[slipkid]

Here's my take on Peter Green, and "Munich". After reading Green's bio, and watching the MotW documentary, you have several sources of information about that night. Not one of them enjoyed themselves, except Peter. That leads me to believe, that "Munich" wasn't the moment Peter lost it, it was the moment the rest of the band realized Peter had changed.

Go back to the "Man of the World" single in 1969. "Well just I wish I had never been born." Peter swears up and down this was not to be taken literally, but who else writes a lyric that dark unless something is behind it? This song was written around 'Albatross', and the heady days of Chess studios, and Otis Spann's solo album. Peter was still intense, in your face Peter Green. Advance eleven months later, "The Green Manalishi" was penned. If they were playing it live on their U.S. tour in Jan. 1970, this had to have been written in late '69. That has to be one of the eeriest songs ever produced (Judas Priest removed the character from the song).

Then there's that TV interview from Detroit 12/69. Peter comes off either high, or painfully shy. This was the same guy who used to verbally abuse Mike Vernon in the studio, and verbally abuse his band mates onstage. On the Early Years video, there's some home movie footage during the Manalishi segment with Kirwan, McVie, and Green in a car. Green makes this face for the camera, then it pans to McVie who rolls his eyes in disgust. I always wondered about that, probably nothing.


Anyway, I see Green's decline as gradual, with Munich the final nail as a career change for Green, not a complete physical, and mental breakdown which came a few years later. I think the drugs forced Peter to retire from music altogether a year or so later. I think had he not done drugs Peter would've continued to guest spot on blues albums. I also think he would've accepted John Mayall's invitation back into the Bluesbreakers in 1971.

The what-ifs are fun to speculate, that's what these forums are for. I think if Peter Green didn't feel stifled by FM, stayed away from drugs, was able to iron out personality clashes with Danny Kirwan (he would've been the first, since new, and established members hated him by August 1972), and eventually allowed Christine McVie into the band, FM would've been very very interesting. Not taking away anything from the "pop" incarnation, but FM should've been, and remained a rock band.


Here's a picture of the "mysterious woman" who "hi-jacked" Peter Green in Munich. Her name is Uschi Obermaier.