Christine McVie clarifies comments
 

From Rolling Stone:

Christine McVie clarifies comments that Fleetwood Mac is done. Check my postings as I foretold this was going to happen. She spoke honestly but off the cuff. People tweeted and ran with false and misleading headlines that were unfair to her and the band.
Now it is official

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...ments-1129059/


From Rolling Stone:


Last week, Christine McVie stunned Fleetwood Mac fans when she told the BBC she didn’t know if the band would ever tour again. “If we do, it will be without John [McVie] and without Stevie [Nicks], I think,” she said. “I think I’m getting a bit too old for it now, especially having had a year off. I don’t know if I can get myself back into it again.”

“[John] is feeling a little bit frail,” she continued. “You know he was ill. He’s fine, but he just hasn’t got the heart for it any more. He wants to get on his boat. You reach a certain age where you go: ‘Hey, I’m not going to bust a gut doing this anymore.'”

She concluded by saying that only drummer Mick Fleetwood would definitely be down for another tour. “[He] would do it in a lightning strike,” she said. “But I couldn’t possibly say. We’re certainly not touring this year either.”

The comments generated headlines around the world. But now, McVie has clarified to Rolling Stone where the group stands with regard to future touring.



“First and foremost, I’m thrilled to see that everyone still cares so much about Fleetwood Mac, how humbling to know what a lasting impact this band has had,” she said. “To clarify my recent comments, I was specifically asked if Fleetwood Mac would tour again. I gave a cheeky answer indicating that the band might be ‘done with that’ or ‘you just never know.’ I always intended to convey that, particularly after the last year, we just don’t know what the future holds.

“In no way are any members of Fleetwood Mac ‘done’ with being part of the band,” she continues. “If anyone took that from my statement, that was a misperception and not intended. Fleetwood Mac is part of the DNA of who I am, and I know the same is true for Stevie, Mick and John. As for future touring………Who knows. We continue to hope for the best.”



The band has been on hiatus since the conclusion of their An Evening With Fleetwood Mac tour in November 2019. It was their first tour since parting ways with singer-guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and bringing Crowded House’s Neil Finn and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell into the fold.

In February 2020, Mick Fleetwood staged a tribute concert to Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green at the London Palladium featuring Pete Townshend, David Gilmour, Steven Tyler, Billy Gibbons, Neil Finn, John Mayall, Kirk Hammett and Christine McVie. It’s coming to movie theaters on March 23rd and March 28th and will be released as a live album and DVD on April 30th.
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Oh she got a talking-to that's for sure. I'd have to assume Mick rung her up and gave her the marching orders to undo that. Now, that comment above...soooo, safe to say that Neil and Mike aren't part of Fleetwood Mac's future, whatever that may be? They don't have it in their DNA? But, new band?

I'd be surprised if Mike and Neil would be invited back. Just a hunch.

Probably wishful thinking on your part. I wouldn’t be surprised either way if it’s Neil and Mike or Lindsey if the band ever plays again, but I wouldn’t look into Christine’s comments as being some type of clue. Neil and Mike joined the band three years ago for a tour and haven’t made an album with them. It would have been ridiculous to mention them in that particular sentence.

Sounds like a successful strategy cooked up by a marketing team!

For all we really know, maybe the TikTok dude was a plant, too. Anything to make social media explode with your band name and music is desirable.

But all this analysis over whether the band is alive or dead is akin to debates about religious creed. For a band to be “alive,” it has to either record or perform, no? I guess it can also temporarily maintain in limbo, too. But ultimately it has to get down to business at some point if it’s going to be a band. You can’t perform much at the moment (although I guess you could perform in a virtual environment), so that leaves recording. Once again, this damn band — no matter who’s in it — is just languishing. No real activity of any sort. If you think that releasing a TikTok response is “activity,” just go away from me because you are a moron and not worth talking to seriously. Musicians can do their thing even during a pandemic: Dylan released an album, Lady Gaga released an album, Taylor Swift released an album, the Strokes released an album, the Black Eyed Peas released an album, Stevie’s lovelies Haim released an album, and on and on. Fleetwood Mac has been off the road since November 2019 — over a year — and its longtime members don’t even know what the group is going to do in the future. It’s so typical of the Mac and also laugh-inducing. I think Fleetwood Mac could trend in social media for probably ten years without actually doing anything as a band, and maybe that’s the plan.

You could argue that Fleetwood Mac as an intact (ALL '75 members) actively recording band has been dead since 1997 due to Christine's absence for Say You Will.

They've been able to contractually agree to which venue, which city, and when they all need to show up at for concert dates (in various lineup configurations) and that's about it.

Lindsey was able to "heard the sheep" into a room for various sessions that came to be the E.P and then again with Christine's return that became Buckingham McVie.

It's such a shame so much time/energy was wasted kissing somebody's a$$, when so much other ground could of been covered before age became a factor.

Having listened to the interview, I was struck by how Christine-bless her- sounded as if she was showing her years
As regards her comments on the band, I think that she may not have been expecting this question and hence 'fluffed it' a bit in her answer: her reference to John not being well would appear to be about his cancer back in 2013, rather than anything recent( notice the way that she tried to clarify this comment by saying "he's fine")
Let's face it :90% of the questions she is always asked are about Chicken Shack, joining Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey and Stevie joining, Rumours, blah,blah blah....and she has these answers/replies off by heart.
The question that she was asked was one to which she genuinely did not know the answer- and nor , do I suspect, does anyone!

I'd bet band management, ie Azoff

Well the interview wasn’t live...it was recorded at The Americana Awards on 28th January and didn’t air till 7th Feb, on Johnnie Walker show.

So either Christine or management could have taken the statement out..

I think she had a stinking cold and was under the weather, normally she’s a very safe pair of hands, but she made a slip up.....and had her hand smacked!!

I agree with everything you wrote. She did not sound so well. But she was honest and sincere with her comments. However, she did not understand the giant controversy she was going to cause. No one has discussed anything especially about tours so it was silly for her to predict in a subtle way what she thinks will happen. I sensed it right away with the way she spoke. As history shows, no one can ever predict what Fleetwood Mac will ever do.
Mick probably had a cow. The phone conversation went something like this.

Mick: Hello dear Christine
Christine: Oh hi Mick
Mick: You know you have always been like a sister to me, right.
Christine: yeah.....
Mick: You know I have this live album coming out and trying to live off these sales. I even tried to sell Biddy's old undies. I need money Chris.....so why in bloody hell did you say Fleetwood Mac is done with Stevie and John out? I need them Chris. No one will buy tickets to my meet and greet if Stevie is not around. You know that.
Christine: I'm sorry Mick, I did not mean anything by it. I will call Rolling Stone and clarify.
Mick: Thanks dear. You always will be the songbird of Fleetwood Mac. I dont care what Stevie has said about you in the past. Toodles!

Very funny and probably pretty close to point. Let’s face the reality folks the live shows are done with this band. So sad but true.

Seems like Stevie's plan. Live off your "legendary" status and just get lots of stories that pop up in the press to keep your name out there and create the impression you are doing something. Stevie will NEVER, EVER, EVER publicly say she is "retired" because, let's face it, she defines her whole existence on the planet by her career. Chris saying Stevie won't tour again with FM takes Stevie off the list of top-touring acts and that will.not.do. She can't have #1 albums anymore but dammit she can still be in a top-grossing act.

That's what's frustrating about LB-- he's the one who actually seems to WANT to keep creating, and certainly can without the band, and isn't.... If he has any remote dreams that yet another LB solo album can morph into a big FM project/album he needs one of his wife's horses to give him a swift kick. Get on with it already.

Or, maybe he‘s holding out for LBCM2 or some other Fleetwood Mac offshoot. The Medium Machine is surprisingly preferable to the Small Machine when you’re not allowed to be in the Big Machine anymore.

This is probably VERY close to the truth.

And thanks for mentioning the old scumbag selling Biddy's old panties.:lol:

yep! and Mick's gotten a call from SN/mgmt. how do you mean? Stevie Nicks would NEVER break / leave / insert your verb FM!

yep, no doubt. it was just a matter of time! :thumbsup:

please stop saying stuff like this. we do not need another [original] Gift of Screws repeat. no more rolling solo projects into Mac. one GOS tragedy was enough. :distress:

no matter how much some people here seem to be clamoring and insisting that Lindsey needs Mac, or Mac members, he doesn't. sure for friendship, but not for his career or his legacy.

he's not Mick and doesn't need money, plus his last few solo tours have been making money anyway. he needs artistic fulfillment. he needs to add albums to his legacy, the ones he has completed or in the making. what he doesn't need is to wait. so i'm with you there. that album needs to start getting out slowly - start releasing singles.

If she got a call from anybody, it was only to clarify this person‘s or that person’s standing with the band, not lecture her. Christine is almost 78, has been a part of Fleetwood Mac to some degree since April, 1968, and has written most of their hits. Stevie isn’t in a position to lecture her. THIS is why:

The implication of this suggests that since the big touring days are over, Mick, Christine, and Mike now have the power, not Stevie. It was one thing during the LBCM days when Fleetwood Mac still had at least one more huge payday tour in it. That’s not the case anymore. If I were those three, I’d give her an ultimatum to make an album or be fired. Have the termination letter and a press release ready ahead of time. Stevie would be publicity humiliated, lose an income stream outside of her solo career, and Mike could threaten to bar her from any Heartbreakers reunion/tribute show.

Food for thought.

Sure, his last few tours made money. One was him and a karaoke machine, one was with Christine, and the last benefited from his firing from Fleetwood Mac.

Whether or not Lindsey needs the money is irrelevant. Lindsey is in business and making money is a priority. Why do you think he’s been waiting to release it when he could tour behind it? He needs to promote it. If it was just about the art, he wouldn’t have signed to a label.

History has shown that whenever Lindsey teams up with Mick, his music gets much more attention than if he goes it alone. And, with Mick gushing about him in recent interviews, what’s the single easiest way for Lindsey to promote his music at this point?

right, like BuckVie? Mick was on it and gushing about it.

the main sales it had was because of Christine and BBC advertising the sh*t out of it in the UK, where it was like #2 or something on the charts for a good long time. and they were stupid enough not to tour there.

Mick's presence and gushing about it did absolutely nothing for BuckVie album. and if he was on the tour with them, it would have been the same.

what history has shown is that Fleetwood Mac is a brand.

It still charted in the Top 20 (#17) in the USA, which is significantly higher than any of his solo albums.

L&O was his highest (#32), driven by his Top 10 hit, “Trouble,” and we remember who played drums on that.

Christine was speaking honestly in that BBC interview. Her comments were very likely based on conversations she has had with various band members.

It is equally likely that Irving Azoff and Mick blew gaskets for different reasons. Azoff is looking out for the viability of his start client (Stevie). Fleetwood refuses to let the Mac torch die, no matter how low the flame burns to the wick.

I’m sure Stevie was pissed by Christine’s comments, too.

I, in turn, applaud Christine for being the same candid, and occasionally loose-lipped conversationalist she has always been.

One thing should be noted. According to Stevie, Christine was willing and eager to work on SAY YOU WILL, but was not willing to tour. Mick and Lindsey argued that this would not bode well for the band’s future. If they’d toured live without her new music, fans might get pissed. They had a point: if they were to survive the retirement of Christine McVie then they had to go full bore without her. But just imagine how awesome SAY YOU WILL would have been had she been allowed to participate!

I think you need to go back and re-read what I wrote, because what I was saying was exactly what you are saying...

I said that if he thinks he can hang on and turn his solo project yet again into a FM project, he needs to get a kick from one of his wife's horses.... as in, a kick in the head, as in, bad idea. As in, release your damned solo album already.

Here's a direct cut and paste:

"That's what's frustrating about LB-- he's the one who actually seems to WANT to keep creating, and certainly can without the band, and isn't.... If he has any remote dreams that yet another LB solo album can morph into a big FM project/album he needs one of his wife's horses to give him a swift kick. Get on with it already."

The album actually would have been listenable and enjoyable!:D Seriously, cut that bloated POS down to 12 songs, with 4 of those being Chris songs.

I actually agree with Lindsey and Dick's argument. IF they had a hit, how could they go tour it without THE hit maker?

They should have let her record, and talked her into a SHORT 15-20 date tour, with no extensions.

I think SYW would have been much better with Christine’s 3/4 songs...and I like SYW as it is !!
they could have toured without her....they toured without Lindsey, didn’t seem to make a lot of difference to the average concert goer..

Why would that 'publicly humiliate' Stevie? And she hardly needs an income stream after the publishing deal she signed. So they could try that gambit, but it would likely blow up in their faces

Christine called Mick back after the clarification comments.

Christine to Mick: If there's been a fool around, its got to be me. Why are you so right when I'm so wrong. Everything you do is just alright. And I cant walk away from you if I tried

The headline “Fleetwood Mac Fires Stevie Nicks” would humiliate Stevie, to be sure.

Agreed, her bloated ego would burst all over the newspaper. (because she doesn't use internet) :laugh:

Christine's voice is much more difficult to replace than Lindsey's(no disrespect). WHO TF is going to sing YMLF and even remotely sound like her?

The answer? Ain't nobody.

Christine McVie IS Fleetwood Mac.

Sheryl Crow would have nailed it. Just ask Stevie.

Remember when they tried SYLM? lolololololololololol

Oh, Sheryl Crow's ass! She's the best thing that never happened to FM.

At least they realized what they were missing.

Ain't nobody gonna out Christine Christine.
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You know, it's actually sinking in now, that the band of my life is probably done. I hate seeing them at the end stages of life. It's like when your parents die....you know who's up to bat next? YOU!

Oh JFC...here we go with chart numbers again.

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Sorry verifiable facts bother you so much.

It’s over.......
 

This is the end of Fleetwood Mac. Christine may have spoke pre maturely without checking with the band but it’s word. She is back peddling a bit now. It would be embarrassing if they attempted to step on the stage again. I couldn’t even bring myself to see them on their last tour. Sad but true.

RollingStone posting today 2014 YT video of Little Lies. Not Little Lies from 2018 or 2019.
Also petitioning for a tour with Lindsey at the end
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...mpression=true