“Shall I tell you about my life” – the plaintive lyrics of Peter Green in 1969 contained in Fleetwood Mac’s “Man of The World”, hinted at his personal turmoil – despite a rare guitar playing talent. Personal problems would subsequently see him withdraw from music for many years. Happily though, “Greeny” is back playing and seemingly enjoying life again. He was born today in 1946.
1946:
Peter Allen Greenbaum aka Peter Green born Bethnal Green. A founding member of Fleetwood Mac, Green remains one of the greatest blues guitar players this country has ever produced, with peers including Eric Clapton quick to pay homage to his ability.
Well-documented personal problems saw him fade from view after leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1970, recording only sporadically afterwards. That hiatus ended in 1996 though, when Green returned to playing with the newly-former Splinter Group.
Comfortable with renditions of Delta Blues king Robert Johnson, Green would record two album’s worth of covers – 1998′s “Robert Johnson Songbook” and the superior “Hot Food Powder” two years later. Continuing to tour and play, the live emphasis is more on blues covers than ‘Mac classics.
The likes of “Albatross”, “Black Magic Woman” and ”Oh Well” do get trotted out, but lesser-known songs such as Robert Parker’s “Blues Get off My Shoulder” and “Steal Your Heart Away” seemingly find Green on more comfortable territory. Much of Peter’s power has inevitably fallen by the wayside, but there’s still enough of his old magic there to make him worth seeking out. Simply a living legend.
