The rock masterpiece that was nearly erased by an airport x-ray

History · Published 5 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1972, Fleetwood Mac released Bare Trees, an album that would eventually achieve platinum status. Yet, before it hit the shelves, the master recordings were nearly destroyed by a routine security check. This is the story of a band's creative peak, a fired guitarist, and a neighbor's poetry.

Released in March 1972, Bare Trees serves as a pivotal moment in Fleetwood Mac's discography. It was the final studio album to feature guitarist Danny Kirwan, who was dismissed during the supporting tour following a heated backstage dispute with Bob Welch. While the band's publicist claimed Kirwan left voluntarily to pursue a solo career, Mick Fleetwood later revealed a more volatile reality: Kirwan was fired after destroying his Gibson Les Paul and refusing to perform. The band was forced to complete the set without him, telling the audience he was ill.

The album's creative depth is anchored by Kirwan, who wrote the majority of the music. His contributions were praised by Mick Fleetwood for their sophisticated layering techniques. The record also features significant contributions from Christine McVie, whose songwriting was lauded by critics like Tony Stewart for its emotional resonance. A unique highlight is the closing track, "Thoughts on a Grey Day," which is not a band song at all. Instead, it is a monaural recording of a poem read by Mrs. Scarrott, an elderly woman living near the band's communal home, 'Benifold'.

The album's journey to the public was nearly cut short by a technological mishap. Upon finishing, the primary tapes moved to New York, undergoing immediate erasure and demagnetisation during an airport x-ray scan. The band had to endure a "horrible and hectic" period of emergency remixing at the Record Plant to salvage the work. Despite this near-disaster, the album eventually peaked at number 70 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1988.

Critically, the album is often cited as the band's first consistently strong effort. It balanced tight rock and roll playing with tasteful guitar work that avoided "instrumental ego trips." From the inclusion of Rupert Brooke's 1910 poetry in the lyrics of "Dust" to the use of a mellotron for flute noises, Bare Trees represents a sophisticated intersection of folk influence and rock craftsmanship.

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