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118 of 119 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The definitive compilation of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac: gets everything right, November 2, 2007
Pretty much the only unfortunate side-effect of the massive artistic and commercial success the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks era of Fleetwood Mac was the obscuring shadow it cast upon the earlier eras of the band. No one has even attempted to compile the greatest moments from the early Seventies version of the band, and while blues lovers have revived interest in the original Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac, it has still been impossible for the non-obsessive completist to find a convenient single-disc introduction into this wonderful, formative era of the band. A large part of that was due to label-hopping and rights issues: the Peter Green era spreads over three different record labels, and while the "strictly blues ma'am" Blue Horizon material was the often tossed onto cheapie compilations, the more pivotal Immediate and Reprise cuts remained out in the cold.
Finally - FINALLY - this set rights all those wrongs, and presents the novice with an almost flawless, complete view of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. EVERY important recording, every important aspect, of the early Fleetwood Mac is included here.
What does that actually mean? Well, this set includes the best cuts from their first self-titled album (giving equal time to both Green and the Elmore James-obsessed Jeremy Spencer with "My Heart Beat Like A Hammer," "Shake Your Moneymaker," and "Looking For Somebody"), as well as highlights from the disappointing follow-up Mr. Wonderful ("Stop Messin' Round," "Rollin' Man"). Almost all of the band's Blue Horizon singles are here: "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" is missing, but "Need Your Love So Bad," "Black Magic Woman," and the #1 UK instrumental hit "Albatross" are all present and accounted for.
However, what makes this collection unique is that finally we have a CD that goes on from that point and collects the groundbreaking post-Blue Horizon work: "Man Of The World," "Oh Well" (both parts), and "The Green Manalishi" are finally put together with the early Green-era blues stuff to give you complete view of what this band was doing in 1969. Even better, the compilers of this album decided to bite the bullet and pay Reprise records for the rights to use "Rattlesnake Shake," the key track off the band's one obligatory Green-era album Then Play On. (My only criticism is that I would have preferred more from Then Play On, e.g. "Show-Biz Blues," "Before The Beginning," or "Underway," but I'm in a forgiving mood.)
Finally, a huge bonus that hardcore fans will appreciate is the inclusion of the obscure 1971 single "Dragonfly." Technically it postdates Green's departure from the band, but he's always had high praise for it and it has heretofore been utterly unavailable on CD. All praise to the compilers for hunting it down and including it.
Anyway, for all the reasons mentioned above, THIS is where you start to learn about early Fleetwood Mac. Some Green-era fans may quibble about the absence of a particular favorite - "Love That Burns" is one that many devotees will miss, and as I said above I would have liked "Show-Biz Blues" to be included - but the all the critical high points are here. After years of frustratingly incomplete "greatest hits," somebody took the time to get it right.
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61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
PETER GREEN STILL RULES!, October 7, 2004
This review is from: Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (Audio CD)
Billed as : " Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Featuring Jeremy Spencer " this exciting blues based band were voted the most popular band in England ( Yes, they even bested the Beatles in many poles in 1968-69. )
Today's version of Fleetwood Mac bears no comparision to this the ORIGINAL band,
Led by Peter Green , Fresh from his stint with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Fleetwood Mac debut album was released in Feb 68 and climbed the charts reaching #4 in the UK. In the era of the Grateful Electric Airplanes this debut record of Raw Blues remained in the British Album charts for an astonshing nine months.
Guitar duties were shared with Peter by Jeremy Spencer. An avid devotee of bluesman Elmore James, Jeremy's vocals and stinging slide Guitar make their mark on many cuts featured here. John McVie handled Bass Guitar Duties and a Six-foot six maniac named Mick Fleetwood bashed away on a special built oversized Drum Kit.
In concert this band earned a reputation for blowing away any other band that dared get in their way. And yes they could jam on a tune like " The Green Manalishi " for 30 minutes at a go ( See the Boston Tea party tapes for live proof . )
What you have here are 18 of the most popular of all early Fleetwood Mac recordings. At 78 minutes there's alot of music jammed on this disc making this a good value for your buck.
The highlights here are of course " Black Magic Woman " , " Alabatross " , " Man of the World " , " Oh Well " , " Shake Your Moneymaker ", Rattlesnake Shake " , The Green Manalishi ( With the Two Pronged Crown ) and " Need Your Love So bad.
There's a tune by the band " Chicken Shack " called " I'd Rather Go Blind" featuring the singing talents of a certain " Christine Perfect " later to marry John McVie and change her name and by 1971 was a full time member of the band .
The last cut on the disc is a remake of Albatross By Chris Coco featuring " Peter Green " and it's a liitle more "spacey " and two minutes longer than the original version but it"s good and proves that Peter Green is indeed still with us here on this planet .
If you are a big Stevie Nicks fan this is not for you. But if you are into the Blues and like late sixties British Rock a bit on the Hard Side you will love this great collection by the original Fleetwood Mac.
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43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Searing Pain and Intensity!!!, December 8, 2003
This review is from: Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (Audio CD)
Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, an import collection from Holland covering the early years of the band, is an excellent compilation for the fan who likes his blues raw and intense. Be aware: This is not the Buckingham/Nicks multiplatinum Mac, with it's (comparatively) gentler tales of relationships gone wrong and poets of the heart. This is also not the underrated, mid-period Mac, featuring Bob Welch and Christine McVie, with it's sweet odes to extraterrestrial activities and sentimental ladies. No, this is the earliest Mac, with it's biting chords, in-your-face vocals, and ultra-intense, self-introspective journeys of heaven and hell. In particular, "Green Manalishi" and "Oh, Well (Part II)" are soul-searching anthems too intense for everyday consumption. Think Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, Savoy Brown's Kings of Boogie, or even Derek and the Domino's "Layla" and you have the idea. Luckily, all the songs are not so gut-wrenching; "Rattlesnake Shake" and "Shake Your Moneymaker" are classic, swaggering blues, while "My Heart Beat Like a Hammer" features guitarist Jeremy Spencer at his Elmore-James-sounding best. (Spencer and third guitarist Danny Kirwan are both featured here, but Spencer's alter-ego Earl Vance is not!) As for fearless guitarist and leader Peter Green, "Albatross" and the original, pre-Santana "Black Magic Woman" show off his chops to perfection. There are a few cuts which don't belong here, such as "Need Your Love So Bad," and a Chicken Shack song, a cover of Etta James "I'd Rather Go Blind," sung by Christine McVie. And if you are going to feature some of Peter Green's work today (as in the final cut, a remake of "Albatross" with Chris Coco), how about featuring a few Peter Green Splinter Group cuts instead? In any case, this is still a very enjoyable album, particularly if your soul is ready for the searing pain and intensity that a little introspection can bring!!!
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