Quote:
Originally Posted by chiliD
It's true that Peter's playing took another leap when Danny joined the band, but I serioiusly don't think it was DIRECTLY due to Danny himself. It could've been any decent guitarist joining the band that would've inspired Peter. Jeremy either wasn't able or just downright didn't want to take on what Peter needed...a guitar foill; somebody to push him to play better...Danny just happened along. You're making it seem as if Danny was to Peter as Duane Allman was to Eric Clapton during the making of Layla and I don't see that at all.
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Can't agree with your assessment. Sorry if you see Danny as just another "decent guitarist" (that's the understatement of the year btw lol). It wasn't a foil Green needed, it was a partner in crime. Danny provided that like few others could (Jeremy couldn't have even if he wanted to; he wasn't as gifted on the instrument, or as a songsmith). Danny didn't "just happened along" either, he was actively recruited. Pete and producer Mike Vernon were first gunning for Danny to be his own frontman with his own act, but they couldn't find musicians worthy of the 18 year old lad (to include his Boilerhouse cohorts). The more Pete saw Danny and his guitar prowess in action, the more he realized he was the missing piece in the Mac puzzle (and as history has shown, he was).
PG had his eyes wide open at the time, and took DK under his wing like no other. By the TPO sessions they resembled full fledged partners more than anything else, equals on every level. Mike Vernon has stated that in those early days, Kirwan was so into the guitar that he cried as he played. Bob Welch has stated that Green was pretty much equally matched by Kirwan on the instrument. Those insider assessments don't point to another "decent guitarist" my friend. But hell, just put your ear to it. There's more of Kirwan's guitar on Then Play On, Peter's crowning achievement, than Green's! "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" and "Young Eyes" were always complimentary pet names given to Danny by Green, and nothing else.
BTW your analogy of Allman/Clapton is apropos, but so would be Allman/Betts as we went over before. Call it the mssing element.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These three say a lot, the first and last in particular.
