Mick Fleetwood Blames Nicks For Fleetwood Mac Tour Trouble

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

I agree that that is the pose he most commonly adopts, but it's utterly hollow. I've said it before on the LB forum and got crucified for it, but if you want to see what a really uncompromising artist looks like, may I direct you to Lou Reed? He refused Susan Boyle permission to sing 'Perfect Day' on TV, and has been known to play two- and three-hour gig sets that don't include a single recognisable song. Contrast with Twinings currently using Go Your Own Way to flog teabags in the UK and LB always including his big FM hits in his solo sets 'because you have to'. Well, no, actually, Lindsey - you don't have to, unless you're a spineless pseud breadhead.

Lou Reed's sophomore effort didn't sell 30 million copies. Just sayin'.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by chiliD

There are plenty of bands from the 60's & 70's who are still touring (and making MORE than a decent income)...and they MIGHT have one, MAYBE two, members of their most well-known lineup. Heck, most people couldn't even name ONE member of some of those bands, but "they were always one of my favorites"...so, what the hell, get Cyndi Lauper, get Rick Vito (if Lindsey won't do it without Stevie), get the damned guitar player from a Fleetwood Mac tribute band (like David Lee Roth did for a solo tour by getting his guitar player from a VH trib band).

People will go see Fleetwood Mac...they might be disappointed that Stevie and/or Lindsey wasn't there, but they definitely wouldn't be able to say the music wasn't good.

But the five distinct people in Fleetwood Mac is what is so appealing. It's not like Creedence Clearwater which is really John Fogerty or the Doobies who had an ever changing and somewhat intangible group of players at times. A band with two good looking chicks, a fantastic guitar player and a killer, driving rhythm section is a hard thing to come by close to 40 years later.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Oh...it's a shame Mick & Lynn are divorcing. Can see he's got a lot of stuff going on in his life right now.

Full article is up.

I wondered when the house in Maui went up for rent if that was the case.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Yeah, Mick is clearly playing the pity card here. I don't begrudge the fact that he must be going through an extremely unsettling, introspective time in the wake of his divorce, which is certainly not being helped by the fact that he is sitting idly within his home these days surrounded by memories. But why did he need to do this type of an article for Playboy? What is he promoting? My suspicion is that he feels abandoned because his Mac comrades did not rally around him in his time of need. So in a sense he is rejecting the rest of them before they get a chance to reject him. However, he is lacking the stones to confront them individually, so he is airing his grievances in this public forum. Passive aggressively.

So will Mick's stunt work? Absolutely. Stevie does not want the blood of Fleetwood Mac on her hands and Mick knows it. I can understand Mick feeling out of sorts and unsure about his life at the moment, but when the dust settles, he will realize that he's playing with fire. Nothing is more near and dear to him than Fleetwood Mac- not even his children. When he realizes it's all he has left, he will be back to scheming and politicking for a reunion.

To this day, I think it is very difficult for Stevie to say no because Mick made her famous. Mama is nothing if not loyal.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Who'd have thought that Playboy would even be interested in Mick? Michele

Jonathan Todd probably knows someone there.

[henryscutter]

Originally Posted by David

That's exactly the response I had. She's going out there & screwing around with Rod Stewart, doing an hour set of her own material. Tell her to cancel that crap & do it with Fleetwood Mac instead. She can do her own songs with her own band in the first half, & then do a few big hits with Fleetwood Mac in the second half, & finally they can all close out the show with Go Your Own Way & Don't Stop.

Maybe after the Unleashed tour she told FM (read Mick) to leave her alone for 3 years. Hey it worked for Lindsey .

[MrStevie]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Yeah, Mick is clearly playing the pity card here. I don't begrudge the fact that he must be going through an extremely unsettling, introspective time in the wake of his divorce, which is certainly not being helped by the fact that he is sitting idly within his home these days surrounded by memories. But why did he need to do this type of an article for Playboy? What is he promoting? My suspicion is that he feels abandoned because his Mac comrades did not rally around him in his time of need. So in a sense he is rejecting the rest of them before they get a chance to reject him. However, he is lacking the stones to confront them individually, so he is airing his grievances in this public forum. Passive aggressively.

So will Mick's stunt work? Absolutely. Stevie does not want the blood of Fleetwood Mac on her hands and Mick knows it. I can understand Mick feeling out of sorts and unsure about his life at the moment, but when the dust settles, he will realize that he's playing with fire. Nothing is more near and dear to him than Fleetwood Mac- not even his children. When he realizes it's all he has left, he will be back to scheming and politicking for a reunion.

Great post.

Only thing is...I'm not so sure his stunt will work this time, nor should it. As much as I'd love to see the band do another album (not just a tour) I don't think Stevie should succumb to this stunt. Until I read the whole article I thought Mick was just doing the usual p.r. I could see Stevie and Lindsey fully on board when the time is right. Mick out greasing the machinery. Nothing more. Letting the whole article sink in makes me pause. I think he is definitely playing with fire here. He is coming very close to burning all his bridges in this article. He's playing the pity card to the hilt but I don't see it as the usual politicking. This comes too damn close to emotional blackmail. That sucks. It makes me lose what little respect I had for the man. He says he's not going to do what he's done in the past to make the band play on, such as begging or groveling. What does he consider this article to be? He should be ashamed of himself for bullying a woman who has always been loyal to him even after he betrayed her in the past. How can anyone not see this interview as a complete pity play of the worst kind?

[chriskisn]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

It makes me lose what little respect I had for the man.

You still had some left? Wow!

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

What does he consider this article to be? He should be ashamed of himself for bullying a woman who has always been loyal to him even after he betrayed her in the past. How can anyone not see this interview as a complete pity play of the worst kind?

I agree - but with the proviso that none of us really know what has gone on between any of these people.

There's only two ways to interpret this article: it's either a hamfisted attempt at emotional blackmail, in public, of someone who was recently bereaved (classy), or Mick is genuinely in meltdown and realising, in the wake of a third failed marriage, that he has to change (no more co-dependency on FM).

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Lou Reed's sophomore effort didn't sell 30 million copies. Just sayin'.

But that's the point! Lou Reed doesn't have Lindsey Buckingham's cash-cow assets and he still compromises less. Buckingham can afford to walk the walk and still doesn't.

[chriskisn]

The funny thing is that the name Mick Fleetwood was very well known, and he could have used that name to launch several bands or introduce new artists. Yeah ok he has tried that but his attempts at this have always been kind of erratic though.

The Zoo was never a serious attempt at a big name band. The Visitor was never going to be mainstream enough to generate sales. The Blues Band was a great idea but stuck in the past (and died a quick death once the first album was promoted). Island Rumours Band was just far too localised and well to be honest a bit weird to be successful and finally The Mick Fleetwood Band album was good and nice and such, but not going to appeal to today's mass market. Plus when he had the chance to promote Todd Smallwood through a solo album, Tallman Records goes bust and Smallwood's album gets shelved.

What Mick needs is a modern band with perhaps a nod to music of yesterday, with some young people who can sell albums but who need the doors to be opened that the name Mick Fleetwood can open.

Mick has been relying on Fleetwood Mac for far too long, dragging it out and dusting it off whenever he needs a pay day. Fleetwood Mac, in my opinion, died in 1987-88 and it has been limping along since (and yes I do love the Time era I know but it wasn't successful).

The time has come to either bring in some new talent to Fleetwood Mac and personally I think two new young female singers who can really sing and look gorgeous too. Then Mick and John can do their thing and Lindsey can provide that link to the past. I'm sure that Lindsey would relish the opportunity provided by this and, hell, don't even call it Fleetwood Mac. Call it Buckingmac Fleet or something. Just do something new and get out there and create and play some new music.

Rant over

[Lee]

Originally Posted by David

That's exactly the response I had. She's going out there & screwing around with Rod Stewart, doing an hour set of her own material. Tell her to cancel that crap & do it with Fleetwood Mac instead. She can do her own songs with her own band in the first half, & then do a few big hits with Fleetwood Mac in the second half, & finally they can all close out the show with Go Your Own Way & Don't Stop.

Wow, I just heard all this on Fox & Friends this morning. Alyson is a Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks fan. I have to agree with Mick @ this point & agree with the above statement. Just how long do you promote an album. It was out last year & the same with Lindsey's. He's just touring because she is. I thought Stevie always put Fleetwood Mac first anyway. And I thought they were supposed to work on a new album together.

Lee

[Josh2003]

Originally Posted by Lee

Wow, I just heard all this on Fox & Friends this morning. Alyson is a Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks fan. I have to agree with Mick @ this point & agree with the above statement. Just how long do you promote an album. It was out last year & the same with Lindsey's. He's just touring because she is. I thought Stevie always put Fleetwood Mac first anyway. And I thought they were supposed to work on a new album together.

Lee

I agree with you about the Rod part...if Mick wants to be mad at Stevie about anything, it should be that she's embarking on the Rod Stewart cash-grab over the Fleetwood Mac cash-grab. Sure, going out with Rod is, I'm sure, way less stressful for her, and she gets to call the shots since it's essentially a solo show.

But that's not what he's complaining about. He's complaining about her wanting to promote her solo album a little more, recognizing that it's a good album which she should be proud of.

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by Lee

I have to agree with Mick @ this point & agree with the above statement. Just how long do you promote an album.

The album is not that old, and Fleetwood Mac has nothing to promote. I'm sure now that both of Stevie's parents are gone, she realizes life is short and you have to do what you want to do, and she loves this album and doesn't want to be done with it.

I think Mick should be pushing recording before touring, although that won't give him instant cash. Imagine the 6 best songs off In Your Dreams and the 6 best songs off Seeds We Sow together as one killer Fleetwood Mac album!

I'm not sure I get the dramatics either. The Unleashed tour ended in December 2009, which is really only a little over 2 years ago. The Dance, Say You Will, and Unleashed were all separated by 5-6 years. If there is no new album to support, it's not time for another Fleetwood Mac reunion tour. I think Stevie has every intention of returning to Fleetwood Mac but doesn't see why 2013 is all that late to do it.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

What Mick needs is a modern band with perhaps a nod to music of yesterday, with some young people who can sell albums but who need the doors to be opened that the name Mick Fleetwood can open.


The time has come to either bring in some new talent to Fleetwood Mac and personally I think two new young female singers who can really sing and look gorgeous too. Then Mick and John can do their thing and Lindsey can provide that link to the past. I'm sure that Lindsey would relish the opportunity provided by this and, hell, don't even call it Fleetwood Mac. Call it Buckingmac Fleet or something. Just do something new and get out there and create and play some new music.

Rant over

You left out one important component for your two new young female singers. They need to be able to really sing [check], look gorgeous [ok] and WRITE.

Since you're proposing a facelift, why not toss in a couple of new young energetic male singers, as well, who can also really sing, look gorgeous and write? How about a drummer that can sing, too? Fleetwood Mac has long been using backups for everyone--a man named Steve for Mick. Can Steve sing? Can he write? Let's double up the jobs and get more music, less rumours.

Maybe add in a "Daddy" that's not so greedy and wasteful.

You even suggested a name change. Fleetwood Mac is dead. Long live Buckingmac Fleetness.