Track Listing

1. Coming Your Way
2. Closing My Eyes
3. Show-biz blues
4. My Dream
5. Underway
6. Oh well!
7. Although the sun is shining
8. Rattlesnake shake
9. Searching for Madge
10. Fighting for Madge
11. When you say
12. Like crying
13. Before the beginning

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4525 in Music
• Released on: 1988-11-14
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Before they set sail for California and a new life as consummate pop songsmiths, Fleetwood Mac were pedigreed British blues rockers with roots in Britain's seminal John Mayall's Blues Breakers and their hearts orbiting Chicago and the Mississippi Delta. One of the few surviving albums from that ill-fated, earlier Mac, Then Play On captures them at a potent turning point: the original two-guitar quartet, with founder Peter Green's sinuous leads complemented by Jeremy Spencer's shimmering slide guitar, had been augmented by third guitarist Danny Kirwan, a Green protégé. Buttressed by Mick Fleetwood's muscular yet restrained drumming and John McVie's steady-as-a-heartbeat bass lines, this edition of the band revelled in moody, compelling guitar showpieces that savour texture and line over sheer speed or volume. Accordingly, the lyrics don't benefit from close study, but the guitars surely do--and when the quintet launches into the best-remembered track here, the classic "Oh, Well" (which reunites the separate electric and acoustic sections originally released as two sides of a single), it's understandable that Green, in his day, was mentioned comfortably in the same breath with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. --Sam Sutherland

CD Description
Led by singer-guitarist Peter Green, the first version of Fleetwood Mac was one of England's premier bands and possiblythe greatest white blues band ever to emerge from the '60s blues revival. 1969's THEN PLAY ON is their best album and Green's pinnacle achievement. Heavily influenced by Otis Rush, Green had an unusually lyrical style for a blues musician,able to draw on flamenco, folk, even classical guitar--all of which make an appearance in the ambitious instrumental coda to his major opus, "Oh Well". Despite the inclusion of superior modern blues songs like "Rattlesnake Shake" and "Show-Biz Blues", THEN PLAY ON is notable for its instrumentals. Standout cuts range from the dream-like voyages "My Dream" and "Underway" to virtuosic three-guitar jams like "SearchingFor Madge" and "Fighting For Madge", both of which feature Green's inspired guitar work.

Customer Reviews

A Flawed Release
While 'Then Play On' is a masterpiece, beware that this is not a straight reissue of the original UK release - 2 tracks are missing and 'Oh Well' has been grafted in to a revised running order, as was done on European & US releases at time of issue. However, it will have to do until WEA or an enlightened re-issue specialist decides to issue the album in its entirity - hopefully boosted by the 'Oh Well' and 'Green Manalishi' singles.
In the meantime, as other reviewers say, marvel in the talent on show - a band at their peak.

One of the Best blues Rock albums ever.
Then Play On features Peter Green near the peak of his songwriting and guitar playing powers. I know that sounds cliched but it is true. This album has a range of styles that showcases the incredible talents of the band as a whole but it is worth buying simply for the classic playing of Green. It is a classic Rock album and has everything from hit single material (Oh Well) to free flowing jams (Searching for Madge) to heartbreaking soul searching. Wonderful drumming and percusion (listen to Coming your way) great guitar courtesy of Green and Danny Kirwan (Jeremy Spencer did not play on this one..See Vaudville Years for the Spencer contributions and the outtakes of this album)and well...what more could you want? It is a great album.

Then Play On a Fleetwood Mac Classic
Then Play On represents the pinnacle of blues based rock albums against which all others have to be compared bar none. The combination of Peter Green and Danny Kirwan twin lead guitar playing remains unsurpassed and continues to influence even the most well known of today's guitar heroes. Often over looked is Peter Green's vocal talents, easily on a par with the likes of Paul Rodgers and Robert Plant.