Fleetwood Mac / Before The Beginning 1968-1970: Rare Live & Demo Sessions

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by four sticks, Apr 2, 2019.

  1. four sticks

    four sticks Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Fleetwood Mac / Before The Beginning 1968-1970: Rare Live & Demo Sessions | superdeluxeedition

    Two live recordings featuring Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac have been found and are being released officially on CD and vinyl as Before The Beginning 1968-1970.

    The recently discovered recordings date from 1968 and 1970 and were discovered unlabelled in the US, so not much is known about them other than they have been authenticated by experts and approved for release by Fleetwood Mac.

    These live performances almost bookend Peter Green’s tenure with the band as the 1968 recording represents the band in their early stages while the 1970 recording will, in contrast, be one of their final shows before Peter left the band. The earlier set contains early incarnations of ‘Madison Blues’ and ‘I Need Your Love So Bad’ from the blues era and the likes of ‘Long Tall Sally’ and ‘Willie And The Hand Jive’. The 1970 performance includes ‘Oh Well’, ‘Green Manalishi’ and the UK number one ‘Albatros’.

    Before The Beginning 1968-1970 is being issued as a three-CD set containing all the live recordings and four previously unreleased demos. The images suggest that this comes packaged in what looks like a seven-inch book format.

    In terms of vinyl, this content is being split into two volumes. ‘Volume One’ is a 3LP set that features the 1968 live recording and will be issued in June with the triple CD package. A second volume with the 1970 live recording (and the demos) will be released at a later date.

    Before The Beginning 1968-1970: Rare Live and Demo Sessions will be released on 7 June 2019, via Sony CMG.
     
  2. PacificOceanBlue

    PacificOceanBlue Senior Member

    Location:
    The Southwest
    Could be very interesting. It will be interesting to hear more about where the live recordings originate from and if they are boards, stage recordings, or even multitracks.
     
  3. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
  4. popscene

    popscene Senior Member

    Location:
    San Marcos, CA
    Great! Hopefully, on Sony, the sound quality will be up to snuff. If so, this would be essential. I have a few ‘68 live recordings that are subpar soundwise, and best left on the grey market.
     
  5. davmar77

    davmar77 I'd rather be drummin'...

    Location:
    clifton park,ny
    I wonder if these are brand new finds or just an official release of the carousel ballroom 68 and new orleans 70 board recordings? Brand new would be very nice and unexpected.
     
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  6. John Fell

    John Fell Forum Survivor

    Location:
    Undisclosed
  7. Blackbear

    Blackbear Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wilmington DE
    The '68 recordings appear to be from the Carousel Ballroom in San Francisco - tracklisting matches the Helsinki Carousel boot - if so, sound quality should be good.
     
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  8. Davmoco

    Davmoco Forum Resident

    Location:
    Morrison, CO, USA
    I look forward to this one.
     
  9. Colin H

    Colin H Forum Resident

    A complete PGFM BBC set would be nice. 16 studio sessions and a concert from the Green era, and I understand all but one track survives in one form or another. Here's one track I digitised from an off-air reel recently:

     
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  10. Dondy

    Dondy Forumaniac

    Yup, I do agree with you. Stereo masters that most likely stem from Bear's (Grateful Dead's audio engineer and ...er, "mood enhancing mascot" Owsley "Bear" Stanley) archive have been in circulation for decades in ex (ish) quality, and in 2017 even straight copies off this masters were torrented on Dimeadozen by a VERY kind and generous fellow and co-collector.
    Anyway: These recordings were made on June 7 or the 8 (only partial, i.e. c. 20 min.), and from 2 sets on June 9, 1968. The first set is c. 40 min long, the 2ns runs about an hour and has Paul Butterfield guesting.

    The 1970 tracks look like a re-hash of Boston at first glance. However, there is ALBATROSS, MY BABY'S GONE, MY BABY's SWEET, and a 2nd version of WORLD IN HARMONY which - from this show - have not appeared before. So, perhaps a mix of Boston and another show? You wonder what soundboard recordings Sony may have in their dungeons. The set list neither matches the ex board recording from the April 24, 1970 Roundhouse show (as FLAC-streamed by Wolfgang's Vault) nor the 29-31/1/1970 New Orleans board recordings. Maybe, just MAYBE the guys at Sony did discover more unused tracks from the three Boston shows that Snapper (and the previous labels) missed, ignored or chose not to use for whatever reason. Maybe they even have a completely different show at hand? Sounds a bit unlikely though, I'd say...

    So it seems we need to listen and compare - i.e. shell out the bucks (again, sigh - oh screw it, it is the Mighty Mac, after all).
    Mac ahoy!
    Th:)mas
     
  11. BFisch

    BFisch Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lafayette, LA
    I agree, the 1968 songs look like the Carousel Ballroom recordings, minus "Tutti Frutti" and both performances of "Ready Teddy". The only thing out of place is "Something Inside of Me" in place of "My Baby's Gone". I'm guessing that's an error, as the listed track is from Danny Kirwan, who doesn't have any other songs there (supporting the thought that this is the 3 Carousel shows). If so, it's a pity to leave those few tracks off. "Ready Teddy" is a barn-burner. Also, the instrumental is a jam based on Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would".

    Where I don't think I can be convinced that the first set is anything other than the Carousel shows, the 1970 tracks are a bit less certain. Looks like excerpts from the New Orleans Warehouse shows (all songs here appear there and in mostly the same order) , though if that's the case, it's a major mistake to leave off the powerful "It Takes Time" and even more so to not include "All Over Again", one of Green's absolute best performances.

    And then there's the last 3 live tracks. Those look an awful lot like the set Fleetwood Mac played on French TV, but that was in 1968. So... I'm unsure.

    According to the press release, these were on vaguely labeled reels, so I assume that means these are new sources even if the shows are circulated unofficially. I hope so, because the sound/mix on a few parts of the Carousel recordings can get iffy, and some of the songs are only partial recordings. The full versions of "Stop Messin Round" and "Need Your Love So Bad" would be great to hear.
     
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  12. BFisch

    BFisch Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lafayette, LA
    For the demos, "Mean Old World" and "You Need Love" were songs they recorded at the BBC. "If It Ain't Me" may be a song they recorded at Chess as "I Need Your Love" and at the BBC as "That Ain't It", since all of those are lyrics in the song. And I wonder if that second demo is Danny's "Talk With You". (also recorded at both the BBC and Chess)

    Some proofreading and fact checking needs to done on this bedore they release it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2019
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  13. Dondy

    Dondy Forumaniac

    Yep, since the shows are most likely the Carousel Ballroom sets, "Something Inside of Me" must be an erroneous track listing as Danny didn't join the band before August 1968.

     
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  14. BFisch

    BFisch Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lafayette, LA
    The next song, "The Woman I Love", appeared different at first, but then I listened to the equivalent track on the Carousel recordings ("My Baby's Skinny"), and sure enough, those are the first lyrics of the song.
     
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  15. jay.dee

    jay.dee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Barcelona, Spain
    Excellent news. I have been worried about Sony's recent decision that halted the licensing of their vault material to outside labels, however if it's only because they want to handle it themselves I am relieved.

    I am in for any vintage Green Mac goods!
     
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  16. four sticks

    four sticks Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    CD1
    1. Madison Blues (Version 1) (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    2. Something Inside of Me (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    3. The Woman That I Love (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    4. Worried Dream (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    5. Dust My Blues (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    6. Got To Move (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    7. Trying So Hard To Forget (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    8. Instrumental (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    9. Have You Ever Loved A Woman (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    10. Lazy Poker Blues (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    11. Stop Messing Around (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    12. I Loved Another Woman (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    13. I Believe My Time Ain’t Long (Version 1) (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    14. Sun Is Shining (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording


    CD2
    1. Long Tall Sally (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    2. Willie and the Hand Jive (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    3. I Need Your Love So Bad (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    4. I Believe My Time Ain’t Long (Version 2) (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    5. Shake Your Money Maker (Live) (Remastered) 1968 recording
    6. Before the Beginning (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    7. Only You (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    8. Madison Blues (Version 2) (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    9. Can’t Stop Lovin’ (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    10. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    11. Albatross (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    12. World In Harmony (Version 1) (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    13. Sandy Mary (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    14. Only You (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    15. World In Harmony (Version 2) (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording


    CD 3
    1. I Can’t Hold Out (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    2. Oh Well (Part 1) (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    3. Rattlesnake Shake (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    4. Underway (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    5. Coming Your Way (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    6. Homework (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    7. My Baby’s Sweet (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    8. My Baby’s Gone (Live) (Remastered) 1970 recording
    9. You Need Love (Demo) (Remastered)
    10. Talk With (Demo) (Remastered)
    11. If It Ain’t Me (GK Edit) (Demo) (Remastered)
    12. Mean Old World (Demo) (Remastered)
     
  17. John Rhett Thomas

    John Rhett Thomas Forum Resident

    Location:
    Macon, GA, USA
    Oh man. What a fantastic surprise. I'm pre-ordering.
     
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  18. ash1

    ash1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    bristol uk
    Any official Peter Green Mac is welcome and cause for celebration.
    I suspect we may have this stuff already but perhaps the sound will be an upgrade.
    I think we can probably guess what "demo" means but I would be delighted if I were wrong.
    Certainly, as Colin said upthread, a complete as possible Peter Green Fleetwood Mac BBC set would be another splendid addition to this set but clearances are complex things and there are several parties involved in okaying such a venture as the group were on 3 different labels when Peter was involved.
     
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  19. futureinreverse

    futureinreverse Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    I'm a big fan of all lineups of Fleetwood Mac, but I'm not really excited by this. The blues era has been beaten to death in endless compilations probably more severely than the Buck/Nicks years, and that's saying a lot. It's telling that even after Danny Kirwan's death, we get yet another rehash of the same Peter Green-centric songs. Maybe in the future, we'll get lucky and get some unheard gems from 1970-1972. Hell, if there's not a lot of material there, at least properly remaster Kiln House, Future Games, and Bare Trees and append a few bonus tracks on to the end. Something other than Groundhog Day of BLOOZE. :yawn:
     
  20. John Rhett Thomas

    John Rhett Thomas Forum Resident

    Location:
    Macon, GA, USA
    You're correct about the blues era, but I think in comparison to many of their peer artists, Fleetwood Mac has shown quite a bit of restraint in packaging compilations for the Buckingham/Nicks era:

    Greatest Hits, 1988, single disc compilation
    25 Years: The Chain, 1992, four disc box set
    The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac, 2002, two-disc set in US
    50 Years: Don't Stop, 2018, single-disc and triple-disc versions

    One compilation per decade ain't exactly milking it! (Though perhaps I'm missing one or two?)
     
  21. davmar77

    davmar77 I'd rather be drummin'...

    Location:
    clifton park,ny
    here's the posters for both carousel shows they did in 68. I have the flyer for the one with the dead and airplane. interestingly they played at the fillmore in s.f. during that trip as a fill in in early july for a cancelled act.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  22. ash1

    ash1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    bristol uk
    I would certainly hope that more of the extant recordings with Peter and Danny could be released one day. I do like the "blooze" era up to a point and for sure, there are plenty of masterful performances from the beginning to August 1968 but once Danny joins the band goes super-nova and it's disappointing that more archival sets aren't released highlighting Danny's era / contributions.
    There are dozens of live recordings and BBC recordings that demonstrate what Danny brought to the band and in particular, how phenomenal the musical relationship between Peter and Danny was.
    I also completely agree that Kiln House, Future Games and Bare Trees deserves some proper archival attention.
    Based on the circulating recordings of the band from around mid-69 to when Peter leaves, Fleetwood Mac were arguably the finest British live band of the day in purely musical terms.
     
  23. davenav

    davenav High Plains Grifter

    Location:
    Louisville, KY USA
    Oh man, this better not be some April Fools shenanigans!!

    I’m so ‘in’ on this one it’s not funny. Yes, I’d like to see more done with the Kirwan/Welch ‘Tween period, sure!! But, there’s no such thing as too much Peter Green - let’s just get that settled here and now!!! :tsk:
     
  24. Slight more Danny stuff is better than nothing..I'm in!

    I'd be great if they could re-release Vaudeville Years and Showbiz Blues..those two are treasure troves!
     
  25. ash1

    ash1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    bristol uk
    Maybe some Green Mac heads can chime in but I'm wondering if this set consists of -

    Carousel Ballroom tapes 1968 (seems to be agreement on that)
    A mish mash from New Orleans Warehouse Jan/Feb 1970 ? with several tracks missing !!
    3 tracks from the 1968 French Surprise Party TV Show ???? (homework / my baby's sweet / my baby's gone which I think might actually be titled please find my baby) - labelled Live 1970 !
    and then 4 BBC tracks (???) described as demos !!!
     
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