My Version of THEN PLAY ON (deluxe edition) - Fleetwood Mac*

It does not seem that there will be an official deluxe edition of Fleetwood Mac's Then Play On
in the foreseeable future, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.
I have created a needle-drop deluxe version of my own, based on the help of this thread...

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=86300&highlight=then+play

I have created this deluxe edition containing 21 tracks, using the following:
Then Play On - UK version vinyl, second issue with the plain black cover: tracks 1-14.
The Best Of Fleetwood Mac - German vinyl: tracks 15,16,18.
The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac - UK CD, Columbia, 2003: tracks 17,19,20,21.
I have titled it:
Then Play On (Deluxe edition) Fleetwood Mac '69

Info I put on the j-card:
Fleetwood Mac's 1969 album Then Play On in the original UK version,
with all 14 tracks in their original order. Each side of the album runs with no breaks between songs,
smoothly tracking together as was the original intention of the band.
This edition also includes 6 extra tracks from that time period,
including both parts of "Oh Well"... seperated into the two original tracks with no overlapping.
This was the transistional Fleetwood Mac, at the end of the traditional blues band,
and at the beginning of the future band; an album like no other, before or after...

I recorded the vinyl tracks to a Sony Hi-MD recorder at PCM quality.
I then copied these tracks onto my computer as WAV files at equal bit rate.
I copied the CD tracks as WAV files also.
I then used Roxio Creator 2010 Pro - Sound Editor, to remove the pops and crackle from the vinyl tracks.
I then burned all WAV files to an 80 minute audio CD.
I had 7 seconds to spare on the CD at end of burning.
IT SOUNDS AWESOME !!!

The tracks are as follows:
01 - LP - Coming Your Way - 3:46
02 - LP - Closing My Eyes - 4:54
03 - LP - Fighting For Madge - 2:45
04 - LP - When You Say - 4:33
05 - LP - Showbiz Blues - 3:54
06 - LP - Underway - 3:07
07 - LP - One Sunny Day - 3:17
08 - LP - Although The Sun Is Shining - 2:25
09 - LP - Rattlesnake Shake - 3:31
10 - LP - Without You - 4:40
11 - LP - Searching For Madge - 7:01
12 - LP - My Dream - 3:35
13 - LP - Like Crying - 2:29
14 - LP - Before The Beginning - 3:33
Bonus tracks:
15 - LP - Oh Well, part 1 - 2:22
16 - LP - Oh Well, part 2 - 5:40
17 - CD - Man Of The World - 2:51
18 - LP - World In Harmony - 3:27
19 - CD - Something Inside Of Me - 3:56
20 - CD - The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) - 4:36
21 - CD - Albatross - 3:12

The Green Manalishi was really from 1970, but it was Peter Green's farewell single,
so I felt it belonged.
Albatross was an early '69 single, but I felt the flow was really good by putting it at the end,
after Green Manalishi.
It took me several days to do this.
All in all, I am really happy with the way it turned out. It gives me something to listen to
from that special time period of FM until an official release comes out.

 

Please change the thread title too:
"My" Fleetwood Mac: THEN PLAY ON (deluxe edition)

Thanks.

 

That sounds pretty great, I must say! You have included what seem to be the appropriate bonus tracks....the stuff from that time that has the same Kirwan/Green magic going on. The only thing I see missing is "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues" but it wouldn't fit, timewise and maybe moodwise. And of course "Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight" which, moodwise, REALLY doesn't fit.

 

Sounds like a fantastic collection with a lot of thought put in. I especially like the bonus tracks. Why cant the record companies do something like this? We need a re do of this classic album!

 

Rhino Then Play On prototype

Back in Rhino's heyday I was asked to put together a Then Play On prototype. I had done lots of prototypes including all the Dead cd reissues and I produced the Doug Sahm reissue. I used the UK running order for disc 1 and disc 2 included all the various songs that came after including Green Manalishi. (Probably didn't spell that right.) Nothing ever came of it. I considered this album to be one of the best blues rock pieces of the era. This needs a proper reissue.

 

Nice job on that track listing! I really hope we do get a great sounding official deluxe edition of "Then Play On" some day It's one of my favorite albums of all time.

A version mastered by Steve or Kevin for Audio Fidelity would be a great treat.

 

It's too bad that didn't get a proper release. With all the cool stuff Rhino is doing right now, maybe it'll happen yet. That would be great.

 

I'd probably leave Albatross off but that's a nice list. I don't have a clue where the original UK master tape is but the US version is obviously from a second gen source at best. I really wish my UK steamboat label 1/1 lp was in better shape.

 

Nice. The only thing missing is the Milton Schlitz EP. Unless, of course, you're not a fan of Spencer's schtick (like many others seem to not be).

 

Yes... as others have mentioned in other threads, this would be a great bonus disc, just like it was going to originally be. Unfortunately, my disc already clocks in at 79:47... no room left on this one! It's hard to believe I fit what I did.

 

Stylistically, the EP would sit very well on Disc 2 - if you're going to do a DELUXE Edition, having a Disc 2 is essential, of course!

There's plenty of other material that would sit very well on a theoretical Disc 2 of Then Play On: Deluxe Edition - this was my edition, from an earlier thread,

 

Did you do some original cover art too or use stuff like photos from that era?

Would love to see what you came up with.

Best Wishes
David

 

I used the original cover art from the CD, with the pic inside, as I love the cover art for this album. Then I did an insert with all the track listing and times. I did an original jcard with some pics from that time, including one of the unbilled Christine Perfect. Here is a scan of it...

 

Nice work, but I do not think Man Of The World, Albatross and Something Inside Me belong. Just my opinion. These 3 songs were recorded before Then Play On, and on different labels as well. I've never heard the original UK configuation. I need to track down a copy on vinyl

How about this:

01 - LP - Coming Your Way - 3:46
02 - LP - Closing My Eyes - 4:54
03 - LP - Fighting For Madge - 2:45
04 - LP - When You Say - 4:33
05 - LP - Showbiz Blues - 3:54
06 - LP - Underway - 3:07
07 - LP - One Sunny Day - 3:17
08 - LP - Although The Sun Is Shining - 2:25
09 - LP - Rattlesnake Shake - 3:31
10 - LP - Without You - 4:40
11 - LP - Searching For Madge - 7:01
12 - LP - My Dream - 3:35
13 - LP - Like Crying - 2:29
14 - LP - Before The Beginning - 3:33
Bonus tracks:
15 - LP - Oh Well, part 1 - 2:22
16 - LP - Oh Well, part 2 - 5:40
17 - CD - The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown) - 4:36
18 - LP - World In Harmony - 3:27
19. Do You Give a Damn for Me – 3:45 ~ early version of "Showbiz Blues"
20. Blues in B Flat Minor – 4:16 ~ instrumental version of "Before The Beginning"

TT: 77:36

Then a 2nd disc of more outtakes and sessions,,,taken from the "Vaudeville Years" set.

1. Although the Sun is Shining – 2:24 unissued version
2. Showbiz Blues – 6:51 unissued version
3. Underway– 16:15 full-length version
4.The Madge Sessions #1 – 17:21 full length version
5. The Madge Sessions #2 – 2:42 unissued instrumental
6. Love It Seems – 2:39 previously unissued
7. Tell Me From the Start – 2:02 previously unissued
8. October Jam #1– 5:01 unissued instrumental
9. October Jam #2 -1:57 unissued instrumental
Milton Schlitz EP:
10. Jeremy's Contribution to Doo-Wop – 3:34
11. Everyday I Have the Blues – 4:23
12. Death Bells– 5:05
13. (Watch Out for Yourself) Mr Jones– 3:35
14 Man of Action – 5:21

79:10

I did exclude 2 alternate versions of World In Harmony, 1 alt. version of The Green Manalishi and 3 alternate/early versions of Showbiz Blues (which tend to be a tad bit repetitious). All 6 of these songs can be found on the Vauedeville Years and Show Biz Blues sets.

But all in all...a deluxe edition of Then Play On is long overdue. Thank you to the OP...you got me a thinking

 

Man Of The World, Albatross & Something Inside Of Me were from 1969, and if you look at the title of my disc it says Fleetwood Mac '69. They fit into that same transitional sound that FM was doing that year, and that's why I included them. I did fudge a little though as Green Manalishi was actually from 1970, but it was Peter Green's swan song, so I included it.

I like the extra disc stuff you presented, but as I have both The Vaudeville Years and Showbiz Blues I didn't feel the need to create it. For an official deluxe edition someday, that would all be great though, including the tracks you excluded.