Re-evaluating End of the Game

[michelej1]

Mojo's Blog lists the album as "Disc of the Day"

http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2010/06/peter_green.html
Peter Green
The End Of The Game
(Reprise, 1970)

Is it time to reappraise the Fleetwood Mac man's freeform guitar burnout?

In the most recent MOJO profile of Peter Green, in November 2008, his debut solo album was dismissed in passing as "a mainly instrumental solo album that nobody bought." Look for more information on the All Music Guide and you'll find The End Of The Game described as "incoherent drivel from an immensely talented guitarist. Sad." I beg to differ. Released in June 1970, The End Of The Game arrived barely a month after Green's farewell to Fleetwood Mac, the LSD-infused 7" riff attack of The Green Manalishi, had hit the top ten. The album was, however, born in the trauma of the Mac's European tour earlier that year.

[doodyhead]

this post on MOJO deserves to get a little buzz going

some people are not receptive to anything that does not conform to expectations

It may be that Peter's life could have taken a different tack had only the right ears in in the music community been listening
maybe not, but we will never know

doodyhead, mel and vinnie

[Evan Morris]

Over the years I've read several interviews with the other musicians that were involved in that session, they both agree and disagree about almost evertyhing that happened that day. But the two things that they all agreed upon is that what Peter did that day was years ahead of it's time, and that the best of Peter's playing ended up on the cutting room floor. With this in mind, I've often wondered if the tape that wasn't used was stored as is the common practice with a large recording label like Reprise.
Some ten years ago or so, Peter was supposed to have said that it would be interesting to take another look at this album and maybe add some over-dubs. Has anyone heard anything futher regarding a possible End of the Game II?

[chiliD]

I'd read something a few years back that there was an expanded two-disc "Deluxe Edition" in the works. Obviously, that has fallen through the cracks. :shrug:

[Evan Morris]

Like so many of P.G.'s projects over the years, unfortunately. Thanks for the input, a 2 disc deluxe edition would be sure to include the unused material, probably the closest we would ever get to the Munich tapes style jamming.

[mzero]

Like so many of P.G.'s projects over the years, unfortunately. Thanks for the input, a 2 disc deluxe edition would be sure to include the unused material, probably the closest we would ever get to the Munich tapes style jamming.

great thread!

and a deluxe edition could include the reprise singles of that time (beast of burden, heavy heart, and the b sides) that as far as i know haven't been compiled on a legit cd or vinyl release

i still hold out hope that there is a decent recording of peter playing live during this period of his poorly documented free form glory. that would be something to hear though it might make zero's head explode with joy

zero

[Evan Morris]

I was never sure if those tracks were intended to be part of the End of the Game or part of another album. I've been told that the End of the Game is a loose theme album on the life and death of a jungle cat. This is not something that I have confirmed, but if true, I'm sure that the those songs would have been a good fit.

[wetcamelfood]

I was never sure if those tracks were intended to be part of the End of the Game or part of another album. I've been told that the End of the Game is a loose theme album on the life and death of a jungle cat. This is not something that I have confirmed, but if true, I'm sure that the those songs would have been a good fit.

I'm sure you're right that those were meant to be stand alone recordings but more because of chronology a reissued EOTG is the best, and label/legal wise, really the only, place those can be placed as bonus tracks.

I thought I heard something about PG wanting to re-visit this and that's fine if they just release what exists in the vaults from those sessions but not personally being a fan of "changing history" I hope if it ever does happen that they don't do any overdubbing on them.

John

[chiliD]

...that's fine if they just release what exists in the vaults from those sessions but not personally being a fan of "changing history" I hope if it ever does happen that they don't do any overdubbing on them.

John

That's what has kind of ruined the recent reissue of the Stones Exile On Main Street album for me. I read where Mick & Keith tweaked a few things in the studio while remixing the album.

[mzero]

I'm sure you're right that those were meant to be stand alone recordings but more because of chronology a reissued EOTG is the best, and label/legal wise, really the only, place those can be placed as bonus tracks...

John

thanks john, that is the way i remember it too...that end of the game and the singles were on all on reprise as just as then play on had been. its interesting, remembering that pete was under contract to clifford davies during this period, somehow much later, his ex wife mich ended up with the trove of studio then play on era outtakes that make up much of the 'vaudeville years'. i wonder if mich reynolds has any of the end of the games sessions?

i'm sure that em and john are correct that the singles were separate later recordings with mostly different personnel. despite that and ignoring the contractual issues they are more similar to end of the game than to fleetwood mac or the eventual follow up in the skies. but definitely not very similar to anything, i will give you that!

i do understand em's desire to have a pure end of the game reissue. that would be cool. i was thinking selfishly, actually. i don't have good copies of the singles as i do have for end of the game. eotg it is relatively easy to find. does anyone know if the singes are available anywhere outside of bootlegs or vintage 45's?

zero

[slipkid]

The real crime is Warner Brothers stopped their Fleetwood Mac reissue series with "FM (self-titled, 1975)", "Rumours", and "Tusk".

"Then Play On" deserves proper treatment for a re-issue. It needs a second disc to include the songs that were not on the U.S. release, with corrected edit of "Oh Well Part 2".



Without this album, there is no future to Fleetwood Mac. Forget Bob Welch, Dave Walker, or the duo from California.


I agree with "End of the Game" getting a facelift, but unless TPO gets proper treatment, EOTG needs to wait in line.

[dino]

The real crime is Warner Brothers stopped their Fleetwood Mac reissue series with "FM (self-titled, 1975)", "Rumours", and "Tusk".

"Then Play On" deserves proper treatment for a re-issue. It needs a second disc to include the songs that were not on the U.S. release, with corrected edit of "Oh Well Part 2".



Without this album, there is no future to Fleetwood Mac. Forget Bob Welch, Dave Walker, or the duo from California.


I agree with "End of the Game" getting a facelift, but unless TPO gets proper treatment, EOTG needs to wait in line.


+1 :thumbsup:

[chiliD]

I agree with "End of the Game" getting a facelift, but unless TPO gets proper treatment, EOTG needs to wait in line.

What could they do with TPO that hasn't been covered by the Vaudeville Years and ShowBiz Blues sets (other than including Jeremy Spencer's first "solo" album)?

[Mario]

What could they do with TPO that hasn't been covered by the Vaudeville Years and ShowBiz Blues sets (other than including Jeremy Spencer's first "solo" album)?

Once again ChiliD is right........

So let's go for "The End Of The Game"........

Mario.:D

[sharksfan2000]

The End of The Game would be a prime choice for a re-issue with bonus tracks, but I'd agree that Then Play On should be re-issued if only to improve on the sound quality of the current CD release.

[slipkid]

What could they do with TPO that hasn't been covered by the Vaudeville Years and ShowBiz Blues sets (other than including Jeremy Spencer's first "solo" album)?

I'm writing from a sonic perspective. The CD sounds horrible! "Then Play On" was one of those quickly remastered Warner Brothers albums no-one cared about fly-by-night mass produced CD's from the late 1980's.

Compare the Mike Vernon remasters with Blue Horizon against "Then Play On". Take note, those were done over eleven years ago. It's obvious Warner Brothers felt that the Buckingham/Nicks era needed a face-lift. Yet they treated "Rumours" with kid-gloves respect when they remastered the album in the late 80's.

Seriously, TPO needs to be brought back to it's original form with modern studio technology. If you've ever visited the Steve Hoffman forum website, it's always one of the first albums people request Steve Hoffman to remaster. Steve Hoffman is known as one of the minimalist CD remaster engineers over the past 25+ years.

[dino]

I'm writing from a sonic perspective. The CD sounds horrible! "Then Play On" was one of those quickly remastered Warner Brothers albums no-one cared about fly-by-night mass produced CD's from the late 1980's.

Compare the Mike Vernon remasters with Blue Horizon against "Then Play On". Take note, those were done over eleven years ago. It's obvious Warner Brothers felt that the Buckingham/Nicks era needed a face-lift. Yet they treated "Rumours" with kid-gloves respect when they remastered the album in the late 80's.

Seriously, TPO needs to be brought back to it's original form with modern studio technology. If you've ever visited the Steve Hoffman forum website, it's always one of the first albums people request Steve Hoffman to remaster. Steve Hoffman is known as one of the minimalist CD remaster engineers over the past 25+ years.


Very true. It's a disgrace that such a classic can't be heard in good audio. But have you checked out the vinyl rip of the original Then Play On UK elpee on demonoid? Sounds much better than the cd. And it's interesting to hear the album in its original configuration.

[dansven]

This is trippy.... :shocked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SbrFDHyGGU

[Ms Moose]

This is trippy.... :shocked:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SbrFDHyGGU

Thank You Dansven! As Mick Fleetwood said in the Man of The World film: "the tone is to die for". Music and pictures together: wonderful and weird.. I think it is a bit of a really old Disney film.

Ms Moose