Listening Booth — Fleetwood Mac, “Hypnotized” and “Miles Away”

Bob Welch (center) with Fleetwood Mac, 1973

Bob Welch (center) with Fleetwood Mac, 1973

Yesterday the sad news broke that former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and singer Bob Welch had died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the chest. He was 65 years old. This has been an especially bad year for deaths in the entertainment world. Just so much loss. But let’s try to forget that for a moment and remember the great music Welch left behind.

Here’s a rare Listening Booth two-fer in Bob’s memory. Both of these come from Fleetwood Mac’s underrated 1973 LP Mystery to Me, which I’ve discussed on this site previously, and they were both written by Welch. There’s the melodic, mid-tempo treasure “Hypnotized” and the harder-edged “Miles Away,” both of which showcase Welch’s talents in singing, songwriting, and guitar playing.

Enjoy “Hypnotized” and “Miles Away.” RIP Bob.