Fleetwood Mac: Then Play On, CD deluxe edition, worthwhile?

It's weird for me because I realize what a giant Peter was ... more and more as time goes on and I play the records. Not to mention his compositional and vocal prowess back in the day.

 

Love how in the npr story on this album mick fleetwood said his two favorite Mac albums were then play on and tusk. Two of my faves too.

 

Hello

Thanks for the article. So the Government broke up the Splinter Group and Peter moved to Sweden but since then he played in a group Peter Green and friends ?

I often wonder why these guys are given so much medication that they become like vegetables. The author writing his book helped him reduce/come off the medication adn that is when he managed to make a comeback

So if I have it right now he doesn't play (publicly) anymore ?

Conor

PS If anyone has any info on Danny Kirwan as info on him is very vague and the last photo was in 1993. Is he in a mental home or sheltered accomodation ? etc

 

RE: the recent Then Play On remasters. The SHM-CD features the US tracklisting with no bonus tracks so I would still need to buy the standard UK version? And the mastering is the same?

 

Yes and I'm not sure. The mastering may very well be unique but I would imagine the same tape source was used.

 

Sounds like it. There is conflicting info as to all of this but it sounds like the concern from the group that pushed this through we're concerned about Nigel Watson exploiting Greeny on the other hand there are those who say that Watson played a key role in making Greeny functional again.

It's complicated. You want to insure they aren't a threat to anyone including themselves and if finding a dose or combination that allows them to function and yet not be dangerous is often a fine line. They have a boatload of newer medications with less side effects but not all of them work on everyone.

He did perform about three and a half years ago but he's been silent for some time.

 

“Oh, I was never really a songwriter. I was very lucky to get those hits. I shouldn't have been distracted from my fascination with the blues... I have been known to come up with the odd bit, but I'm not all that wild about the big composer credit”
I always found this an interesting comment. The fact that he rarely sang when he returned with Splinter was always sad to me as he was a vocal powerhouse in his prime.

 

There's definitely a Dr. Eugene Landy-vibe about Nigel Watson but I firmly believe he got Peter going again.

 

The Japanese release used the common 13 track U.S. CD production master.
The 2013 expanded reissue was completely remastered from the previously disassembled 1969 14 track master.

 

Danny Kirwan descended into severe alcoholism and eventually ended up under govt. care like Green and as AFAIK, has never recovered.
To me just as sad as Peter Green's story.
From what I've read about Danny in the studio etc., he was a really sensitive, intense personality.
Listen to his songs, his guitar and his lyrics. Brilliant and beautiful.
It may be new to many, but the "Peter Green Story" has been covered repeatedly and for years.
Maybe I'm unaware of them but I wish someone would interview Mick about Danny.

Some putz in the comments section of the NPR article called the Then Play On Deluxe Edition "digitally harsh" or some such drivel.

 

I could be misinformed, but it's my sense of things that there isn't as much affection for Danny from Mick and John as there is for Peter.

 

From what I understand, Danny was a bigger pain in the a**, especially on tour in the later days of his tenure with the band. Probably lots of bad memories for them of that time.

 

He sang the majority of the songs with Splinter Group as far as I remember. Nigel took vocals on a half-dozen songs per show maybe.

 

Well, Green was their bandleader, mentor and gave them a career on a plate.

 

Your right of course...don't know whati was thinking but then again I kind of lost nterest in the Spli tee albums as they just lacked the fire expected from Green. They were decent enough albums but the originals weren't all the great. The only one that truly interested me long term was the Robert Johnson album they tackled.

 

Also from everything I've read Danny was much more difficult to work with.

 

Yes, according to Green he also had problems working with Danny.

 

Re: Danny Kirwan, hence my post sensitive and intense personality.

I've seen videos of the band live and Peter really displayed a fatherly affection toward Danny.
Yeah he sounds like a difficult personality which isn't rare in artist circles but it would still be interesting to me to hear Fleetwood's insights.
Perhaps because Danny is still alive although totally withdrawn from the world, maybe even more so than Syd Barrett.
I mean if Mick can stand Stevie, he can pretty much tolerate anyone imo.

 

Peter and Danny--even with Peter's fondness for him--butted heads quite a bit towards their tenure together although he gave Danny plenty of space and room for creativity in the band. Peter was always kind to Danny as I recall reading.

 

I have enjoyed the CD reissue. I wonder why no songwriter credits are included. I also wonder what studios were used. The notes say 'Manalishi' was recorded in L.A., but the studio & engineer aren't given.

 

I just got the Rhino Deluxe CD (yes, it took me a year, but I had a backlog of stuff and only now got around to this reissue). A really great experience to hear the proper UK order of all the songs, plus the bonus singles at the end. BUT I too was wondering about the lack of songwriting credits. They are not in the booklet, not on the CD itself, nor listed on the back cover of the CD. Do you think that this was an oversight by accident or do you think that this was done purposefully (to avoid maybe getting into the midst of some publishing dispute)? If anyone has any insight on this, I am curious to hear about it.

Thanks, Arnie

 

It was indeed an oversight.

The same art files used to recreate the Then Play On LP were used for the cd with the exception of the disc label. The LP disc label is where the composer credits are for that package. When the cd was laid out the cd disc text was re-typed with just track titles, a common practice.

Nobody went back the the inside gatefold artwork and add the composer names to the cd version.

 

Manalishi backing tracks were recorded at Western Recorders Studio 2, 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA on January 8, 1970 on four of sixteen available tracks.
Engineers listed on the tape box are "M. Birch/HBD"

 

Interesting!
From where is this info?