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FLEETWOOD MAC Then Play On (Reprise/WEA) By the time Then Play On came out Fleetwood Mac had established its own sound thanks to lead-guitarist Peter Green and slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer (Elmore James clone). Peter filled the spot in John Mayall's Blues Breakers vacated by Eric Clapton who went off to form Cream. John McVie was the resident bass player with The Bluebreakers as this time. Of course Mick Fleetwood was close at hand. When Peter departed from The Bluebreakers he formed his own band with Mick Fleetwood on drums and Bob Brunning on bass. John McVie eventually replaced Bob, and Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac was formed. Not too long after this slide-guitarist Jeremy Spencer joined the band, then came Danny Kirwan on rhythm guitar. This is the line-up on Then Play On. Danny Kirwan's 'Coming Your Way' opens the album with the guitar sound that is distinctly Peter Green. The tempo and sound was almost the same as the single 'Black Magic Woman' that Santana also had a hit with (few people realised when Santana recorded this song that it was a Peter Green composition). Other highlights from Then Play On are Danny's 'Although The Sun Is Shining', the classic rocker 'Rattlesnake Shake', and Peter's 'Before The Beginning' that moves straight back into Peter's slant on the blues. Very little of Jeremy's 'Elmore James' style of playing is evident on Then Play On. The one track that most people remember is Peter's almost nine minute epic 'Oh Well'. This is the prime reason I bought this album. 'Oh Well' is one of my all time favourite tracks. It is performed in two parts; part one being hard edged blues-rock, and the second half, is an amazing, almost Spanish flavoured suite, or maybe music ideal for a spaghetti western. 'Oh Well's 2nd half features flute, piano and Spanish guitar, and this is almost classical in flavour. I understand Christine Perfect, soon to become Mrs McVie played piano on some parts of Then Play On. The rest is history; the band went onto bigger & better things, whereas Peter got doped by some acid head (Peter was unaware he was being drugged) from the Grateful Dead circle, and Peter degenerated to the point of being bloody useless. A sad story. He is again playing these days, but he is unfortunately only as a shadow of his former self. Who knows what he could have given us if his faculties were still in place.Gazz Click on album image to see larger album cover 
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