Should Bob Brunning be regarded as a member of Fleetwood Mac?

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Actually, I just reread that part of the book, and Mick states that she was asked to join the band prior to the tour. My new hunch is that the whole language of being a "guest on the tour to help fill out the sound" language came from Cliff Davis, since Christine was probably still under contract with Blue Horizon.

Yeah that would jive with the hold up on the contract etc.

John

[Author]

Interesting this, when is a member of a group A Member (With Capital M) or not. Is it regulated by contracts, administrative paperwork and mundane juridical technicalities, like when most of us are hired as employees to perform our daily duties? Or is it a fuzzy photo of a group on stage of likeminded friends where some are destined for success while others fall by the wayside? Isn't it something Bigger, when musical magic is created in the Greatest of Groups where the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts? Wasn't that what happened once John McVie transferred from Mayall to Mac?

As an aside, there is a parallel to the Brunning-McVie case in Peter Green's ever-so-brief stint with John Mayall when Eric Clapton was in Greece at the end of 1965. Peter played with Mayall for a few nights before Clapton reappeared and Mayall duly told Green that, well, his services were not required anymore. Was Green a member of The Bluesbreakers for those few nights? Hmmm.

Duane Allman a member of Derek & The Dominoes? Of course not. Just like George Martin was never a member of The Beatles, although no-one will deny either Allman's or Martin's profound importance on record with Derek & The Fab Four.

[Hawkeye]

I believe I am the one who sparked this whole poll. But I only questioned his membership because I wasn't if it was Mick and the band who gave him this credit of being a member or if it was started by us fans to come up with this magic 16 members of Fleetwood Mac thing. This thread has cleared it up for me and I can clearly see he deserves his membership card (Fleetwood Mac membership cards aren't as easy to aquire as casino players club cards)

I am shocked to learn hes playign on Long Grey Mare one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs.

[chriskisn]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I believe I am the one who sparked this whole poll. But I only questioned his membership because I wasn't if it was Mick and the band who gave him this credit of being a member or if it was started by us fans to come up with this magic 16 members of Fleetwood Mac thing. This thread has cleared it up for me and I can clearly see he deserves his membership card (Fleetwood Mac membership cards aren't as easy to aquire as casino players club cards)

I am shocked to learn hes playign on Long Grey Mare one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs.

Well there you go if we have changed the opinion of one Mac fan then its a good day for Bob Brunning

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by Author

Duane Allman a member of Derek & The Dominoes? Of course not. .

One COULD make the case that Duane WAS definitely a member of Derek & The Dominos (while they were in the studio), but when the conflict of upcoming touring schedules surfaced, Duane chose to stay with his brothers (counting Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Jaimoe & Butch Trucks as family)....Duane DID appear at the two D&tD shows that didn't coincide with the ABB tour schedule.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Actually, I just reread that part of the book, and Mick states that she was asked to join the band prior to the tour. My new hunch is that the whole language of being a "guest on the tour to help fill out the sound" language came from Cliff Davis, since Christine was probably still under contract with Blue Horizon.

makes sense.

[slipkid]

Originally Posted by Author

Interesting this, when is a member of a group A Member (With Capital M) or not. Is it regulated by contracts, administrative paperwork and mundane juridical technicalities, like when most of us are hired as employees to perform our daily duties? Or is it a fuzzy photo of a group on stage of likeminded friends where some are destined for success while others fall by the wayside? Isn't it something Bigger, when musical magic is created in the Greatest of Groups where the whole is bigger than the sum of its parts? Wasn't that what happened once John McVie transferred from Mayall to Mac?

As an aside, there is a parallel to the Brunning-McVie case in Peter Green's ever-so-brief stint with John Mayall when Eric Clapton was in Greece at the end of 1965. Peter played with Mayall for a few nights before Clapton reappeared and Mayall duly told Green that, well, his services were not required anymore. Was Green a member of The Bluesbreakers for those few nights? Hmmm.

Duane Allman a member of Derek & The Dominoes? Of course not. Just like George Martin was never a member of The Beatles, although no-one will deny either Allman's or Martin's profound importance on record with Derek & The Fab Four.

Peter Green was never a "member" of the (Bob) "Brunning Sunflower Blues Band". Yet he "helped" with his "input" in 1969. Bob Brunning's band did NOT sell many albums.


It's different when your input is recorded for eternity, and you're famous, as well as the band you are contributing. Duane Allman was a guest member of Derek and the Dominoes. Duane recorded with, and for most of the 1970 "Layla" album. Eric Clapton recorded one song with the Beatles ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps").

Unlike "The Beatles" (White Album, with EC), "Layla" would not have been the same great album it became without Duane Allman. The Beatles would've had a #1 album without the famous EC solo/Harrison tune.

[Wouter Vuijk]

Mr. Fleetwood - drums, bandleader
Bob Welch - vocals, guitar
Bob Weston - guitar
Bob Brunning - bass
Bob Hunt - keyboards

Name of the band? Fleetwood Bob.

[mzero]

Originally Posted by Wouter Vuijk

Mr. Fleetwood - drums, bandleader
Bob Welch - vocals, guitar
Bob Weston - guitar
Bob Brunning - bass
Bob Hunt - keyboards

Name of the band? Fleetwood Bob.

haha! wouter! or fleetwood bobs or bob welch's fleetwood bobs featuring bob weston

zero

[Almost Simon]

Originally Posted by chiliD

One COULD make the case that Duane WAS definitely a member of Derek & The Dominos (while they were in the studio), but when the conflict of upcoming touring schedules surfaced, Duane chose to stay with his brothers (counting Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley, Jaimoe & Butch Trucks as family)....Duane DID appear at the two D&tD shows that didn't coincide with the ABB tour schedule.

Duane was definitely a member of the Domino's. That is for certain. No question. He was in BOTH bands.

[sjpdg]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

Well ok if you want to get picky then McVie was the first bass player, left the band, Brunning was the next guy and then McVie came back.

However I would suggest that including Fleetwood Mac the instrumental (and whatever the other song was called) as being by Fleetwood Mac the band would be stretching it just a little.

Actually that scenario would give more weight to Brunning being a member as he would have replaced John McVie who had LEFT!!!

We agree on this. At least as far as I can tell. In my opinion, it goes as follows: McVie, Brunning, McVie. Brunning should absolutely be considered a member of Fleetwood Mac. I don't dispute that for a moment.

You may have a point that the instrumenal Fleetwood Mac might be stretching it a little, but those were the original core members that would eventually form Fleetwood Mac the band, so I consider it a Fleetwood Mac song, not a Bluesbreakers tune.