During this period Fleetwood Mac was truly a blues band and Peter Green was awesome as a guitarist and vocalist.
I think this is Peter’s finest performance, forced to play this by Danny’s broken string, he shows his true love for the blues. That tone… He starts off playing with dynamic subtlety, almost acoustic, and then, in an instant, changes to scorching, searing distortion, that cuts through his humble vocals beautifully. It just goes to show you the level of his ability and the dexterity of his touch, one that many guitarists overlook. With just a slight turn of the volume knob, the guitar can be as just as powerful and loud, as it is when soft and sweet.
Peter Green
A native of Bethnal Green, East London, Peter Green formed Fleetwood Mac with drummer Mick Fleetwood in 1967. They met while Green was replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Green and Fleetwood then persuaded John McVie to join the band as bass guitarist.
It was Peter Green who wrote the instantly recognizable instrumental track “Albatross” as well as two other early hits, “Black Magic Woman” and “Oh Well”. It was under his leadership that the band produced their first three albums. The band’s debut album was released in 1968. Simply named “Fleetwood Mac” (but also known as “Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac”), he gained wide acclaim and achieved number four in the charts.
Green left the band after their last performance in 1970 when he began to have mental health problems. Eventually, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was hospitalized in the mid-1970s. After his departure, he started a family, and in the 90s he returned to the stage with the Peter Green Splinter Group.
Rolling Stone ranked Green 58th on the list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, describing him as “Britain’s most progressive blues guitarist” in his day.
Albums recorded by Green with Fleetwood Mac
1968: Fleetwood Mac
1968: Mr. Wonderful
1969: English Rose
1969: Then Play On
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