Primary Wave Music has acquired the publishing rights of Peter Green, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, in a deal announced Monday that deepens the company’s stake in one of rock’s most influential legacies.
The acquisition includes Green’s interests in the songs he composed, as well as the full assets of his Rattlesnake music publishing catalog. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Among the catalog’s crown jewels are early Fleetwood Mac hits written by Green, including the instrumental chart-topper “Albatross,” the blues-rock classic “Oh Well,” and “Black Magic Woman,” which became a global smash for Santana and remains a timeless staple more than five decades on.
“When I look at the definition of a musical genius, Peter Green ticks every box,” said Primary Wave’s Robin Godfrey-Cass in a statement. “As a musician, songwriter, and founder of Fleetwood Mac, he is an icon. It has been over 60 years ago since he began writing his body of legendary songs which are still in use every day. I am ecstatic that the estate has given Primary Wave the reins to continue his amazing legacy.”
Green co-founded Fleetwood Mac in the late 1960s alongside drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, steering the band’s early years as a British blues powerhouse. “Albatross” became the group’s biggest hit in that era, topping U.K. charts in 1968. Though he only recorded three albums with the band, Green’s influence was pivotal. His departure in 1970, driven by mental health struggles later diagnosed as schizophrenia, marked the end of an era before Fleetwood Mac’s transformation into a global pop-rock sensation with the arrival of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Green passed away in 2020 at age 73, but his influence on modern guitar playing continues to be widely felt. Revered for his expressive tone and innovative approach to the blues, he is often ranked among the greatest guitarists of all time. His beloved 1959 Gibson Les Paul—dubbed “Greeny”—gained legendary status for its distinct tone, caused by an accidentally reversed pickup. The guitar is now in the hands of Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, who frequently plays it on tour and has gifted replicas to fellow musicians. This latest deal isn’t Primary Wave’s first Fleetwood Mac acquisition. In 2020, the company purchased a stake in Stevie Nicks’ publishing catalog. Other band members have followed suit with their own music rights transactions: Lindsey Buckingham sold his catalog to Hipgnosis Songs, Mick Fleetwood’s recorded music rights went to BMG, and Christine McVie’s estate sold her recorded music interests to HarbourView Equity Partners in 2023.
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