Q Reviews

[michelej1]

From the August 2009 issue:

Then Play On

After the recruitment of 18-year-old Danny Kirwan, Fleetwood Mac stopped playing straight blues and reset the compass for planet rock, from loose, Grateful Dead-style jams to grinding, meat-beating manifesto Rattlesnake Shake. Released the same year that the atmospheric Albatross topped the UK chart, how could things possibly go wrong? Alas, wearying of his guitar hero status and a serious acid casualty to boot, Peter Green retired after falling to persuade his colleages to donate their money to charity. Subsequent reissues made the epic Oh Well the album's centrepiece.

Fleetwood Mac

Heavily indebted to Elmore James, the original line up's blues-drenched debut, one that instantly propelled Green into the Premier League of great British guitarists.

Mr. Wonderful

Their second album added horns and the keyboards of one Christine Perfect, in the days before her marriage to bassist John McVie. A tasty 60s British Blues treat.

Kiln House

Green's exit would have signaled the end for most bands, but not Fleetwood Mac. In the spirit of those far-off times, they retired to a country retreat (named Kiln House) and soldiered on, lead duties split between Spencer and Kirwan. The album caught them in an identity crisis, balancing such choogling rockers as Tell Me All The Things You Do, with Spencer's affectionate parodies of Elvis and Buddy Holly, plus even a spoof country song, Blood on the Floo. The following year Spencer would quit too, joining the Children of God religious cult during a US tour.

HAHTF

The fifth and final album featuring Californian guitarist Bob Welch, HAHTF didn't have much in common with the old blues-bashing Mac, but its production values and soft-rock leanings offer plenty of clues as to where they were heading. Though they couldn't get arrested in their homeland at the time, in the States things were slowly looking up this being their most commercially successful venture there to date. Evident is a renewed confidence, Christine McVie especially coming good on Come a Little Bit Closer.

Future Games

All change again as Bob Welch replaces Jeremy Spencer and Christine McVie asserts herself as a writer. Result: mellow, West Coast-sounding folk rock, with a distinct hint of Crosby, Stills & Nash about it.