AOTM: Fleetwood Mac…the Peter Green Years

In 1967, the Packers faced off against the Chiefs in the first Super Bowl. A fire broke out in Apollo I spaceship during a test and killed all of its crew. President Johnson announced that a draft lottery would be established. Mohammad Ali won the boxing title. Evel Kneivel jumped 16 cars. And, the Monterey International Pop Music Festival kicked off the Summer of Love. While the late sixties found turmoil and success, war and love, it also found Fleetwood Mac.

Fleetwood Mac’s beginning started in another band named John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers. After Eric Clapton left the Bluesbreakers, Peter Green was hired as the guitarist. Mick Fleetwood replaced drummer Aynsley Dunbar (later a member of Journey), and John McVie played bass (johnmayall.com). The band consisted of Mayall, Green, McVie, and Fleetwood. During this time, Mayall gifted some studio time to Green who recorded five songs with Fleetwood and McVie. Afterwards, Green approached Mick Fleetwood to form a new band with John McVie.

Named after Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, Peter Green used the name to entice fellow band-mate John McVie to join. Unfortunately, the tactic didn’t woo McVie away from his paying gig with Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Fleetwood Mac then recruited Bob Brunning on bass and Jeremy Spencer on guitar, with the understanding that if and when McVie decided to join the group, Brunning would leave. The band played its first gig at the Windsor Jazz and Music Festival as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac. It didn’t take long for McVie to join the band. Brunning only played a couple of shows and was replaced with McVie. After their release of their first album, Fleetwood Mac (sometimes called Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) in 1968, the band consisted of Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. Their first album hit number four on the U.K. Albums Chart, however, it did not chart any singles. The band released a second album titled Mr. Wonderful with Christine Perfect (later Christine McVie) on keyboards. This album was recorded live in the studio with mics and a PA system instead of using the board. Mr. Wonderful did not receive good critical praise, but the album placed in the Top Ten in the U.K. (allmusic.com). Regardless of the critiques on their second album, Fleetwood Mac continued to make music.

(Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, “Stop Messing Around”, circa 1969)

Originally started as a blues band, Fleetwood Mac saw some more success in the later part of the sixties with singles. They released the singles: “Black Magic Woman” (a hit for Santana later on),”Need Your Love So Bad”, and “Albatross”. It was their single “Albatross” that gave them a chart topper (encyclopedia of popular music). Written by Green with newest member Danny Kirwan on guitar, the song peaked at number one in Europe. At the same time they released their singles, Fleetwood Mac also released two albums. In the United States, they released an American version of Mr. Wonderful called English Rose (this album contained a variety of songs including half of those on Mr. Wonderful). They also released their first compilation album in Europe titled The Pious Bird of Good Omen in Europe. The compilation album did well on the UK Album Charts spending four weeks there and made the Top 20 with a peak position at eighteen.

(Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, “Albatross”, circa 1970)

The band would go through some changes after this period that impacted their music. The first change to affect Fleetwood Mac centered on their record label. Fleetwood Mac recorded with Blue Horizon for their first few recordings, then signed with Immediate Records for their single “Man of the World”, which became a hit in the U.K. and Europe, and finally moved permanently to Warner Bros/Reprise Records; a place they have stayed since. The second significant change centered on their sound. Fleetwood Mac was predominantly a blues band, however, things were changing sound-wise. After they signed with Reprise records, their next album titled Then Play On was stylistically different and not as blues-based (rollingstone.com). While the album featured the songs of Kirwan and Green, and had some charting success in the United States, Then Play On was Peter Green’s last album with the group. Due to mental instability and disagreements with other band members, he left the band in 1970. The departure of Green left songwriting duties up to Kirwan and Spencer. This change further affected their sound and moved the band’s music further into the rock genre.

(Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, “The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Prong Crown)

Fleetwood Mac had some immediate success with singles on the music charts through the songwriting of Peter Green and the talents of Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer, and John McVie. With the addition of Danny Kirwan, the band scored their first number one hit. However, the band experienced changes that affected them professionally. Record label changes and the loss of Peter Green in 1970 impacted the direction they took. These changes helped the band eventually become the Fleetwood Mac known today.

-Jenna Jakes, WOGB

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