Christine's 1995 Online Chat: Transcript

[Johnny Stew]

I was going to type this out from the copy I printed seven years ago, but luckily I had the bright idea to first check if it was still floating around the internet somewhere.
And, thankfully, it is!

Christine makes some very interesting comments about Lindsey, Stevie, and Dave Mason, and expresses the interest in recording another solo album... so it's definitely a must-read.

This is borrowed from the terrific Christine site, Emerald Eyes, and "cleaned up" by me, to make it a little more coherent. (The original transcript contains a lot of spelling errors, and Christine's answers are printed as "Max Warner," which is the chat-host.)

Enjoy....

Chrstine McVie Cybertalk Transcript

OnlineHost : Welcome to CYBER-TALK!
CYBER-TALK (TM) is Warner/Reprise Online's weekly interactive talk show. Each segment of CYBER-TALK (TM) features a different music persona.

OnlineHost : Christine McVie will be available to chat with fans regarding Fleetwood Mac's upcoming album, 'Time,' from Warner Bros. Records. Time will be released October 10th.


JBatman95 : Do you still interact with other members of Fleetwood Mac?

Christine: Very much so, I have not seen Stevie in a while. I have been recording with John and Mick for the last couple years, and just ran into Lindsey at a club a couple weeks ago and had a good chat.

Gre1440: Give us your perspective on this most recent
incarnation of Fleetwood Mac.

Christine: I find it a bizarre combination of people, but Mick chose Dave Mason... I don't think he is a bad guitar player, but I just don't know how he fits in with Fleetwood Mac... Great guitar player he is, he would not have been my first choice.

Bartman33: What ever became of Robert Weston?

Christine: I think he got a recording deal in Paris, recording some instrumentals. Don't quote me on that, but that is the last I heard. Doing quite well on some French recording label.

BearBillN: Hello Christine! First of all you're one of my all time favorite singers and songwriters! I enjoyed your last solo album a lot! Will we see a new one any time soon?

Christine: Yes!! I do have plans to record a new solo album maybe sometime next year... I have to recharge the batteries, but am keen on doing it. I got a great kick out of doing the solo record. I do enjoy being with a team more than as a solo artist, but I will give it another shot. It was a very rewarding experience

LAdel4514: Do you ever listen to your 'Legendary Christine Perfect' album anymore? How do you feel your music has changed over the years?

Christine: I try to avoid it, but I have not had the courage to listen to it for a very long time... I do have a copy at the house somewhere. My music has changed over the years in the way I have changed. .. I am more experienced in life and in the art of writing music. I have refined my music a bit. Some of my old stuff seems very naive to me... not that it is bad... maybe a little dated.

LAdel4514: At any point over the years did you regret joining Fleetwood Mac? Did you and John ever think it would lead to the problems that occurred?

Christine: No. I certainly have no regrets. I have had a wonderful life with Fleetwood Mac. All members of Fleetwood Mac have had a wonderful life with the band. I think that you must be careful when working with your spouse. I thought it would bring us closer together, but it did not work out. We are still friends though.

Question : Where is your "home base" these days, in England or in L.A.?

Christine: Both, we have a house in the south of England and in Los Angeles. I think I would like to start spending more time in England. After 25 years in L.A., my roots are calling me back home. I am going back for a short stint in a few days, I like the rain, I miss it.

AliciaB13: So, do you like any other music? Any upcoming CD's or tapes?

Christine: I don't listen to masses of music. I can't absorb it. There is so much out there. I get my weekly quota of MTV, and it gets a little mind boggling. So many bands out there.
I do listen to the old stuff. Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, Sting.... alot of Jazz and Blues... Freddy King, Clapton, BB King. That is where my roots are. You start trying to list bands you like and you forget half of them. I do like REM and others.

Robeng4u: Would like to ask Christine what her favorite Fleetwood Mac song was to do.

Christine: To perform live... lots of them, not necessarily mine either. I enjoy Gypsy, Sara, Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun.
Songbird was always a good one, except... sometimes I would blank out. It was an important message (Songbird). You can hear a pin drop in the audience. It was more than a love song, it was about the world.

SandG: Throughout all of the rough times in Fleetwood Mac, what's made you stick with it so long?

Christine: Basically, there is a great section for all the band members. All that we've been through. Because of the rough times, it has made us closer. There is an undeniable chemistry with the music and the personalities as well. Fleetwood Mac is an entity that rolls along on its own... we are by-products of it.

LAdel4514: Do you think you've inherited any of your mum's psychic abilities?

Christine: Every once in a while, I sense something, but for the most part, not really. My brother definately has some of it. I don't think I am a psychic person, though I wish I had inhereted some of her powers.

Bartman33: What was the major change inyour music from the Weston/Welch Mac to the Nicks/Buckingham Mac?

Christine: Since I was writing and performing with different styles of music... Stevie and Lindsey had more country/western roots. The nature of the beast, singing with them in 3 part harmonies, along with Stevie and Lindsey, created some chemical reaction that, even to this day, don't know what it really is.
With Bob Welch, there was not as much chemistry, it was harder work. Not that the sound was not as good, but just a different sensation altogether.

Logo C: How many songs do you carry the lead vocal on the new album?

Christine: 5

SandG: Would you consider inviting Stevie on your next solo project? Your voices on Straight Back worked excellently with each other.

Christine: Absolutely, I would like to work with Stevie and Lindsey again. Some point down the line... Don't know where or when, but the possibilities are there. I think they would like to also. The more you don't hear Stevie's voice, the more you miss it. So unique.

Mavenman: Is Atlantic City on your schedule soon? I saw you at Taj Mahal about 5 years ago.

Christine: Well, I've given up the road as it were. Hung up my stageboots about three years ago.

MastrPeace: Christine, is there any musician you have always wanted to write a song with? Or do a duet with?

Christine: Peter Gabriel!
Paul McCartney!
You see, I keep very humble sights...

The Maxx5: What does it actually take to write a song, editing the song, and finally releasing it??

Christine: A lot of patience, usually. Once you have written the song, it becomes something else. You can't treat it with the same passion as when you first wrote it. There is a long process from its inception. I write on the piano or drum machine, then take it to the studio and practicing with the band. Then what arranging you want, what instruments, etc...You have to treat the song very coldly, because you have to work with it and hear it again and again. Sometimes, a song ends up completely different from the way you wrote it. Hopefully changes for the better. A metamorphosis, they can take on a life of their own.

JDForest: Will everyone since the last Fleetwood Mac album be playing on this one

Christine: Stevie is not on it, Rick Vito is not on it. The band now consists of John and Mick... Dave Mason, Bekka Bramlett (daughter of Delany and Bonnie)... Billy Burnette and Me.
I'm on the record, but I'm not touring with the band.

Rucass: Sorry for the mistake ... how did you like Buffalo in the rain?

Christine: Loved every minute of it.

Seaweed92: Prior to the release of 'Rumours', what do you think the bands best release was? I personally loved 'Bare Trees' and 'Mystery To Me.'

Christine: Person after my own heart... I was just listening to 'Mystery to Me' the other night. There are some good songs on there. Bob did some good stuff. Good choices, Seaweed.
I also liked 'Then Play On,' but I was just on background vocals on that album.

WMona2469: do you ever see or talk to Peter Green or Danny Kirwan?

Christine: They both live in England. Have not seen Peter in a long time. Mick calls Peter once a month. Calls him to say hi on a regular basis. Don't know where Danny is, I think he is living in Brighton.
It is the curse of Fleetwood Mac, all the guitar players go insane, except for Billy Burnette, who is already insane (ha ha).

MastrPeace: Who would have been your first choice, as opposed to Dave Mason?

Christine: Lindsey Buckingham, I think he was the most superlative guitar player this band will ever have. A true shining light. After Lindsey, everybody else seems a little palid. I'm not talking talent, just chemistry for Fleetwood Mac.

Bartman33: Do you miss the style of music of the Mac with Jeremy Spencer?

Christine: That is a tough question. Jeremy was a clone, he found it difficult to be himself, so he emulated Elmore James, Keith Richards, Elvis Presley...
We did a whole Elvis bit which lasted about 20 minutes. He really became Elvis. He was one hell of a slide player, probably better than Elmore James. That was his style though.

SandG: Do you ever feel the calling for doing more blues?

Christine: Yes I do, not all of the time, but no matter how burried it may sound there is a lot of blues influence in my most unbluesy songs. I have thought about doing another blues album... Not just 12-bar blues, that would put people to sleep these days. That is where I came from though. The days when I was back and forth in a transit van, hauling my own equipment into the pubs to play.

Luvbear00: What were your "true" thoughts of the use of "Don't Look Back" during Clinton's election?

Christine: Don't Stop, you mean. As a resident alien of the country, I can't vote anyway. If I was able to vote, don't know if I would have voted for Clinton. Though, politics aside, I was honored that he used it as his slogan.
It did bring Lindsey, Stevie, myself, John and Mick back together which was the first time in 10 years. That was nice.

Deminimus: Whathas been your most satisfying project?

Christine: I get a kick out of all of them. This last one has taken 2 years, because the rest of the band has gone out on the road. That is too long. I love to record. I am a studio junkie. I love it.

CARBONsux: What makes you laugh??

Christine: I like a dry sense of humor myself. Not sitcoms, that's for sure. I think all of the members of Fleetwood Mac and the peripherals of the band have a cynical sense of humor. One has to be able to laugh at oneself first, if you can do that, that is a start. I think it is a pretty mean sense of humor though. Mick is a very funny person.

Christine: Last question

ROBNORT: Why are you not currently touring with Fleetwood Mac?

Christine: Mainly because I've been with the band for 25 years. Touring was never my favorite thing to do... I get insomnia on the road. I can't sleep in strange beds night after night. Did not want to take sleeping pills, that is the begining of the end.
I would lie awake reading all night. This made me irritable. I had done it enough. Then I would drink a bottle of wine before bed... wake up with a hangover. It was a no win situation.

Christine: Got to go. Thanks everybody.

OnlineHost : Copyright (C) 1995 Warner Bros. Records. : CYBER-TALK (TM) is produced in house by : a Warner Bros. Records staff.

[seteca]

Thanks very much for posting that!

Two things:

Firstly, from the answer to the last question, we can reallly now see how much she must be fed up of touring by now. I did often wonder what the exact reason(s) was(/were) for her not wanting to tour.

Secondly, I wonder what kind of "club" it was where she ran into Lindsey...? Music/gig club....or nightlcub! It would be quite a scene to see Lindsey and Christine dancing away in some hot L.A. club!!!

[Vianna]

Thanks for posting this-it was a good read.

Does anyone knowwhat "slide player" means?

[seteca]

Originally posted by Vianna
Does anyone knowwhat "slide player" means?

She means "slide guitarist". The sound of "slide guitar" is produced by sliding a tube (usually on your finger) gently across the frets. It's basically an alternative way of playing guitar (e.g. The really high notes on the middle part of "Albatross"), which can be (and usually is) combined with the normal pushing down on strings with your fingers.

I'm sure you must have seen guitarists on TV etc playing with a tube on their fretting hand fingers....that's slide guitar.

And it does sound really cool!



p.s. I play slide with a biro pen sometimes...and it actually works really well! lol!

[Mac Fan]

Thanks for posting that. It was quite interesting.

[macfan 57]

Thanks for posting that, Johnny Stew. It was very interesting. I agree with seteca-that last paragraph explains why she doesn't want to tour anymore. She also talked about doing a blues solo album, I wonder if her new album is going to have a little bit of a blues tinge to it.

[wondergirl9847]

Christine: Lindsey Buckingham, I think he was the most superlative guitar player this band will ever have. A true shining light. After Lindsey, everybody else seems a little palid. I'm not talking talent, just chemistry for Fleetwood Mac.


LOVE HER!! She knows what she's talking about!!

Thanks for posting that interview!!

[Street_Dreamer]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
LAdel4514: Do you ever listen to your 'Legendary Christine Perfect' album anymore? How do you feel your music has changed over the years?

Christine: I try to avoid it, but I have not had the courage to listen to it for a very long time... I do have a copy at the house somewhere. My music has changed over the years in the way I have changed. .. I am more experienced in life and in the art of writing music. I have refined my music a bit. Some of my old stuff seems very naive to me... not that it is bad... maybe a little dated.

I'm surprised on her comment about that album. With the exception of "When You Say," The Legendary Christine Perfect Album, to me, is awesome. Naive? Dated? Maybe dated a little but not naive. Perhaps she has changed her opinion about it now (1995 was almost 8 years ago!! WOW!) Thanks for posting that Johnny!

Matt

[golddustchic]

Very interesting read, thanks for posting!!!

I can't believe someone called Don't Stop "Don't Look Back". I thought that was pretty funny

[becca]

Thanks for posting all this and cleaning it up! I think she hated touring off and on from the start. Didn't Ac-Dc call it the Highway To Hell? Brian Wilson didn't like it either did he?

Maybe that person got that song mixed up with Can't Go Back from Mirage...

thanks for posting that. it was VERY interesting. i liked her take on the "time" version of FM: "...i find it a bizarre combination of people"

i guess we also see why she never wanted to perform her older material such as pre-1975 songs: "...Some of my old stuff seems very naive to me... not that it is bad... maybe a little dated"

I was surprised to hear how much she didn't like the road. i thought Lindsey was the only one who didn't. I would LOVE to meet her. she seems so cool, straightforward and down to earth.

[Sorcerer386]

Just to add to seteca's post about slide guitarists, if you own or can get the Tango in the Night VHS, I am pretty sure Rick Vito does this in a song or two. I haven't watched the video in a long time, but I think one of the songs he used that tube on is Gold Dust Woman, and I also think Stand Back. I can't determine myself whether I like this style or not. At some points it sounds very cool, and then sometimes it just sounds like it's grating my ears. I guess it depends on my mood...

[Cristian]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
"They both live in England. Have not seen Peter in a long time. Mick calls Peter once a month. Calls him to say hi on a regular basis. Don't know where Danny is, I think he is living in Brighton.
It is the curse of Fleetwood Mac, all the guitar players go insane, except for Billy Burnette, who is already insane"

He he this is why I love Christine so much.

Well, this and many other things...


Song of the moment - Skies The Limit

[golddustwoman77]

Thank you so much for posting the cyberchat! It was really interesting and helped to shed some light on some things happening now with Christine.

[jwd]

Hey Brian

Thanks for posting that. I found it to be very interesting and enlightening.

Of any member in FM I respect her the most. She is the coolest and most strightforward one. It's always refreshing to listen to her.....you don't have to sift through the bs the other members sometimes spew.

Christine McVie:"Fleetwood Mac is an entity that rolls along on its own... we are by-products of it."

No truer words have been spoken!


Joe