DISCUSSION: Danny's songs from Kiln House

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Certainly Danny was awkward, and getting along with him was no doubt very hard work in almost all cases. But when he joined the band, I think he was a much more easy-going guy. It was only later that he became difficult. I disagree that Kirwan was much of a factor in Green's departure. On a personal level, maybe Danny was hard going at times, but musically he was the only thing that Green had to bounce off. Green was moaning during 1969 that there was no creativity coming from the rest of the band at all, apart from Danny. That's why he was hired. Without someone coming in, Mac would have folded before "Then Play On", or just produced "Mr Wonderful Mk 2". By Peter's own admission, there'd have been no "Albatross". Peter left through reasons beyond musical frustration anyway, hence only one jam album and two singles in the next 7 years; and also through reasons beyond any personal issues with other members.

I never questioned Danny's musical input in Fleetwood Mac. Yes, without him the band would've ended before Christine, and the move to the US. Maybe when Green complained to a young Gary Moore in '69 that his band is "driving him crazy", it wasn't about Kirwan, but the lack of input from the others. I think Green didn't like being the leader after a certain point (sometime in 1969). Before Kirwan joined FM, Peter Green was a cocky, confident almost brazen band-leader who knew what he wanted. While other famous bands have that one songwriter that brings it home, and they too had their demons (Ray Davies, Pete Townshend) they were able to keep their bands together at least twenty years. I think Kirwan, and Green were great together as songwriters, but after reading Martin Celmins' 1995 interview with Danny Kirwan, he still held a lot of hostility, and blame in Peter Green's direction.

Originally Posted by bretonbanquet

Danny would have done a LOT better had Fleetwood Mac split up in 1970, perhaps taking a year off and then either joining another band or doing his own thing. I think Bob wanted the band to sack Danny much earlier than they did, but obviously Mick (at least) was too afraid to do that. It would have been better for Danny. By Bob's own admission, when Danny was finally sacked, they were incapable of operating as a four-piece (Mick, John, Bob and Chris) at that point, so I wonder what they had thought they were doing? Were they just plodding on, hoping that Danny would get better? Hypothetical point here, but had Mick listened to Bob and sacked Danny in '71, we wouldn't have "Bare Trees", but they'd have hired someone else and carried on as a five-piece. No screwing Walker around and no Bob Weston-Jenny Fleetwood scenario...

If Danny leaves FM in 1970, there is no Fleetwood Mac. Possible scenario is hiring Stan Webb, and Christine at the same time. That could've worked. Yet I bet there is no Bob Welch, or the 1975- band.


I'll never understand Peter Green's departure. His last concerts with FM caught on tape rival the best rock concerts ever heard. Fleetwood Mac could've been a HUGE "rock" band on the level of Led Zeppelin/Who/Stones of the early 70's.