As a fan of blues-based rock music, I’ve known about Peter Green for a long time. He’s a legend in blues circles, and rightfully so. However, I’ve only recently become a fan.
Back when Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac music was not as easy to find here in the States as it is now, I found a Fleetwood Mac live CD featuring Peter Green. I snatched it up waiting to be blown away. However, the recording was horrible; it sounded worse than most bootlegs I’ve heard, and this was supposedly an official release. (I can’t recall which album it was, though.) At any rate, I quickly got rid of the CD and didn’t think much more about Peter Green.
Somehow, I stumbled upon the following video of Peter Green playing “Oh Well” and was immediately intrigued. I went on to listen to more Green-era Fleetwood Mac, and I really like what I’ve heard. I now see what all the hype was about. If you, like me, have never really paid much attention to Green’s work, it may be time to give Green another listen.
I hope you enjoy the following clip as much as I have. I should warn you, though. “Oh Well” has been stuck in my head for the past few days as a result of watching this video:
I absolutely love this song and this is a great video of Peter Green playing it. That riff at the beginning is fantastic, so simple but very cool. Nice find!!
Thanks for stopping by, Brian! Yeah, that riff is infectious. I love it!
PG is one of the all time greats, but take a closer look… it’s Danny Kirwan who is doing all the heavy lifting in this clip. Kirwan joined Mac while still a teenager and was groomed by Green. PG loved to take the back seat and watch his under-appreciated protege take the leads. Kirwan’s touch is different than Green’s but no less inspiring. For proof, check out Kirwan’s emotion-soaked six note refrain at the end of “Jewel-eyed Judy” on the album “Kiln House”. Rarely have so few notes said as much.
No pedalboards either…
Jol
I witnessed Fleetwood mac at the Lyciem Ball Room ’69 London; sitting on the floor on bamboo mats with lots of hippies and “gents’ sitting behind above nursing cocktails as the band played ‘Oh Well’ etal… Cheers… PS… I was 13 years old!!
Doug – I wish I could have seen them back then. I bet that was an awesome experience.
I’m an old hippie…..grew up in the 60’s…this was one of our anthems…I really like the acoustic version done on nylon strings…..