John McVie – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Fleetwood Mac – Kiln House …album review

When most folks hear the words Fleetwood Mac, they immediately think of the Rumours-era band. But rewind just a few years earlier and you’ll find a very different band, one still rooted in the blues, still searching for direction after the departure of founding guitarist Peter Green. Starting that transitional phase is the album Kiln House.

Fleetwood Mac was changing throughout the decade, but 1970s Kiln House was one of their strangest detours. After Peter Green’s sudden exit, the band found itself leaderless. Instead of breaking up, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan took the lead and led the band through a melodic 1950s-inspired sound with that glorious echo. The entire album isn’t that, but it’s a heavy influence.

This is one of the most interesting bands ever. You can find a song in one of their many eras to satisfy anyone. This album was a departure from the Peter Green era. It didn’t have the intensity that Green brought, but it made up for it in some great songs. It was highly melodic with some complicated melodies, like Station Man (written by Danny Kirwan, Spencer, and John McVie); the later incarnation picked up on that song as well. The first song of this period I took notice of a few years ago was Jewel Eyed Judy from this album.

Jeremy Spencer adored that 1950s rock style, and This Is the Rock is one of his tributes to that era. Another obvious one is the song Buddy’s Song. They also had some nice straight-out rock on the album with Kirwan’s Tell Me All the Things You Do.

This album ties the eras together for me. You had straight out rock, a touch of blues, rockabilly, country, and some pop that foreshadowed what was to come. It is probably the most varied Fleetwood Mac album I’ve listened to. You can hear Fleetwood Mac going toward something new.

The album peaked at #69 on the Billboard Album Charts, #67 in Canada, and #39 in the UK. Christine McVie not only drew the cover, she also contributed to the album with backup vocals, keyboards, and even cover art. After this album, she became a full member.

This Is The Rock

This is the rockWe’ve been talking about (this is the rock)Yeah, this is the rockMakes you jump and shout (this is the rock)This is the rockThat knocks you right out

It makes you loseAll your troubles and caresYou’ll lose your bluesThey ain’t going nowhereThis is the rockThat hits you right there

Well you can get back on the roofAnd shout it all aroundGet up off your seats is what I’m putting downGet ’em all a hoppin’ to that crazy beatGet ’em all a boppin’ and a tappin’ their feet

‘Cause it’s the rockMoves you all day long (it’s the rock)Yeah, it’s the rockGettin’ everyone (it’s the rock)This is the rockIt really turns you on, woo

‘Cause it’s the rock (it’s the rock)Moves you all day long (it’s the rock)Yeah, yeah it’s the rockGettin’ everyone (it’s the rock)This is the rockIt really turns you on

Yeah, this is the rockIt really turns you onThis is the rockIt really turns you on

Well this is the rock

Warren Zevon – Werewolves of London

He’s the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent
Lately he’s been overheard in Mayfair
Better stay away from him
He’ll rip your lungs out, Jim
I’d like to meet his tailor

I’ve heard this song so many times, but it does not get old to me. Zevon was one of the darkest songwriters I’ve ever heard, but kept a sense of humor about it. His vocal delivery is more spoken than sung, dry as gin and twice as sharp. The way he tosses off lines like “I saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada at Trader Vic’s — and his hair was perfect” is pure poetry.

Warren Zevon was a very clever songwriter. He went where other songwriters don’t often go. This song was off his critically acclaimed album Excitable Boy released in 1978. The song peaked at #21 on the Billboard 100, #18 in Canada, and #87 in the UK. It’s simply a great album with tracks like this one, Excitable Boy, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, and one of my favorites, Lawyers, Guns, and Money.

Zevon was working with the Everly Brothers in their backup band. He had just hired Robert “Waddy” Wachtel on guitar. The song started as a joke. Phil Everly tossed out the title during a casual songwriting session, half-daring Zevon to write a song called “Werewolves of London.” Phil had just watched Werewolf of London and thought Warren could make it into a dance craze.

Zevon thought about it and took it up with his musicians, guitarist Waddy Wachtel and bassist Leroy Marinell. When Wachtel heard the idea, he mimicked a wailing wolf, “Aahoooh,” which became part of the howling chorus. What came out of that session was a Frankenstein’s monster stitched together from old horror flicks.

This track was produced by Jackson Browne. The songwriters were LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, and Warren Zevon. John McVie and Mick Fleetwood played on this song.

Werewolves of London

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook’s
Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein

Aaoooooo!
Werewolves of London!
Aaoooooo! (Repeat)

If you hear him howling around your kitchen door
Better not let him in
Little old lady got mutilated late last night
Werewolves of London again

Asoooooo!
Werewolves of London!
Aaoooooo! (Repeat)

He’s the hairy-handed gent who ran amuck in Kent
Lately he’s been overheard in Mayfair
Better stay away from him
He’ll rip your lungs out, Jim
I’d like to meet his tailor

Aaoooooo!
Werewolves of London!
Aaoooooo! (Repeat)

Well, I saw Lon Chaney walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw Lon Chaney, Jr. walking with the Queen
Doing the Werewolves of London
I saw a werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic’s
And his hair was perfect

Aaoooooo!
Werewolves of London!
Aaoooooo! (Repeat)
Draw blood…

Fleetwood Mac – Albatross

Albatross is an instrumental from Fleetwood Mac…the 60’s version of the band with the great guitar player Peter Green. I first heard about the song in a book. The Beatles were recording Abbey Road and they played this song constantly through the sessions. You can hear the reverb effect used on Sun King by Lennon that resembles Albatross.

When this song was released, Fleetwood Mac was six years away from their pop conversion of the Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham era. The lineup on this track was Peter Green (vocals, guitar), John McVie (bass), Danny Kirwan (guitar), and Mick Fleetwood (drums). The song was released on November 22, 1968, with ‘Jigsaw Puzzle Blues’ (written by the band’s James Kirwan) on the B-side.

It remains one of the band’s most recognizable songs from their early blues- period. The song peaked at #1 on the UK Charts, #45 in Canada, and #4 on the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 Charts (per Wiki) in 1969. Peter Green wrote this song. Albatross was re-released in 1973 peaking at #2 on the UK Charts. In 1989, it was released again and peaked at #96 on the UK Charts…and in 2020-2023 it was released yet again and peaked at #8 on the UK Singles Charts. The song keeps on giving.

Funny enough…this song remains their only #1 UK song! That surprises me with the later commercial success they had. Few bands could evolve like they did. Genesis is one and David Bowie is another one that pulled off different sounds but remained popular.

The title came from a bird called The Albatross, which sailors regarded as a sign of bad luck. That is where the saying “like an Albatross around your neck” came from. Green was also influenced by the Santo and Johnny song Sleep Walk…which you can hear that sound in this. Green also said some of it came from notes that Clapton would play with the John Mayall Bluesbreakers on the song The Last Meal but just slowed down. Peter Green would replace Eric in that band.

Peter Green remains one of my favorite guitar players. My admiration for him has grown through the years. Sleep Walk from Santo and Johnny remains one of my favorite instrumentals and I can hear it in this clearly…makes me like it more.

Danny Kirwan: Well, that was Monsieur Peter Green – I called him Monsieur, you know – and I played with him. On “Albatross” he told me what to do, all the bits I had to play.

George Harrison: “So we said, ‘Let’s be Fleetwood Mac doing Albatross, just to get going.’ It never really sounded like Fleetwood Mac… but that was the point of origin.”

Peter Green talking about LSD and Albatross

Fleetwood Mac – Say You Love Me

This song was on Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album, the first one with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.

I know that Rumours is the big album of Fleetwood Mac but I have a special place for the Buckingham and Nicks debut album with the band. For me, it was up there with Rumours. The songs include Monday Morning, Rhiannon, Landslide, Over My Head, World Turning, and this song. It was the tenth album by the band and was released in 1975. I have to admit that I favor it now over Rumours because of the extensive play of that album.

After Bob Welch left the band in 1974 the band was talking to producer Keith Olsen and he played Mick Fleetwood the Buckingham and Nicks album. Mick liked the guitar player and wanted to hire him to take Welch’s place. Buckingham would not join unless they took Stevie Nicks…which they did.

This album had 3 top twenty hits (Say That You Love Me, Rhiannon, and Over My Head) and songs like Landslide and Monday Morning that remained favorites by fans. Say That You Love me peaked at #11 on The Billboard 100, #29 in Canada, and #40 in the UK.

The album peaked at #1 on the Billboard Album Charts, #2 in Canada, #23 in the UK, and #4 in New Zealand. Christine McVie wrote this song and personally, besides Buckingham…she is my favorite singer/songwriter in the band.

From Wiki: Shirley Eikhard covered “Say You Love Me” and released it as single several weeks in advance of Fleetwood Mac in early June 1976. Eikhard’s version became a Canadian top 40, peaking at No. 34; Fleetwood Mac’s version, released only a few weeks later, peaked at No. 29 in September. That version is below.

Say That You Love Me

Have mercy baby,On a poor girl like me,You know I’m falling falling,Falling at your feet.

I’m tingling right,From my head to my toes,So help me help me,Help me make the feeling grow.

‘Cause when the loving starts and the lights go down,And there’s not another living soul around,You woo me until the sun comes up,And you say that you love me.

Pity, baby, just,When I thought it was over,And now you got me runnin’, runnin’,Runnin’ for cover.

I’m begging you for, a bit ofSympathy,If you use me again,It’ll be the end of me.

‘Cause when the lovin’ starts and the lights go down,And there’s not another living soul around,You woo me until the sun comes up,And you say that you love me.

Baby, baby hope,You’re gonna stay away,‘Cause I’m getting weaker,Weaker every day.

I guess I’m not as strong,As I used to be,If you use me again,It’ll be the end of me.

‘Cause when the lovin’ starts and the lights go down,And there’s not another living soul around,You woo me until the sun comes up,And you say that you love me.

Say that you love me,Say that you love me,Say that you love me.

Fallin’ fallin’ fallin’,Fallin’ fallin’ fallin’,Fallin’ fallin’ fallin’,Fallin’ fallin’ fallin’.