The amazing and often overlooked early years of a classic rock mainstay. #fleetwoodmac #classicrock #petergreen

When I was young, I remember reading an article where the members of Aerosmith told an interviewer what artists their influences were. The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, The Beatles and The Yardbirds were all obvious answers. One, however, stood out from the remainder of their list: Fleetwood Mac.

Fleetwood Mac in 1970: (L-R) John McVie, Danny Kirwan, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer (Image credit: Michael Ochs Archives \/ Getty Images)

Only knowing the latter band since the addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in their most successful phase from 1975 on, I found it to truly be a mystery how a mainstream pop/rock band could in any way be an early influence on America’s greatest hard rock band.

“I think that every artist dreams of renewing the forms which came before, but I think very few can be considered to have achieved that.” Peter green

As time went on, I found out that there were several incarnations of Fleetwood Mac prior to their hugely successful commercial breakthrough, going all the way back to 1967. They started out as a four-piece blues band with a genius guitarist, three members of whom had played in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, and no women were members.

Gatefold cover of Mystery To Me, 1973. Design by Module, courtesy of Warner Brothers. Note the penguin on the right side, which was the name of their previous LP.

In fact, there were six different line-ups of Fleetwood Mac, with members leaving for a variety of reasons: affairs with a band member’s wife, LSD psychosis, excessive alcohol abuse, being cheated out of royalties by others in the group, one joining a commune and even one guitarist joining a religious cult. You can’t even make this up.

Detail from the cover of the debut solo album by Christine Perfect, nee McVie, 1970. Prior to this, she was in a UK Blues band named Chicken Shack. Photographer unknown, courtesy of Blue Horizon Records.

As time went on, the saga of Fleetwood Mac just getting to 1975 would be a mini-series all its own, with an incredibly rich and diverse soundtrack. Though largely forgotten or completely unaware by their current fans, these are some of the tracks that laid the foundation of their Rumors-era membership.

First Part

* Black Magic Woman, 1968, single A-side* Albatross, 1968, Live at the BBC* Sentimental Lady, 1972, Bare Trees* Madison Blues, 1969, Blues Jam At Chess *(see note below)* Bad Loser, 1974, Heroes Are Hard To Find

Second Part

* Hypnotized, 1973, Mystery To Me* Jewel Eyed Judy, later 1970, Kiln House* Purple Dancer, 1971, Preaching the Blues (originally the B-side of the “Dragonfly” single)* Rattlesnake Shake, 1969, Then Play On* Remember Me, 1973, Penguin

Finale

* Oh Well, early 1970, Live In Boston, Vol. 2* The Green Manalishi, early 1970, Live In Boston, Vol. 1

Tracks 1, 9, 11 & 12– Peter Greene, lead vocal; Tracks 3 & 6– Bob Welch, lead vocal; Tracks 5 & 10–Christine McVie (nee Perfect), lead vocal; Tracks 7 & 8– Danny Kirwin, lead vocal, Track 4–Jeremy Spencer, lead vocal.

*NOTE: This was the 1969 line-up (without Christine Perfect) with Bluesmen Otis Spann (piano, vocals), Willie Dixon (upright bass), Shakey Horton (harmonica, vocals), J.T. Brown (tenor saxophone, vocals), Buddy Guy (guitar), Honeyboy Edwards (guitar, vocals), and S.P. Leary (drums) at the sessions.