Mick Fleetwood

Mick Fleetwood - The Visitor - 1981 - RCA

Great mixture of blues and worldbeat. A neglected album from the eighties, which received much critical acclaim, but wasn't a huge sales success. Mick was always interested in ethnic and world music, but this was his first real journey into a multi-cultural and deeply-authentic form of artistic blending where he travelled to Ghana to record with African musicians. The musicians also include George Harrison and Peter Green on guitars and vocals. Paul Simon, who did the Graceland album in South Africa, once said to Mick Fleetwood - "I just want you to know that what you did in Ghana all those years ago didn't go unnoticed." A really good album which also features two Fleetwood Mac remakes - "Rattlesnake Shake" & "Walk A Thin Line." Check out his 2004 album, "Something Big" by The Mick Fleetwood Band.

TRACK DETAILS / MUSICIANS / COMPOSERS

A1.Rattlesnake Shake - Greenbaum
Arranged By - Andrew Powell , Mike Moran
Backing Vocals, Drums [Hand Drums] - Ebaali Gbiko
Bass - George Hawkins
Drums [Hand Drums] - Lord Tiki
Drums, Percussion - Mick Fleetwood
Guitar - Todd Sharp
Lead Vocals, Guitar - Peter Greenbaum*
Percussion [Extra] - Dicky Dash And The Clapettes , Tony Todaro
A2.You Weren't In Love - Fields
Arranged By - Andrew Powell , Mike Moran
Backing Vocals - Accra Roman Catholic Choir
Drums - Mick Fleetwood
Drums [Hand Drums] - Lord Tiki
Guitar - Todd Sharp
Lead Vocals, Bass, Piano - George Hawkins
A3.O' Niamali - Amartey
Bass - George Hawkins
Drums - Mick Fleetwood
Vocals, Instrumentation By [Played And Sung By] - Adjo Group
A4.Super Brains - Crentsil
Guitar [Rhythm] - Todd Sharp
Guitar [Theme] - Peter Greenbaum*
Vocals, Instrumentation By [Played And Sung By] - Superbrains Group
A5.Don't Be Sorry, Just Be Happy - Sharp
Arranged By - Andrew Powell , Mike Moran
Drums, Gong [Water Gong] - Mick Fleetwood
Guitar - Todd Sharp
Lead Vocals, Bass - George Hawkins

B1.Walk A Thin Line - Buckingham
Backing Vocals - Adjo Group , Sara Recor
Drums, Percussion - Mick Fleetwood
Guitar [Twelve String, Slide], Backing Vocals - George Harrison
Lead Vocals, Bass, Piano, Guitar - George Hawkins
B2.Not Fade Away - Holly/ Petty
Drums - Mick Fleetwood
Drums [Hand Drums], Percussion - Lord Tiki
Drums [Hand Drums], Percussion, Backing Vocals - Adjo Group
Guitar - Todd Sharp
Guitar [Lead] - Ian Bairnson
Lead Vocals, Bass - George Hawkins
B3.Cassiopeia Surrender - Hawkins
Drums - Mick Fleetwood
Drums [Hand Drums] - Ebaali Gbiko
Guitar [Lead] - Todd Sharp
Guitar [Rhythm] - Ian Bairnson
Lead Vocals, Bass, Organ - George Hawkins
B4.The Visitor - Ganyo
Drums - Mick Fleetwood
Piano - George Hawkins
Synthesizer [Prophet 5] - Mike Moran
Vocals, Instrumentation By [Played And Sung By] - Ghana Folkloric Group, The
B5.Amelle (Come On Show Me Your Heart) - Amartey
Bass, Organ - George Hawkins
Vocals, Instrumentation By [Played And Sung By] - Adjo Group

MAIN MUSICIANS

Mick Fleetwood (Guitar) , (Percussion), (Drums), (Vocals)
George Harrison (Guitar), (Vocals)
Peter Green (Guitar), (Vocals)
Peter Greenbaum (Guitar), (Vocals)
Todd Sharp (Guitar)
Ian Bairnson (Guitar)
George Hawkins (Bass),(Guitar), (Keyboards), (Vocals)
Mike Moran (Synthesizer)
Lord Tiki (Percussion), Conga)
Sara Recor (Vocals (Background))

REVIEW

Recorded in Ghana in 1981, Mick Fleetwood's solo debut reveals more diversity and depth of feeling than any of Fleetwood Mac's multi-platinum monsters. Six of the tracks are not overt attempts at worldbeat, instead using a variety of West African musicians as sidemen, sidewomen, and, in the case of drum ensemble Ebaali Gbiko, sidechildren. Of these six tracks, several stand out. "Walk a Thin Line," written by Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, is an infectious pop song blending Adjo Group's enchanting backing vocals with guest George Harrison's lush 12-string and slide guitars. Another Fleetwood Mac veteran, Peter Greenbaum (aka Peter Green), accompanies a multinational percussion section for a remake of his "Rattlesnake Shake," originally found on Then Play On. Even the Buddy Holly classic "Not Fade Away" gets supercharged with a percussion ensemble made up of Fleetwood on drums and Lord Tiki and Adjo Group on hand drums and percussion. The West African tracks that make up the remainder of the album are pure pleasure. "Super Brains" is a funk instrumental with a groove James Brown would be proud of; "The Visitor" features a synthesizer soaring above and growling beneath the Ghana Folkloric Group's vocals and polyrhythmic percussion; and "Amelle" is a lovely finale that again showcases Adjo Group's vocals. An underrated gem, The Visitor rewards repeated listening and deserves a wider audience. © Michael Waynick, All Music Guide

BIO

Mick Fleetwood is best known for his tremendous success as the drummer of Fleetwood Mac, the wildly successful band he co-founded in 1967 with fellow John Mayall alumni Peter Green (guitar) and John McVie (bass). The turmoil of the band's meteoric rise to superstardom is well-known and documented in its own entry; Fleetwood himself eventually lost his marriage after it was discovered in 1973 that his wife was having an affair with Mac guitarist Bob Weston. After the supporting tour for 1979's Tusk, Fleetwood recorded his debut solo album, The Visitor, which was released in 1981 and displayed the drummer's interest in worldbeat. After the 1982 Mac album Mirage, Fleetwood cut a second solo record, 1983's I'm Not Me, which featured cameos from several Mac members. Fleetwood Mac went on hiatus until 1987, when Fleetwood's declaration of bankruptcy prompted the reunion LP Tango in the Night; even Lindsey Buckingham was persuaded to join in, albeit only in the studio. Even as the band's classic '70s lineup splintered, Fleetwood kept versions of the band going throughout the '90s, without enjoying much commercial success until the full-fledged reunion on 1997's The Dance. Something Big (attributed to the Mick Fleetwood Band), a joint project with songwriter Todd Smallwood, was released in 2004 on Fleetwood's own label, TallMan Records. © Steve Huey, All Music Guide