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Peter Green
Backtrackin' - Spanning The Career Of A Rock Legend

Compil. UK 1989 on Castle Communications label
Rock and Blues (Blues Rock, Electric Blues)

Masterpiece Music Productions Ltd. is a member of The Castle Communications PLC Group of Compagnies. Peter Green formerly of Fleetwood Mac Texts inside cover: From the earliest formative stages of rock music, the blues had been a major influence and contributor to the styles and structure of the songs. If affected how the musician 'felt' the music and, with particular regard to the guitar, how blues playing techniques were adapted to the rock style of playing. There were many great exponents of this talent, and it is debatable if any one guitarist was, technically, greater than any other. Was is for sure, is that a few chosen ones became almost 'Demi-Gods' in the eyes of their adoring fans. Peter Green was, without doubt, one of these elite. Peter was born in Bethnal Green, London, on October 29th 1946. He played guitar and harmonica and was a vocalist with a very distinctive voice - a blues man through and through. In february 1966 he joined Peter B's Looners, as bass player. The band was led by Peter Bardens and was the idea of the Rik Gunnell Agency. It was a purely instrumental band, based on the previous successes of Booker T and the MG's. Soon Mick Parker, the guitarist, left the band and it was at this point that Green switched from bass to guitar. The band cut their first single, "If You Wanna Be Happy", on the Columbia label - for Peter Green it represented his recording debut. His playing on the 'B' side, Jodrell Blues, was the first indication of his powerful style, as it tended to dominate the track. In May '66' due to non-viability, the band changed line-up, introducing Rod Stewart and Beryl Marsden, and altered their name to Shotgun Express. The band gigged the clubs in the North of England, and producer two singles - neither of which had any sucess. The band folded, and on 17th July 1966, Peter Green was approached to join John Mayall's Bluesbreakers 107. He was to replace the out-bound guitarist, one Eric Clapton, who had formed a new band called Cream. In April 1967, Aynsley Dunbar quit the Bluesbreakers and was replaced by Mick Fleetwood. He stayed with the band for only a month, and was outsed due to his liking for the odd drink! Six weeks later, Green gave his notice to Mayall, and was persuaded by his agency to form another band, During his time in the Bluesbreakers, Green had blossomed and, due to the precision of his guitar playing, was already being likened to an English B.B. King. It was in July 1967 that he, Mick Fleetwood, and ex-Bluesbreaker, John McVie began talking to Mike Vernon at Blue Horizon Records. Mike suggested that the band might benefit from the addition of another guitarist/vocalist, and suggested Jeremy Spencer. Green took off to Birmingham, saw Spencer play, offered him the job and rehearsals for the new band were started. The band had no manager and so it was Green who undertook all the negotiations with the record company, as well as the organisation of the band's van and equipment. In August 1967, the band played their debut gig at the annual 'Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival'. Mainly due to Green's composition and playing talents, the band quickly grew in stature and were soon to become Britain's leading blues group. Sucess followed immediately with album and single chart entries. In 1968, Green composed "Need Your Love So Bad" and " Black Magic Woman" which was to be covered by so many artists, including Santana who duplicated Green's solos almost note-for-note. The sensitive, acoustic "Man of The World", on the Immediate Label, get to No. 2 in the singles chart, and Albatross gained a No. 1 position. Both singles sold well over one million copies each - Worldwide. Then in the spring of 1970, at the height of the bands' popularity, Peter Green decided to leave. They were in the middle of a European tour, playing in Munich when the announcement was made. Green had been thinking of leaving the band for some time, but he agreed to finish the remaining contracted gigs. Six weeks later he left Fleewood Mac amidst stories of drug problems, pressure and total loss of interest and respect for the music business. He had found it more and more difficult being surrounded by people and the success that the band was achieving proved to be an incredible strain on his personal life. He didn't want to be a guitar superstar - it was almost as if he had thought himself into a corner and couldn't find his way out. He turned to religion, looking for an answer and meaning to all the madness which seemed to surround him. He studied the Christian doctrines, as well as Judaism, and became more involved in religion as time went on. In May 1970, he made a solo album entitled "End of the Game". He gave all his performing and publishing royalties to charity, and seemed to almost disappear off the face of the earth. In 1971 he rejoined the band temporarily for a U.S. tour, replacing Jeremy Spencer who had become involved in a Californian religious sect called 'The Children of God'. Green refused to play any of the new Fleewood Mac material, preferring to 'jam' - and at the conclusion of the tour, he went straight back into retirement. Nobody heard of Peter Green again - apart from the tales that he had become a grave-digger - until 1979, when he suddenly re-emerged with the launch of a new album. In The Skies. The album proved an immediate success, and the artists saluting Peter Green's return on the album was a virtual Who's Who of top supporting talent, including Lennox Langton (percussion) from Santana, Van Morrison and Joan Armatrading; Snowy White (guitarist from Pink Floyd; Rick Fenn (guitar) from 10 CC; Peter Bardens (Keyboards) from Camel; and Godfrey Maclean (drummer) from Kokomo. Over the following four years he recorded four more albums and toured the U.K. and Europe with his band White Skies. The band consisted of many named musicians including Reg Isadore (ex-Robin Trower Band), Dave Mattacks (ex-Fairport Convention), Larry Steel (ex-Cat Stevens) and Webster Johnson (ex-Matumbi). This compilation has been carefully selected as representing the best material from these albums. Maybe Peter Green was a guitar hero - myabe even a Demi-God in the world of music - revered by his contemporaries and adored by his fans. What is sure is that he stands out as one of the best, if not the best, British blues guitarist ever. A role model for the aspirations of all guitarists who have followed in the great blues/rock tradition and, furthermore, an inspiration for all his fans - Worldwide ℗ & © 1989 Masterpiece Music Productions Ltd. Made in England. Gatefold Cover

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