FLEETWOOD MAC - THE ORIGINAL FLEETWOOD MAC 1971

THE ORIGINAL FLEETWOOD MAC comprises previously unissued material by the Peter Green-led late-'60s incarnation of Fleetwood Mac. (The band would go on to great commercial success in the 1970s with a different line-up). Though Green's Fleetwood Mac was rooted in the tradition of electric Chicago blues on the order of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, the group developed a fiery sound that also featured a solid dose of '60s psychedelic rock. Green's fleet-fingered leads soar through his distortion-heavy amp and are complemented by the slide guitar of Jeremy Spencer, and the gut-punch rhythms of Mick Fleetwood (drums) and John McVie (bass).

The material on THE ORIGINAL includes a number of cuts from the sessions for the band's first album, false starts, alternate versions, between-song chatting, and remixes. But the set is far from a fans-only collector's item; the material is uniformly strong, displaying the ensemble's usual blend of exacting musicianship (especially on the part of Green) and edgy, ragged energy. Trivia fact: The tune "Worried Dream," included here, is one of the band's earliest recordings with pianist Christine Perfect, who would marry bassist McVie and become one of Fleetwood Mac's primary singer/songwriters.

Tracks :

1. Drifting (Green)
2. Leaving Town Blues (Green)
3. Watch Out (Green)
4. A Fool No More (Green)
5. Mean Old Fireman (Crudup)
6. Can't Afford to Do It (Williamson)
7. Fleetwood Mac (Green)
8. Worried Dream (King)
9. Love That Woman (Leake)
10. Allow Me One More Show (Spencer)
11. First Train Home (Green)
12. Ramblin' Pony #2 (Green)