How feasible is it?
 

I didn't know exactly where to post this. We all know that Chris doesn't want to tour anymore. I would like to know how feasible you guys think it would be that she (or other former members) would do a limited number of dates if the rumoured '07 tour ends up being a reunion, anniversary and/or farewell tour.

I'm not that familiar with all of the other members' relationships with the current band - are things all good, are they strained, have they completely lost touch? Is Peter well these days, able and/or willing to play on stage? Do LB& Welch get along or even know eachother well? Would Stevie let Bekka sing Rhiannon? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: JK.

If they did a short U.S. tour, 40 or 50 dates, then maybe a few in the UK & Europe, I wonder if some of the former members would do a limited number of those dates?

I mean, do the full tour with John, Mick, Stevie & LB - I would prefer Chris to do the entire tour, but assuming she can't be dragged out of retirement.... They could do a few dates with Chris, a few with Welch, a few with Peter, etc. & highlight that particular member's best songs.

I'm sure a limited number of dates, coupled with the fact that there'd be different people at most shows, would probably sell very well. It wouldn't be overkill (like playing the same markets repeatedly, ala SYW) and I for one would definitely travel to see more than one show if I knew I could see Chris at one, Peter at another...

I'm just throwing it out there to see what people think. ;shrug: I have no idea if any of this is remotely possible, or probable, or even desirable. Thoughts, please.

My gut tells me an appearance by Christine, even at just one or two shows in London, is unlikely. As far as other folks:

Peter is certainly well enough to play these days, but I don't know that he (or I, for that matter) would have any interest in being part of the Stevie-Lindsey circus. Ditto Jeremy (whose relationship with Mick is probably a bit less friendly than Peter's, but I think they're at least on good terms). Personally, I'd like to see a few dates with just Peter-Jeremy-John-Mick. I think there's a lot of potential for something like that to be really great, and I believe we have at least a few hints that Peter might be interested. Maybe somebody could gauge Jeremy's interest over on the Pre-Rumours forum, if he's still reading.

Danny's not a possibility at all, I think he's still far too ill.

Bob Welch of course has had some rather strained relationships with Mick, John and Chris as a result of the whole royalty debacle, but I bet he'd be willing to bury the hatchet if Mick and John were. (As far as Bob and Lindsey are concerned, they at least got along well enough back in the 70s; Lindsey did some producing for him.)

Bob Weston... probably not, I doubt he's been in touch with anyone in the Mac for quite a few years now.

Dave Walker... uhhh...

Rick and Billy - I can't imagine either of them wouldn't be amenable to the idea of playing some dates with the band. Same with Dave Mason and Bekka, though I wonder if they'd even be considered by the current band.

Personally, with the exception of seeing Bob Welch join in the fun, or seeing Christine come back into the fold for at least a few dates, I don't really have much interest in a The-Many-Faces-of-Fleetwood-Mac Variety Show. My big hope, as I mentioned above, is a Peter-Jeremy-John-Mick reunion, or at least a Peter-John-Mick reunion. Some live shows would be a great treat, but my real dream is for them to cut an album together, with somebody like Rick Rubin at the reins making sure everything gets done good and proper, and helping them choose a cool mix of blues standards and newer songs (stuff by the likes of the White Stripes or Black Keys) and maybe some new originals to record.

Gotta get my hands on this new Jeremy album that everybody seems to like, too...

It's certainly desirable but I don't think Christine would do it.

She hasn't played live since The Dance tour which if they tour in 2007 will be around 10 years without playing live. I just don't think she's got it in her anymore (more's the pity)

Bob Welch or Peter Green might be persuaded though.

I'd travel a long way to see FM with Christine again but I don't think I need to start saving up!

Gail

First off, I think Bob Welch should just rejoin full-time. With Christine on the shelf, having Welch there would rid the spectre of Fleetwood Mac being "Buckingham Nicks with an awesome rhythm section". And, give Fleetwood Mac the style of lineup that has served them well through the years...three songwriters/singers.

I like your idea in general, but there are some details that I don't necessarily agree with.

If Christine wouldn't get on stage with them for ONE night in her own backyard during the SYW tour, I'd say chances are not just "slim", but "none" that she'd even step on stage with them ever again (maybe for a curtain call, but not to perform). But, she's surprised us before (i.e The Dance)

As far as Peter (& Jeremy, who you didn't mention), I'd like to see those two, with Mick & John do a series of small blues club shows in between dates of the large arena/amphitheatre shows of the "big" Fleetwood Mac. (i.e. Fleetwood Mac hits SoCal...they play Staples Center with the full crew on a Monday, House Of Blues Sunset on Tuesday with just the original four, Arrowhead Pond on Wednesday (full crew), House Of Blues Disney on Thursday (orig 4), San Diego Sports Arena on Friday (full crew), The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano (orig 4)....that way, it wouldn't be too overwhelming for Peter and his sensitive psyche; if he (&/or Jeremy) felt inspired to appear on stage at the big venues, they could.

As far as others:

Bob Weston...he's only really kept in touch with Bob Welch, as far as I know (from what I infer from his Q&A here a while back)

Rick Vito...I get the feeling there's not a whole lot of love lost between Rick & Lindsey...so I doubt he'd be all that interested...UNLESS...

...Billy Burnette got involved. Rick & Billy are good friends...Billy & Bob Welch are good friends. So, if Welch was on board, I think you'd probably see BOTH Rick & Billy, too. But, probably not while Lindsey was on stage, though. It seems like a case of "this stage ain't big enough"

If Billy was involved, then I think Bekka might be interested. The Daves? Walker...a definite no. Mason...highly unlikely; he's doing his own thing and I doubt his memories of his time (no pun intended) in Fleetwood Mac are all that pleasant. But, we could get his band to be the opening act.

it's SO weird you posted this. I was thinking last night about what if Stevie didn't do the tour (just pondering really) and it was just the 3 guys...what about them apples...

Brilliant idea! Talk about having your cake and eating it too...

Although depending on the Stevie-Lindsey setlist (and price), I'd probably just hit the (hopefully much cheaper) club shows.

And I can't imagine Mick and John wouldn't get a real kick out of that kind of manic schedule.

I'd very much be in favor of this, too. Quite frankly, given the direction Stevie seems to be headed in her career, she just doesn't need Fleetwood Mac anymore. Nor does she seem to really enjoy the experience anymore.

Of course, Lindsey doesn't really need Fleetwood Mac anymore either, but he's always loved playing with Mick and John, so there's really no reason to jettison them.

Think of it as a divorce settlement. Lindsey gets Mick and John, and maybe Neale, since he'd probably like to have a second guitar in there. Stevie gets Taku and Tuggle and her singers and the rest of the flying circus. That's a win-win right there, for the most part.

I get that feeling too. Of course, LB did do that one (or was it two) show (s) in L.A. in 1990 & the world didn't end. Granted, it was brief & seemed staged & uncomfortable, but everyone's older & a lot of time has passed so I would hope they could set aside whatever differences...ah, wth am I saying - never gonna happen, so forget it.

I agree. Next year, she'll be 64 years old. If she didn't want to do it a few years ago at 60, there's no way in the world she'd get up there at 64. I'm fine with that. I saw Chris/Fleetwood Mac in their prime & honestly I don't need to see them at this late stage.

If you read Jeremy's comments in the Pre-Rumours forum, I doubt he'd be interested in anything like this either. He did mention that he hates the "hype". He sounds very happy & content with things just the way they are now.

I agree :)

I'm not sure that either Christine or Jeremy would consider doing any dates at all, for reasons stated already. Peter - maybe, if he could be persuaded that it wasn't going to escalate into a big thing which he'd have little control over.

Forget about any participation from Danny, and Dave Walker - I'm sure he'd have no interest whatsoever even if anyone else did. Bob Weston and Dave Mason - I can't see it. The others, well anything's possible with them.

One thing Christine and / or Jeremy might be interested in is some kind of Mac album with guest spots for previous members. Jeremy played on Mick's "Something Big" album on his own terms, so maybe he'd like to do something along those lines, and we know how much he enjoyed doing his own album.

Likewise, Christine might contribute something. I reckon most of the other members (barring Danny and Dave W) might consider that, totally separate from any touring that might follow.

I definitely agree with that.:) I think both Chris & Jeremy made their solo albums purely for fun. I think Chris, especially still loves the recording process in the studio & it sounds like Jeremy does too.

One in Oakland, the next night in LA. Well, it kind of did (for a while, for some people)...we didn't hear from Fleetwood Mac (live, that is) for four years..and by then, no Rick, no Lindsey, no Stevie, no Christine.

Surely you're not implying LB's appearance caused everything to stop, though. Are you? :laugh:

I agree with everyone else that Christine wouldn't be interested at all in playing live anywhere. I'm just basing that on what she has said in recent years. Plus, people think that it would be easy & quick for an ex-member to just hop up onstage & rock & roll, but Chris isn't like that. Doing even one song at one show would require rehearsing, & when you start in with going to rehearsal & then doing the show, the "little" appearance blows up into a big commitment, & before you know it, you're back in the dog & pony show. I truly think she has absolutely no interest in any of this nonsense any more.

I even wonder whether she'd bother attending such a concert! (She might watch the DVD, however.)

WOW! That 10 year mark you mention just hit me.. TEN YEARS! That's huge!! and few by so fast!

For me it would be great to see the 5 back on stage together...but it doesn't look like that would happen if a tour was involved.... But there would be hope if shows in certain cities in certain countries the band travelled to, like say where Christine is, where she could just pop up on stage and jam on a few tunes... But that would only happen if this band was much more fluid and didn't need rehearsal and choreographed words and moves. And of course if she was willing. It's a nice thought and would be a great surprised announced or not.