Disco de Fleetwood Mac: “Early Years”

The review by Janet Chandler is first rate. I would add that I don't believe the music on this cd came from their three night stand at The Boston Tea Party. The album, Essential Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green is also very good.

"Fleetwood Mac: The Early Years" is a recording of the original Fleetwood Mac line up with founder Peter Green leading the way in live performances. This album most likely will not be of interest of those fans of FM who are much more familier with the Fleetwood Mac of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. For those who remember Fleetwood Mac as a blues band however they may find this recording of interest. They might be a bit disappointed though by the music that FM plays. Not that it is not good music because it certainly is. But for those who are devotees of Fleetwood Mac from their first years this is not a blues album really. The songs that Fleetwood Mac performs on this album are more like early rock and roll music from the '50s to early '60s. True the album does start off with the Elmore James number "Madison Blues" but the rest of the album contains some classic early rock and roll songs. Among them include "Great Balls Of Fire", "Tutti Frutti" and "Keep A Knocking". Great music to be sure but if you are looking for the kind of blues music that FM was known for in their early years you won't really find it here.

The review I am writing on this album is based on a cassette recording I have. I can't say with certainty if the CD of the same album will be exactly the same. "The Early Years" is not very long. Only 8 songs total on cassette. Also while the sound quality is fine on tape I would imagine the CD could possibly sound a little clearer. Some if not most or all of the songs on the album possibly come from a series of concerts that were recorded in early February of 1970 at the Boston Tea Party. The line up of the group is the orginal one with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan on guitars and of course John McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the early FM as well as to anyone who only know of FM after 1974 when Lindsey and Stevie joined the group. There are other records out there of the early Fleetwood Mac years that is much better then this album. This album however will help make a good introduction for those who are looking to know the roots of FM better. For better albums to get of live early Fleetwood Mac I recommend either Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac: Live At The BBC" or "Fleetwood Mac: The Vintage Years". You can read both of my reviews on these CDs in Amazon.