AMG Review of Show-Biz Blues: 1968 to 1970, Vol. 2

Richie Unterberger
All Music Guide

The title of this double CD might be a bit confusing to neophytes. It's basically a second helping of rarities, all previously unreleased, from the Peter Green era from Receiver. That label also put out what might be classified as "volume one" of this series, The Vaudeville Years of Fleetwood Mac: 1968 to 1970 (also a double CD of rarities), in 1998. Since much of this is alternate studio or live versions of songs that are available in more polished form, it's something that should primarily be investigated by early Fleetwood Mac/Peter Green buffs. If you're among that crowd, though, there's a good deal of interest and even pleasure to be had. For instance, there are the three previously unissued 1966 instrumentals in the Booker T. & the MG's mode by the Peter B's, a pre-Mac band that Green and Fleetwood played in even before their stints in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Other high spots take in a cover of Otis Rush's characteristically spooky minor-key blues "I Have to Laugh" (with Jeremy Spencer on piano and vocals), and working versions of "Show-Biz Blues," one of Green's most scorching, soul-baring originals. Then there's the nice alternate take of "World in Harmony," and "Leaving Town Blues," an oddity in that it has violin by Nick Pickett. Disc two is comprised entirely of live 1970 material, the first two songs from Boston February 1970, the rest from a gig simply identified as London 1970. The sound quality on the live stuff is okay and the performances good, though so much live Mac from this time has already appeared that it's not a revelation; if you've been collecting these all along, you'll already have live versions of most of the songs, though it's nice to have a seven-minute "Coming Your Way." Of course there are still too many Spencer rock & roll oldies or Spencer originals that are pastiches of rock & roll oldies, as well as a good deal of ho-hum blues tunes. The 52-page booklet, by Green biographer Martin Celmins, is certainly a vital bonus, though, with commentary on both the Peter Green era as a whole and the tracks on Show-Biz Blues in particular.