Thanks! I wasn’t familiar with the early years of Fleetwood Mac. I really enjoyed ‘Sunny Side of Heaven.’ My amateur ear picked up traces of the Dead and a Genesis chord progression.😁
I was very late to this particular Mac party. Unsurprisingly, as a tween/teen during the initial years of the Buckingham/Nicks era, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and Tusk were my sweet spot albums. I knew about the existence … the idea … of the Peter Green era, and the jumbled, confusing middle era, but, like you Bare Trees remained a … well, you know.
Growing up near the NH seacoast, sometimes it was difficult to pull in WBCN out of Boston. By the time I was in college BCN was our collective first choice, but sometimes the radio waves didn’t cooperate. Plan B was typically the local rock station out of Portsmouth and they were … fine … except they would play the … same … friggin’ … songs … evvvvveryyyyyyyy … sinnnnngle … day. My dudes and dudettes … I *never* need to hear Baba O’Riley on the radio ever again should I live to be a thousand years. Can it still kick off Who’s Next? Absolutely … it is perfect right there. But, whooooooo boy howdy … their daily playlist was stuck in a rut. Except …
The midday DJ, Lori D., seemed to go off script every now and again and spin Hypnotized from Mystery to Me. Not every day … mercifully … but often enough that it became familiar. I was a broke college student who couldn’t afford taking too many risks with my very limited music spending, so it was into the mid-nineties before I mustered up the courage and disposable income to take a chance on the mostly unfamiliar. And it was a risk rewarded! It’s an enjoyable album (well, CD). So, as you’d expect, emboldened by the experience I ran right out and purchased Bare Trees and oh my word …
Hahaha … just kidding! I was an idiot and didn’t recognize a single song … the cover looked too bleak … and it was another TWENTY YEARS before I gave it a chance. And yes … oh my word. I knew from the opening bars of Little Child of Mine that ‘90s Timmy had some explaining to do. I don’t know if I can call it my favorite Mac album … there’re too many good choices, but I return to it often.
And, finally, (you’re welcome, everyone!) the reason I began to reply in the first place …
A week or two ago I was trying desperately to not-doomscroll through social media, and I came across a friend who had posted a photo of some, yes, bare trees out in a field. They were not John McVie’s bare trees, yet the overcast misty day was similar … similar enough that the photo earwormed me. Needless to say, I knew right away what album was going to be on deck the next day. It only took me probably forty years too long to figure it out, but it’s one of their best.
Oh man, I hear you on the classic rock overload. There was a CR station in Chicago that would have a “deep cuts weekend” twice a year — which always (or so I was told by someone who worked for them) resulted in their biggest weekend audience numbers by far, and yet the program director was still too chickenshit to pull away from playing “Baba” (or “Won’t Get Fooled Again”), “Stairway to Heaven” and “Free Bird” in a seemingly constant loop during the rest of the year.
I’m guessing you’re referring to 97.1 The Drive in Chicago, and you’ll not be surprised to know that it hasn’t changed a lick in 25 years. But I think they dropped the Deep Cuts weekends. So you’ll never hear Luxury there again, but It’s Only Rock and Roll will probably be up & running for the umpteenth time within 2 hours!
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about the fact that I couldn't think of another band with a bigger evolution that had put out quality records through its genesis.
I find the Welch-era Mac very intriguing and, if I am honest, more enticing than Nicks/Buckingham or the bluesy Green-era. That said, I also like what Kirwin brought to the band (his solo LP, 'Second Chapter,' is great). 'Bare Trees,' however, is the one I often point to for those who think FM's greatest achievement is 'Rumours.' Yes, in terms of money, and it is, without a doubt, a classic album, but there's brilliant music on 'Bare Trees,' 'Future Games,' and 'Kiln House.'
Pre-stevie and Lindsey Fleetwood Mac is so interesting. The lineup changes, the drama, it was Fleetwood Mac in name only, with new members and different styles every other year. There was even a fake Fleetwood Mac for a period prior to 1975 to fulfill a contractual obligation. They found Lindsey by accident. My fave Mac song is Hypnotized, another Bob Welch classic, I believe.
Another good essay, as usual. Today's political environment is unbearable. Music, good fiction, and good movies/TV drama will get us through this.
I am learning so much about all those groups I listened to way back then.....thanks to you. Your "political" commentary and the "music" commentary deserve kudos and kisses from me! xox
Great find on Farmer's clip and yes, remarkable that the old vibe is still retained in the shadow of the sin of caruso's stain of homogenized retail greed hell! Thanks for the Bare Trees dive, I've been curious about those 'in-between' FM albums as well and haven't taken a deep dive yet, good start here.
Great trip down your memory lane of an album that matters. I recently got CSNY ~ So Far and it may provide the same comfort. I had not listened to it straight through in too many years. I can't wait to get your book.
Thanks for this deep dive. I discovered and fell for Bare Trees very late in life and immediately felt it was one of those magical, play-it-all-the-way-through types of records, as you point out. Kirwan's playing is so subtle, nothing like Peter Green's or Lindsey's.
Thanks! I wasn’t familiar with the early years of Fleetwood Mac. I really enjoyed ‘Sunny Side of Heaven.’ My amateur ear picked up traces of the Dead and a Genesis chord progression.😁
I can definitely hear the Dead comparison - though I far prefer Kirwan’s guitar tones to Garcia’s 😝
I do too; my late husband was an extreme Dead Head!
I was very late to this particular Mac party. Unsurprisingly, as a tween/teen during the initial years of the Buckingham/Nicks era, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and Tusk were my sweet spot albums. I knew about the existence … the idea … of the Peter Green era, and the jumbled, confusing middle era, but, like you Bare Trees remained a … well, you know.
Growing up near the NH seacoast, sometimes it was difficult to pull in WBCN out of Boston. By the time I was in college BCN was our collective first choice, but sometimes the radio waves didn’t cooperate. Plan B was typically the local rock station out of Portsmouth and they were … fine … except they would play the … same … friggin’ … songs … evvvvveryyyyyyyy … sinnnnngle … day. My dudes and dudettes … I *never* need to hear Baba O’Riley on the radio ever again should I live to be a thousand years. Can it still kick off Who’s Next? Absolutely … it is perfect right there. But, whooooooo boy howdy … their daily playlist was stuck in a rut. Except …
The midday DJ, Lori D., seemed to go off script every now and again and spin Hypnotized from Mystery to Me. Not every day … mercifully … but often enough that it became familiar. I was a broke college student who couldn’t afford taking too many risks with my very limited music spending, so it was into the mid-nineties before I mustered up the courage and disposable income to take a chance on the mostly unfamiliar. And it was a risk rewarded! It’s an enjoyable album (well, CD). So, as you’d expect, emboldened by the experience I ran right out and purchased Bare Trees and oh my word …
Hahaha … just kidding! I was an idiot and didn’t recognize a single song … the cover looked too bleak … and it was another TWENTY YEARS before I gave it a chance. And yes … oh my word. I knew from the opening bars of Little Child of Mine that ‘90s Timmy had some explaining to do. I don’t know if I can call it my favorite Mac album … there’re too many good choices, but I return to it often.
And, finally, (you’re welcome, everyone!) the reason I began to reply in the first place …
A week or two ago I was trying desperately to not-doomscroll through social media, and I came across a friend who had posted a photo of some, yes, bare trees out in a field. They were not John McVie’s bare trees, yet the overcast misty day was similar … similar enough that the photo earwormed me. Needless to say, I knew right away what album was going to be on deck the next day. It only took me probably forty years too long to figure it out, but it’s one of their best.
Oh man, I hear you on the classic rock overload. There was a CR station in Chicago that would have a “deep cuts weekend” twice a year — which always (or so I was told by someone who worked for them) resulted in their biggest weekend audience numbers by far, and yet the program director was still too chickenshit to pull away from playing “Baba” (or “Won’t Get Fooled Again”), “Stairway to Heaven” and “Free Bird” in a seemingly constant loop during the rest of the year.
I’m guessing you’re referring to 97.1 The Drive in Chicago, and you’ll not be surprised to know that it hasn’t changed a lick in 25 years. But I think they dropped the Deep Cuts weekends. So you’ll never hear Luxury there again, but It’s Only Rock and Roll will probably be up & running for the umpteenth time within 2 hours!
I don’t think it was called The Drive in the early 90s - but otherwise that definitely sounds like the one I remember!
I just added Sunny Side of Heaven to my " walk the dogs playlist". Thanks!
Awww my pleasure!
A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about the fact that I couldn't think of another band with a bigger evolution that had put out quality records through its genesis.
The title track is in the 'Wordless Chorus Hall of Fame'. Anyone know if the Buckingham/Nicks version of FM ever played it live?
While it isn’t a definitive resource, Setlist.fm doesn’t show any incarnation of the band doing it live - which is, if that’s the case, a damn shape.
SHAME
Dan I’m just here to say (off topic) that I’m still getting some miles out of Galen and Paul. Thank you!
Right on! (And me too!)
I find the Welch-era Mac very intriguing and, if I am honest, more enticing than Nicks/Buckingham or the bluesy Green-era. That said, I also like what Kirwin brought to the band (his solo LP, 'Second Chapter,' is great). 'Bare Trees,' however, is the one I often point to for those who think FM's greatest achievement is 'Rumours.' Yes, in terms of money, and it is, without a doubt, a classic album, but there's brilliant music on 'Bare Trees,' 'Future Games,' and 'Kiln House.'
There’s some real magic in this period, no question.
Pre-stevie and Lindsey Fleetwood Mac is so interesting. The lineup changes, the drama, it was Fleetwood Mac in name only, with new members and different styles every other year. There was even a fake Fleetwood Mac for a period prior to 1975 to fulfill a contractual obligation. They found Lindsey by accident. My fave Mac song is Hypnotized, another Bob Welch classic, I believe.
Another good essay, as usual. Today's political environment is unbearable. Music, good fiction, and good movies/TV drama will get us through this.
Amen to that, my friend. And yeah, “Hypnotized” is an incredible track.
I've never ventured into the pre-1975 Fleetwood Mac era but your post makes me want to! Thanks!
Let me know what you think!
I am learning so much about all those groups I listened to way back then.....thanks to you. Your "political" commentary and the "music" commentary deserve kudos and kisses from me! xox
❤️❤️
Great find on Farmer's clip and yes, remarkable that the old vibe is still retained in the shadow of the sin of caruso's stain of homogenized retail greed hell! Thanks for the Bare Trees dive, I've been curious about those 'in-between' FM albums as well and haven't taken a deep dive yet, good start here.
I think you'll dig a lot of stuff from this period!
I was already curious then you bring up the Leaf Hound reference, had to dive into that shroomy Mac!
Great trip down your memory lane of an album that matters. I recently got CSNY ~ So Far and it may provide the same comfort. I had not listened to it straight through in too many years. I can't wait to get your book.
Thanks for this deep dive. I discovered and fell for Bare Trees very late in life and immediately felt it was one of those magical, play-it-all-the-way-through types of records, as you point out. Kirwan's playing is so subtle, nothing like Peter Green's or Lindsey's.