Peter Green Interview GLR September 1996

[@Canyon2023]

He had such a wonderful singing voice. Just beautiful.

[@maxwellfan55]

There goes the best, most expressive blues guitarist and humble man there was. God bless you Peter.

[@TheJazz61]

Rip

[@timcharles5476]

Peter was so much more than a blues guitarist and had moved a long way from the form by the time he left the Mac, and I believe that there is no limit to the scope of what he could have achieved. Listen to his playing on "Heavy Heart," from 1971, a year after he left FM; he seems to be moving towards world music.

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

Peter Greenbaum: a great man and musician. I can’t tell you how very sad I am at his passing . It’s hit me hard.

[@paul2602]

Thank you for this interview! So awesome to hear Peter really coming out of his shell here, most times he wasmore circumspect. 💜💔

[@achtungdan]

Peter Green does not get the attention he deserves. He is a living legend and musical inspiration. Love him!

[@bentolleson2585]

Peter Green is a kind soul and one of the best blues guitarist ever

[@juergenhoffmann1407]

Great man. A giant. Rest well, Peter, your music will always be with us.

[@Soprina61]

If I were ever blessed enough to meet Peter Green in person I think I'd feel the need to give him a big loving hug and say, "Thank you." There is such a sweetness in the way he plays, and I get the impression that that sweetness comes directly from the man's soul--it's the real thing. I don't know if it was schizophrenia or acid or the ECT "treatments" he was given (so sad to hear him saying that they were done against his will here), or maybe a combination of the three, that messed with his mind. But whatever the fucking thing was, the sweetness still comes through here. No bitterness.

[@midgeburleigh5694]

Nancy Bevilaqua Nancy. Hello from Scotland. My wife and I met and sat with Peter and the splinter group in the old Caledonian hotel in Ayr years ago for just under three glorious hours!! We were the only two people in the lounge/bar and having already shaken hands with my hero earlier in the small Gaiety Theatre where they were playing across the road from the hotel I thought that was it! Over the moon! However we were passing the time waiting to go home to our small village about eight miles from Ayr when in walked the band and peter. They looked around and started heading to where we sitting. Trying to act calm my wife and just sat there but they came over, asked if we enjoyed the gig and sat down at our table!! Peter hardly spoke but was very very civil and extremely humble. I spoke mostly to the drummer who was next to me but Peter sat directly opposite my wife. To cut it short,.the time later came for us to leave, we shook hands again Peter gave my wife a kiss on her cheek and we went to our taxi! I never ever tire of telling the story. Sorry about that but I just had to mention it because yes, he is a very very soft soul. If it's any good to you there is a "Peter Green Blues society" on Facebook started up by a "Misa Drezgic". You'll find fellow "Greeny" fans there who talk to each other all the time and you'd be made most welcome. Peace from Ayrshire Scotland.

[@johnamaral1786]

@@midgeburleigh5694 Great story, time and memory to have, had and enjoy. Thanks for sharing. /:-)

[@johnlamb2754]

@@midgeburleigh5694 It must have been one of his off days when I met him in a bar after a gig,he stood separate from the rest of the Splinter group and refused to shake my hand.

[@midgeburleigh5694]

@@johnlamb2754 I'm really sorry to hear that john. He was kind enough with us, they all were and the band were talkative the full time with us. ( Well me, as I wouldn't shut up with questions and had had a few drinks by that time as well.) I mean He spoke a little bit but not too much. As I said, it was just me and my wife in the Lounge and over they came! I've seen photos people have put up after other gigs and they're standing there smiling with him. No mobile phone with cameras back then for us though, so no no pics. Must've been a real disappointment for you, not to mention a real cunt of a feeling! Hope it doesn't put you off his music. As you say, it must've been an off day.

[@classicartfoundation639]

I know what you mean Nancy and you're spot on

[@angelascarbrough8424]

very humble man, Great talent. 20 year old interview. Bless you Peter Allen Greenbaum.

[@stwads]

Nice interview & nice to hear Peter mention Danny!

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

Yeah, Danny Kirwan was an outstanding guitarist in his own right

[@tetrahedron1000]

@@zaphodbeeblebrox9109 Something Inside of Me should have been released as a single. I don't understand why it wasn't as I am sure that it would have been a hit.

[@MrJameswingham]

Glad this interview is so popular and I'm lucky to have caught it at the time. It's 20 years old next month....

[@terrytaillon6910]

Maybe I'm not seeing something, being blind, but this doesn't sound in any way to me like an insane man. He even stated that it was the psych drugs and ECT therapy that induced mental illness. This man is a genius and one of the original blues pioneers. I'm glad I saw this.

[@octomonkey1980]

Terry Taillon Nah he's definitely not insane. An LSD casualty yes, victim of psychiatric treatment that made him worse maybe.....but not mad. I could listen to the early Fleetwood Mac back catalogue for days on end, I love it! When BB King says you're the only guitarist that's ever given him cold sweats...you are something special!

[@elfunambul]

octomonkey1980

[@bobykens]

Terry Taillon mentally ill and complete insanity are quite different. I'm mentally ill! But I function just fine after time learning to manage... but I can't imagine how Peter green made as much progress as he did- he's an inspiration on so many levels

[@larryalexander900]

In another interview he describes getting shock treatment therapy and saying it messed him up hard.

[@TheJazz61]

There is a documentary of the bbc on his life,if you wanna know more

[@davidcatalano3781]

I met B.B. King in 1980! He told me that Peter Green is a warm hearted person!

[@davedewsnap288]

Gone, but never will you be forgotten, Peter.

[@buska100]

Wonderful interview with Peter Green. Such an Amazingly Talented Guitarist and Humble Man.

[@johnpaflas3482]

One of the best Greeny interviews out there. Thanks for posting!

[@qazzell]

God bless Peter Green...Good interview,thanks for upload.

[@3340steve]

Beautiful vibrations here....power to the mighty blues guitarist Peter Green...

[@andrewmartin6445]

He comes across as a very lovable man as well as being gifted.

[@struttingbirdlofi]

Surprised to see a lack of compassion in these comments for the man. He’s clearly had a rough time of it but he keeps on going even though he admits he can’t fully get back from everything that’s happened to him. So you gotta respect that. I think it’s really sad to be honest.

[@davidcatalano3781]

Ron Thompson and Mick Fleetwood went to find Peter years ago. Found him in England! And they got Peter to play on one of Mick's solo l.p.s!

[@stacyblue1980]

Great interview. Very interesting. I adore Mr. Green.

[@M00159]

RIP, Mr. Peter Green ❤

[@CoreyW6292]

Thank you! That was awesome!

[@KaptainKopter]

Sad you had to leaves us Peter but you are now at peace Loved You

[@soundman331]

Peter undoubtedly will go down as one of the elite blues guitarists of all time. Indeed a humble man though I would have been thrilled to see what else he would have achieved if not for his rapid decent into psychedelic drugs. The original Fleetwood Mac was immensely talented and Green's sudden departure after "Then Play On" created quite the void, especially when Jeremy left after the following album "Kiln House." The upside was that we saw the brilliance of the great Danny Kirwan.

[@larryalexander900]

He says it right there, tranquilizers and ECT (electro-shock therapy) was the reason he isn't the same again, and that it was against his will. It was the treatment for LSD that messed him up not LSD itself. I'm against LSD I don't think people should do it but wish people would get this right.

[@MrJameswingham]

Both he and Davey Graham suffered ECT and were never able to play with the same skill again, quite apart from the hideous trauma inflicted on them. The tranquilizers rendered Peter so very lethargic that he was never physically strong again, now using a zimmer-frame.

[@gratefulkm]

The establishment needed a story to convince people that LSD mad you go schizo, they couldn't take another ICON going rouge , they also killed wally hope

[@MrMojabo]

@@gratefulkm it did .. that's why me, myself and I had to quit. And something tells me Peter Greene got better acid than I did. . But electro shock. That's terrible. Just ignorant

[@RandyRhoadsFL]

Him and Syd Barrett have such similar, tragic stories.

[@Unsung_Earth]

One of a few virtuosos that were never over the top 💚

[@edwardruane8993]

Lovely man. RIP

[@liastalard40]

Really lovely Interview!

[@john-zw9rw]

Love It..about1;40...Peter calls BS on all the BS about him and his experience.. He laughs and say's - I never gave all my money away.... just some... Critic's sit alone , rumors fade away to the truth's... I just Thank all the artists who give us so much.. This is a funny interview , bright and happy... Life is good ... The Blues is Gooder !!!!!yeah gooderrrr

[@1satisfiedmind]

I wish there were more interviews with Peter like this.

[@JohnDoe-jc3cl]

Thanks mom for stressing to me “ that drugs are not funny. That “ life is hard enough with out them “ A friend of mine told me 10 years ago “ your brain is your most valuable possession”. I’m sorry that Peter is gone. His tone. His touch. Were something else. I think the electro schock really messed up his mind more

[@127cmore]

RIP Peter Green . Go play with the angels. 🥰😍😢

[@sherrye8198]

thank you.............

[@reeceburton7864]

love danny

[@jimwoods3742]

Awesome guitarist rest in peace Peter

[@aaarrrggghhhh]

GLR was a fantastic radio station. I taped a lot of interviews from there, including a really good one with Nancy Spungen's mother but unfortunately, I don't have any of them anymore.

[@johnholland605]

great pictures and interview

[@MrJameswingham]

Thanks. I'm so glad I caught it at the time.

[@johnsantacruz7417]

thanks, man. Priceless

[@jakeet999]

Great interview

[@alexbostelle287]

This dude had some pipes

[@homegrownpa]

Albatross and Man of the World, minor compositions!! Oh Peter!!

[@znmaf]

Uuh there am in brown track suit watching Peter and others play pool I was his lead guitarist then Memories

[@MrJameswingham]

Hey Kari! I had to put you in this video. I also have some audio of you playing 'Proud Pinto' with Peter. Was that Bessa on the keys? Hope you are well...Long time!

[@sharonrebibo6015]

That must have been such an honour, playing with Peter Green and he would say, similarly so for him playing with you.😘

[@ellisbell7718]

.....wow!....the lead guitarist for Mr Green...!

[@jazzterry-short7998]

My dad Gregory Terry-Short was the drummer of the band Kolors with Peter Green.

[@MreViewer]

Dear Peter

[@russell90ful]

best British blues guitarist that took the wrong path

[@lindakelley2676]

How strange Peter and Danny didn’t have people to advocate for them, and protect them, I mean, did they have managers? Where were all his people when he was strapped on a table getting ECT treatments and he was in a hospital? And how did Danny fall thru the cracks? Munich shouldn’t have happened if they had someone to weed the “users”out.Did they get royalties they deserved? Musicians so young becoming famous need the right people around them.Danny was just a baby 18 when he joined. I’m so happy Peter is playing again and found his peace. he’s been thru hell and back.I hope Danny gets his recognition, he was brilliant.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

True that, Danny Kirwan at such a young age, wrote tons of FM tracks, and he sounded great on all of them. A real class act. RIP

[@waltraud734]

What have They done to you ???????🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤you were the best, you were the different one to anyone else .......but here I cant reconice you anymore really its so hard 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[@katrienvp6126]

great posting !

[@Snakefinger1000]

ECT should be made illegal, the psychiatrists openly admit that they don't know how it works on patients so why do they use it ? When I was a nurse I saw it being used as punishment on unruly patients and just the threat of ECT would settle patients down.

[@shandyshandy-hm4ql]

I agree completely, my sister said they gave it to my mum, barbaric treatment if you ask me.

[@davidbarr2155]

Great musician

[@GCStalker]

Playing Feb 25 2020 London Palladium.

[@MrJameswingham]

I heard that he doesn't want to attend. Hope you got a ticket btw!

[@AFaceintheCrowd01]

"You've got to have money to play for free."

[@lthompson7625]

I did get to chat to Peter backstage when he appeared at The Irish Centre Liverpool , it was 1996 l think. I remember Cozy Powell was on drums. We chatted for over an hour,, must try and get it down on paper one day. He was as humble and down to earth as people say. From memory, during his early shows with Splinter Group , they were not playing any of the late 1960s Fleetwood Mac stuff. I don’t know if this policy changed as time went on. I recall that when l asked him why he didn’t play any of the classic Fleetwood Mac hits during the show,, we are talking about classics such as ‘ Man of The World’ , ‘ Albatross’ , ‘ Oh Well’ , ‘ Green Manalishie’ , ‘ Black Magic Women’? , he laughed and replied “ l’m not playing that old Fleetwood Mac rubbish! He didn’t think they were anything special.

[@astragreen]

The trouble was HE couldn’t play the guitar anymore, watch the splinter group, the big guy with the beard did ALL the lead guitar and did a great job, Peter wasn’t well at all and shouldn’t have been coerced into playing on stage it was i believe to advance other people’s careers, I’m not making this up look at the videos watch who’s playing the lead guitar!…

[@lthompson7625]

@@astragreen Good points you make and l will check it out. He was sitting on his own backstage and l was told he might not want to talk much, which l understood. As l said, we had a good chat , mainly about his early days before Fleetwood Mac. He told me he thought the world of Liverpool singer Beryl Marsden, who was with him in Shotgun Express along with Rod Stewart..He seemed to enjoy just talking about the pre - Fleetwood Mac days. I got the impression he did not want to enter into conversation about them.

[@jonson481]

​@@astragreenSee where your'e coming from here but you're only half right really. Peter and Nigel Watson pretty much shared the lead guitar role throughout the Splinter Group. It's true that Nigel played lead guitar on the majority of the old FM songs, but Peter played virtually all the lead guitar on songs such as Homework, It takes Time, Going Down, The Stumble and The Supernatural, alongside plenty of the bands own compositions. Understandably Peters guitar playing sounded far removed from his FM days.

[@1dawnf]

RIP

[@dofnad]

PG the real deal, not a politician Tool like ec and jp. It's interesting that PG subconsciously many years later realised that his hospitalisation/ECT/Tranquilisers was alternative punishment for essentially threatening to shoot his Manager who allegedly misappropriated PG's royalties!!

[@MrJakigabi]

rest in peace Peter

[@michaellittlewood3032]

Fantastic

[@MrConan89]

It wasn't until about 10 years ago I found out that he wrote "Black Magic Woman". For 15 years I was front man for a hobby band. We got a new bassist who wanted to sing "Need your love so bad" so I boned up on the lead guitar riff. I was not too bad, but not Peter Green, ha ha.

[@jamescassidy3995]

I gave Peter that black Howard Roberts Fusion model guitar! Just sayin’ ❤🎸✨

[@MrJameswingham]

That's the first guitar I ever heard him play. He seemed to really love it...

[@jamescassidy3995]

@@MrJameswingham I worked for Gibson for years & was thrilled when he came to see me at our showroom, basement of 21 Denmark St, London. Of all the classic guitars we had hanging on the wall he chose that one! I think the guitar inspired him to get back into playing. Amazing 🎸♥️ I arranged his first gig for many, many years at Frankfurt Messe - a huge trade show in Germany. Everyone was wildly excited to see him & hear him play. The stage was sponsored / promoted by Gibson & we spent maybe £10,000 on it + flying out the band including Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, Don Airey & Peter’s friend Nigel Watson. A huge coup for Gibson. Of course purist fans always think of him playing the vintage Les Paul. So someone announces him & he shuffles onto the stage with a Strat!! This was typical of Peter’s dry, subtle, mischievous, sneaky sense of humour. Gently sticking it to “The Man”, asserting that he did what he wanted & wouldn’t be told what to do or what guitar to play! The Gibson company for many years was a total freakshow & bloodbath & I could easily have lost my job over that stunt - but I lived to fight another day! It was always amazing to spend time with him. 🎸✨

[@MrJameswingham]

@@jamescassidy3995 I saw him and the band at Guildford in August '96 and he used both the Gibson and Fender Strat. The show at Frankfurt caused some internal aggro when Peter announced that he wanted to use mainly the Strat. 'Gibson' freaked out at his management and he relented, only using the Strat for one song. It was a Shadows piece and Peter insisted that he could only sound like Hank with the Fender. That's what I heard at the time anyway. I always felt he only got the Les Paul in '66 because he was angling for Eric's job with Mayall. He even wore his hair and sideburns like Eric at the time. As we know, he could've played anything and sounded like Peter Green. Eric ditched the Les Paul too. They're heavy buggers and harder to play.... Denmark Street was a great place to be back then. I walked up there a few weeks ago and ....Oh Well!

[@jamescassidy3995]

@@MrJameswingham Oh Well! I kept out of any Gibson management craziness as I’d got to know him & Nigel a little bit on a personal level & certainly respected that he could play any guitar he chose! Just wanted a World In Harmony! I went on to work at Fender for years & gave him several more cool guitars which predictably were stolen 🫤🎸

[@philipmaguire9209]

Legend best

[@lopezb]

DON'T do drugs!!! Don't drink!!! Play music, learn to meditate. Life is already hard to deal with, straight. We need all the resources we have. Peter is an extreme example, his beautiful train went right off the rails....People who encourage others to uses substances are scum.

[@Michael-mm3fm]

One of the greatest. Ah, G-L-Rrrr …Chris Evans in his heyday -“Marks out of two? I’ll give her One” - etc

[@chrissiecasson700]

So very sad😢

[@skaboosh]

Good interview. ..he had loads of space to say what he wanted

[@johnc3403]

Lovely interview, but that's not Dave Fanning.

[@MrJameswingham]

I realised this FAR too late to change it. I was sure at the time that was who it was. Glad the interview was really Peter and there were no eggs or potatoes involved! Thanks John

[@Da_Publick]

I'm sorry, but after all these years of only seeing this man in guitar magazines, in B&W articles, and reading about his comeback, I get the feeling that most people today saying they love his music are just jumping the bandwagon. It's like they ran out of everybody else, and Green died, so it's 'let's jump on him.'

[@gratefulkm]

Is he saying he was forced into a MHU by others, who then gave him drugs he did not want, and they told him he was mad, when he thought he was not, and it took him years to work out that he was not mad, they just didn't like the drugs he was taking ,? and tried to bring him back, but as he says, It didn't work , they tried to un turn him on sounds outrageous , they also killed wally hope

[@MrJameswingham]

He was persuaded to go to Horton Hospital in Epsom and had no idea what was in store. I'm sure his family had no idea either but they had called the police because they were worried about his erratic behaviour and wanted him to be safe. ECT was administered and probably destroyed many brain cells. The heavy meds will have messed with him TOO and caused lasting damage. Davey Graham was given the same treatment. Neither of these two giants of music was ever the same. The hospital was forced to close eventually and this draconian treatment was halted but too late for PG.

[@wakefieldyorkshire]

Cozy Powell! I'd never heard of him.

[@ryanlimes1499]

Peter Green over time is looking more like ol Garth Hudson from The Band, lol

[@MrJameswingham]

The p8ics I used are quite old now. Peter has lost a fair bit of weight now and is clean shaven. Glad you like the vid! :)

[@universalelectricradio2373]

Love the interview....but...I very much doubt that’s Dave fanning interviewing....might need to do some research there I think....

[@MrJameswingham]

Hi there, Dave had a show on GLR (Greater London Radio) in the 90s and this is definitely him. He knows his stuff relating to Rock music. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJmZh5t7i8eroqM

[@Viewingpublic08]

@@MrJameswingham Interviewer sounds awfully like J.P. Devlin (BBC Saturday Live).

[@Braglemaster123]

RIP Peter Green

[@justmadeit2]

Thats the danger of trying something strong like lsd. If you like it you might take more and then change as a person and never get back to the real you. Scary stuff

[@ChrisGroggyCreaser]

- It fucked Syd Barrett (Of Pink Floyd) Right up!! - He died Years Later - a TOTAL WRECK!!... :(

[@daddiojones238]

Shut up!

[@Ubu987]

Nick Drake came back from Germany totally changed also. He may have run into the same people.

[@sid35gb]

Yep taking a drug that opens a hole in your brain to work is not a good idea.

[@znmaf]

Colours

[@tweedy151]

Poor Pete, they did way more harm to him with tranquilisers and ECT than acid ever did. The interviewer weirdly brushes over that with a 'who'd have thought'. Gee.

[@philfrank9226]

So hard to understand this man.

[@ray-jf4sh]

that tone he got was perdy and rough

[@23igna]

That's why Jesus said to throw all of your possessions.

[@TheGlobuleReturns]

Pointless

[@23igna]

Not pointless. Peter green understood it.

[@TheGlobuleReturns]

Did him a lot of good didn't it? ....

[@maxwellfan55]

Maybe you should ask him, some people like monks, nuns, artists, others feel less burdened, more creative more connected without possessions. It's not pointless, your suggestion might be. Peter has massive respect worldwide as a musician and person.

[@geoycs]

Jeez, was the microphone inside his esophagus?

[@ohrofax]

peter speaks a very unclear english

[@MontyCantsin5]

Hardly surprising considering what he's been through over the years.

[@johnm9845]

Do some research. Clues are in the interview.

[@eltiburon4400]

This is what drugs do to your brain. lol

[@MrJameswingham]

+EL Rincon E.C.T. and prescription tranquillizers will do the head much damage. Poor Peter is wrestling with diabetes these days as well.

[@DannnLixi]

+EL Rincon he was put on heavy sedatives and electric convulsive shock therapy...

[@eltiburon4400]

+DannnLixi And why was that? He was an LSD freak. LSD=Drugs

[@MrJameswingham]

+EL Rincon Yes LSD was a bad idea for him but the draconian treatment he received in hospital is what robbed him of his gift. He was very articulate verbally and of course as a player after he took acid. And of course the whole band took LSD.

[@diannec100]

+EL Rincon Peter was predisposed to schizophrenia. In hindsight, he was someone who never should've taken mind-altering drugs. But it was the ECT treatments that caused the most damage, by far. Nowadays, that disease is treated, sometimes very successfully, with medication. You shouldn't talk about things you don't fully understand.