Fleetwood Mac

[Jonny Come Lately]

Jonny, are you a musician yourself? Just ignore if that's too personal. You definitely have the passion and the ear, as they say.

Perfectly happy to answer - I'm afraid I'm not, in fact I can't actually play any instruments, at least not to any kind of decent standard I've never really given it a proper go though, although I probably should as I'd like to try and learn to play, just for my own amusement really. That's a massive compliment though, so thank you very much!

Agreed about the Mirage cover, I think it's pretty much perfect for that Fleetwood Mac line up with all that went on romantically in that era too!

[sodascouts]

A lot of fans have eagerly been awaiting this remastering for a long time. When Mirage was transferred to CD in the early 90s, it was poorly done. The mix was awful. Even an untrained ear like mine could discern the drop in sound quality when I would pop in Mirage after listening to another FM album. It was especially evident if one compared the Mirage CD versions of "Gypsy" and "Hold Me" to those that appeared on the Greatest Hits or The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac, which showed what they were supposed to sound like.

Over the years, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and Tusk were all remastered multiple times with each leap ahead in technology, but never Mirage which needed it the most. (Tango in the Night was not transferred as poorly).

I rejoiced when I heard Mirage would be remastered and we would get extra goodies to boot. I planned to get it immediately, but with some unforeseen expenses, I am going to wait and ask for it for Christmas. It will be VERY difficult!

I completely understand the hesitation to pay for a remastering, but in a case like Mirage which is so desperately in need of an upgrade, I would spend the money on at least the cheaper version of the remaster even if I weren't a hardcore.

[MortSahlFan]

I love the Peter Green and Danny Kirwan led stuff, Bob Welch too.. But I think the first album "Fleetwood Mac" has been overlooked. I love "I'm So Afraid" and "Crystal"...

So finally I listened to the Buckingham-Nicks album.. A couple of great songs, "Frozen Love" and "Long Distance Winner"

[Jonny Come Lately]

I love the White Album myself - I love Crystal, and so does everyone else in my family. The studio version of I'm So Afraid didn't click with me for a good while, I'd heard the live version from The Dance beforehand so it seemed a bit weak in comparison. I've since grown to like the original, although the live take is still my 'go to' if I want to hear the song. It seems weird of me to say this now, but when I first heard it I'd not really heard any songs with extended guitar solos like it.

From the Peter Green era, my favourite song has to be Albatross, although I don't know the rest of it that era too well.

As an aside, I saw a couple of people wearing Fleetwood Mac Rumours T-shirts around today, one guy and one girl.

[sodascouts]

Out of the Peter Green era, my faves are Albatross, Oh Well, Need Your Love So Bad, Man of the World, Green Manalishi, I Believe My Time Ain't Long, I Loved Another Woman, Stop Messin' Around, Love That Burns, My Heart Beat Like a Hammer, and of course Black Magic Woman.

However, I hardly ever listen to the Green-era Mac albums. There are good songs, but like with many blues bands, after a while all the songs start to sound the same.

[Jonny Come Lately]

'I know how it is with the blues,
after a while it all sounds the same
Yeah I know how it is with the blues,
after a while it all sounds the same...'

Seriously though, thanks for the list of your favourite early FM songs. Also, would you consider the compilation album The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac to be a good introduction to their earlier music? I've noticed it a couple of times in record shops but don't really know how well it stands up as a summary of their best work from that era.

I don't actually own Mirage as a full album (although I do have a few songs from it the 2 CD Very Best Of). I think now might be a good time to think about changing that with the new re-release! I didn't know that the original mix of Mirage on CD was considered so poor, so thanks for that info as well.

[sodascouts]

I think that compilation is as good as any.

I've decided I can't wait. I'll buy Mirage now and economize elsewhere!

[Annoying Twit]

Every time I see this thread has a post I get all optimistic that it's finally information about the rumoured new album

[WS82Classics]

The Fleetwood Mac songs I really like are mostly from the Bob Welch era of the band. From the Buckingham/Nicks period, I only like "Say You Love Me," "Rhiannon," "Go Your Own Way," and "Don't Stop." I am really just not at all crazy about that period of the band, or Stevie Nicks' solo career for that matter. Her best moments were the duets she did with Don Henley, Tom Petty, and Ringo Starr(not so much Kenny Loggins).

Even by the standards of feminine-led bands and girl-bands, they fail utterly and completely. I was applying for a job at an electronic kiosk at Publix earlier today, and I heard, one after the other, Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" and Fleetwood Mac's "Over My Head," and I so much preferred the former. Sweet melodies and musicality, which is more than I can say for most FMc songs.

I don't know that I'd call them 'over-rated' so much as 'over-played.' Local radio stations have really been plowing "The Chain" and "Hold Me" into the ground of late.

[sodascouts]

My favorite Bob Welch FM songs are "Sentimental Lady," "Lay It All Down," and "Hypnotized." RIP Bob.

My favorite Christine songs from that era are "Believe Me", "Did You Ever Love Me", and "Spare Me a Little of Your Love."

Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" and Fleetwood Mac's "Over My Head," and I so much preferred the former.

Welll.... ok. Different strokes for different folks.