great period piece

Many people forget that Fleetwood Mac started off as a blues unit in the mid 1960's, when guitarist extraordinaire Peter Green and drummer Mick Fleetwood both left John Mayall's Bluesbreakers to form their own band. Bassist John McVie would eventually follow suit, and, after adding unknown slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer, the original Fleetwood Mac was born.

This set from 1968 is indicitive of an early Mac set. The blues are pure on this offering, featuring the slide guitar talents of Spencer, who could also belt out Elmore James tunes with little trouble. (in fact, Spencer's james-like slide is why he was added to the band to begin with) Green also sings a few of the tunes, all of which are blues offerings. My guess is that this is one of the last Mac shows before the instrumental "Albatross" became a smash hit, and Green's writings slowly became for introspective and religiously oriented. The results are at moments raw, but wonderful indeed.

The Mac would shortly add on guitar prodigy Danny Kirwin to the lineup, and the slow downfall of the original band would begin. Green et al would record one great studio lp, the amazing "Then Play On," before Green left the band. (reasons are still not 100% clear..whether it was religion, drugs, or both is not exactly known) Spencer would later abandon the band and join a religious cult, while Kirwin, way too young (he was 17 when he joined the band in late '68), would become yet another drug casuality by 1973... not long thereafter, Fleetwood and the MacVies would find Buckingham and Nicks, and..well, you know the rest..

This aural document of the early Mac shows is wonderful listening and well worth searching out, if to hear Green's guitar majesty if no other reason. A great cd.