but it I don't think it would have been a great album as far as the music.

[greenfire]

Sharksfan2000 & ChiliD,

Thanks for the further info.! If you guys have those singles "Beast of Burden", "Uganda Woman" & "Heavy Heart", are they more in line with what Pete did on his End of the Game solo album or are they more like what he did with FM or different from both?

I haven't heard End of the Game and am only going by the reviews, which basically say that the songs are unstructured and more free form or improvisation type playing. Has anyone read the review of the album on AMG? I don't even know if End of the Game has any vocal parts or all instrumental. Anyway, I was curious if those three singles were more structured songs with vocals?

[sharksfan2000]

Originally posted by greenfire
Sharksfan2000 & ChiliD,

Thanks for the further info.! If you guys have those singles "Beast of Burden", "Uganda Woman" & "Heavy Heart", are they more in line with what Pete did on his End of the Game solo album or are they more like what he did with FM or different from both?

I haven't heard End of the Game and am only going by the reviews, which basically say that the songs are unstructured and more free form or improvisation type playing. Has anyone read the review of the album on AMG? I don't even know if End of the Game has any vocal parts or all instrumental. Anyway, I was curious if those three singles were more structured songs with vocals?

Regarding End of the Game, the whole album is in fact free form. According to Martin Celmin's book on Peter, the music was edited from a 3-4 hour late night jam session in June '70, shortly after Peter left Mac. It's entirely instrumental. I think the music is a matter of personal preference, some people seem to think it's great avant-garde playing, others feel it's a total directionless waste of talent. I like a couple of the tracks, "Bottoms Up" and "Timeless Time" - the others I'm afraid I don't care for very much. But if you like Peter Green's guitar work at all, I think the album's worth a listen to see how you feel about it.

"Heavy Heart" was the first solo single from Peter, and had a b-side called "No Way Out". Both are instrumentals and are similar in feel to parts of End of the Game, not surprising as I've read these were also taken from a jam, this one in January '71. I think "Heavy Heart" is easily the better side and ranks with Peter's best work from End of the Game.

"Beasts of Burden" and its b-side "Uganda Woman" are more structured songs, both composed and sung by Nigel Watson (I think Peter is co-credited for writing "Beasts"). Neither song is remarkable IMHO, neither really awful nor very good either. And unfortunately there's not much notable guitar work from Peter on either one. The sessionography in Martin Celmin's book lists the session for this single as also being in January '71, but the text mentions that it was recorded following Peter's appearance on BB King's "Caledonia" in June '71, which I think seems more likely. Not sure how that compares with other sessionographies - maybe someone else can help with that.

[dansven]

Hi,
I am 100% sure that Nigel sings the "Uganda Woman" and that Peter sings the "Beasts Of Burden" track.

I think BoB has some great guitar moments, especially the solo over the verse chord structure. I also agree that Heavy Heart is a great track, although it should have been longer. I seems that Peter is "starting on something" in the last part of it, and then it fades out. Peter has later mentioned that he was very pleased by the song.

Daniel

[BklynBlue]

I'm hoping that if and when Rhino gets around to releasing an expanded version of "Then Play On" (Fleetwood Mac '75 / Rumours & Tusk are scheduled for march 22nd) that maybe the 2nd disc will look something like that DJM line-up -
With their myopic view of the current quarter's profit margin, the powers that be at Warners were completely beaten to the punch on the release of full disc's worth of vault material from the "TPO" era on the two Receiver comps.
Hopefully they won't just recycle it themselves, but if they do maybe they'll be a little more information on the tracks in the liner notes -

I'd like to see them do something similar to what MCA did with the expanded "A Hard Road" -
release the single versions of "Green Manalishi" & "World in Harmony" -
release the two Clifford Davis singles and the two Green solo singles - plus any other session work that may have done from that time they have the rights to and have no intention of releasing otherwise -
If they're not going to release Jeremy Spencer's first solo album on CD, pull the highlights from that -
Why cede all this material to bootleggers? Beat 'em at their own game - It's not as if they have to bargain over the rights this material - they own it!

[sharksfan2000]

Originally posted by BklynBlue
If they're not going to release Jeremy Spencer's first solo album on CD, pull the highlights from that

That would make too much sense so I'm sure they won't do it!

Hey BklynBlue, did you ever get my email replies to you?

[BklynBlue]

Sharksfan2000,
Just "found" your messages! Man, am I red-faced! Thrilled, but red-faced all the same...My apologies!
see what happens when you "share" your computer with a ten-year-old!
Sad thing is, I need him to explain to me how most of the functions work!
I'll be back to you soon

[chiliD]

Originally posted by BklynBlue
If they're not going to release Jeremy Spencer's first solo album on CD...

I would almost bet that it'll be a part of the Then Play On reissue...along with "Green Manalishi", "World In Harmony", too...maybe even studio versions of Danny's "Only You" & Peter's "Sandy Mary", as well.

Rhino's done wonderful remaster/re-issues for other artists, I don't see them "going cheap" with Fleetwood Mac.

"Dragonfly" & "Purple Dancer" will probably be among the Kiln House bonus tracks.

[sharksfan2000]

Originally posted by chiliD
"Dragonfly" & "Purple Dancer" will probably be among the Kiln House bonus tracks.

I sure hope they do release those as bonus tracks - I'd love to get "Purple Dancer" on CD. Might be my favorite song of the Kiln House period.

I hope Rhino does a good remastering job on the earlier albums. I think Then Play On and Future Games in particular are badly in need of improved sound.

[chiliD]

Considering the short running times of both Future Games & Bare Trees, Rhino could almost put both albums on one disc, and then use the second disc to pack with bonus tracks from BOTH albums.