FLEETWOOD MAC – PETER GREEN’S FLEETWOOD MAC: UK ORIGINAL MONO LP

Taken from UK Original Mono LP (Blue Horizon 7-63200) released in 1968

Fleetwood Mac was the catalyst for the new blues rock movement in the UK in the 1960s. They are counted as one of the “three great British blues rock bands,” but their debut album “PETER GREEN’S FLEETWOOD MAC,” featuring Peter Green, a legendary guitarist on par with Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, and Jeremy Spencer’s bluesy slide guitar, is a historic masterpiece that represents British rock in the 1960s. Moreover, this album was recorded in just two days, and debuted at number 4 on the UK charts, making it a rough but authentic blues album.

In addition, these albums were released in 1968. At that time, there was still a demand for mono records in the UK, and it was also the year that various artists released their albums in both mono and stereo formats. In fact, these two albums were also released as mono LPs. In fact, you could say that the sound was mainly mono (similar to Clapton’s “Blues Breakers”).

However, officially, this mono mix has been left untouched until now. Only the stereo mix has ever been reissued. It is likely that it will never be released again. However, as I will explain later, the true quality of this early Fleetwood Mac blues rock can only be appreciated by listening to it in mono! Therefore, this time we will be reissuing the mono versions of Fleetwood Mac’s first two albums, based on the original UK mono versions.

The stereo mix of their current CDs, especially their debut album “PETER GREEN’S FLEETWOOD MAC,” is clear, but the stereo separation is too good, and in some songs the basic band arrangement unique to Mac at that time, two guitars, bass and drums, sounds out of place, making it difficult to feel the interplay between the various instruments, which is the essence of blues.

On the other hand, the mono version has a solid sound, so the momentum of the band is conveyed with great force, which is the greatest attraction of this album, because it was recorded in one take in the studio. The sound of the two signature guitarists Peter Green, who inherited the guitar skills of blues legends such as B.B. King and Albert King, and Jeremy Spencer, whose slide guitar is a direct descendant of Elmore James, intertwine, and it is easy to see that the stereo mix is ​​too different. From the opening song “My Heart Beat Like A Hammer,” the whole band was roaring as if to say, “No need to call me psychedelic, our era is starting!”, and that momentum is exceptional in mono.

On the other hand, the mellow sound world of “I Loved Another Woman” and the intimacy of “Hellhound On My Trail” and “The World Keep On Turning” played by Jeremy Spencer and Peter Green, respectively, are even more striking in mono. And it is the rhythm section of John McVie and Mick Fleetwood that brings these two huge personalities together into one band sound.

The groundbreaking thing about this album is the overwhelming rawness and persuasiveness that is brought together by the unadorned sound of the one-take recording in the studio. And it captures the momentum of a group of geniuses in their early 20s making their debut.

This is the straight and powerful performance that can be called the second generation British blues. Moreover, it is not a copycat blues, but a real blues rock. The mono mix of this memorable first album that captures the breath of this very strong newborn band will be a big release in the current situation where only stereo is available.

Of course, the only way to listen to this mono mix is ​​to get the original UK vintage LP from that time, but at the same time, it has become a very expensive item. Even if you can get your hands on it, you cannot avoid the scratch noise that is unique to vintage LPs. For this release, we have thoroughly eliminated this problem before releasing it on CD. As a result, the mono flavor of the original LP has not been lost at all. This is a serious blues rock album led by Peter Green, and a historic masterpiece that represents British rock in the 1960s. It is no exaggeration to say that this is the first time that the original first album of that huge band has been released! A must-listen for all rock fans!

★A masterpiece of 60’s British rock, Fleetwood Mac’s debut album, meticulously transferred from the original UK mono version! Although it was released in an era when mono mixes were the norm, only the stereo mix was officially reissued, so you can only listen to it here! Enjoy the free-flowing blues rock guitar of legendary guitarist Peter Green, who made Eric Clapton say, “His tone is unique and authentic!”