MICK FLEETWOOD IN BLUE HAWAII

On the eve of a UK tour, Fleetwood Mac’s ‘spiritual father’ Mick Fleetwood talks to Kris Needs about his new blues band and rediscovering his musical roots.

The eternal spirit of the blues moves in mysterious but sometimes delightfullyunpredictable ways. 40 years since Fleetwood Mac spearheaded the British blues boom, sheer coincidence sees the anniversary peaking on a spectacular note as Peter Green’s first self-assisted anthology appears the same month as his old bandmate Mick Fleetwood releases an album and tours the UK with a band paying tribute to the legendary guitarist and the blues which first inspired them both.

In another move recalling the late 60s, the new project is defiantly called the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. Joining Mick are singer-guitarist Rick Vito (Lindsey Buckingham’s replacement in Fleetwood Mac between 1987-91 who has since toured with Bonnie Raitt and Bob Seger), bassist Lenny Castellanos and Mark Johnstone on keyboards. The cryptically-titled Blue Again! is a live album recorded in St Louis which mixes burning renditions of Mac classics like Rattlesnake Shake, Love That Burns and Black Magic Woman (plus a barnstorming Shake Your Moneymaker) with Vito originals like When We Do The Lucky Devil and the affectionate Fleetwood Boogie. Four bonus studio tracks explore the early Mac’s ethereal instrumental side, two Vito excursions nestling easily against shimmering takes on Albatross and The Supernatural.

The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band realises its leader’s …

by Kris Needs
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