Peter Green, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, has died. He was 73. Green, a blues rock guitarist, formed Fleetwood Mac with Mick Fleetwood in 1967, after a stint in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. Sadly, he left the band in 1970 due to mental health problems and drug use. He was later diagnosed as schizophrenic. Green joined Fleetwood Mac at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, and was voted #58 in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Guitarists.”
Mick Fleetwood released a statement saying:
“For me, and every past and present member of Fleetwood Mac, losing Peter Green is monumental. Peter was the man who started the band Fleetwood Mac along with myself, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. No one has ever stepped into the ranks of Fleetwood Mac without a reverence for Peter Green and his talent, and to the fact that music should shine bright and always be delivered with uncompromising passion.
“Peter, I will miss you, but rest easy your music lives on. I thank you for asking me to be your drummer all those years ago. We did good, and trail blazed one hell of a musical road for so many to enjoy. God speed to you, my dearest friend……. Love Mick Fleetwood”
And Twitter exploded with tributes:
Paul Stanley: RIP Peter Green. One of the absolute hierarchy of the original British Blues Greats. Clapton, Page, Beck, Green.
Stevie Van Zandt: RIP Peter Green. One of the great guitar players of all time. The second of the three legends John Mayall featured in the Bluesbreakers. He somehow managed to follow
Eric Clapton at his peak. That’s how good he was. (Mick Taylor would follow him). Started
Fleetwood Mac. Big loss.
Billy Idol: RIP #Peter Green amazing ’60’s guitarist BB King said out of all the British blues guitar players of the 60s and early 70s he was the only one who gave him chills! Praise
indeed…
Mark Knopfler: I loved Peter Green’s playing from the moment I first heard him. He was one of the few greats. There’s hardly a month goes by when I don’t play a PG recording on my
jukebox. He will be idolised by guitar players forever.
Geezer Butler: Sad to hear of Peter Green passing – one of the great ones. RIP.
Peter Frampton: Most sadly have lost one of the most tasteful guitar players ever I have always been a huge admirer of the great Peter Green may he rest in peace.
Fleetwood Mac is releasing FLEETWOOD MAC 1969 – 1974 on September 4. It’s an 8 CD boxed set that includes remastered versions of all seven studio albums the band recorded between 1969 and 1974, several bonus tracks, and an unreleased 1974 concert.
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