Fleetwood Mac readers?

[dansven]

Hi,

Lately I've been wondering about what books/literature the band members enjoyed back in the days. And also their favorite books in later years.

Perhaps Jeremy Spencer would be willing to share some memories on this subject?

I have found very little mention of books/novels in interviews and other sources, but have managed to make a short list as follows:

- The New Testament/The Bible (Spencer, and at least at some point Green).
- James Allen: As A Man Thinketh (book mentioned by Green).
- Rupert Brooke: Poems (Kirwan, "Dust" lyrics).
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Ancient Mariner (Green, inspiration for "Albatross").
- W. H. Davies: Poems (Kirwan, "Dragonfly" lyrics).
- Certainly most of the music magazines: NME, Melody Maker, Disc and Music Echo etc.

Beat poets and religious texts from the Eastern beliefs (such as The I Ching) are frequently mentioned among musicians. But I have never read that Fleetwood Mac were into that in the early years. Any more thoughts or additions would be highly appreciated.

Daniel

[David]

Bob Welch has mentioned a couple of important books to him over the decades. I seem to recall that he once talked about Castaneda’s Teachings of Don Juan and something by Douglas Adams. And I bet Bob also read people like Pynchon, Mishima, Laing, Koestler, and the Beats — all the books that college students were reading in the Sixties and Seventies, some of them living in Paris like him. Seems right up Bob’s alley.

[dansven]

Thanks a lot, David! 😊
Yes, I would believe Bob Welch was an avid reader.

[aleuzzi]

Bob was certainly into the mystical literature. I’d add to David’s “likely” list Henry Miller, William Burroughs, and Tom Wolfe.

Christine has mentioned reading a lot on tour but I have no idea who or what she’s reading.

It’s safe to say Lindsey read Whitman But how deeply I’m not sure. He strikes me as incisive and intelligent though nowhere near as curious as Welch.

Stevie read some Celtic lore and historical novels (including a Robert Graves one), but I don’t know how much of a reader she is. Still, I can picture her reading 19th century novels by the Brontes and Dickens...

Beyond Welch, it’s hard to imagine any of the past and present members of the band being deep readers. But who knows? John might have read the entire set of Proust.

[Villavic]

Probably in later years they did read, but I don't think they did during the (cocaine) 70's tours, or studio sessions days.

Can't imagine Peter reading after acid trips