The early Fleetwood Mac lineup most people mean is Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood. Bob Brunning, though, played bass in the band’s very first lineup, including around its first public appearance, before John McVie joined later in 1967. So the answer depends on whether “original” means the first public lineup or the established early quartet.
The four names of the classic early lineup
The group most often described as the original Fleetwood Mac is the British blues-era quartet. Each member’s role in that lineup is shown below.
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| Member | Instrument in the early lineup | Notes on the role |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Green | Guitar | Mick Fleetwood’s retrospective account links the band’s early identity closely to Green. |
| Jeremy Spencer | Guitar | Listed as a founding member in a court filing’s historical summary. |
| John McVie | Bass | Joined later in 1967, after Bob Brunning’s period as bassist. |
| Mick Fleetwood | Drums | Named in the band’s chronology from its beginnings in England in 1967. |
Band-history and discography pages consistently assign these instruments. Where accounts conflict, this is the assignment to rely on.
Bob Brunning, the initial bassist
Bob Brunning is the name most often missed. He played bass in the group’s initial lineup, including around its first public appearance. A court filing’s historical summary independently lists the early band as Green, Fleetwood, Spencer, and Brunning, which confirms his place in the first lineup. He is not part of the quartet that most listeners associate with the early band, so he appears in the “first public lineup” reading of the question rather than the familiar one.
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How the lineup changed in 1967
The early membership shifted within a single year. The sequence below reflects the sources as they agree on it.
- Initial band: Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer, and Bob Brunning on bass. This lineup includes the band’s first public appearance.
- John McVie joins: later in 1967, McVie takes over the bass role from Brunning.
- Established early quartet: Green, Spencer, McVie, and Fleetwood. This is the lineup most histories of the British blues period refer to.
Fleetwood Mac’s 1968 debut album is the usual starting point for hearing the band’s early blues period. Specific CD and vinyl editions and their current availability were not verified for this article.
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Two meanings of “original”
Because the membership changed in 1967, the word “original” can point to either of two lineups. The table compares them.
| Meaning of “original” | When it applies | Bass player | Members |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial public lineup | Includes the band’s first public appearance | Bob Brunning | Green, Spencer, Fleetwood, Brunning |
| Established early lineup | After John McVie joined later in 1967 | John McVie | Green, Spencer, McVie, Fleetwood |
If you are asking which musicians are usually named as the original members, the answer is the established early quartet. If you are asking who was in the band at its first gig, the answer includes Bob Brunning.
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Why accounts disagree on instruments
Most sources agree on who played what, but one retrospective excerpt does not. A Hot Press-hosted retrospective excerpt appears to misstate the instruments, so it should not be used to decide who played which role. The conflict is a useful reminder that earlier band memories can be inaccurate, and that the band-history and discography pages are the more dependable guide to roles.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Peter Green and the band’s early identity
Peter Green is the figure most closely tied to the early band’s sound and identity. Reflecting on Green’s departure, Mick Fleetwood said: “When we lost Peter Green, we were devastated as people, and our music was — what are we going to do?” That reaction is one of the most direct first-hand statements about how central Green was to the group.
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The later lineup associated with the band’s 1970s pop-rock success is a separate group and is not part of the early membership described here.
Some sources give the band’s beginnings as 1967 in England, while others describe the initial lineup in different terms. Treat “first public lineup” and “established early lineup” as two separate descriptions of the same early period.
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