Fleetwood Mac has always been a band that was the sum of its parts. In different eras of the band’s lifespan, so many artists contributed excellent songwriting efforts, vocals, instrumentation, etc. Sometimes, having a revolving door of members is good for a band’s legacy. Bob Welch is one such member who contributed his guitar, vocal, and songwriting talents to Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974. Let’s look at just a few great songs that prove he was one of the most underrated members of the group ever.
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“Emerald Eyes”
The album Mystery To Me showcased Bob Welch’s talent on full display for the first time. Previously, he played on two albums, but was more or less in the shadow of Danny Kirwan. This album and the noteworthy song “Emerald Eyes” show Welch when he was more or less in creative control of the band. It’s a great prog-rock work, with a solid melody and great songwriting behind it. Those vocal harmonies are pretty incredible, too.
“Bermuda Triangle”
“Bermuda Triangle” is a lovely song from Fleetwood Mac’s 1974 record Heroes Are Hard To Find. By that point, though, Welch was ready to leave the outfit after spending several years as its leader. When this song and album came out, he was the band’s only guitarist and more or less its only songwriter. “Bermuda Triangle” is definitely Welch’s finest contribution to his last album with the band, and it has an almost proto-yacht rock feel to it.
“Future Games”
I couldn’t leave “Future Games” off of a list of Bob Welch goodies from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac. The title track to an excellent 1971 album, the whole of this record shows the band at their most experimental. And I’m certainly not mad about it; this album is really something to behold. One could say this album marked the band’s official departure from the bluesy rock they started with, opting for a more progressive rock sound.
The title track shows just how good of a vibe Welch and Kirwan had with each other as creatives. Welch takes on the vocals and Kirwan takes on the lead guitar, and the result is quite a long-winded and complicated jazz battle of sorts. It’s ambitious in the best way possible, and one of Welch’s finest contributions to Fleetwood Mac.
Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns
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