Who was the original bassist of Fleetwood Mac?

Bob Brunning was the original bassist of Fleetwood Mac. When Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood formed the band in July 1967, Brunning joined alongside guitarist Jeremy Spencer while John McVie remained with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.

Brunning's tenure was brief. He played with the newly formed group during its earliest performances, including the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival. Green hoped that McVie would eventually change his mind and join, and that happened after only a few weeks. McVie then replaced Brunning and became the band's long-term bassist.

Although he was no longer a regular member, Brunning's connection to Fleetwood Mac did not disappear entirely. He contributed bass to “Long Grey Mare,” a track on the band's 1968 debut album, Fleetwood Mac. He later played with Savoy Brown, formed or joined other blues groups, and wrote books about Fleetwood Mac and the British blues scene.

The common mistake is answering John McVie because he is the bassist most associated with the classic lineup. McVie was the original choice of Green and Fleetwood, but Brunning was the band's first bassist in performance.