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Danny Kirwan, was only 18 when he was asked by Peter Green to join Fleetwood Mac, and, from the start, Greeny gave plenty of opportunities for his protégée to shine as songwriter and in a dual guitar attack.  “EC is God” was the graffiti of the day, and, by sharing the spotlight with Kirwan & Jeremy Spencer, Peter hoped to avoid such soul strangling fan obsession that befell Clapton. Greeny & Kirwan’s guitar interplay on songs such as “World In Harmony” and “Like Crying” was truly transcendent. Sadly, it was not to last; as Peter Green jettisoned the whole star & money making grind, preferring long jams to the top 40 bound hit singles expected of him.  His departure moved the spotlight onto the young Danny.  Despite a fine group effort on the album “Kiln House”, and the addition of McVie’s wife Christine, Danny was effectively the leader of a dispirited band.  Spencer’s subsequent, abrupt departure to join a Californian Christian cult during a US tour put the heavy yoke of leadership and lead guitarist even more onto Danny’s shoulders, undiminished when Bob Welsh was hired on rhythm guitar.  Clearly, this isn’t what Kirwan agreed to when he signed onto Fleetwood Mac in ‘68.  He withdrew from the band, drank heavily, rarely ate and became increasingly neurotic under the pressure. Eventually, in August of 1972, he snapped over an argument with Welsh about guitar tuning, slamming his beloved Les Paul against a wall, and refusing to play the gig.  He was fired from the band, eventually becoming destitute living on the streets, in hostels, in mental wards.  At one point, during a rare interview years later, he wonders if perhaps the blues weren’t too powerful for a person such as he. The flame burned too bright, and needed extinguishing.   And that is sad for us because during those 4 years, Danny Kirwan wrote some of  era’s most haunting and sublime ballads & rockers, maturing as a songwriter and creating a very melodic, unique guitar  style.  This compilation of live & BBC material is in celebration of that body of work.  May it be remembered.  These tracks are a pale reflection of the officially released albums so, if you are unfamiliar with “Then Play On”, “Kiln House” “Bare Trees” and “Future Games” , then open your ears to them.  His greatest song “Dragonfly”, the first post Green single, is available on the “Greatest Hits”  (Sony) album.

 01.  Child Of Mine (Seattle KISW-fm 10 MAR 72

02.  Tell Me All The Things You Do (BBC 10 NOV 70)

03.  Dragonfly (BBC 5 JAN 71)

04.  Woman Of A 1000 Years (Sindelfingen, GER 04 MAR 72)

05.  Like Crying (Oslo TV Nov ’68)

06.  Only You (New Orleans 31 JAN 70)

07.  Trinity (Sindelfingen, GER 04 MAR 72)

08.  Station Man (San Bernadino 19 Feb 71)

09.  Coming Your Way (Fillmore West 2 JAN 70)

10.  Loving Kind (Fillmore West 2 JAN 70)

11.  Like It This Way (Oslo TV Nov ’68)

12.  One Sided Love (Amsterdam 20 APR 69)

13.  I’ve Got A Mind Of My Own (BBC 27 AUG 68)

14.  Dragonfly (San Bernadino 19 Feb 71)

  Total time: 53:48

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 MUSHROOM with Eddie Gale at Amoeba Records San Fran store 2007

Performances by the Oakland-based psych/funk/experimental rock collective, Mushroom, are usually improvisational in nature. That’s way this podcast is particularly noteworthy. Compiled by bandleader/drummer, Pat Thomas, especially for Earcandy Archives, it showcases the band performing songs by John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, Traffic and a wonderful homage called “Hats Off To Bert Jansch”. Enjoy this special treat. And be sure to check out their latest album “Joint Happenings” with Eddie Gale (out now on Joel Dorn’s label Hyena Records).  www.hyenarecords.com 

01. Tonight’s The Night 02. Cortez the Killer 03. Do What You Like 04. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun 05. Hats Off To Bert Jansch 06. Cold Turkey 07. Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys 08. Let Me Roll Ittracks 1 & 2: San Francisco, CA, USA, Justice League 1999-06-06 track 3: Lubeck, Germany 1999-11-XX tracks 4 & 5: Berkeley, CA, USA, Starry Plough 2004-08-14 track 6: Berkeley, CA, USA, Starry Plough 2007-07-13 tracks 7 & 8: Berkeley, CA, USA, Ashkenaz Ctr 2003-01-15

www.paisleypop.com/mushroom  www.myspace.com/mushroomoakland 

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