Bob Welch has died

[sharksfan2000]

I wish we could stop the whole "Fleetwood Mac intentionally left Bob Welch out of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame" thing. From everything I've read, that is completely untrue, yet the idea is perpetuated here and elsewhere.

I hope I can quote David from another thread here since he stated very clearly what I understand to be true about this (he's responding to an article about the band):

Originally Posted by David

Another stupidity is the journalist's conclusion that Welch was left out of the RRHOF by the band as punishment for suing them. There are plenty of print interviews around of RRHOF committee members (like Robert Hilburn) explaining the decision (which was a committee decision, not a band decision—the band doesn't get to choose).

From what I recall reading about this at the time was that the committee inducted those two line-ups of the band since they had big hits with both line-ups, while they never had any big hits during the Bob Welch years. I don't believe the band had any part in deciding who was inducted and who was not.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by sharksfan2000

From what I recall reading about this at the time was that the committee inducted those two line-ups of the band since they had big hits with both line-ups, while they never had any big hits during the Bob Welch years. I don't believe the band had any part in deciding who was inducted and who was not.

What doesn't make sense to me is that the HOF had "Sentimental Lady" listed as one of the Mac's memorable songs. The band may not have had a choice, but they could have advocate, a la Jerry Garcia.

[Murrow]

Originally Posted by Sanne2

The photo is from the 1978 tour, the Cleveland show scheduled for august 4 had to be postponed because of Lindsey's spinal tap. This photo is from the pressconference regarding that. The guy on the left is Jules Belkin, a concert promoter. Bob was there because he was part of the concert bill.

Thanks for clarifying re all that.

[HomerMcvie]

I personally refuse to believe that Mick didn't have something to do with Bob's exclusion. If Mick had told the committee, that "Bob Welch SAVED Fleetwood Mac", does anyone REALLY believe that he wouldn't have been included??????????

Wendy is posting on Bob's Facebook, and said that it always bothered him, that he was excluded. She's also asking us to sign this petition, to get him inducted posthumously.
http://www.petitiononline.com/bobwelch/petition.html

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Wendy is posting on Bob's Facebook, and said that it always bothered him, that he was excluded. She's also asking us to sign this petition, to get him inducted posthumously.
http://www.petitiononline.com/bobwelch/petition.html

Thanks so much for posting a link to the petition!

[sharksfan2000]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

If Mick had told the committee, that "Bob Welch SAVED Fleetwood Mac", does anyone REALLY believe that he wouldn't have been included?????????[/url]

If he had said exactly that, I suspect it would not have had much effect. But if he had told the committee that "we won't be inducted without Bob Welch," that might have put some pressure on them. But would the rest of the band have gone along with such a stand? And given the legal situation between Bob and the band at that time - and I'll admit I know next to nothing about all that - it seems understandable that Mick Fleetwood would not have wanted to push the committee for Bob's inclusion. And who knows how much of a difference that might have made anyway.

Just to make it clear, I agree that it would have been great (and well-deserved) for Bob Welch to have been included with the band in the RRHOF, but at the same time I can understand why that didn't happen.

[HejiraNYC]

I know *nothing*, but I suspect the induction of Fleetwood Mac in the RRHOF was fraught with nervous hand wringing all the way around; there were so many inconsistencies. For one thing, there is an argument to be made that Stevie and Lindsey should not have been eligible for induction since their participation with FM did not start at least 25 years prior to FM's induction. If anything, there would have been a somewhat stronger argument for the induction of Bob Welch, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwin, since they were with FM at least 25 years prior and they have been working musicians/writers for at least 25 years. It seems that the induction of Peter Green as the sole pre-Rumours member is a bit arbitrary. Yes, he was the founding member, but his active participation with the band was relatively brief, and he personally did not contribute as much commercially to the mainstream success of FM in the States (which may or may not be a factor for consideration for the RRHOF) as, say, Bob Welch.

If they had waited a couple more years, I think the RRHOF would have been able to induct the full Rumours lineup as well as other former members without qualification or asterisks. But the way they did it, while FM was cresting a comeback wave with Christine on board, is understandable even if it seems like they bent the rules a bit. In any case, on the face of it, the exclusion of Bob Welch (and the induction of Stevie and Lindsey when they were technically ineligible) does seem suspect, and I would not completely absolve Mick, et al. from blame. At the end of the day, if Mick really felt compelled to make the case on Bob's behalf, the RRHOF would have inducted him. I just have a hard time believing that Mick and Bob were truly on good terms back then, especially since Bob attempted to attack Mick where it means the most- his wallet.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by holidayroad

Thanks so much for posting a link to the petition!

I truly hope they decide to induct him. Although it makes me SO SAD to know that he'll never know.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

especially since Bob attempted to attack Mick where it means the most- his wallet.

And I firmly believe that's why he was excluded. Mick's never been good with money anyway, and someone trying to take some of it(rightfully or not), cost Bob his induction.
(ONLY my opinion)

Does anyone know if Bob ever got a settlement over the suit?

[sharksfan2000]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

It seems that the induction of Peter Green as the sole pre-Rumours member is a bit arbitrary.

That's incorrect - Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan were inducted as part of the group as well.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by sharksfan2000

That's incorrect - Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan were inducted as part of the group as well.

Thanks, I stand corrected! And this adds even more credence to the notion that Bob was singled out for omission.

[Chris_Lover]

Originally Posted by kshell

Fleetwood is gonna have to live with this one. He need to make it right, get him to be inducted to the Hall of Fame with him, it is the right thing to do. Period.

I agree with you on this.

[thenepotist]

Originally Posted by kshell

Fleetwood is gonna have to live with this one.

This is very true.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I personally refuse to believe that Mick didn't have something to do with Bob's exclusion. If Mick had told the committee, that "Bob Welch SAVED Fleetwood Mac", does anyone REALLY believe that he wouldn't have been included??????????

Wendy is posting on Bob's Facebook, and said that it always bothered him, that he was excluded. She's also asking us to sign this petition, to get him inducted posthumously.
http://www.petitiononline.com/bobwelch/petition.html

OK who's the wiseguy that signed this for me? (when I try to do it, it says "Same user can't sign this petition twice")

John

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

OK who's the wiseguy that signed this for me? (when I try to do it, it says "Same user can't sign this petition twice")

John

John, mine said the same thing!!! So I entered my secondary email address, and it accepted that one.