A man with an incredibly interesting biography. Born with family attachments to the Los Angeles star set, he learned to swim in Elizabeth Taylor's swimming pool and was something of a child prodigy musically speaking. His first girlfriend was Liza Minnelli. His life direction changed from seeking a conventional career in show business upon seeing A Hard Day's Night. He became equipment manager for the early Byrds through his friendship with David Crosby, auditioned unsuccessfully for The Monkees and then through a chance meeting with Arthur Lee joined The Grass Roots who soon became Love.
Contributing some of the band's best songs throughout their first three albums, the part he played to Love's lasting impact cannot be understated. Softly to Me, Orange Skies and Alone Again Or?, still Love's most famous song, were all written by him. Obviously a lesser talent than Lee himself he nevertheless played the role of sparring partner to the band's leader and the strange, paranoid Love/Hate Ying Yang of their first three albums. He also looked immaculate in their group shots, with his glowering looks and Brian Jones bowl.
After Forever Changes', (their creative peak), commercial failure the band dissolved. MacLean fell upon hard times and ended up having a spiritual conversion and joining a Christian ministry for several years in the early seventies before returning to music. He died of a heart attack on Christmas Day 1998. Lee, who finally emerged from untold tribulations of his own to enjoy the acclaim his achievements deserved in the last few years of his life regularly paid fulsome tribute to MacLean before playing his songs in concert.
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