It’s Turntable Tuesday…because life is too short not to listen to great music! Turn that TV off and listen to some music! Live music is best, analog is great, digital if you have to just crank up the speaker and make some noise!
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This week I am breaking the seal on a recent acquisition from Music Direct in Chicago to hear the analog re-mastered versions of ‘Penguin,” “Mystery to Me,” “Heroes Are Hard to Find,” and an unreleased version of “Live at the Record Plant 1974.” The live record is a vintage KSAN radio recording that is very cool. As always I am amazed at the fidelity of these early recordings and marvel at the re-mastering by special people who have developed unique skills over many years. I should mention the 7 inch special mono record included in the box. The “45” as we used to call them is pretty cool as I actually did break out the 45 RPM adapter and change the speed on my Denon DP-59L turntable to listen to it.
The sticker from the film on the box. As the sticker says the vinyl lacquers were cut from the original analog masters by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering. That name has been called many times on my podcast as the source of some great analog music. These vinyl records are all 140 gram versions.
I was just staring at my computer monitor for a while not focused on anything except a flashback to the 1970’s from my memories of that time. Back then I was spending time between Mississippi and North Carolina mostly while engaging in what some call “higher learning” in the United States. I would say while there are some incredible universities in this country the uptake is always influenced by the receptor if that makes sense. I was learning about all things at a rapid pace including education, life, love, and music. I am not sure which one had the top of the priority list but I can remember all the music I was passionately injecting into my soul via my ears. I was really early into Fleetwood Mac for my age. At that time I was mostly hanging around people who were several years my senior and that socialization went on for several years. During this time I picked up on this band started by Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood as well as others. I was listening to FM radio out of Jackson, Mississippi and they were playing many of the the songs that came off of the albums in this box set. As I traveled to North Carolina in the Summer to work the crowd I was around were all listening to this music as well. When I listen to the song “Hypnotized” I instantly go back to that era and I can feel all of those memory associations flooding my present state of being. The Fleetwood Mac song “Oh Well” which was written by Peter Green captures the moment and the lyrics that I will never forget. Often I hear these lines sometimes out of the blue and just smile thinking about that time. The music for this song is a production and the lyrics are unforgettable.
I can’t help about the shape I’m in
I can’t sing, I ain’t pretty and my legs are thin
But don’t ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh, well
Now when I talked to God I knew he’ll understand
He said, “Sit by me and I’ll be your guiding hand
But don’t ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh, well.
“Hypnotized” This song takes it’s roots from Benifold Mansion in Hampshire, England where Bob spent some time working on music. Bob said it was “rather spooky and strange even in summertime.” The song features triple time rhythm on the drums from Mick Fleetwood, some jazzy fourth chords in the song with Bob Welch playing in a minor key, and a guitar solo across many octaves from Bob Weston. It was a hit on FM radio and got played very frequently on the radio. Here are the lyrics so you can feel the song.
It’s the same kind of story
That seems to come down from long ago
Two friends having coffee together
When something flies by their window
It might be out on that lawn
Which is wide, at least half of a playing field
Because there’s no explaining what your imagination
Can make you see and feel
Seems like a dream
They got me hypnotized
Now it’s not a meaningless question
To ask if they’ve been and gone
I remember a talk about North
Carolina and a strange, strange pond
You see the sides were like glass
In the thick of a forest without a road
And if any man’s ever made that land
Then I think it would’ve showed
Seems like a dream
They got me hypnotized
They say there’s a place down in Mexico
Where a man can fly over mountains and hills
And he don’t need an airplane or some kind of engine
And he never will
Now you know it’s a meaningless question
To ask if those stories are right
‘Cause what matters most is the feeling
You get when you’re hypnotized
Seems like a dream
They got me hypnotized
The late great Bob Welch. The new crew who didn’t last long in Fleetwood Mac…well maybe for a few albums but in the scheme of the total band timeline it was brief. The songs were awesome from this literal camera flash of time. I almost remember this time as a short span from 1974 and riding in a 1969 Chevy Camero down I-20 listening to WZZQ on an aftermarket “stereo” hearing “Hypnotized” before college. Suddenly as time fast-forwards I was driving in during 1978 in a 1968 Ford Mustang listening to Bob Welch after he left the band and fronted his solo records like “French Kiss.” I had a cassette tape I made from my vinyl copies of “Rumors” and “French Kiss” in my car and both were heavily played as I traveled the rural roads of the south.
“Sentimental Lady” is a part of this Fleetwood Mac album collection and it is an incredible song. There are many standouts on this collection like “Heroes are Hard to Find” and “Emerald Eyes” but even the tracks in between beg to be listened to. I would encourage you to go get this vinyl box set while you still can and schedule a vacation day from life with no cell phone or tv in the room. Start at the first vinyl and slowly play each side until you finish without interruption. Focus on nothing except maybe someone sitting beside you who can also relate to the tracks like you can. Focus…life is indeed short, focused listening time is precious, and amazing music only comes on some irregular frequency almost like a random sound wave.
I could tell you all about the tracks or the art, I could tell you about the artists here but I will stretch out a bit on the companion podcast on some of that. If you want to dig into the history of Fleetwood Mac you don’t need me telling the story I am just here to add some personal experiences into the background of the music. 1973-1974 was a good time and the years after has been memorable as well. Many years later we still have this music that will live for a long time after we who are present are long gone.
In last few weeks we have witnessed Stevie Nicks selling her majority interest in her publishing rights for her music to Primary Wave. Lindsey Buckingham sold all of his writer’s and publishers share of his 161 song catalog to Hipgnosis. Mick Fleetwood just sold his rights to over 300 songs from the Fleetwood Mac collection to BMG. I have a feeling these new owners will be spinning this music for a long while to get a return on the investment. Maybe that is ok so future listeners can enjoy some incredible music from this generation. They won’t remember the birth of the music but they can certainly enjoy the moment, feel a bit of the past, and sense the future.
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Until next time I’ll see you, down the road.