Where do they FIND this stuff?!

I've been a Fleetwood Mac fan (mostly the Peter Green version) since 1970. Just when I thought I'd heard it all comes this set! Most of the tracks are interesting, but clearly cutting room floor material. The stuff only us Mac fanatics could appreciate.

But some of the tracks are incredible! Among the groups best stuff and lying in a vault for over thirty years?!

Exhibit A: "Black Magic Woman" Green's jam favorite is from the Boston concerts and is the best version I've heard. His Hendrix influenced wah-wah makes the instrumental jam second half of this performance interesting. Mesmerizing, soaring Green guitar that loops around Danny Kirwan's vibrato-laden guitar wails take this Otis Rush inspired piece to incredible heights. Worth the price of the set on its own.

Exhibit B: "Coming Your Way" Kirwan's Afro/Surf jam, marred by poor sound quality and some meandering "solo" playing by Kirwan. Yet, it is a more driving version than the Boston recording, with Fleetwood and Mac laying down an irresistable backbeat. World dance music from the Mac in 1970! Listen to how Green prods Kirwan after Mick Fleetwood's drum solo.

Exhibit C: The four piece Mac! An extremely rare instance where Green and Jeremy Spencer played as a UNIT instead of Green simply backing the slide meister. "I Have to Laugh" is an intensely brooding Otis Rush song driven by Jeremy's powerful vocals and Peter's wonderfully evocative and unobtrusive lead guitar work. This is one of my favorite Mac tunes of all time. Several times, I've played this for friends who are simply stunned. "Who is THAT?"

There are many more wonderful tracks here, with the second cd full of terrific 1970 live performances that were among the band's last recordings in the Peter Green incarnation.

You have to be a fan to enjoy the entire cd. But, all you need is a heart to enjoy the best cuts.

The Best Years - Raw And Gutsy

This is the original Mac blues band, the Peter Green band with John & Mick laying down the rhythm for Peter and his young acolites Jeremy Spencer & Danny Kirwan. It was also before Christine joined. So if you like Mac for that little ... Stevie or for Lindsay, please don't buy this.....it's reserved for the original Mac fans.

Having got that out of my system, here's what you probably want to know about this set. I think it can join with the Chicago sessions and The Boston Tea Party set to showcase the best of the original Mac. However, along with the earlier companion set The Vaudeville Years, it does hold a secondary place in the ultimate collection of the early band.

You really should get both the Vol. I Vaudeville and this Vol. II Show-Biz Blues . Personally I think this set has a bit better tracks....Jeremey gets nicely into his Elvis/Buddy Holly/Elmore James groove with Don't Be Cruel, Great Balls of Fire, and a slowed down Twist & Shout.....but the strength of the set lies in a killer Black Magic Woman followed by what I think is the best version of Jumpin' At Shadows and then a great Shake following that...all on Disc 2.

But this one is worth purchasing because it gives full hearing to the band that became famous for jamming, driving rhythm section, and both brilliant and roaring fun guitarists. Mac evolved, but this was a very special time and for anyone who fell in love with the Boston Tea Party releases, this one will fix you up for a couple more years.

It ain't nobody but Him and Me

Once again the fine people involved with Fleetwood Mac pump out another brilliantly compiled ORIGINAL Fleetwood Mac outakes collection.
For those who find the Original blues band to be better than the pop rock Rumours Mac this is a 5 star gem. The first disc is a collection of outakes, featuring some fine blues numbers from Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, and Jeremy Spencer. Jeremy also delivers some good 50's songs. It also has some excellent slide play on the takes of what became Showbiz Blues as well as great alternative versions of songs on the Vaudeville Years collection.
Disc Two is the best reason why you should get this album. The first two songs are from the famed Boston performances now available on three discs. (Though these two versions of Black Magic Woman are not on the new Boston CDs.) The rest of it is a exciting BBC performance. The performance is very loose and passionate, featuring some of the Mac's best improvisational jams. (I've always thought that the original Mac were up there with the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers when it came to live jamming.) Though the sound is patchy, the performance is very entertaining.
So if you've been a long time fan of the Original Fleetwood Mac this is a gem you must have! It is both interesting and at times great! If you're beginning to get into the Original Mac I would reccomend the Boston cd's or Then Play On.