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well, almost to the extent of feeling like kindred spirits. Aynsley Dunbar had also earlier left the
band, as shortly would his replacement, Mick Fleetwood. Both Green and Dunbar were looking
to form their own bands, and Vernon was able to be of assistance in getting a record deal.

Green had got fed up with the endless round of one-nighters with Mayall, and also with the music
itself.

His first idea was to go to Chicago, in order to hopefully get to play with, and learn, from some
of his heroes, but that jaunt was quickly quashed when the problem of getting entry to the USA
to work as a musician was pointed out to him. He therefore decided to form his own trio, having
seen Buddy Guy performing in London with just a bass player and drummer - Eric Clapton having
reached a similar conclusion after witnessing the same concert, which resulted in the formation

of Cream.

Mick Fleetwood was happy to join, but John McVie was not so sure, as he preferred the security
of the weekly wage paid to him by John Mayall. Green therefore advertised for a bassist in the

Melody Maker (even John Mayall did that when looking for a replacement for Green!). Trainee
teacher Bob Brunning turned up for an audition at Green’s flat, and after being introduced, made
himself look a bit of a twit by saying “you’ve got the same name as that bloke in the
Bluesbreakers”! In spite of that faux pas he got the job, at least until McVie decided to jump ship

and join them.

The early line-up did some late night demo recording, which Vernon took to Decca, in his capacity
as Staff Producer, with the idea of them releasing the material via Blue Horizon, but they declined.

He therefore approached CBS, who were only too happy to discuss a deal, the upshot of which
was the termination of Vernon’s employment at Decca, because they did not want one of their
employees also working for the opposition! Thus he became an Independent Producer, which
job title he retained for many decades thereafter.

Although Green initially wanted the band, which he had named Fleetwood Mac, to be a trio, he
was persuaded by Vernon to take a trip to Birmingham to see a group called The Levi Set, which
featured a diminutive slide guitar player from Lichfield, called Jeremy Spencer, who simply loved
the music of Elmore James—and old rock and roll—almost in equal measure. He was suitably

impressed, and Spencer needed little persuasion to join the fledgling Mac.

Thus, the scene was set for Blue Horizon to take the next step to becoming a major label over
the next two years.
Part 2 in next month’s BiTS