This is the album that changed my life and the way I thought about music. It is also the inspiration for the title of this website, so now you know. Peter Green had an interesting history; when Eric Clapton had cemented his guitar skills with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Peter Green watched them perform live, hoping to get a chance to play with them. Eric Clapton hadn’t showed up to the gig so he asked if he could replace Clapton for the show, saying that he could play better than he could. John Mayall reluctantly let him join, and shortly after Clapton left the group to form Cream. John Mayall called up Peter Green and gave him a spot in the band, which resulted in the album Hard Road 
. The album contains many highlights such as ‘The Stumble’ which was a nod to Clapton’s cover of Freddie King’s ‘Hideaway’ (which arguably contains Clapton’s finest playing to date). Despite the high standard set by Eric, Peter Green’s attempt at this style of blues in many ways trumps Clapton. Another great song on the album was ‘The Supernatural’, which showcased not only Peter Green’s unique approach to blues guitar, but also his electrifying reverb soaked tone and his out of this world vibrato which he could sustain for ungodly lengths of time! This song hints at the dormant fire within Peter Green which was eventually unleashed on the recording of ‘The End of the Game’.
After recording ‘A Hard Road’, Peter Green also left John Mayall’s band to start his own: Fleetwood Mac. No this wasn’t the Fleetwood Mac that you’re thinking of, this was Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, and it was a blues rock band, that is until Peter Green left and it turned to shit. Peter started being called ‘the Green God’, as a tribute to Clapton being called God before him. He eventually bombed out on acid and had a really bad time. He was even reported to at one stage hold a shotgun to his accountants face. Under the spell of LSD unlocked psychosis Peter Green had enough of the music ‘game’ and made one last album as his final hurrah.
Green got together with a few random jazz musicians that were recording their own album in a studio and jammed with them for about an hour. All in one improvised take. The result was ‘End of the Game’, 6 instrumental portions of that jam. Contained in these 6 tracks was pure magic; the jazz musicians painted a lush canvas for Peter Green to splatter his guitar phrases on. Peter effortlessly utilises the wah wah pedal, in one of the finest examples of how it should be used. Click on the album cover above to hear one of the songs and see for yourself. This album is not to be missed, it is required listening for anyone with a passion for blues music or electric guitar. Roll up a fat doobie, turn on this album, light up and watch the night float right past you.
TRACK LISTING:
- Bottoms Up – 9:06
- Timeless Time – 2:37
- Descending Scale – 8:18
- Burnt Foot – 5:16
- Hidden Depth – 4:55
- The End of the Game – 5:09
Fucking enjoy!
DOWNLOAD
Alternatively, if you want to support Peter Green, or if you simply want to physically own this fine album, you can buy it here; obviously, the choice is yours to make.
