Danny Kirwan

Danny Kirwan - Hello There Big Boy! - 1979 - DJM

This is not just a tremendous album by Danny Kirwan, this is an extraordinary set of recordings that makes one wonder "what if?" What if Fleetwood Mac had talents like Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, Dave Walker, and Bob Welch come back to the fold for different projects? This is light pop on a mission, and it is perfectly produced by, of all people, Clifford Davis (though one should consider Kirwan's excellent production work on The Legendary Christine Perfect Album and wonder if the manager wasn't just putting his name on Kirwan's creative ideas). There's no denying that each tune here, from "End Up Crying" (which sounds like the soft rock Fleetwood Mac) to the final track, "Summer Days and Summer Nights," is superior pop music — intricate guitar lines, a double-barrel keyboard approach by John Cook and Kevin Kitchen which is just lovely, and sterling vocals by Kirwan. "Only You" could be a reworking of the Moody Blues' "Story in Your Eyes," but "California" is totally original and unique, both songs dynamite performances of their respective styles. "California" is more accessible than some of the popular versions of Fleetwood Mac, and given Bob Welch's success with French Kiss two years before the release of Hello There Big Boy!, it is surprising this was not embraced by both Top 40 and FM radio. "Spaceman" continues the smooth '70s pop that"California" introduced the listener to, the guitars more eerie, harking back to the Bare Trees period of Fleetwood Mac seven years earlier (which had so much of Kirwan's identity all over it). There was life before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, and this cohesive work is proof of that; covering Randy Edelman's "You" is actually quite clever, the exiles of Mac having reputations more as singer/songwriters than as interpreters. This may be Danny Kirwan produced by Clifford Davis, the man who put the fake Fleetwood Mac onstage, but it is no fluke and it is no fake. Hello There Big Boy! is a great album from the singer/guitarist who, according to Mick Fleetwood's book My Twenty Five Years in Fleetwood Mac, "went beserk...smashed his head against the wall...(and)...was fired." Sounds like genius, and it is here on this recording for all to see — and hear. A truly great comeback that sadly got lost in the shuffle of life. © Joe Viglione, allmusic.com

Great album from Danny Kirwan. It's in the soft rock vein, but the well written songs, great musicianship, and vocals, including background vocals, make this a top class album. Danny Kirwan is a very important person in the history of British rock and blues music, and is often neglected by the music media. The sound quality of HTBB is only fair, but these albums are not easy to come by, and the audio quality shouldn't spoil your enjoyment too much. Try and find the original album, to appreciate the proper sonic quality of this album. Buy his great "Second Chapter " alubum, and listen to his early work on Fleetwood Mac's "Kiln House" album.

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

A1 Wings Of A Dove - Danny Kirwan
A2 Gettin' The Feelin' - Tony Rivers
A3 End Up Crying - Kirby Gregory
A4 Caroline - C.G. Adams, Danny Kirwan
A5 You - Randy Edelman

B1 Only You - Danny Kirwan
B2 California - Adams/Gillespie
B3 Spaceman - Danny Kirwan
B4 Summer Days And Summer Nights - Danny Kirwan

MUSICIANS

Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar [Rhythm], Guitar [Rhythm] - Danny Kirwan
Guitar [Lead], Guitar [Rhythm] - Kirby Gregory
Guitar [Lead] - Bob Weston on A2, & A5
Bass - Terry "Tex" Comer
Keyboards, Organ, Piano - John Cook
Piano [Electric] - Kevin Kitchen
Drums - Fran Byrne
Percussion - Chris Fletcher
Duet Vocals - Dana Gillespie - on B4
Backing Vocals - John Perry , Stuart Calver , Tony Rivers

BIO

Guitarist/singer Danny Kirwan was a member of Fleetwood Mac, helping to bridge their early blues-rock phase to their eventual conventional pop/rock approach, from the late '60s through the early '70s (just prior to the arrival of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham). Born Daniel David Kirwan in South London on May 13, 1950, Kirwan was spotted by Fleetwood Mac members Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood at the age of 18 fronting a local group called Boilerhouse. Green took the young guitarist under his wing, attempting to help Kirwan find other musicians to play with (that were up to his caliber), but when none where found, he was invited to join Green in Fleetwood Mac in August of 1968. Although Kirwan's presence helped inspire the band to issue such classic releases as 1969's Then Play On, 1970's Kiln House, 1971's Future Games, and 1972's Bare Trees, his fellow bandmembers quickly saw the dark side of the young musician, who was alcoholic and prone to mood swings. The situation began to put a strain on the group, and after one specific incident while on tour in 1972 (which Kirwan smashed his guitar prior to a show and refused to play on-stage), the 22-year-old guitarist was handed his walking papers. Kirwan then embarked on a solo career, issuing such obscure releases as 1975's Second Chapter (which saw the guitarist joined by ex-Chicken Shack members Andy Sylvester and Paul Raymond), 1976's Midnight in San Juan, and 1979's Hello There Big Boy!, before the once promising musician seemingly fell off the face of the earth. Rumors persisted throughout the '90s that Kirwan was by this time homeless and down on his luck, which he in fact confirmed himself in an interview with a London newspaper in 1993. But by the dawn of the 21st century, it appeared as though Kirwan had put his life back on track somewhat, while a 15-track compilation of his solo work, Ram Jam City, was issued in May of 2000. © Greg Prato, allmusic.com