BY: Ken Sharp

 

Long before Fleetwood Mac owned the Billboard record charts for years in the mid to late ’70s with a string of mega-selling albums/singles culled from the albums Fleetwood Mac, Rumours and Tusk, their formative sound was rooted in something altogether different.

Fleetwood Mac mark 1 drew from a heavy blues-rock sound that stood in diametric opposition to their reputation as traditional pop alchemists in a later configuration featuring Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

Fronted by one of Britain’s most respected and revered lead guitar players, Peter Green, the early form of Fleetwood Mac was a raw blues band that won over audiences with its dynamic, blues-drenched sound with such signature classics as Albatross, Oh Well, Rattlesnake Shake and Black Magic Woman.

 

And while the classic pop lineup of Fleetwood Mac is back with keyboardist/singer Christine McVie returning to in the fold after many years, founding member Mick Fleetwood is embracing his blues roots.

The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band is headed out on a tour that reunites him with latter-day Fleetwood Mac member, guitarist Rick Vito, and the set list is stuffed with songs that first put Fleetwood Mac on the international musical map. Fans attending the shows can witness a rare opportunity to see Fleetwood in his element, rendering vibrant renditions of blues-tinged Mac favorites along with well chosen covers like Shake Your Money Maker and When The Levee Breaks.

 

Rock Cellar Magazine: First off, what was the experience like playing Dodger Stadium recently for an event featuring legendary announcer Vin Scully?

Mick Fleetwood: It was like a Fellini flick. The reality is he’s a legend. But what’s interesting is there weren’t that many people there as it was a private event.

It was totally bizarre — but in a healthy way — to be playing center field at Dodger Stadium to not even 2,500 people. Very bizarre.

There were memories for us when we recorded live overdubs to Tusk there many years ago with the USC Marching Band. We had 300 band members and the faculty of USC. So it was quite pregnant with memories of that day.

Read the full interview on Rock Cellar Magazine here.