Q&A Sessions
Bob Brunning: May 15 - 31, 2001

Thank you for participating in the Q&A. I read your book and thought it was great. Can you shed some light on the events leading up to your joining FM? Can you tell us about the first recording session? Any news on Danny Kirwan? Thaks again!! (Thomas Kirby, Roswell, New Mexico, USA)

Dear Thomas,

Thank you for your response. It is simple: I answered an ad in the "Melody Maker" for a bass player and got the job. First recording session was quick and fun (I had recorded before). Danny Kirwan is ill, lives in a sheltered accommodation. Sad waste of a great talent.

Keep well

Bob Brunning

As a collector of your records, I, like may others are trying to get our hands on the infamous "London 22nd cub scout pack" album. As only 500 copies were pressed, it's highly unlikely we will get our hands on an original. I was wondering, since you have more connections to the people involved in that project than any of us, would it be possible for you to get a hold of the original tapes from the school archives and have a limited amount pressed on CD and maybe sold through The Penguin website or something? I realize there's legal issues to consider but many of us would like very much to get this and other rare recordings you have played on. Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated. (John, Peabody, Massachusetts, USA)

Hi, John

There are no legal issues to be resolved, but does anybody really want to hear a hastily recorded album of campfire songs? I did it for a favour to a teacher colleague who wanted to raise funds for a cub pack. You don't want to hear it.

Bob Brunning

Hello, I was curious, what is your birthdate? (you don't have to say the year if you don't want to, I just wanted to mark it on my calender.) Thanks! (John)

Hi John,

June 29th , 1943. Thank you for contacting me. Keep in touch

Bob Brunning

Did you play on both sides of the three Fives company singles on Pye? (that is the following titles: "Session man" / "Dejection", "Some girls" / "Big deal" & "Sunday for seven days" / "The big kill") and did you play on both sides of the Savoy Brown single "Taste and try before you buy" / "Someday people"? If not, could you clarify on which of these songs you did play on? (John)

Hi,

Yes, I played on them all. How on earth did you track those down?! All recorded so long ago!

Bob Brunning

Mr. Brunning, let me be quite honest with you. I didn't care for your book and found it to be a glossy rehash of Mick's autobiography. I didn't care for the way Bob Welch was treated in it also. So my questions are as follows :

1)How can you say Bob Welch "burned out" in 1974 when he produced the outstanding Paris albums, classic French Kiss album, was given an award by Billboard Magazine in 1978 and so many other great works ?

2)How can you say Lindsey Buckingham resented Bob Welch and his influence on FM when there is no proven evidence to that effect ?

Lastly Mr. Brunning, you state that the penguin is an arctic creature, well sorry to say the penguin is an ANTARCTIC creature native to regions below the Equator.

Thank you for your time ! (Arizona Ranger, Cranford, NJ, USA)

Dear Arizona Ranger

Thank you for your mail

My book was published before Mick's! Close examination will reveal that parts of his book seem similar to mine. But I don't mind.

1. Bob Welch's words not mine

2. His words not mine

3. Lastly, isn't this nit picking?

Regards

Bob Brunning

Hello Bob. I have enjoyed following Fleetwood Mac for over 27 years. I haven't yet formulated an interesting question for you. However I am going to be undergoing surgery for a double hernia and will be off work for a few weeks. I would love to read your book while recuperating. It may help me get well sooner. Keep me in mind OK? Thanks. I hope to learn more from you as the question and answer session progresses.Thanks for taking the time to do this. (Timothy Kee, North Huntington, Pennsylvania, USA)

Dear Timothy

I hope that your operation goes really well and thank you for your very kind words.

Bob Brunning

The following albums have you listed as being on the album but it doesn't say which songs you actually play on:

Eddie guitar Burns - Bottle up and go Deluxe blues band - Deluxe blues band Deluxe blues band - Live at the half moon Putney Deluxe blues band - Motorvating Deluxe blues band - A streetcar named deluxe Deluxe blues band - Urban deluxe Errol Dixon - Listen to the blues Fives company - The ballad of fred the pixie Bob Hall & Dave Peabody - Roll & slide Johnny Mars - Blues from mars Jimmy Rogers & left hand Frank - Live Eddie Taylor - Ready for Eddie Homesick James Williamson & Snooky Pryor - Homesick James & Snooky Pryor Homesick James Williamson & Snooky Pryor - Home sweet homesick James Brunning sunflower blues band - Bullen Street blues Brunning sunflower blues band - I wish you would Brunning sunflower blues band - Trackside blues Brunning Hall sunflower blues band - Brunning Hall sunflower blues band Tramp - Tramp Tramp - Put a record on London 22nd cub scout pack - London 22nd cub scout pack J. B. Hutto - Hipshakin' live in London Doctor Ross - Jivin' the blues Big John Wrencher - Big John's boogie

Could you let us know which songs from these you are on? I'm sure you are probably on all songs from most of them but I was just hoping to get it confirmed. I know it may seem silly to list the albums by the bands you were in (Fives company, Tramp, Deluxe blues band, Brunning sunflower blues band, etc.) but something like "Too late now" from the first Tramp album for instance, doesn't sound like there's any bass or backing vocals or anything that would suggest you are on those kinds of songs and admittedly, the last four I don't have yet so it may very well say on those albums on which songs you're on and if it does, I'm sorry. So as this is the chance to ask you these things. I was hoping you could provide some information for me along these lines. I am really very most grateful for your time and patience on my questions to you. I'm just a big fan! Thank you again. (John, Peabody, Massachusetts, USA)

Thank you for responding and thank you for the interest in the Jurassic period of FM's career! I play on most of those albums ( of course I have lost copies of some of them, but I know I didn't play on all the Dr Ross album and Bob hall & Peabody's Roll & Slide Album). We Won't talk about the "Ballad of Fred Pixie" or the 22nd Cub Scout's album, please...

Hi Mr. Brunning,

I was wondering if you could tell me anything about Lindsey's work. Inspirations, reactions to things, or any new things going around. Sorry I am basing this more on Lindsey than you, but I am in awe of your bass work. It is the best! I am a fan of Fleetwood Bac and I saw footage of you playing Oh Well with them. (I think it was Oh Well the video is not sound worthy). (Annie C. Whealy, Marion, Michigan, USA)

Dear Annie,

Thank you for your message via Martin. Whoops. I can't really help you on the Lindsey thing. All I can say is that I hugely admire his work with Stevie and the Mac. He was very polite and courteous when we met ( when you were in elementary school, no doubt). Not me on the "Oh well", my illustrious successor, Mr McVie.

Regards,

Bob Brunning