Genre: rock
Rating: **** ( 4 stars)
Title: In the Skies
Company: PVK/Sail
Catalog: SAIL 0110
Year: 1979
Country/State: UK
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut corner
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4277
Price: $10.00
Cost: $66.00
Amidst a cloud of drug abuse and growing paranoia, singer/guitarist Peter Green ended his relationship with Fleetwood Mac in 1970. Green promptly recorded a solo album ("The End of the Game"). It vanished with out a trace and over the next decade Green did everything he could to distance himself from the music business. He reportedly worked as a gravedigger (check out the back cover photo), a bar tender and as a hospital orderly. Unfortunately, in 1977 Green received a $60,000 royalty check from his earlier work with Fleetwood Mac. Furious at being drawn back into the music business, Green felt obliged to visit his manager and in the ensuing conversation pulled an air rifle on manager Cliff Adams (luckily the weapon wasn't loaded). Green was promptly carted off to jail, with British authorities subsequently having him transferred to a mental health facility.
By the late 1970s Green had begun to regain some of his personal balance. Ironically, with Buckingham-Nicks era Fleetwood Mac owning the late 1970s airwaves, it was only a matter of time before someone pushed Green to return to the recording studio. That push came in 1979.
Almost a decade after the release of his solo debut, Green released 1979's Peter Vernon-Kell produced "In the Skies". Perhaps due to the fact his solo debut ("The End of the Game") was so disappointing, we really weren't expecting much from this one and almost passed on a copy when we found it at a yard sale. Well, we'll gladly tell you we were wrong. Backed by an all-star cast of friends and admirers including longtime buddy/keyboardist Pete Barden, Robin Trower drummer Reg Isidore and Thin Lizzy guitarist Snowy White, the album's simply killer.
Even during his Fleetwood Mac heydays Green was always somewhat uncomfortable in the spotlight . That seemed to be the case here as well wiith the album having a distinctive 'group' feel to it. Five of the nine tracks were instrumentals, though in spite of rumors claiming White handled most of the solos, Green was indeed responsible for most of the lead guitar. True, Green's playing styled may have cooled off a little bit, but anyone listening to tracks such as the instrumental 'Tribal Dance' and 'Proud Pinto' had to admit the man could still bend strings. His performances were even more impressive when you recognized that Green hadn't touched a guitar over the previous five years. Co-written with his wife, some of the lyrics were a little clunky in the 'praise to God' department, but Green proved quite an accomplished vocalist turning in strong performances on material such as the title track and a remake of Fleetwood Mac's 'A Fool No More'. Elsewhere, the instrumentals 'Slabo Day' and 'Apostle' remain two of the best things Green's ever written.
"In the Skies" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) In
The Skies (Peter Green - J.S. Green) - 3:48
2.) Slabo Day (instrumental) (Peter Green) - 5:06
3.) A Fool No More (Peter Green) - 7:46
4.) Tribal Dance (instrumental) (Peter Green) - 4:29
(side 2)
1.) Seven
Stars (Peter Green - J.S. Green) - 3:10
2.) Funky Chunk (instrumental) (Peter Green) - 4:16
3.) Just For You (Peter Green - J.S. Green) - 4:39
4.) Proud Pinto (instrumental) (Peter Green) - 3:42
5.) Apostle (instrumental) (Peter Green) - 3:12