TC – 7 – Fleetwood Mac – Bare Trees / Heroes are hard to find

Phil Gurnee ♦ February 15, 2017 ♦ 3 Comments

Tape Chronicles:

Here we go, this is why I’m doing this. Tape seven is Fleetwood Mac but these albums were before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined them. Most people have never heard any Fleetwood Mac prior to that duo but let me tell you, those prior iterations were great and possibly better than the popular Fleetwood Mac that most are familiar with. I don’t have any Peter Green Fleetwood Mac albums and Bare Trees is the only Danny Kirwan LP that I ever heard but I’ve heard enough Peter Green influenced Fleetwood Mac music to know he put out some good stuff.

I can remember hearing my brother play these albums in the early 70’s, and asking Chris who they were. Prior to 1974,  Chris owned all the albums in the house. I didn’t have any money to start buying my own until 1975 so many of these recordings were from his record collection,  not mine. Anyway,  I’ve heard many albums for the first time with little memory of it, but for some reason, I can still remember the first time I heard “Heroes are hard to find”. He lent me the album and then gave me Bare Trees to listen too. After that,  he gave me the Buckingham Nicks LP. This would start a lifetime of sharing music as we had much the same taste until I X came into my world.  I hope he still has his 1,000 plus LP’s, some day I’d like to peruse them again.

Bare Trees starts off side A. This was released in 1972 and featured Danny Kirwan who split the writing duties with Bob Welch. This would be the last album with Danny who was fired during the supporting tour of Bare Trees. Kirwan was evidently a gifted guitarist but not easy to get along with. The combo of Kirwan and Welch produced a good album. I had not heard this LP since I taped it 30 years ago. This is some funky good blues rock.  Christie McVie did “Spare me a little of your Love” and that sounds just like anything the popular Mack did when they were at their zenith commercially. “Sentimental Lady” is Bob Welch at his best.

Track listing[edit]

Okay, I love “Heroes are hard to find”. This was Bob Welch’s finest work and his last. He left the band after this LP to concentrate on his solo career. This was probably best for Fleetwood Mac as they added Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham to replace him and become the mega group of the 70’s and 80’s.  I’ve always enjoyed this LP and it was great to hear it again. I liked it enough that I’ll be putting this into my digital library.  It was strange that Bob Welch was neglected by the HOF when honoring Fleetwood Mac but lawsuits against your band members tend to make things ugly.

“Bermuda Triangle” may not be a good song but it is too me.

Kind of funny I must have had some extra time and added some other Fleetwood Mac Songs.

• Monday Morning
• Warm Ways
• Blue Letter
• Rhiannon
• Over my Head
• Crystal
• I’m so afraid – love this track