Peter Green Gone At 73


Over the weekend, another rock legend has left us. Peter Green of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers and Fleetwood Mac fame has lost his life this Saturday - he was 73 years old.

Guitar's greatest

Born Peter Allan Greenbaum on October 29, 1946 in East London's Bethnal Green, Peter Green began playing guitar at an early age after his brother, Michael, showed him the basics. At 15, Green began playing profesionally, serenading dock workers, and joined Bobby Dennis and the Dominos as bassist/backup singer.

Green and Clapton Collide

Green then was called in by John Mayall, of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, to stand in for rising star Eric Clapton for four gigs. This ulimately led to Clapton hooking up with Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce to start Cream, making Green a full-time Bluesbreaker, and an important figure in the so-called "second epoch" of British blues.

Fleetwood Mac is Born

Peter Green hooked up with Mick Fleetwood during 1967 to start Fleetwood Mac. The "Fleetwood," part obviously is derived from Fleetwood's last name, but the "Mac," is derived from John McVie, who only joined into the recording of Fleetwood Mac's self-titled 1968 debut, with Bob Brunning contributing bass to the track Old Gray Mare.

Green stayed with Fleetwood Mac between 1967 and 1970, but stood in for Jeremy Spencer, after he quit the band at the 1970-71 tour. In this time, the band had hits with Albatross, and the original version of Black Magic Woman, among other blues covers. Unfortunately, LSD began to dominate Green's life, and he was obsessed about the band becoming rich. Green's final show with them was March 20, 1970.

Later in the 70s, Fleetwood Mac, as we all know, would go on to be a best-selling band with their LP Rumours.

Never to be heard from again

After the success of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Green joined John Mayall, his brother Rod Mayall, and Traffic/Blind Faith bass player Rich Grech for a blues rock music fest, but unlike the 60s, Green quickly shrank in popularity in the 70s. In 1997, he founded the Peter Green Splinter Group (later Peter Green and Friends) mosty playing blues numbers. 

Despite the fact that many are unfamilliar with Green, he has been labelled as a "Super Natural" and one of the top 50 greatest guitarists of all time. In 1996, he was also ranked by Rolling Stone as the third greatest guitarist. Even the late, great B.B.King has gone on to speak highly of Green calling his tone the sweetest King has ever heard, and saying that only Green could give King the cold sweats.


 


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