Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver) [Box set] [Import]

Track Listings

1. Blues In B Flat Minor

2. Someone's Gonna Get There Head Kicked In Tonight

3. Although The Sun Is Shining

4. Showbiz Blues

5. Underway

6. The Madge Sessions 1

7. Intro/Lazy Poker Blues

8. My Baby's Sweeter

9. Love That Burns

10. Talk To Me Baby

11. Everyday I Have The Blues

12. Jeremy's Contribution To Doo Wop

13. Everyday I Have The Blues

14. The Madge Sessions 2

15. I Want To Know(That's Why)

16. Oh Well

17. Love It Seems

18. Mighty Cold

19. Fast Talking Woman Blues

20. Tell Me From The Start

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Double disc retrospective of their early Columbia years, 1968-1970. 31 tracks, including previously unreleased studiojams & alternate versions of studio cuts from 1968-1970. 15 of the tunes have never been released in any shape or form; all feature the classic line-up of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie & Danny Kirwan. Comes packaged in a lavish CD-sized hardback gatefold digipak 'book'. 1998 Receiver Records release. The full title is 'The Vaudeville Years Of Fleetwood Mac - 1968 To 1970'.

Tracks:

INTRO/LAZY POKER BLUES
MY BABY'S SWEETER
LOVE THAT BURNS
TALK TO ME BABY
EVERYDAY I HAVE THE BLUES (1)
JEREMY'S CONTRIBUTION TO DOO WOP
EVERYDAY I HAVE THE BLUES (2)
DEATH BELLS
(WATCH OUT FOR YOURSELF) MR JONES
MAN OF ACTION
DO YOU GIVE A DAMN FOR ME
MAN OF THE WORLD
LIKE IT THIS WAY
BLUES IN B FLAT MINOR
SOMEONE'S GONNA GET THEIR HEAD KICKED IN TONIGHT
ALTHOUGH THE SUN IS SHINING
SHOWBIZ BLUES

Tracks:

UNDERWAY
THE MADGE SESSIONS (1)
THE MADGE SESSIONS (2)
(THAT'S WHAT) I WANT TO KNOW
OH WELL
LOVE IT SEEMS
MIGHTY COLD
FAST TALKING WOMAN BLUES
TELL ME FROM THE START
OCTOBER JAM (1)
OCTOBER JAM (2)
THE GREEN MANALISHI (WITH THE TWO PRONG CROWN)
WORLD IN HARMONY
FAREWELL

Customer Reviews:

"One touch of my power...".......2007-05-25

The crown jewel here is Jeremy Spencer's vicious send-up of John Mayall, "Man Of Action"...and I say that as a long-time fan of Mayall. Like it or not, Spencer nails the Mayall style (and according to the liner notes, Mayall...who was in the audience...did NOT like it). This is the Peter Green Mac's "Odds & Sods"...scraps from the cutting room floor, each with their own moments of brilliance. If you're a Peter Green fan, you'll want this (along with the follow-up volume, "Show-Biz Blues: 1968 to 1970 Volume 2"). The sound quality is as good as can be reasonably expected from tracks that have been sitting on the shelf for 40 years. For the ultimate LIVE Mac with Green, go for the "Boston Box Set" (now ridiculously overpriced as an out-of-print "collectors" set) or the individual volumes of "Live In Boston" (Volumes 1 and 2 are reasonable, Volume 3 will COST ya...just like the "Boston Box"). For studio tracks, it's a no-brainer..."Then Play On" and "The Complete Blue Horizons Sessions" box set. Before you buy any of these, get John Mayall's "A Hard Road." The single disc is fine, collectors will want the 2-CD reissue.

This album doesn't work as an introduction to Green or the Green Mac. It works as a vault release for existing fans.

fantastic taste of Peter Green years.......2003-08-12

collected out takes and alternates versions and live cuts of the Peter Green led "Original" Fleetwood Mac. Highlights include the long known but previously unreleased EP "The Milton Schlitz Show" [Fleetwood said 'The record company thought it was a wank'] with Jeremy Spencer leading the band through doo-wop, original Brit blues snob Alexis Korner, Lighting Hopkins ['Death Bells'], garage punk ['(Watch Out for Yourself) Jones'] and a dead on imitation of John Mayall ['Man of Action'] all while portraying "host" Milton Schlitz; a great take of Spencer's 'Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight' an early take of 'Show Biz Blues when it was called 'Do You Give a Damn for Me', the full twenty minute take of 'Underway' which is just beautiful intertwining guitars and the full 'Madge Session' and an alternate take of 'The Green Manalishi.'

As much variety as a "Vaudeville" show.......2002-03-10

When it comes to variety, and a little something for everyone, brought on especially by the diverse musical tastes within the group--no one, not even Led Zeppelin, did it better than early Fleetwood Mac.
I must admit, I'm a recent convert to Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Having not been impressed by the "commercial boredom" of the Buckingham/Nicks version, and finding out about an earlier unit which was much closer to the John Mayall and Ten Years After style of British blues rock, I was very eager to hear this version of the group, and this album especially. This 2-CD set is very similar in nature to Led Zeppelin's "Coda". The first side is mostly a "Jeremy Spencer comedy show", and the second is serious outtakes and jams from the sessions for the lp "Then Play On" (1969-70)
The whole set took a little time to grow on me, but now I get the music and the way Fleetwood Mac was set up in those days. When I first listen to the first CD, I was a little taken aback by Jeremy Spencer's comedy routine. But now I understand. Many British bands at the time had their own "Keith Moon"-a clown to add comedy relief to a sometimes boring 12-bar blues show, and Jeremy Spencer was the clown of this group. His "schtick" here was the "Milton Schlitz show", a fictitious character that he pretends to be, who is an American MC, a la Ed Sullivan/Milton Berle, announcing varoius performers in the best geezerly-Alzheimer riddled American accent (you'd forget it was a young British lad doing it), often almost forgetting the names of the artists he presents because he's not "hip" enough, and then proceeds to mimic the performers themselves. Although I think his imitation of John Mayall sound more like Alvin Lee imitating Kermit The Frog, Jeremy Spencer had a real creative talent for musical comedy that he could have used after Fleetwood Mac, and it is such a waste that he didn't. He could have provided a lot of material for "Doctor Demento", if he kept at it.
As far as diversity within the group, in general, what more can I say than others have already said. You had Danny Kirwan-"The Balladeer", Jeremy Spencer-"The slide-guitar playing comedian", and Peter Green- "The serious blues rocker", not to mention Fleetwood and McVie (Mac), who could play it all! For all the talk of Led Zeppelin's musical diversity, at veering from Metal-to folk-to blues-to rockabilly, Fleetwood Mac answered with veering from blues-to jazz-to folk-to rockabilly-to doo wop-to acid rock, and equally adept at playing them all. And like Led Zeppelin, it was the diversity that kept them together those few years, rather than tearing them apart. I think much credit for that goes to Peter Green. Although he was somewhat the leader of this group, he was willing to share the spotlight with Kirwan and Spencer, and let them play what they wanted to, even if it wasn't his "cup of tea". In the days when groups like CCR and Cream were breaking up over musical differences and stepping on each other's egos, the kind of democracy that existed in Fleetwood Mac was almost unheard of.
But they all came together to contibute to Peter's musical vision on the lp "Then Play On", where much of the outtakes and sessions for appear on this set, especially the second disc. For me, the prime cuts from those sessions that spark the most creativity are "The Madge Sessions 1" which starts out as a nice little shuffle, and gains momentum, turning into a full-on Yardbirds-style "rave up" toward the finale, with guitar duels all the way there. Mick Fleetwood, the drummer, was really at his best on "The Madge Sessions", and in general, was a more energetic drummer behind Peter Green's more challenging music, than the "fluff" he had to play behind in the Buckingham/Nicks era. "Oh Well" is an alternate take of "Oh Well" from "Then Play On", with Peter Green seeming to play with a little more fire than on the album version. Then there is "October Jam 1" and "October Jam 2", "October Jam 2" being a much nicer melody that unfortunately ends abruptly, and could have been turned into a really nice song had they worked on it more, but was left as it was in the can. And the final highlight, "The Green Manalishi", perhaps the heaviest song besides "Oh Well" of the Peter Green-era, and the ultimate expression of where he wanted to take the group had he stayed.
As his music evolved, Peter Green seemed to be more stubborn than his other British counterparts like Eric Clapton and Alvin Lee, as far as not wanting to stray too far from the blues vein. It was perhaps a good idea that he stayed rooted in the blues so long, for as he progressed, he was possibly a sharper guitarist because of it. And he never let his blues turn into full-on "heavy metal" either, his guitar sound staying fairly clean, and the more aggressive songs like "Oh Well" and "Green Manalishi" not sounding too far off from what Ten Years After might have done. If anything, his guitar playing progressed more in the direction of free-form jazz, a la Jeff Beck, and much of the second disc of this set are jam sessions that sound more like Jeff Beck instrumentals from the 70s. But if you're a serious guitar player, this should not only be a clinic for you, but also a delight.
As a whole, this 2 CD set is a nice history of the evolution of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac through behind-the-scenes sessions and unreleased material. Looking back, I probably would have preferred to just get "Then Play On" itself. But then, I wouldn't have had Jeremy Spencer's comedy routine to make me laugh.

A Mixed Blessing.......2002-02-18

(3-1/2 stars) With excellent liner notes - including a detailed rumination of blues-zen-master Peter Green's breakdown - Fans of Peter Green will feel the need to get this. And they are going to be blown away by disc two, kicking off with the full 15-minute-plus versions of both "Underway" and the "Madge" songs (spliced together from two separate jams that couldnt sound more different).

These three songs are the triumphant high point of this set. But the concept of the "Vaudeville" box was to equally represent the vaudevillian nature of the band - the silliest parts of which consist mostly Jeremy Spencer's often irritating forays into standup, doo-wop and white-boy-blues-preening. Danny Kirwan also manages to contribute a few meandering ballads to the mix, including a version of "Although the Sun Is Shining" which manages to be much cheesier than the album version.

Most of these moments occur on Disc one, which also unfortunately happens to showcase some of Green's best straight blues playing out of the two discs. Of note on Disc 1 is the original demo version of "Showbiz Blues," (which also appears, complete with groupies and all at the end of disc one) called "Do You Give a Damn For Me" and rest assured - its hardcore. On disc two is another tight live version of "Oh Well" (yet again sans the classical part 2, I am afraid), an unreleased instrumental "October Jam part 2" (and its lesser, bouncier cousin part 1) which has some intriguing chord progressions that make up for its abrupt ending. A studio version of "Green Manalishi" also pokes up, and is outstanding, but pales in comparison to the 13-minute live version on the "Boston Box" set. Also included is a rawer version of "World In Harmony," which still manages to be as lovely as it is on the album _Then Play On_. The album ends with a meditative Kirwan piece "Farewell" which apparently made its way onto Kiln House - its a nice, breezy way to end the show.

Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver)
Average customer rating:

Fleetwood Mac's 'Let It Be'

most of the tracks should have stayed unissued!!!

wonderful coda of the Peter Green years

Postscript to Then Play On

"Then Play On," Deconstructed

Vaudeville Years: 1968-1970 (Receiver)
Fleetwood Mac
Manufacturer: Receiver Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Showbiz Blues 1968-1970

Kiln House

Biggest Thing Since Colossus (Sony)

ASIN: B00000C2I1
Release Date: 1998-10-13

Tracks:

Intro/Lazy Poker Blues [Unissued Version]
My Baby's Sweeter [Unissued Version]
Love That Burns [Unissued Version]
Talk to Me Baby [Unissued Version]
Every Day I Have the Blues, Pt. 1 [Unissued Version]
Jeremy's Contribution to Doo Wop [#]
Every Day I Have the Blues, Pt. 2 [Unissued Version]
Death Bells [#]
(Watch Out for Yourself) Mr. Jones [#]
Man of Action [#]
Do You Give a Damn for Me [Unissued Version]
Man of the World [Unissued Version]
Like It This Way [Unissued Version]
Blues in B Flat Minor [Unissued Instrumental]
Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in Tonight [Full Length Version]
Although the Sun Is Shining [Unissued Version]
Showbiz Blues [Unissued Version]

Tracks:

Underway [Full Length Version]
Madge Sessions, No. 1 [Full Length Version]
Madge Sessions, No. 2 [Unissued Instrumental]
(That's What) I Want to Know [#]
Oh Well [Alternate Version]
Love It Seems [#]
Mighty Cold [#]
Fast Talking Woman Blues [Unissued Instrumental]
Tell Me from the Start [#][Instrumental]
October Jam, Pt. 1 [Unissued Instrumental]
October Jam, Pt. 2 [Unissued Instrumental]
Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) [Unissued Version]
World in Harmony [Unissued Version]
Farewell [Unissued Demo]

Album Description

Double disc retrospective of their early Columbia years, 1968-1970. 31 tracks, including previously unreleased studiojams & alternate versions of studio cuts from 1968-1970. 15 of the tunes have never been released in any shape or form; all feature the classic line-up of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie & Danny Kirwan. Comes packaged in a lavish CD-sized hardback gatefold digipak 'book'. 1998 Receiver Records release. The full title is 'The Vaudeville Years Of Fleetwood Mac - 1968 To 1970'.

Customer Reviews:

Fleetwood Mac's 'Let It Be'.......2006-01-30

On 'The Vaudeville Years of Fleetwood Mac 1968 - 1970', Peter Green, Danny Kirwin, Jeremy Spencer, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie present some compelling parallels With The Beatles. In the late 1960's, for example, both band's were going through the throes of tumultuous change. While Fleetwood Mac would survive, their metamorphosis would be every bit as dramatic musically as the caterpillar's evolution into a butterfly is anatomically. And while Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac was generally thought of as a blues-rock combo, their diversity was, in actuality, every bit as multi-faceted as was the diversity in The Beatles, as these two discs of studio-outtakes, alternate versions, and live tracks vividly demonstrates.

Disc one is, in my opinion, the weaker of the duo, but that is primarily due to my interest in Fleetwood Mac as a contemporary, electric blues-rock band with flairs of psychedelia. Disc one opens, on the other hand, with five traditional electric blues pieces, two slow-tempo numbers (#2 & 3), two hard rocking selections (#1 & 4), and a mid-tempo closer. While each composition is worthy of inclusion, the recording quality leaves much to be desired. The fidelity on each track is limited, and there are occasional fade outs and crackling which leaves you with a circa 1940 musical experience. The opening tracks are followed by Jeremy Spencer's five track parody which Fleetwood Mac considered offering as an EP to accompany 1969's 'Then Play On', but the liner notes say their record company thought it was "wank". For the most part, it is. Spencer presents himself as the fictitious Milton Schlitz, hosting a radio show that mimics Doo-wop, black and piano blues clubs, and mainstream psychedelic rock. Only track nine, featuring Spencer and Mac as the Orange Electric Squitters, works.

The remainder of disc one, and the whole of disc two, make this release a treasure of buried 1960's rock masterpieces. The alternate versions of well-known Fleetwood Mac tracks, such as 'Man of the World', 'World In Harmony', 'The Green Manalishi', and the live version of 'Oh Well', are all worthy renditions. Jeremy Spencer offers up two catchy throwback selections, 'Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight' on disc one (with Spencer sounding like a 1950's version of Bruce Springsteen'), and a version of 'Mighty Cold' on disc two. Danny Kirwin offers firy blues rock on disc one with 'Like It This Way', and a beautiful acoustic version of 'Although the Sun Is Shining'. On disc two Kirwin presents another shining acoustic moment with 'Love It Seems', and his own throwback tracks, '(That's What) I Want To Know' and 'Tell Me From the Start', featuring Kirwin as teeny-bopper whiz-kid.

Add to these quality moments the most daunting of Fleetwood Mac endeavors from the late-1960's, the glorious composing and performance skills of Peter Green. He offers Rolling Stones style slide blues on 'Do You Give a Damn For Me' and 'Show-biz Blues', and an excruciatingly slow blues track on disc two, 'Fast Talking Woman Blues' (an oxymoronic title given both its tempo and its lack of lyrics). But Green really shines on several instrumental jams featured on disc two. The opener is a 16+ minute Green instrumental composition, but not your typical Fleetwood Mac jam, being much more laid-back and psychedelic in tone. 'The Madge Sessions - 1' follows, a 17+ minute workout replete with up-tempo, inspired guitar duels between Green, Spencer, and Kirwin, and a wealth of catchy hooks. Tracks ten and eleven on disc two rock steady also, with 'October Jam - 2' being more anthemic than anything else in the set. Together, the 'October Jam's total about seven minutes.

The book-like digi-pac features lengthy liner notes, numerous band photographs and media clippings, and information on the tracks offered, although the running times are not listed anywhere, and no lyrics are offered. Nevertheless, it's an impressive collection of rarities from the band's first peak. If you're not familiar with early Fleetwood Mac, you could get a fine overview of the band with this purchase, but the lifelong Fleetwood Mac aficinado could similarly find much of interest, and collectibility here. The only danger might be getting more than you want, but that's the kind of problem we need more of when it comes to CD's.

most of the tracks should have stayed unissued!!!.......2001-06-08

I read other reviews and bought this on their recommendation as we are Peter Greene fans. Although a few were good I am not sure the price is worth skipping the rest. Spencer never was funny and these cds prove it again. As my old man says there is a good reason the studios never issued the unissued songs that are coming out today.

wonderful coda of the Peter Green years.......2000-04-25

Receiver Records (UK) has done Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac fans an immeasurable favor by compiling on two discs demos, unreleased versions, and unreleased songs from the final days of the Fleetwood Mac Phase I, the Peter Green years. This set is loaded with standout tracks from beginning to end. Among the most memorable are an unissued version of "The Green Manalishi" (the final Peter Green era single, a haunting tale of his inner demons), an unissued version of "Man of the World," (the first post-Blue Horizon single, and the only Fleetwood Mac release on Immediate Records), and an unfortunately short alternate version of "Oh Well," (the standout track from "Then Play On"). There are several previously unissued instrumentals which allow the band to show its playing prowess, and a 16 minute version of "Underway" which has nary a dull moment. The 52-page booklet is full of info and photos. This compilation displays the awesome talent of the band and how far Peter Green had come in his composing skills. It also, however, brings sad thoughts of how he suffered, and gives pause for thought as to how much more beautiful blues the band was capable of. This is quite possibly the best Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac release ever and is a must for any fan of British blues, Peter Green, or Fleetwood Mac. Clocking in at more than 140 minutes one would be hard pressed to find any shortcoming in this set.

Postscript to Then Play On.......2000-01-07

After sitting in the vaults for some 30 odd years, the studio outakes that led to the U,S. ground breaking lp, Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On, have finally made it to fans ears. The 2 CD box set is full of the energy that made the U.S. lp. It's worth it, by the way, just for four songs: Oh Well (alternate version), 13 takes to perfect Show Biz Blues, a Mississppi Delta/Texas songster parody by Jeremy Spencer called Death Bells, and a full mix of Madge. For those of you who revere Peter Green as having been Fleetwood Mac's best guitarist, please treat yourself to this 'Mr.Wonderfully' packaged set. My only regret is that I missed them at this time period when they headlined Newark, NJ Symphony Hall with added guests Savoy Brown and Chicken Shack. Christine Perfect McVie would soon replace the departing Peter Green in the 'Big Mac'. Christine was in the Chicken Shack lineup at the time. As a sidenote, you can view this Fleetwood Mac lineup on VHS video from 1969 and catch Peter Green in the Green Manalishi song from Playboy After Dark.

"Then Play On," Deconstructed.......1999-04-20

In 1969 Fleetwood Mac was in top form, with the five members at the peak of their powers and full of innovative ideas and gorgeous tunes. This line-up produced one of the world's best albums, "Then Play On" -- and then unfortunately the band began to come apart at the seams. Too much talent, too strong of personalities, too much fame too soon, the strain of repeating earlier successes; it's a story often repeated in the music world. But for that year, this band was definitely 'it.'

"Then Play On" included several edited jams, hinting at more material left on the cutting room floor. It's taken 30 years, but here at last are those full-length, unedited (16:12 and 17:14) pieces of British blues history. For someone who has worn out three copies of TPO it's a series of relevations hearing the full versions.

One revelation is realizing just how good a drummer Mick Fleetwood was. You can hear him leading the band through their collective improvisations by constantly changing the tempo, mood, dynamics and timbre, while still managing to remain rock-solid. Never bombastic (like many drummers of the day), he even knew when to lay out, when Green, Spencer and Kirwan began laying down the lullabies of angels. This is true leadership, true genius.

I guess there's other material on this set too -- wonderful stuff it is too -- but for me, that half hour from TPO is worth any price of admission.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. Blues In B Flat Minor
2. Someone's Gonna Get There Head Kicked In Tonight
3. Although The Sun Is Shining
4. Showbiz Blues
5. Underway
6. The Madge Sessions 1
7. Intro/Lazy Poker Blues
8. My Baby's Sweeter
9. Love That Burns
10. Talk To Me Baby
11. Everyday I Have The Blues
12. Jeremy's Contribution To Doo Wop
13. Everyday I Have The Blues
14. The Madge Sessions 2
15. I Want To Know(That's Why)
16. Oh Well
17. Love It Seems
18. Mighty Cold
19. Fast Talking Woman Blues
20. Tell Me From The Start