Suggestions for next MFBB disc

[sjpdg]

Let's start fantasizing just a bit shall we??

I'd like to throw out a call for suggestions for material for the next Mick Fleetwood Blues Band disc.

I'm talking songs, perhaps a title for the disc (although I think OldTimer covered that one pretty extensively in a previous thread similar to this one!! Excellent job again OldTimer!!!!!!)

Let's see what we can put together from the original FM material, Rick's solo stuff, other blues legends and see if we can get it to those who have actual real input and see what happens??

What do you think? I'll be posting my suggestions soon. Let's have some fun with this.

[OldTimer]

Great thread idea, sj!

What did you have in mind? A studio album? Or another live recording?

I hope Lenny and Mark stay with them. I think Mark's jazzy-bluesy keyboard adds tremendously to their arsenal, and Lenny is a first-class bassist (in addition to having a great onstage personality -- considerably more animated than our beloved Mr. McVie.)

Here are some of the things I'd like to hear them do on stage:

Green Manalishi! Maybe it's an LSD song, or maybe it's about money, I dunno, but it's still a great song, and it would be terrific live. I think Lindsey used to do it sometimes when he was first with the Mac.

There's also a fun little guitar-heavy number of Danny Kirwan's called One Sunny Day that I can totally hear them having fun with. It would be a nice nod to Danny.

And I think I mentioned before, Rick has one of his own songs on Band Box Boogie called I Can't Stop Rockin' that would be unbelievably kick-ass on stage.

Those are my humble suggestions for live MFBB material, although they could also be on a studio album. However, for a studio release, I'd still like to see more NEW songs of Rick's. I hope while Mick's on this Unleashed tour, Rick's getting some serious writing done. No time for relaxing with Mick's wines!

So let's hear your ideas!!!

[sjpdg]

Ok. Here we go. My suggestions would be as follows:

If they go studio: A combo of Rick's original material, either from previous solo works or brand new stuff, either way. The man is a great talent and I have no doubt he would be able to create some great stuff for this band.

If they go with another live disc which I think would be a great way for this band to go on all of their recordings personally, that way you get to hear the audience reaction and the band is looser and having more fun with it, also much more open to improvisation and just "jamming".

Either way, here are my suggestions for future recordings:

I Loved Another Woman (Rick did this sooooooo great on the BTM and TITN tours, and on his "Pink and Black" disc, it would be killer again live or in the studio)
Got To Move
Before The Beginning
Underway (instrumental)
My Dream (instrumental)
Just The Blues
The Sun Is Shining
I Believe My Time Ain’t Long
Need Your Love So Bad
Evenin’ Boogie (instrumental)
If You Be My Baby
Stranger Blues
Can’t Hold On
Jumpin’ At Shadows
Watch Out
Ooh Baby
Last Night
Sugar Mama
Homework
Every Day I Have The Blues
I Got The Blues
Without You
One Sunny Day (We see eye to eye yet again OldTimer!!!!!!!!)
Something Inside Of Me
That Was Yesterday (This is a blues number I've heard Wynonna Judd do on one of her older discs and I heard it again recently and thought, "Hey, Rick could totally kick ass on this guitar part and the rhythm section definitely has a Mick/John or Mick/Lenny feel. This would sound great. They'd have to fix a couple of lyrics since it's written from a female point of view, but that's easy.)
Sitting On Top Of The World (This is a Lonnie Chatmon song covered by Willie Nelson on his "Milk Cow Blues" disc a few years ago, and it has great piano and slide/dobro interaction. With Mark on keyboards it would sound fantastic!)
Before You Accuse Me
Hard Times
(both of these were covered by Clapton and he did killer versions, but I think Rick, Mick, Lenny and Mark could really do well on these also.

I've probably dumped enough material suggestions here for 2 or 3 future discs, but hey, we're just fantasizing right? We don't even know for sure if the MFBB will be back for another round. I surely hope so, but I was in hopes that the Mick Fleetwood Band would put out more than just "Something Big" and was disappointed.

If they do continue, I'd like to see them not only cover material from FM and Rick's originals, but other blues greats too. I think the MFBB has a great potential to be a great blues band in and of itself, and at the same time pay tribute to not only FM but also those blues legends that inspired Peter, Jeremy, Danny, John and Mick. What a way for Mick and Rick to show their appreciation and honor those who came before as well as show off their own new material.

Anyway, let's see who else comes up with some great ideas for this. Come on, you know you're out there and you know you want more MFBB!!!!!

[sjpdg]

And of course if the next disc is live, we should definitely get "Oh Well" in the set.

I'm also with you OldTimer on a new rendition of "Green Manalishi" in a live version too. It would be smokin'!!

Perhaps, "Dangerous Mood" could be another cover as well. Joe Cocker and BB King teamed up on this for BB's "Dueces Wild" duet CD a few years ago and that song is on FIRE!!!! I think Rick could do a great version of that as well.

How about "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"??

[OldTimer]

Man, you're putting me to shame! I don't even know a lot of those. But if you think they'd work for the next MFBB CD (or the next 3 or 4... ), I'd buy it and give them all a listen!

I can see you're more of a blues traditionalist. Myself, I'd also like to see Rick jump back a little more into blues-rock (read Commercial Potential into that if you like ). Plus maybe some kick-down-the door old-fashioned rock-and-roll, I mean like Chuck Berry/Jerry Lee Lewis/Little Richard style. A lot of that stuff has real MoFo bass and pounding keyboards, so Lenny & Mark could get a real work-out, too. Did I mention I'm dying to hear a live version of I Can't Stop Rocking from Band Box Boogie?

(Then I remember they named the band Mick Fleetwood BLUES Band. I guess they're more likely to go for your ideas than mine!)

Personally I think Rick's gotten enough mileage out of I Loved Another Woman already. Oh Well is also number I love, but maybe reaching the overexposure point by now too (especially considering Lindsey's also doing a version for the tour).

I think Rick's Long Black Car could also work well for the band live - kinda jazzy and different.

Hey, you said we could fantasize here, so here's one of mine -- a re-worked version of Christine McVie's As Long As You Follow. The song as we know it is soft pop (and I do love it as such), but I'd REALLY love to hear it slowed down and stripped down, with heavy slide from Rick, and maybe some bluesy harmonica from Mark. And oh, yeah, we'd have to arrange for Christine to do the guest vocal!

There's just so much material they could excel with, so many different directions they could go! And like you said, I just hope they do, and Mick doesn't abandon the MFBB for another adventurous direction.....

[sjpdg]

I'm right there with you buddy!! I think that would be fantastic!! Rick can do it all, no doubt. The blues, the blues/rock, the straight ahead rock, all of it. We know he's got the chops to pull off Jerry Lee because we hear him doing it on "Blue Again!" on the "Shake Your Moneymaker" cover. I think we may be on to something here.

You're probably right about I Loved Another Woman and Oh Well. Both have been getting a lot of mileage lately.

I'm very interested in the idea of a new version of " As Long As You Follow". I absolutely love that song too and I agree it could be done again and sound great.

I'm also thinking a new version of "Not Fade Away" (Buddy Holly) would totally kick ass as done by Mick, Rick, Lenny and Mark. Maybe "Great Balls of Fire" too??

Is there any avenue we can use to get our ideas to Mick and/or Rick? I know it's easy to get Rick's email from his website, but does that actually go to him still? I did get an email back from him a number of years ago (or at least it said it was him), which was pretty cool. I supposed we could send our suggestions to the MFBB manager listed on that website. That might get us somewhere, or maybe nowhere.

I guess I just feel very, very strongly that Mick needs to realize there is a continuing market for the MFBB and it shouldn't be just a "one off" thing like "I'm Not Me", "The Visitor", "The Zoo" and the "Mick Fleetwood Band" have all been. I think you and I are not alone in our admiration for this genre of music, along with the players involved in this band. They are fantastic and should absolutely continue. We just have to get them to see it just in case they don't. I'm hoping they do mainly because of Mick's original roots in the blues. Let's keep hoping.

[sjpdg]

Another thought just crossed my mind.

"Sinner's Prayer" in a version similar to what Ray Charles and BB King did on Ray's last disc. It would be a scorcher with Rick and Mark together!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!