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The Original Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac


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The Original Fleetwood Mac (1971) - Fleetwood Mac


    Featuring »

Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie, Jeremy Spencer

    Tracklisting »

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Regular Album Tracklisting:
Drifting Listen.Lyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967, Running Time: 3:31
  Comments: Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Leaving Town BluesLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967-12-11, Running Time: 2:54
  Comments: (Take 5) Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Watch OutLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967-11-22, Running Time: 3:27
  Comments: (Take 2 - Edit) Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
A Fool No MoreLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967-11-22, Running Time: 4:35
  Comments: (Take 8) Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Mean Old FiremanLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967-11-22, Running Time: 3:48
  Comments: (Take 2) Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Can't Afford To Do It Listen.Lyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967, Running Time: 2:02
  Comments: Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Fleetwood Mac Listen.Instrumental
  Date Performance: 1967-08-00, Running Time: 3:54
  Comments: Recorded at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London
Worried DreamLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1968-04-11, Running Time: 5:24
  Comments: (Take 1) Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Love That WomanLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1968, Running Time: 2:32
  Comments: Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
Allow Me One More ShowLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967, Running Time: 2:58
  Comments: Recorded at CBS Studio, New Bond Street, London.
First Train Home Listen.Lyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967-08-00, Running Time: 4:05
  Comments: (Mono) Recorded at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London
Rambling PonyLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1967, Running Time: 2:53
  Comments: No. 2 Recorded at either CBS Studio, New Bond Street or Decca Studio, West Hampstead, London.

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Snapper Reissue Bonus Tracks:
Mighty Cold
  Date Performance: 1969, Running Time: 2:28
  Comments: Previously Unissued. Recorded in the summer in London
Jumping At ShadowsLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1970-02-05, Running Time: 5:24
  Comments: (Unissued Version - 1st Night Boston Concerts)
Somebody's Gonna Get (Their Head Kicked In Tonite)
  Date Performance: 1969, Running Time: 2:58
  Comments: (Full Length Version) Sometimes incorrectly billed as "Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight".
Man Of ActionLyrics available
  Date Performance: 1968-12-00, Running Time: 3:58
  Comments: Previously Unissued. Recorded in London
    Guest Appearance »

Christine McVie

    Released »

1971-05-14

    Format »

Domestic Vinyl/CD Album

    Other Appearances »
Martin Birch (Engineer), Stuart (Dinky) Dawson (Engineer), Duster (Tony/Anthony) Bennett (Songwriter), Arthur Big Boy Crudup (Songwriter), Peter Green (Songwriter), Peter Green (Songwriter), B(lues) B(oy) (Riley) King (Songwriter), Lafayette Leake (Songwriter), Doc Pomus (Jerome Solon Felder) (Songwriter), Mort Shuman (Songwriter), Jeremy Spencer (Songwriter), Jeremy Spencer (Songwriter), Homesick James Williamson (Songwriter), Terence Ibbot(t) (Design), Terence Ibbot(t) (Cover Photography), Terence Ibbot(t) (Layout), Clifford (G.) Davis (Adams) (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), Fleetwood Mac (Produced By), Peter Green (Produced By), Peter Green (Produced By), Danny Kirwan (Produced By), Danny Kirwan (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), Jeremy Spencer (Produced By), Jeremy Spencer (Produced By), Mike Vernon (Produced By), Mike Ross(-Trevor) (Engineered By), Blue Horizon (Records) (Production), Bernie O'Gormon (Re-Mix Engineer), Mike Vernon (Liner Notes (1994 Dutch CD Reissue)), Andy Pearce (Remastering Engineer (Snapper Issue))

    Record Label »
CBS/Sire/Castle Communications/Snapper Music

    Catalogue Number »

CBS 63875/SR 6045/CLA344/156072/COL 475979-2 (1994 Dutch CD Reissue))

    Running Time »

42:24/55:40

    Liner Notes »

1994 Dutch CD Reissue Notes:

The year 1992 saw the first printing of a fascinating book compiled by Leslie Fancourt, documenting the Complete History of the BLUE HORIZON label, release by release and session by session. Much of the information in that excellent publication was not too difficult to come by but some elements appeared in their chronogical position more as a result of aural guess work than the result of any firm written evidence. Perhaps one of the most confusing sections in that book covered those songs that made up the CBS release "The Original Fleetwood Mac" which first appeared on the record shelves during November 1971.

The album title itself might be considered to be a trifle misleading for in truth only one item - "Rambling Pony No. 2" - features the truly original lineup of Peter Green, Bob Brunning and Mick Fleetwood. And immediately I have to question even this. My memory tells me that we did cut two different versions of this song - a reworking of the more traditional "Rollin' & Tumblin'" theme - but that the second version was recorded at CBS Studios in New Bond Street with John McVie. The aural evidence doesn't firmly establish one point of view or another and doesn't really help to identify which one is which. Who cares anyway - enjoy it for what it is - a wonderful piece of rocking downhome blues featuring the redoutable talents of none less than Mick Fleetwood on washboard! One thing is for sure though "First Train Home" and the instrumental bearing the band's own name were recorded before Jeremy Spencer was even a member. My own recollection is that they were cut at the Decca West Hampstead Studios and not at Bond Street. I distinctly remember having in my possession a twelve inch acetate cut of these two titles along with possibly two others. Such an acetate would most definitely have been processed at that same studio as I had no access to such facilities via CBS. I wonder where that slab of black vinyl could be today? Time dulls the memory but I believe that the two titles in question were recorded at the same time as "No Place To Go" and "Looking for Somebody". Coincidentally, three of the above mentioned items feature some exceptional harmonica work from Peter and on future recordings it was not to feature at all. Anyway, I leave it up to someone else to make a definitive observation on all the above. Whatever else, the music speaks for itself, it's difficult to see why, in hindsight, these songs remained unreleased for so long.

The spirit of most of these sides captures what Fleetwood Mac was all about and mirrors much of the material on their very first Blue Horizon album. But this collection does hold a couple of surprises. Of interest to many will be the solo outings which feature the country blues stylings of that Elmore James disciple, Jeremy Spencer. Although these performances lack the bite of his electric work they do show a strong appreciation of the country style although the vocals sound a little restrained and lacking in passion. It almost sounds as if Jeremy had a cold at the time of recording and that lack of purpose may well be the reason for their earlier rejection. However, his rendition of Homesick James' rousing "Can't Afford To Do It" is one of the high spots here as it often proved to be in their "live" show; and if anyone has ever doubted the fun had by this band in the studio they should listen to Jeremy's 'laughing' vocal in the last verse of this song. The mind boggles at what may have been happening at the time to cause such a reaction (!) but with Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, anything was possible and indeed, probable!

You could be forgiven for saying then, that this album is nothing more or less than a collection of rejected titles, out-takes and interesting experiments. The reality is that such a statement is indeed near the truth. Be that as it may, such observations should not in any way depreciate the value of the music. There are moments to cherish here, not least of which is that fine harmonica work of the band's leader. I have been asked on countless occasions as to whether there may be other previously unreleased Fleetwood Mac material languishing in some forgotten vault or on some shelf, gathering dust. My reply has always been in the negative. More's the pity I hear you cry! I would endorse this observation, but there you are. The songs we didn't use the first time around found their way onto this release. Even some of those sounded unfamiliar to my ears with the passing of time. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that many of these items were probably "one take" versions with no overdubs and therefore only took as long to record as it took to play them in the first place! Now that's the way to make a record - in and out in an afternoon.

MIKE VERNON - January, 1994

(P) (C) 1971 Sony Music Entertainment (UK) Ltd.

All rights of the producer and of the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorised copying, public performance, broadcasting, hiring or rental of this recording prohibited.

"Columbia" is the exclusive tradmark of Sony Music Entertainment Inc.

Columbia

Blue Horizon

Made in Austria

Printed in Holland

Distributed in France by Sony Music

Compact Disc Digital Audio

SACEM

SACD

SEDL

CDM

CB 741

14-10

LC 0162

5 0997 3

    Reviews »
Add your review here.

4/5.04/5.04/5.04/5.04/5.0
Superlative, despite being an out take collection
Review written by John Fitzgerald, September 19th, 2004

The songs compiled herein are by no means throwaways, they just go to show how hard it must have been to decide what songs to use at the time of sequencing the first couple of albums. Jeremy Spencer's highlight is his great cover of Homesick James Williamson's "Can't afford to do it" which is really quite hard to resist, while his other tracks, like on the debut album, don't suffer from sameness. Meanwhile, Peter Green aces his lot. "Drifting" has got some scorching leads which command attention and deserve it as well as "Leaving town blues". You won't find country blues much better than this, two of
Peter's best ever slow burners, "A fool no more" and masterfully covering BB King's "Worried dream" (with Christine Mcvie guesting, chiming the 88's... well... perfectly. Excuse the pun) For the purists, there's the selftitled track, "Fleetwood Mac" where Green plays that harp something fierce and two alternate takes which surpass their originally released counterparts, "Watch out" & "Rambling pony (no. 2)" which chug and rumble (respectively) along at breakneck speed. I would urge any of you who've thought twice about this release due to fears of it being a "bargain bin, scraping the bottom of the
barrel collection", to please reconsider.

    Comments »

Recorded in 1969, around the time of the debut Fleetwood Mac album - the one with the dog and dustbin cover - but unreleased until 1971, by which time both Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer had flipped their wigs and flown the coop, Original Fleetwood Mac is a variable mix of typical early-Fleetwood Mac material. At that time, the group were notable for wringing dry the inspirational riffs of old blues masters - Jeremy Spencer's variations on the Elmore James Dust My Broom theme on Mr Wonderful remains quite outrageous - and such is the case here. Watch Out and Can't Afford To Do It are rudimentary boogie shuffles; Allow Me One More Show and Mean Old Fireman feature Jeremy Spencer on solo country-blues slide outings; and Rambling Pony No 2 and Leaving Town Blues both ride roughshod over the old Rollin' and Tumblin' riff (the latter would appear to be dubbed from vinyl, judging by the audible scratches on the CD). The best numbers are those which demonstrate Peter Green's peerless sensitivity, particularly the limpid guitar on First Train Home, and the stinging breaks that punctuate the brooding, introspective A Fool No More. 3 out of 5 stars. (Andy Gill, Q Album Reviews)

Remastered edition releasee by Snapper Music Inc. on June 20, 2000

    Last Modified »
2011-07-12
    Tracklisting »
Discography entry submitted by Mary Anne. Q album review submitted by Julie Kedward.