Welch answered FM aficionados’ questions about the song on the fan-based website, in 19. With an intro propelled by 14 seconds of triplets on Mick Fleetwood’s kick drum, the song was instantly recognizable, and there was plenty of time to turn up the radio before Welch’s vocal began. The song features an ethereal guitar part by then-lead guitarist Bob Weston, with a great sound that wasn’t easy to achieve in those days with the limited effects options guitar players had. “Hypnotized” was a song about the possibility of a visit from alien life from the album Mystery to Me. Welch wrote over a dozen songs during this Mac era, one of which was “Hypnotized,” which has become a rock classic. But die-hard fans are familiar with several incarnations of the band that made great records in the late ‘60s England while Nicks and Buckingham were still California teenagers.įrom 1971 to 1974, the once blues-based Fleetwood Mac featured the more modern and poppy writing, singing and guitar playing of a movie producer’s son from Hollywood named Bob Welch. Which makes sense, since this classic lineup sold millions and millions of albums, and was on the front page of major magazines because of the band members’ infidelity, drug use, and constant drama, which hasn’t ended yet even though the members are now in their 70s. Many people are only familiar with the Stevie Nicks-Lindsey Buckingham era Fleetwood Mac.
