1968 - The roots of Fleetwood Mac lie in John Mayall's legendary British blues outfit, the Bluesbreakers. Bassist John McVie was one of the charter members of the Bluesbreakers, joining the group in 1963. In 1966 Peter Green replaced Eric Clapton, and a year later drummer Mick Fleetwood joined. Inspired by the success of Cream, the Yardbirds, and Jimi Hendrix, the trio decided to break away from Mayall in 1967. At their debut at the British Jazz and Blues Festival in August, Bob Brunning was playing bass in the group, since McVie was still under contract to Mayall. He joined the band a few weeks after their debut; by that time, slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer had joined the band. Fleetwood Mac soon signed with Blue Horizon, releasing their eponymous debut the following year. Fleetwood Mac was an enormous hit in the U.K., spending over a year in the Top Ten. Despite its British success, the album was virtually ignored in America.
Side One:
My Heart Beat Like A Hammer (J. Spencer)
Merry Go Round (Peter Green)
Long Grey Mare (Peter Green)
Hellhound On My Train (Peter Green)
Shake Your Moneymaker (Elmore James)
Looking for Somebody (Peter Green)
Side Two:
No Place To Go (Chester Brunett)
My Baby's Good To Me (Jeremy Spencer)
I Loved Another Woman (Peter Green)
Cold Black Night (Jeremy Spencer)
The World Keep On Turning (Peter Green)
Got To Move (Homesick James Williamson)
Fleetwood Mac's debut LP was a highlight of the late-'60s British blues boom. Green's always inspired playing, the capable (if erratic) songwriting, and the general panache of the band as a whole placed them leagues above the overcrowded field. Elmore James is a big influence on this set, particularly on the tunes fronted by Jeremy Spencer ("Shake Your Moneymaker," "Got to Move"). Spencer's bluster, however, was outshone by the budding singing and songwriting skills of Green. The guitarist balanced humor and vulnerability on cuts like "Looking for Somebody" and "Long Grey Mare," and with "If I Loved Another Woman," he offered a glimpse of the Latin-blues fusion that he would perfect with "Black Magic Woman." The album was an unexpected smash in the U.K., reaching number four on the British charts.
FLEETWOOD MAC:
Peter Green: Guitar, Vocal, Harmonica
Jeremy Spencer: Slide-Guitar, Vocal, Piano
John McVie: Bass
Mick Fleetwood: Drums
Bob Brunning: Bass
Produced By Mike Vernon
Recording Engineer: Mike Ross
