25 Years: The Chain [Box set]

Track Listings
Disc: 1
1. Warm Ways    
2. Say You Love Me    
3. Don't Stop    
4. Rhiannon    
5. Walk a Thin Line    
See all 19 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Save Me    
2. Goodbye Angel    
3. Silver Springs    
4. What Makes You Think You're the One    
5. Think About Me    
See all 17 tracks on this disc
Disc: 3
1. I Believe My Time Ain't Long    
2. Need Your Love So Bad    
3. Rattlesnake Shake    
4. Oh Well, Pt. 1 [Original Mono Version-Rechannelled for Stereo]    
5. Stop Messin' Round    
See all 19 tracks on this disc
Disc: 4
1. Paper Doll [New Song]    
2. Love Shines [New Song]    
3. Stand Back [Unreleased][Live][*]    
4. Crystal    
5. Isn't It Midnight [Edited Alternative Version]    
See all 17 tracks on this disc

25 Years: The Chain, Music, Fleetwood Mac, Blues-Rock, Box Sets (Audio Only), Pop/Rock, Popular Music, Rock, Soft Rock
Selections From 25 Years: The Chain
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Review of the Complete Box Set (4 CDs)
  • Good, but a wasted opportunity (this review is of the full four disc boxed set)
  • Review for Box Set - The Chain
  • Something For Everyone.
  • Okay
 Selections From 25 Years: The Chain
Fleetwood Mac
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Classic RockClassic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Fleetwood Mac Live
  2. Say You Will (Limited Edition)
  3. Time
  4. Behind the Mask
  5. Fleetwood Mac - Destiny Rules

ASIN: B00000JSPJ
Release Date: 1999-07-15

Tracks:

  1. Paper Doll
  2. Love Shines
  3. Love In Store
  4. Goodbye Angel
  5. Heart Of Stone
  6. Silver Springs
  7. Oh Diane
  8. Big Love
  9. Rhiannon
  10. Crystal
  11. The Chain
  12. Over My Head
  13. Dreams
  14. Go Your Own Way
  15. Sara
  16. Hold Me
  17. Gypsy
  18. Make Me A Mask

Tracks:

  1. Don't Stop
  2. Everywhere
  3. Tusk
  4. Not That Funny
  5. Beautiful Child
  6. Teen Beat
  7. Need Your Love So Bad
  8. Did You Ever Love Me
  9. Oh Well, Part 1
  10. I Believe My Time Ain't Long
  11. Bermuda Triangle
  12. Why
  13. Station Man
  14. Albatross
  15. Black Magic Woman
  16. Stop Messin' Around
  17. Trinity
  18. Heroes Are Hard To Find
  19. Green Manalishi

Album Description

Two CD sampler with 37 tracks from the Mac's 1992 four discbox set. Packaged as a double slimline jewel case with a 64page CD-sized booklet inside of an oversized slipcase, it features 'Rhiannon', 'Silver Springs', 'Over MyHead', 'The Chain', 'Dreams', 'Go Your Own Way', 'Sara','Hold Me', 'Gypsy', 'Don't Stop', 'Everywhere', 'Tusk', 'NotThat Funny', 'Oh Well Pt.1', 'Bermuda Triangle', 'Albatross'and 'Black Magic Woman'. 1992 Reprise release.

Album Details

Double CD Distillation of 'the Chain' Box Set (Now Out of Print). Includes a Grab Bag of Rarities, Like 'paper Doll', 'love Shines', 'heart of Stone', 'make Me a Mask' and 'teen Beat'...all Exclusive to this Collection. As Well, Alternate Versions of 'love in Store', 'the Chain', 'dreams', 'beautiful Child' and 'tusk' and a Live Version of 'not the Funny' Are Here. The Set is Rounded Out by Tracks from Before the Addition of Buckingham/Nicks to the Lineup (With Bob Welch and Danny Kirwan).

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Review of the Complete Box Set (4 CDs).......2007-01-11

I really love this collection. It's not a greatest hits collection, although a good effort was made to select the best material. It is an anthology, giving an overview of many of the personalities, musical styles, and high-points of this incredibly durable band. The tracks are not organized chronologically. I really like this feature: I think significant effort was put into the choice and the order of the material; and it flows nicely.

Four discs, 72 tracks, including 4 new songs, 5 unreleased songs, 2 live and unreleased songs, and 9 alternative mix songs, so 28% of the total is not what was on the released albums and singles. And the alternative material sounds great. (I don't have the remastered Fleetwood Mac and Rumours albums (yet), so some of this might be redundant.) My favorite FM album is Tusk; but I also like Rumours, Fleetwood Mac, the Bob Welch records, and much of the Peter Green phase. (I think the Burnette/Vito period is the least interesting.)

The first disk is dominated by Mirage, Tango in the Night, and Behind the Mask material. Disc 2 is dominated by Rumours, Mirage, and Tusk material. Disc 3 is dominated by Tusk and Fleetwood Mac (white album) material with some Bob Welch era. Disc 4 is dominated by Peter Green era and Bob Welch era material. I think the Bob Welch material gets short shrift, as well as Tusk. The set was released during the Burnette/Vito period and that's reflected in (in my opinion) an unrepresentative helping of that material. The thing that amazes me is how good it all sounds. Mick and John are just rocks (pun intended) behind whoever is out front. The breadth and depth of the material is amazing. Some complain about too much emphasis on the Buckingham/Nicks period. It's not possible to do otherwise. Although the Peter Green era produced more albums (7 vs. 6), the bands success, financially and (in my opinion) creatively, peaked in the Rumours/Tusk period. It's also the most long-lived lineup. What else is to be expected with 3 songwriters of the stature of Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie?

It's a bit hard to find (long out of print) but I located a like-new copy (perfect for a except cutout slice) on ebay express for $38. Well worth the effort and the money. It appears to still be in print in the UK. Check Amazon UK for a listing. It's fairly expensive, and shipping will be as well. Enjoy.

3 out of 5 stars Good, but a wasted opportunity (this review is of the full four disc boxed set).......2006-10-25

A lavish 4-disc boxed set that covers the band's entire first 25 years, including some rarities, a few previously unreleased tracks, four new songs, and a whole lot of big hits. All of the band's post-1975 hits are present here, except for the inexplicable exclusions of the hits "Hold Me" and "Seven Wonders" - the omissions of which are inexcusable for a thorough boxed set. An error was also made by attempting to incorporate the band's early years into the mix, which does not set well with the Buckingham/Nicks years of the band. The group's pre-1975 material is largely squeezed onto one disc, is hardly complete, and deserved to anthologized separately and better.

Having gotten those determinants out of the way, THE CHAIN still has a good amount to offer. There are four new songs, including Stevie Nicks' plodding and unfocused "Paper Doll" and two pleasant mid-tempo tunes from Christine McVie ("Love Shines," "Heart of Stone"). None of these three new songs are particularly memorable, but are somewhat significant in the sense that they are the final records by the BEHIND THE MASK lineup of the band, as both Nicks and Rick Vito abandoned ship in 1993. Lindsey Buckingham's sole new contribution, the haunting "Make Me a Mask," was probably an out-take from his 1992 solo album OUT OF THE CRADLE, but that's not a complaint as the neo-lullaby is easily the best of the new material.

The set also includes some B-sides and previously unreleased material, although I'm sure there's even more great material lurking the vaults somewhere. I was a bit disappointed that "Cool Water" (the B-side to 1982's "Gypsy") and "You and I, part I" (the B-side to 1987's "Big Love") were not included, but it was great to finally have a legitimate copy of the gorgeous "Sliver Springs" (the B-side to "Go Your Own Way") on CD. The highpoint of the previously unreleased material are two 1982 Lindsey Buckingham compositions, both left off of the album MIRAGE. The mid-tempo ballad "Goodbye Angel" is a beautiful fifties' homage, while the madcap "Teen Beat" is a wild instrumental (with some non-syllabic vocal ad libs thrown in) in the same vein as "Tusk." It is total mystery why these two tracks failed to make the cut the first time around.

There are also many terrific album tracks selected (which isn't that big of deal seeing that the band's entire discography is available on CD), and I was particularly pleased with the large amount of material from 1979's underrated masterpiece TUSK. The many tracks that are listed as "alternate mixes" are very misleading, however, as most sound identical to the original versions. The big exception here is the unedited version of "Gypsy," which has a has longer fadeout featuring more delightful interaction between Stevie and Lindsey and actually improves upon the classic original. Nicks' fans will also be delighted by the 1988 live version of her 1983 solo hit "Stand Back," which strips away the disco arrangement of the original and is performed as a straight ahead rock song.

Overall, THE CHAIN features enough fresh and interesting material to be a worthy buy for fans, but it is still somewhat of a wasted opportunity. The compilers obviously tried to cram in all of the many variations of this constantly evolving band into one package, and the results are simply not completely pleasing. This, the missing hits, the minimum of previously unreleased material, and the ho-hum new songs prevent the package from really hitting the bull's-eye. It may not be the definitive Fleetwood Mac collection that many were hoping for, but it certainly does have it's charms.

5 out of 5 stars Review for Box Set - The Chain.......2004-01-24

First off, I don't know why the box set is out of print. It's a crime IMO. So, since there is no box set, I will review it anyways under this title.

Basically this CD is a condensed version of the out of print box set- a sampler if you will. It is worth noting that this set includes a track not on the out of print box set - Bermuda Triangle (which orignally was from Heroes Are Hard To Find).

Now, as a box set, this is pretty good. It has tracks from all eras/line-ups of Fleetwood Mac represented up to that point (1992). It does include 1 b-side "Silver Springs" (which is also now available on The Very Best of FM), as well as a few unreleased gems from the Mirage period, a Danny Kirwin track titled Trinity, as well as a track from the proposed Jeremy Spencer EP called String-A-Long.

Also included are a few live tracks taken from FM Live '80 and other sources.

As far as "easily obtainable" material, the set does a good job at covering the band's most popular songs, although it would have been nice to see "Hold Me" and "Seven Wonders" on here as well.

The older material (aka Peter Green era) is concentrated on the 4th disc. They do a good job covering the basics of what the original FM sound was with most of the big songs by them during that period (Black Magic Woman, Albatross, Need Your Love So Bad, I Believe My Time Ain't Long (Dust My Broom), Oh Well, Rattlesnake Shake, etc). I do think that their "middle period songs" feel a little out of place on this disc, as well as the Hypmotized and Lay It All Down on CD 3. I believe they should have added another CD with the "middle period" stuff and add more to CD 4 of Peter Green material (maybe some live gems).

All in all, a very good set, if not for CD 4 alone, as there is not a good "compilation" of older FM material out there that can equal what CD 4 is (there are imports out there though if you look hard).

BUT, with this set being out of print, you'd be better off trying to look in a used CD store or auction site to find it.

In the meantime, enjoy this "sample" disc and relish in some of these great tunes.

5 out of 5 stars Something For Everyone........2001-08-22

If you've followed the various incarnations of Fleetwood Mac over the twenty-five year span this anthology covers and if you have an appreciation for all the genres represented here from Elmore James style guitar rave-ups to ultra-cool LA Pop, then you'll love this two-disc set.

What I find interesting, and other reviewers seem to loathe about this collection, is how it skips from the early Peter Green blues jams to the Bob Welch era pop ballards to the Lindsey Bunkingham light jazz classics and back to the Danny Kirwan / Jeremy Spencer Elvis rockabilly. Throughout all the changes in personel and all the stylistic experimentation, one thing has remained constant....Their rock solid rhythm section. The steady drumming of Mick Fleetwood and the ever so thick bass lines of John McVie have provided FM with the kind of heavy bottom most rock units would kill for.

So wheather your bent is hearing Stevie Nicks belting out Rhinnon, with a smokey rasp as only she can, or if your preference his hearing Peter Green's wailing guitar on his orginal version of Black Magic Woman, Green Manalishi or his Santo and Johnny sound-alike, Albatross...Then again you may prefer Lindsey Buckingham's vocal pyrotechnics on Big Love or maybe Christine McVie's classic Don't Stop is right for you, (it seemed to serve well for Bill Clinton's re-election campaign). Either way there's something for just about everyone in this interesting 25 year cross-section.

4 out of 5 stars Okay.......2001-07-07

Well...This item has always been my favorite. But I have one negitave reason, (I'll tell after). I liked Fleetwood Mac from age four. And when I had heard about the boxset, I was thrilled. It had all the music I liked of the new age Mac with Stevie Nicks, (she was always my favorite, with or without Mac.) Anyway, I was reading a review and I said to myself, well maybe, I do have some negitave things to say. When I look at the other albums, "Tango In The Night," and "Tusk," for instance...I look at all the songs from that CD that are not on the boxset. I didn't know all those songs at the time. I mean...there are alot of songs I like...but now when I think of all the other albums, I wish I had them other than this 4 disc set.
25 Years: The Chain (4 CD Box Set)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Mac Anthology - Sounds Great!
  • fleetwood mac lovers
 25 Years: The Chain (4 CD Box Set)

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | R&B | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Fleetwood Mac Live
  2. Crystal Visions - The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (CD / DVD)
  3. The Wild Heart

ASIN: B0009WQ3P0

Product Description

4-CD Box Set Of Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits - Contains many demos and other obscure rarities

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Mac Anthology - Sounds Great!.......2007-01-10

I really love this collection. It's not a greatest hits collection, although a good effort was made to select the best material. It is an anthology, giving an overview of many of the personalities, musical styles, and high-points of this incredibly durable band. The tracks are not organized chronologically. I really like this feature: I think significant effort was put into the choice and the order of the material; and it flows nicely.

Four discs, 72 tracks, including 4 new songs, 5 unreleased songs, 2 live and unreleased songs, and 9 alternative mix songs, so 28% of the total is not what was on the released albums and singles. And the alternative material sounds great. (I don't have the remastered Fleetwood Mac and Rumours albums (yet), so some of this might be redundant.) My favorite FM album is Tusk; but I also like Rumours, Fleetwood Mac, the Bob Welch records, and much of the Peter Green phase. (I think the Burnette/Vito period is the least interesting.)

The first disk is dominated by Mirage, Tango in the Night, and Behind the Mask material. Disc 2 is dominated by Rumours, Mirage, and Tusk material. Disc 3 is dominated by Tusk and Fleetwood Mac (white album) material with some Bob Welch era. Disc 4 is dominated by Peter Green era and Bob Welch era material. I think the Bob Welch material gets short shrift, as well as Tusk. The set was released during the Burnette/Vito period and that's reflected in (in my opinion) an unrepresentative helping of that material. The thing that amazes me is how good it all sounds. Mick and John are just rocks (pun intended) behind whoever is out front. The breadth and depth of the material is amazing. Some complain about too much emphasis on the Buckingham/Nicks period. It's not possible to do otherwise. Although the Peter Green era produced more albums (7 vs. 6), the bands success, financially and (in my opinion) creatively, peaked in the Rumours/Tusk period. It's also the most long-lived lineup. What else is to be expected with 3 songwriters of the stature of Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie?

It's a bit hard to find (long out of print) but I located a like-new copy (perfect for a except cutout slice) on ebay express for $38. Well worth the effort and the money. It appears to still be in print in the UK. Check Amazon UK for a listing. It's fairly expensive, and shipping will be as well. Enjoy.

5 out of 5 stars fleetwood mac lovers.......2006-12-04

Ideal gift for someone who really loves Fleetwood Mac. This disc set has many of their old and best sellers. I lost my cd box set to my 23 year old son so now i am retrieving the set. This is the first time I have found this set in over 4 years are better.
25 Years: the Chain
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		25 Years: the Chain

    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000A29ASG
    Release Date: 2003-02-24
    25 Years--The Chain
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Review of the Complete Box Set (4 CDs)
    • Good, but a wasted opportunity (this review is of the full four disc boxed set)
    • Review for Box Set - The Chain
    • Something For Everyone.
    • Okay
    		 25 Years--The Chain

    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
    Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Fleetwood Mac Live
    2. Say You Will (Limited Edition)
    3. Time
    4. Behind the Mask
    5. Fleetwood Mac - Destiny Rules

    ASIN: B000008FNB

    Album Description

    Import edition of 1992 box-set that's out-of-print domestically. Featuring a lot of great music, with plenty of the 1970s hits that made them one of the biggest bands in the world. Includes loads of alternate versions, previously unreleased material & live tracks. Four standard jewel cases housed in a deluxe slipcase. Informative booklet with U.S. & UK discographies.

    Album Details

    The Mammoth Four Disc Retrospective Box Set Issued in 1992 in Honour of the Band's 25th Anniversary. Songs from all Phases of their Career Are Included, featuring Former Members Peter Green, Bob Welch and Jeremy Kirwan, as Well as the Most Popular Lineup of Buckingham, Nicks, Fleetwood, Mcvie and Perfect.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Review of the Complete Box Set (4 CDs).......2007-01-11

    I really love this collection. It's not a greatest hits collection, although a good effort was made to select the best material. It is an anthology, giving an overview of many of the personalities, musical styles, and high-points of this incredibly durable band. The tracks are not organized chronologically. I really like this feature: I think significant effort was put into the choice and the order of the material; and it flows nicely.

    Four discs, 72 tracks, including 4 new songs, 5 unreleased songs, 2 live and unreleased songs, and 9 alternative mix songs, so 28% of the total is not what was on the released albums and singles. And the alternative material sounds great. (I don't have the remastered Fleetwood Mac and Rumours albums (yet), so some of this might be redundant.) My favorite FM album is Tusk; but I also like Rumours, Fleetwood Mac, the Bob Welch records, and much of the Peter Green phase. (I think the Burnette/Vito period is the least interesting.)

    The first disk is dominated by Mirage, Tango in the Night, and Behind the Mask material. Disc 2 is dominated by Rumours, Mirage, and Tusk material. Disc 3 is dominated by Tusk and Fleetwood Mac (white album) material with some Bob Welch era. Disc 4 is dominated by Peter Green era and Bob Welch era material. I think the Bob Welch material gets short shrift, as well as Tusk. The set was released during the Burnette/Vito period and that's reflected in (in my opinion) an unrepresentative helping of that material. The thing that amazes me is how good it all sounds. Mick and John are just rocks (pun intended) behind whoever is out front. The breadth and depth of the material is amazing. Some complain about too much emphasis on the Buckingham/Nicks period. It's not possible to do otherwise. Although the Peter Green era produced more albums (7 vs. 6), the bands success, financially and (in my opinion) creatively, peaked in the Rumours/Tusk period. It's also the most long-lived lineup. What else is to be expected with 3 songwriters of the stature of Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie?

    It's a bit hard to find (long out of print) but I located a like-new copy (perfect for a except cutout slice) on ebay express for $38. Well worth the effort and the money. It appears to still be in print in the UK. Check Amazon UK for a listing. It's fairly expensive, and shipping will be as well. Enjoy.

    3 out of 5 stars Good, but a wasted opportunity (this review is of the full four disc boxed set).......2006-10-25

    A lavish 4-disc boxed set that covers the band's entire first 25 years, including some rarities, a few previously unreleased tracks, four new songs, and a whole lot of big hits. All of the band's post-1975 hits are present here, except for the inexplicable exclusions of the hits "Hold Me" and "Seven Wonders" - the omissions of which are inexcusable for a thorough boxed set. An error was also made by attempting to incorporate the band's early years into the mix, which does not set well with the Buckingham/Nicks years of the band. The group's pre-1975 material is largely squeezed onto one disc, is hardly complete, and deserved to anthologized separately and better.

    Having gotten those determinants out of the way, THE CHAIN still has a good amount to offer. There are four new songs, including Stevie Nicks' plodding and unfocused "Paper Doll" and two pleasant mid-tempo tunes from Christine McVie ("Love Shines," "Heart of Stone"). None of these three new songs are particularly memorable, but are somewhat significant in the sense that they are the final records by the BEHIND THE MASK lineup of the band, as both Nicks and Rick Vito abandoned ship in 1993. Lindsey Buckingham's sole new contribution, the haunting "Make Me a Mask," was probably an out-take from his 1992 solo album OUT OF THE CRADLE, but that's not a complaint as the neo-lullaby is easily the best of the new material.

    The set also includes some B-sides and previously unreleased material, although I'm sure there's even more great material lurking the vaults somewhere. I was a bit disappointed that "Cool Water" (the B-side to 1982's "Gypsy") and "You and I, part I" (the B-side to 1987's "Big Love") were not included, but it was great to finally have a legitimate copy of the gorgeous "Sliver Springs" (the B-side to "Go Your Own Way") on CD. The highpoint of the previously unreleased material are two 1982 Lindsey Buckingham compositions, both left off of the album MIRAGE. The mid-tempo ballad "Goodbye Angel" is a beautiful fifties' homage, while the madcap "Teen Beat" is a wild instrumental (with some non-syllabic vocal ad libs thrown in) in the same vein as "Tusk." It is total mystery why these two tracks failed to make the cut the first time around.

    There are also many terrific album tracks selected (which isn't that big of deal seeing that the band's entire discography is available on CD), and I was particularly pleased with the large amount of material from 1979's underrated masterpiece TUSK. The many tracks that are listed as "alternate mixes" are very misleading, however, as most sound identical to the original versions. The big exception here is the unedited version of "Gypsy," which has a has longer fadeout featuring more delightful interaction between Stevie and Lindsey and actually improves upon the classic original. Nicks' fans will also be delighted by the 1988 live version of her 1983 solo hit "Stand Back," which strips away the disco arrangement of the original and is performed as a straight ahead rock song.

    Overall, THE CHAIN features enough fresh and interesting material to be a worthy buy for fans, but it is still somewhat of a wasted opportunity. The compilers obviously tried to cram in all of the many variations of this constantly evolving band into one package, and the results are simply not completely pleasing. This, the missing hits, the minimum of previously unreleased material, and the ho-hum new songs prevent the package from really hitting the bull's-eye. It may not be the definitive Fleetwood Mac collection that many were hoping for, but it certainly does have it's charms.

    5 out of 5 stars Review for Box Set - The Chain.......2004-01-24

    First off, I don't know why the box set is out of print. It's a crime IMO. So, since there is no box set, I will review it anyways under this title.

    Basically this CD is a condensed version of the out of print box set- a sampler if you will. It is worth noting that this set includes a track not on the out of print box set - Bermuda Triangle (which orignally was from Heroes Are Hard To Find).

    Now, as a box set, this is pretty good. It has tracks from all eras/line-ups of Fleetwood Mac represented up to that point (1992). It does include 1 b-side "Silver Springs" (which is also now available on The Very Best of FM), as well as a few unreleased gems from the Mirage period, a Danny Kirwin track titled Trinity, as well as a track from the proposed Jeremy Spencer EP called String-A-Long.

    Also included are a few live tracks taken from FM Live '80 and other sources.

    As far as "easily obtainable" material, the set does a good job at covering the band's most popular songs, although it would have been nice to see "Hold Me" and "Seven Wonders" on here as well.

    The older material (aka Peter Green era) is concentrated on the 4th disc. They do a good job covering the basics of what the original FM sound was with most of the big songs by them during that period (Black Magic Woman, Albatross, Need Your Love So Bad, I Believe My Time Ain't Long (Dust My Broom), Oh Well, Rattlesnake Shake, etc). I do think that their "middle period songs" feel a little out of place on this disc, as well as the Hypmotized and Lay It All Down on CD 3. I believe they should have added another CD with the "middle period" stuff and add more to CD 4 of Peter Green material (maybe some live gems).

    All in all, a very good set, if not for CD 4 alone, as there is not a good "compilation" of older FM material out there that can equal what CD 4 is (there are imports out there though if you look hard).

    BUT, with this set being out of print, you'd be better off trying to look in a used CD store or auction site to find it.

    In the meantime, enjoy this "sample" disc and relish in some of these great tunes.

    5 out of 5 stars Something For Everyone........2001-08-22

    If you've followed the various incarnations of Fleetwood Mac over the twenty-five year span this anthology covers and if you have an appreciation for all the genres represented here from Elmore James style guitar rave-ups to ultra-cool LA Pop, then you'll love this two-disc set.

    What I find interesting, and other reviewers seem to loathe about this collection, is how it skips from the early Peter Green blues jams to the Bob Welch era pop ballards to the Lindsey Bunkingham light jazz classics and back to the Danny Kirwan / Jeremy Spencer Elvis rockabilly. Throughout all the changes in personel and all the stylistic experimentation, one thing has remained constant....Their rock solid rhythm section. The steady drumming of Mick Fleetwood and the ever so thick bass lines of John McVie have provided FM with the kind of heavy bottom most rock units would kill for.

    So wheather your bent is hearing Stevie Nicks belting out Rhinnon, with a smokey rasp as only she can, or if your preference his hearing Peter Green's wailing guitar on his orginal version of Black Magic Woman, Green Manalishi or his Santo and Johnny sound-alike, Albatross...Then again you may prefer Lindsey Buckingham's vocal pyrotechnics on Big Love or maybe Christine McVie's classic Don't Stop is right for you, (it seemed to serve well for Bill Clinton's re-election campaign). Either way there's something for just about everyone in this interesting 25 year cross-section.

    4 out of 5 stars Okay.......2001-07-07

    Well...This item has always been my favorite. But I have one negitave reason, (I'll tell after). I liked Fleetwood Mac from age four. And when I had heard about the boxset, I was thrilled. It had all the music I liked of the new age Mac with Stevie Nicks, (she was always my favorite, with or without Mac.) Anyway, I was reading a review and I said to myself, well maybe, I do have some negitave things to say. When I look at the other albums, "Tango In The Night," and "Tusk," for instance...I look at all the songs from that CD that are not on the boxset. I didn't know all those songs at the time. I mean...there are alot of songs I like...but now when I think of all the other albums, I wish I had them other than this 4 disc set.
    The Chain: Selections From 25 Years
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		The Chain: Selections From 25 Years
      Fleetwood Mac
      Manufacturer: Wea International
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
      Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
      Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
      Blues RockBlues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
      Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
      Classic RockClassic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
      RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B000060P4U
      Release Date: 2002-02-05

      Tracks:

      1. Paper Doll [New Song]
      2. Love Shines [New Song]
      3. Love in Store [Alternate Mix]
      4. Goodbye Angel
      5. Heart of Stone [New Song]
      6. Silver Springs
      7. Oh Diane
      8. Big Love
      9. Rhiannon
      10. Crystal
      11. Chain [Alternate Mix]
      12. Over My Head
      13. Dreams [Alternate Mix]
      14. Go Your Own Way
      15. Sara
      16. Hold Me
      17. Gypsy
      18. Make Me a Mask [New Song]

      Tracks:

      1. Don't Stop
      2. Everywhere
      3. Tusk [Usc Intro Mix]
      4. Not That Funny [#]
      5. Beautiful Child [Alternate Mix]
      6. Teen Beat
      7. Need Your Love So Bad
      8. Did You Ever Love Me
      9. Oh Well, Pt. 1 [Original Mono Version Re-Channelled for Stereo]
      10. I Believe My Time Ain't Long
      11. Bermuda Triangle
      12. Why
      13. Station Man
      14. Albatross
      15. Black Magic Woman
      16. Stop Messin' Round
      17. Trinity
      18. Heroes Are Hard to Find
      19. Green Manalishi

      Music Review:

      1. '62-'66
      2. '67-'70
      3. Afterglow [Box set]
      4. Aja/Gaucho
      5. Back On Top Pt.2 [CD-single] [Import]
      6. Bad Love [CD-single] [EP] [Import]
      7. Beach Boys '69 [Live]
      8. Beach Boys - Greatest Hits
      9. Beckology [Box set] [Live]
      10. Best of (1957-1960)

      Music Review

      music review

      Music Review

      21st Century Rip Off [Import] [CD-single]

      Märta Schéle Sings

      Nicola [Import]

      Country Gold: Only Make Believe

      Music from the OC: Mix 4 [Import]

      Minotauri [Import]

      Momentary Lapse of Reason [Import]

      Nirvana Box

      Mas Que Vencedores

      La Transfirguration

      Mr.Downstairs

      Libero Sentire [Import]

      Life After Death [Explicit Lyrics]

      King of the Delta Blues

      The Marble Index