Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green’s son is living on the streets in London two years after the late rock star’s £4.5million will left nothing to the 38-year-old.
Liam Firlej has followed in his father’s musical footsteps, but plays his music outside Richmond station rather than in recording studios.
Green had Liam after a years-long romance with Janina Firlej, but refused to acknowledge his son until he took a DNA test to prove his paternity in 2017.
The army veteran – who quit the forces in 2003 due his opposition to the Iraq War – has been homeless several times in his life, but says this has been the most traumatic.
Liam claims he was forced back onto the streets three months ago as he tries to keep paying for his maternal grandmother’s care, after she raised him in his father’s absence.
Liam Firlej, 38, is seen busking outside Richmond station in London two year’s after he was left out of his late father and Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green’s will
Green (seen in 2004) had Liam after a years-long romance with Janina Firlej, but refused to acknowledge his son until he took a DNA test to prove his paternity in 2017
Liam Firlej (seen in 2020) has followed in his father’s musical footsteps, but plays his music outside a tube station rather than in recording studios, saying: ‘I’m a musician just like my father. It’s in the blood’
Nevertheless, Liam previously said he grew up worshipping his father who co-founded the iconic band in 1967 – though he quit three years later- and that he was desperate for the star to reunite with him.
‘I’m a musician just like my father, I can play multiple instruments’ Liam said. ‘It’s in the blood.’
However, Liam has also expressed his anger that he was effectively fatherless growing up, after the end of the romance which began in 1980 – when Green was in his 30s and his mother Janina was aged 18.
He was instead brought up by his maternal grandmother, Maureen Firlej, due to his mother experiencing mental health problems.
Liam claims he is unable to pay both Maureen’s care costs and his own rent, and has taken to living in a green tent in Richmond town centre, as PTSD has left him ‘suicidal’.
‘When you’re homeless your pride is non-existent,’ he told MyLondon. ‘It’s dead, it doesn’t exist. You can’t feel good about yourself. I just feel numb all the time.
‘That’s when you don’t care about yourself, you self-destruct. You just hate yourself and start drinking.
‘If you’re ever homeless it takes about three weeks and then your mind switches into a totally different state. Then you just don’t give a f*** anymore about anything. But I’m used to it now.’
Liam said: ‘When you’re homeless your pride is non-existent. I just feel numb all the time’
Liam was made homeless three months ago as he tries to pay for his maternal grandmother Maureen Firlej’s care. They are seen together as Maureen raised Liam due to his father’s absence and mother’s mental health difficulties
Liam as a teenager with his mother Janina
Liam has spent most of his life in south west London – born in Kingston and growing up in Clapham before moving to Richmond.
As a young adult Liam joined the Army, but left in 2003 due his opposition to the Iraq War.
Throughout his 20s and 30s he went on to work multiple manufacturing jobs, and most recently worked as a support worker at Brixton Night Shelter.
Liam said he has tried to avoid sleeping rough in central London to keep away from drugs and violent crime.
He has been homeless several times but said this has been the most traumatic spell, including when he was staying at a hostel in Tooting and another resident threatened to attack him unless he handed over all his money.
‘I’m really trying to get housed, but it’s impossible at the moment,’ he said. ‘The caseworkers did house me in a few places, they’ve all been awful.
‘In one place a man downstairs was smashing the walls with his fists constantly, and in another there was black mould coupled with constant shouting from the flat above.’
Liam added that his three-year-old daughter, who lives with her mother, is the only thing keeping him going.
‘I miss her so much all the time, she means the world to me,’ he said. ‘I just want to look after her, I don’t want to be on the street. I’ve got to keep on going for her. It’s so hard.’
He said people in Richmond, a relatively well off part of the city, are very kind to him and many now know his difficult family history.
‘Some people also give me money because of my father,’ he added.
Liam previously said he grew up worshipping his father (pictured) who co-founded the iconic band in 1967, and wrote hits like Black Magic Woman, Albatross and Man Of The World
Peter Green (bottom left) is seen with Fleetwood Mac bandmates (left-right) John McVie, Jeremy Spencer, Mick Fleetwood and Danny Kirwan in 1969
Green (left) reunited with the new-look Fleetwood Mac lineup (L-R: John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998
Green (pictured performing in 1996) was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia, and slept rough for a short period himself before passing away at his home in Canvey Island, Essex in July 2020
Green was integral to the band’s early success before mental health and drug problems forced his exit in 1970.
In the three years for which Green was involved, Fleetwood Mac – then comprised of Green, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer and John McVie after a brief sting for Bob Brunning – released hits including Black Magic Woman, Albatross and Man Of The World.
The band continued with a transformed line-up featuring a core group of Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie and Christine McVie. This phase gave rise to their huge albums Fleetwood Mac and Rumours.
Green was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia, and slept rough for a short period himself before passing away at his home in Canvey Island, Essex in July 2020.
Liam said after repeated attempts to contact his father and get his recognition before his death, he went to the High Court in a DNA battle to prove he was Green’s son – and admitted it was the ‘happiest day of my life’ when his paternity was proven.
The former support worker previously said his parents had a ‘rocky’ relationship after their first meeting in 1980 and that the musician used to kick her out of the house.
He recalls that Green rarely visited him, but once appeared at his nursery school with ‘wild hair and long nails’ with staff telling the musician he was ‘scaring’ the children.
In his early 20s, Liam was given an address and phone number thought to be Green’s, and he wrote him several letters.
He said Green then rang him with the father and son chatting ‘about life’ on several calls before Liam lost his phone – with further letters to the star receiving no answer.
Liam said he resorted to turning up at one of Green’s gigs in 2010 but claims he was banned from speaking to him.
In 2022, details of Green’s will were revealed, showing that three quarters of the rocker’s £4.5m fortune were left to his siblings and the remaining quarter to daughter Rosebud, leaving Liam empty-handed
Pictured in a school photo, Liam said Green rarely visited him when he was young, but once appeared at his nursery school with ‘wild hair and long nails’
Liam took a DNA test to prove his paternity shortly before his father’s death, but was seemingly never acknowledged by the star
He did manage to establish a relationship with Green’s daughter Rosebud, who the star shared with ex wife Jane Samuels – but said he still felt like the ‘black sheep’ of the family.
In 2022, details of Green’s will were revealed, showing that three quarters of the rocker’s £4.5m fortune were left to his siblings and the remaining quarter to Rosebud, who lives in the US, but only if she could prove that she is his biological daughter.
It is not clear why he specifically asked her to prove that he was her father but his will was made at a time when he was suffering from several mental health issues.
His brothers Michael and Leonard Green, and his sister Linda Aviram, also had the final say on whether Roesbund is really his daughter and could therefore receive her inheritance, on top of inheriting their share.
For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit samaritans.org