Hear David Gilmour, Peter Green Play Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Need Your Love So Bad’

A previously unheard recording of “Need Your Love So Bad” — a blues song that late Fleetwood Mac frontman Peter Green sang with the group in its early days — will come out in conjunction with the release of a new book about Green, The Albatross Man, this October. IndieLand has a sneak peek of the track this Wednesday.

Green recorded the vocal in his mother’s attic sometime in the mid-Sixties; the more familiar recording of the track came out on Fleetwood Mac’s 1969 LP, The Pious Bird of Good Omen. Former Pink Floyd frontman and Green’s friend, David Gilmour — who performed Green’s signature song “Albatross,” at the Peter Green Tribute last year — recorded the guitars for the new version, which was produced by Laurie Latham.

On the track, Green sings about the kind of lover he needs over an easy rolling blues backdrop. His voice echoes as he sings, “Tell me that you love me, stop driving me mad, ’cause I need your love so bad,” Gilmour’s guitars twanging around him. The guitars swoop in and out and soar in between Green’s words, and about halfway through, Gilmour takes an extended solo, playing off the bluesiness of the tune. Green gave the recording his stamp of approval before his death last summer.

Green had been working closely with book publisher Rufus Publications on The Albatross Man in the years leading up to his death. The more than 450-page book, by author Mark Smith, will be an illustrated visual account of Green’s life and career, drawing upon images of the guitarist and singer’s archives. In addition to music, the book covers Green’s love of fishing, drawing, and appreciating music. It contains rare photos and pictures of memorabilia, lyrics, and notes from his time in Fleetwood Mac. It also features contributions from record producers Mike Vernon and Neil Slaven, Fleetwood Mac tour manager and sound engineer Dinky Dawson, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett, and Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden.

Another recording — a new rendition of the Green-composed Fleetwood Mac single “Man of the World” — will feature Hammett, who owns Green’s famed “Greeny” guitar, and drummer Mick Fleetwood. He cut all of his parts for the recording using Greeny while in London, a month before last year’s Peter Green tribute concert. The bassist on the recording is played by sometime Metallica producer Bob Rock. Green also approved of the recording before his death. A release date for this recording has not yet been revealed.