Danny Kirwan - Second Chapter 1975

The first solo album from Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter Daniel David Kirwan has the future producer for Human League and Buzzcocks, Martin Rushent, utilizing those skills here, as well as engineering. The sound is crystal clear, and a feather in the cap for Rushent as well as Kirwan. It starts off with an uncharacteristic "Ram Jam City," which has more Lindsey Buckingham sounds than one would expect, especially since the two guitarists come from two different musical worlds. "Odds and Ends" is more lighthearted, the kind of music Paul McCartney toyed with on The White Album's "Rocky Raccoon." What Second Chapter immediately sets forth is the importance of Kirwan as a pop artist, and how, despite Fleetwood Mac's success after he left, his sounds could still have been beneficial to that supergroup. "Hot Summers Day" is a fine example of that, a beautiful song that could offset Buckingham's gritty ramblings. It would have made a nice counterpoint as Stevie Nicks complemented Christine McVie's tunes with her adventures, bringing an important change of pace to that popular band's hits. The jacket looks like a dusty old family album-style book holding Kirwan's Second Chapter. And the music reflects that old-world feel in titles like "Skip a Dee Doo" and "Falling in Love with You." Three of the best songs on this excellent outing are "Love Can Always Bring You Happiness," "Second Chapter," and a sleepy and beautiful number called "Silver Streams." Kirwan's tune is haunting as well with its lilting "all you need is love to show you the way from here" chorus. As on a follow-up album, he tends to sound a little like the group America, the vocals with that same America tone and warmth. They very well could have covered "Silver Stream" or "Cascades," the album's final track. This material was crafted right in the middle of America's run of hits, and maybe they should have replaced Dan Peek with Dan D. Kirwan? The artist's three solo discs cut in the '70s make for a very pleasant and thought-provoking listening experience, and that this collection is so good only shows he kicked his departure from the big band off with a vengeance. AMG.

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Danny Kirwan - Midnight In San Juan 1976

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 Nicksand Lindsey Buckingham). Born Daniel David Kirwan in South London on May 13, 1950, Kirwan was spotted byFleetwood Mac members Peter Green and Mick Fleetwoodat 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 Kirwansmashed 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 membersAndy 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. AMG.

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Danny Kirwan - Hello There Big Boy 1978

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. The track "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. AMG.

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Danny Kirwan - Second Chapter 1975

The first solo album from Fleetwood Mac singer/songwriter Daniel David Kirwan has the future producer for Human League and Buzzcocks, Martin Rushent, utilizing those skills here, as well as engineering. The sound is crystal clear, and a feather in the cap for Rushent as well as Kirwan. It starts off with an uncharacteristic "Ram Jam City," which has more Lindsey Buckingham sounds than one would expect, especially since the two guitarists come from two different musical worlds. "Odds and Ends" is more lighthearted, the kind of music Paul McCartney toyed with on The White Album's "Rocky Raccoon." What Second Chapter immediately sets forth is the importance of Kirwan as a pop artist, and how, despite Fleetwood Mac's success after he left, his sounds could still have been beneficial to that supergroup. "Hot Summers Day" is a fine example of that, a beautiful song that could offsetBuckingham's gritty ramblings. It would have made a nice counterpoint as Stevie Nicks complementedChristine McVie's tunes with her adventures, bringing an important change of pace to that popular band's hits. The jacket looks like a dusty old family album-style book holding Kirwan's Second Chapter. And the music reflects that old-world feel in titles like "Skip a Dee Doo" and "Falling in Love with You." Three of the best songs on this excellent outing are "Love Can Always Bring You Happiness," "Second Chapter," and a sleepy and beautiful number called "Silver Streams." Kirwan's tune is haunting as well with its lilting "all you need is love to show you the way from here" chorus. As on a follow-up album, he tends to sound a little like the group America, the vocals with that same America tone and warmth. They very well could have covered "Silver Stream" or "Cascades," the album's final track. This material was crafted right in the middle of America's run of hits, and maybe they should have replaced Dan Peek withDan D. Kirwan? The artist's three solo discs cut in the '70s make for a very pleasant and thought-provoking listening experience, and that this collection is so good only shows he kicked his departure from the big band off with a vengeance. AMG.

listen here

Buy @ Amazon: USA - FR - UK