I love/miss Christine
 

Yeah, I'm drunk and I've been watching Christine clips on YouTube. Mainly '73-'75 era stuff. While I hate referring to her in the past tense, she's retired, so...She was amazing. All these years later, I realize that Lindsey, Danny, Peter, Bob, Billy, and especially John had an imact on me as a player (though, I still kinda suck, and I've accepted that fact), Christine is ultimately what kept me coming back to Fleetwood Mac. It's ironic, but the band is playing in New Orleans tonight, the city where Chris made her debut with Fleetwood Mac, but I could care less. I didn't see the tour this time out (which kills me because John McVie's playing kills me a little more -in a good way- every time I see him). It's just not the same without her there, and I don't give a crap about the whole Stevie/Lindsey drama BS.

I'm glad I got to at least see her twice before she stopped touring, and I'm glad she's happy. But damnit, part of me is a selfish prick!

I'm sober but I wholeheartedly agree. I will be going to see them on this tour, and went to see them in 2003, but it annoys the hell out of me that I never got to see them live as a five-piece.

me too! I miss her so much. I love Stevie and Lindsey as much as the next person...but a LOT of my favorite Mac songs are from Christine.
She was such an important part of their sound and left a void no one can fill.

How do you know she's happy? I don't have any idea whether she's happy. Even if she says she's happy, what does that demonstrate? Unhappy people often say they're happy, just to get other people off their back. Fans are always making assumptions about Fleetwood Mac's emotional states. Christine is happily retired, Lindsey is happily married, Lindsey is secretly miserable, Stevie is happy that Lindsey is happy, Stevie is miserable that Lindsey is happy, Mick is happy in his cups, John is miserable and withdrawn, John is happily out of the limelight, Lindsey & Stevie are unhappily glaring at each other in this photograph, Lindsey & Stevie are happily hugging & Tusking each other, &c.

When a fan says, "Stevie is healthy now," I think, "You shouldn't be peeking at her medical records -- those are confidential."

By the way, I'm very unhappy that Chris left Fleetwood Mac. Her departure left them without a great singer.

I really don't care whether or not she's happy. I just want her to record with the band again. Even if she was very miserable during the recording process, I want her to do that, because it would make ME happy.

I don't ask that she tour again -- not because I want her to be happy -- but because I don't think that would ever happen in a million years. So, I just ask her to do a one-off and she could be crying in despair for the whole show, I'd still want her to do it.

I think that you're happy David. I can tell that you're really relaxed, at peace and content. Two days ago when you posted, it was clear that you were upset and irritated. In fact, very near tears. I'm glad that you cooled down. Seeing you ride that bike with your beloved dog galloping beside you told me all I need to know about your state of mind. Stay well.

Michele

Great post... you have a lot of wits about you when you're drunk...

Best part of this post to me is that Christine is responsible for you coming back... and for me taking piano... Whenever I watch FM, it's always interesting for me to watch what Christine is doing... Linsdey makes his way over to her... Stevie goes back by her... Mick looks over at her... John comes over to her... I think she kept them in time.. but I could be wrong..

When going to the Dance.. I was right in front of her and noticed she would glare ... some cues to Mick and John.... and then look over at Linsdey a few times as well.... I often felt like she was directing a little bit.... I miss her too...

I'll assume she's much happier because after listening to FM as of late... I'd be happy to be out of that bad vocal situation... They just don't sound good... and that's the bottom line of a band... sound.... Linsdey has to do so much goofing around with his voice just to cover I'm So Afraid.... it's not worth 125 bucks... not even close...

Great discussion post... thanks Steve...

I think John has said that she kept him in time. I could be wrong, but I thought he said that he tried to follow her and not Mick.

It seemed to me that 80% of the time when Lindsey was standing away from his mic not singing, he was looking directly at Christine. I don't think he was necessarily looking at her to play in synch. I think he was just experiencing those moments in the concert with her.

That reminds me of another very nice part of that first BTM where Lindsey showed up. During Landslide, Stevie went over to Christine. I only saw the BTM show once, so I don't know if Stevie went over to Christine every night during Landslide, but it really felt like a reunion when she did it the night with Lindsey there.

Michele

I saw the BTM tour at Wembley and Stevie went over to Christine during Landslide. Christine wasn't looking so Stevie tapped the keyboard to get her attention. Christine looked up and smiled and so did Stevie. I was miles away but it was on the big screen. It might have been rehearsed but it didn't look like it.

Gail

Well, I assume she's happy not touring with that lot anymore! (Pretty sad when the only sane person still in the band is your ex-husband...Okay, to be fair, Mick has always been a little off-kilter, but is still a good guy. But those other two would drive me bat-**** crazy after a few months on the road. I really wish that she could've had at least one drama-free tour with Fleetwood Mac. Like her with Bob Welch and Billy Burnette.)

When I imagine what you described in my mind, as much as I love the advancements we have now with cameras, to the point where at least part of every show gets recorded by someone, it really makes me regret all the moments we missed and don't have a record of even more.

In a way, if we didn't have such broad access now, I don't think I'd be as starkly aware of all that we've missed.

Michele

I saw every LA show from the white album thru The Dance (excluding the Bekka/Billy/Dave phase...that was not Fleetwood Mac to me!)...however, I did not see the '03 show and I didn't see the current tour....it's just not Fleetwood Mac to me anymore without the two ladies. However, even the tour for The Dance was starting to sound like a Vegas Greatest Hits act.
Will I buy another record from the band? In a heartbeat.....but I sure hope there's more of a group feel on it than Say You Will.
That said, I wish Chris well....I know whe'll never tour or record a full album with the group again, and I'm fine with that....at 66, she's earned her retirement! Would I at least like to see another solo album? DEFINITELY!!! But anything else is selfish and just down right rude!

I honestly think there's one more album in her. I really do. As good as ITM was, it didn't sound like a valediction.

Wouldn't that be nice...

but as I understand... ITM happened by accident...

Maybe Christine will tour by well-appointed ship and train car yet? I think she has always been great myself, even where she's hard on her own work I usually disagree. I return to Christine's songs more than any other past Kirwan and Green, and with the best rhythm section of all time is when all three were at their greatest.

I don't understand the whole Buckingham/Nicks drama package, some kind of nuerosis milked for public display I guess but it never interested me, I have liked a fair amount of their music and some of the collaborative contributions to Christine's music. I still wish a stripped version of Tango In The Night could be put together like Let It Be Naked by The Beatles.

I'm happy with what Christine has shared if there were never any more, and thankful, but my ear is also always open...