12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Then Play On," Deconstructed, April 20, 1999
This review is from: Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver) (Audio CD)
In 1969 Fleetwood Mac was in top form, with the five members at the peak of their powers and full of innovative ideas and gorgeous tunes. This line-up produced one of the world's best albums, "Then Play On" -- and then unfortunately the band began to come apart at the seams. Too much talent, too strong of personalities, too much fame too soon, the strain of repeating earlier successes; it's a story often repeated in the music world. But for that year, this band was definitely 'it.'
"Then Play On" included several edited jams, hinting at more material left on the cutting room floor. It's taken 30 years, but here at last are those full-length, unedited (16:12 and 17:14) pieces of British blues history. For someone who has worn out three copies of TPO it's a series of relevations hearing the full versions.
One revelation is realizing just how good a drummer Mick Fleetwood was. You can hear him leading the band through their collective improvisations by constantly changing the tempo, mood, dynamics and timbre, while still managing to remain rock-solid. Never bombastic (like many drummers of the day), he even knew when to lay out, when Green, Spencer and Kirwan began laying down the lullabies of angels. This is true leadership, true genius.
I guess there's other material on this set too -- wonderful stuff it is too -- but for me, that half hour from TPO is worth any price of admission.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Postscript to Then Play On, January 7, 2000
This review is from: Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver) (Audio CD)
After sitting in the vaults for some 30 odd years, the studio outakes that led to the U,S. ground breaking lp, Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On, have finally made it to fans ears. The 2 CD box set is full of the energy that made the U.S. lp. It's worth it, by the way, just for four songs: Oh Well (alternate version), 13 takes to perfect Show Biz Blues, a Mississppi Delta/Texas songster parody by Jeremy Spencer called Death Bells, and a full mix of Madge. For those of you who revere Peter Green as having been Fleetwood Mac's best guitarist, please treat yourself to this 'Mr.Wonderfully' packaged set. My only regret is that I missed them at this time period when they headlined Newark, NJ Symphony Hall with added guests Savoy Brown and Chicken Shack. Christine Perfect McVie would soon replace the departing Peter Green in the 'Big Mac'. Christine was in the Chicken Shack lineup at the time. As a sidenote, you can view this Fleetwood Mac lineup on VHS video from 1969 and catch Peter Green in the Green Manalishi song from Playboy After Dark.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a great collection for fans of the Peter Green era., December 14, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver) (Audio CD)
"The Vaudeville Years of Fleetwood Mac" is a wonderful collection of the Peter Green led Mac. It is full of unreleased material and unreleased versions of classic Mac songs. One major highlight being a parody of an Ed Sullivan type of show by Jeremy Spencer. Spencer impersonates famous British-blues men such as Alexis Korner & John Mayall, as well as some fictional groups. Also included is a 52-page book that really examines the early years of the group. I would highly recommend this to all major Fleetwood Mac fans.
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