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not unlike ‘Rock Me Baby’!). Apparently inspired by Santo & Johnny’s ‘Sleepwalk’, it proved to
be the label’s most successful release, when it reached the top of the charts in January 1969. The
band were on tour in the US at the time, promoting their first US LP “English Rose”, but the UK
success had been fuelled the previous year by an appearance on the Simon Dee Saturday evening
TV show. In those days the show was almost a national institution, so it was a stroke of genius
by the Blue Horizon promo team (after being turned down by Top Of The Pops!) to get them on.

The B-side, an unusual instrumental called ‘Jigsaw Puzzle Blues’, featured Mac’s newest recruit,
guitarist Danny Kirwan, who had previously played with a trio called The Boilerhouse - the band
actually rehearsed in a boilerhouse, hence the name! They had supported Mac on a few occasions,
and Peter Green took a shine to the talents of the teenage band leader. He wasn’t quite so struck
on the other 2 members, so they auditioned some possible replacements, which didn’t work out.
Green’s solution was to recruit him to Mac.

The success of ‘Albatross’ resulted in charges of “selling out” by sections of the band’s fan base,
and at the April 1969 Royal Albert Hall concert, which also featured the UK debut of B. B. King, I
could hear shouts of that nature from parts of the audience. I must admit it never bothered me
—although ‘Albatross’ is not exactly one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac recordings, I quite liked
it, and liked the B-side even more!

During the previously mentioned Fleetwood Mac US tour Mike Vernon learned that the famous
Chess Ter Mar Studios, which had produced much of the finest Chicago blues, was likely to be
closing, so he took the opportunity to suggest to the band that he could perhaps arrange some
commemorative style sessions, with some of the blues musicians still working in the city.

A discussion with the ‘fixer’, Willie Dixon, resulted in a stellar line-up for the recording, which
included Buddy Guy (appearing as ‘Guitar Buddy’), Otis Spann, Walter Horton, former Elmore
James side man, sax player J. T. Brown, and Muddy Waters drummer S. P. Leary, as well as Dixon
himself. Mike Vernon had given Dixon a ‘wish list’ of names for the sessions, which also included
Otis Rush and Magic Sam. Although not everyone was available, it was undoubtedly an excellent
line-up that gathered at the studios on the first Saturday of January 1969. Apparently there was
a certain indifference about the sessions from some Mac members, but Green and Spencer were
genuinely excited - especially the latter, who thought he had won the lottery by working with
the man who had played saxophone alongside Elmore James on so many occasions!

Part 4 next month.