NPR: Mick is on Twitter

michelej1 · #1 03-28-2009, 01:19 PM

Saturday, March 28, 2009 National Public Radio

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=102442878

It's been more than 40 years since guitarist Peter Green founded Fleetwood Mac, and although he no longer plays with the band, it remains active. The group still includes drummer Mick Fleetwood, who, at 61, is bringing his music back to its blues roots.

After a five-year hiatus, Fleetwood is playing again with longtime bandmates Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie on the Unleashed tour, while at the same time touring with his own outfit, Mick Fleetwood's Blues Band.

As a tribute to his blues-based roots, Fleetwood created Mick Fleetwood's Blues Band with guitarist Rick Vito. Vito, a fan of Fleetwood Mac when the group formed in 1967, had a stint as its guitarist in the late 1980s. Fleetwood's experience playing the blues with acts such as John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers placed him in the history of blues alongside the likes of Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor from The Rolling Stones.

"There was a whole blues movement in Europe," he says.

It was a movement which helped send Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, the band's first album, to the top of the English charts. Back then, the average English listener thought he was playing a brand-new musical form.

Returning To Roots

Blue Again, Fleetwood's first album with his new band, strives to bring back the music that sparked the movement. It's a hybrid album, composed of old songs (written by Green from the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac) and new material by Rick Vito. One of the album's "vintage" songs is Green's "Love That Burns." Fleetwood says he remembers playing that song long before it was recorded on an album.

"We played this in a pub called The Nag's Head in Brixton," Fleetwood says. "It could maybe get 60 people in it, and there used to be 250, 300 people in there. And those were the sorts of places this music came out of. That was our beginnings of Fleetwood Mac."

Fleetwood says he believes strongly that the blues might not be alive today if English rockers hadn't discovered it. Bands such as The Rolling Stones took it upon themselves to teach their American fans about their own heroes, including Muddy Waters, Walter "Shakey" Horton and Bo Diddley.

"That whole genre of music was all but dead," he says. "All of these guys used to come over to Europe and would be treated like royalty. That art form is part of a wonderful heritage of the United States of America. It's nice to know, in some way, that we were a part of that."

Fleetwood has recently taken to the world of Twitter, where he answers questions from fans. Addressing the ups and downs of his band, he admits that, although it's been somewhat dysfunctional at times, the current tour is evidence that Fleetwood Mac is here to stay.

"The lovely thing is, we're very aware that we love to make music together," Fleetwood says. "It hearkens to the Shakespearean phrase, 'If music be the food of love, play on.' And we are playing on."

macpai · #2 03-28-2009, 02:11 PM

Interesting. I wonder what his name is there, since it isn't Mick Fleetwood.

BTFLCHLD · #3 03-28-2009, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macpai

Interesting. I wonder what his name is there, since it isn't Mick Fleetwood.

hehe yea. anyways...I posted this in the mymicktv thread...

Quote:

would be interesting to find actual Mick tweets...I've searched without any luck...anyone???

NPR says he has 'recently taken to twitter'...they may well be referring to the Brett Cohen tweet asking for fan questions for Mick??

March 5th Bret's tweet said he would have the March 6th interview:
Bret Cohen Twitter
worldtalklive Mick Interview

Michele, I think you posted an earlier thread with the above interview...

MacMan · #4 03-28-2009, 02:33 PM

I heard the interview today... Mick didn't have any clue what Twitter was. Someone sent in a Twitter question after the interviewer prior to the interview put out on Twitter asking for question suggestions.

BTFLCHLD · #5 03-28-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacMan

Mick didn't have any clue what Twitter was

this all just reminds me of that funnyfunny twitter video you put on the twitter thread...twitter is um...silly.

macpai · #6 03-28-2009, 04:26 PM

My main Twitter functionality seems to be responding to other people's Twitters.
Isn't a Facebook status enough?

BTFLCHLD · #7 03-28-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macpai

Isn't a Facebook status enough?

I am still waiting for someone to comeup with 'crotchlook'

MacMan · #8 03-28-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macpai

My main Twitter functionality seems to be responding to other people's Twitters.
Isn't a Facebook status enough?

What I'd like to know... is if you see something you want to respond to - do you have to be one of that persons followers in order for them to see a response you've made?

macpai · #9 03-29-2009, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacMan

What I'd like to know... is if you see something you want to respond to - do you have to be one of that persons followers in order for them to see a response you've made?

Hmmm, that's a good question. I never tried it the other way. I assume you would need to be a follower, which is simple enough. It's not like they approve you, you just follow.

macpai · #10 03-29-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

I am still waiting for someone to comeup with 'crotchlook'

Myself, I'm waiting for asscam.

jedw · #11 03-29-2009, 07:11 AM

I rushed over to Twitter pretty quick yesterday when I read this. Quickly dissapointed LOL.

Lindsey used to have a cool youtube channel, now even thats gone due to "negotiations" or so says the website.

Stevie has a typewriter. Get it on twitter.