Christine McVie & In the meantime Remastered

[aleuzzi]

Another thing: I learned from Dan's liner notes that Christine's manager Martin Wyatt tried to instigate a solo album a bit earlier (1, 2 years earlier? No specific date is mentioned, but it's after Christine remodeled her home and Eddy left.)

Apparently there was some fun jamming but nothing of consequence emerged from the sessions and the players went home. I want to know who the players were. I'm imagining George Hawkins was there--as he was "called back" once Christine and Dan wrote new songs. But who else?

And while Christine was inspired writing the songs for ITM, I'm wondering if there were other song scraps she jotted down after its release. She had so much talent yet thought of herself as nothing special. It was an endearing and frustrating trait.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Another thing: I learned from Dan's liner notes that Christine's manager Martin Wyatt tried to instigate a solo album a bit earlier (1, 2 years earlier? No specific date is mentioned, but it's after Christine remodeled her home and Eddy left.)

Apparently there was some fun jamming but nothing of consequence emerged from the sessions and the players went home. I want to know who the players were. I'm imagining George Hawkins was there--as he was "called back" once Christine and Dan wrote new songs. But who else?

And while Christine was inspired writing the songs for ITM, I'm wondering if there were other song scraps she jotted down after its release. She had so much talent yet thought of herself as nothing special. It was an endearing and frustrating trait.

I read that too. Everyone saw who Christine was but her. And the fact that we got the documentary with the album. I think it all came crashing down once the album was finished.
She expected to sell and not promote or tour? She was not in a good place at this time. But the album is absolutely brilliant.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

I read that too. Everyone saw who Christine was but her. And the fact that we got the documentary with the album. I think it all came crashing down once the album was finished.
She expected to sell and not promote or tour? She was not in a good place at this time. But the album is absolutely brilliant.

That interview she did to promote the album (the annoying one with the music playing in the background) reveals she was not in a good place. She seemed so fidgety and got annoyed at the interviewer for asking what In The Meantime was about.

She did do that phone interview with some USA radio station to promote the album that was vintage Chris with a great sense of humor. She shot down any concerts or Fleetwood Mac reunion. She seemed chipper in that interview.

Did her drug rehab for painkillers come right after this album? I think in its release the album sold 50k units. In 2004 that was a considered a huge failure. But if an artist sells 50k units today the first year I dont think its remotely as bad. People dont buy music like they used to.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

That interview she did to promote the album (the annoying one with the music playing in the background) reveals she was not in a good place. She seemed so fidgety and got annoyed at the interviewer for asking what In The Meantime was about.

She did do that phone interview with some USA radio station to promote the album that was vintage Chris with a great sense of humor. She shot down any concerts or Fleetwood Mac reunion. She seemed chipper in that interview.

Did her drug rehab for painkillers come right after this album? I think in its release the album sold 50k units. In 2004 that was a considered a huge failure. But if an artist sells 50k units today the first year I dont think its remotely as bad. People dont buy music like they used to.

She didn't really promote it in terms of making a new album, touring the country that you want it to sell, and doing guest spots and such.

Her few interviews are the absolute bare min. And I get it, she just couldn't wrap her head around it. The good news is, we have a brilliant album we never expected.

I hear so many amazing things on this album. More and more with each hi-fi listen.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

She didn't really promote it in terms of making a new album, touring the country that you want it to sell, and doing guest spots and such.

Her few interviews are the absolute bare min. And I get it, she just couldn't wrap her head around it. The good news is, we have a brilliant album we never expected.

I hear so many amazing things on this album. More and more with each hi-fi listen.

I always say, "it's better to have the album than the tour." Some disagree, but Christine didn't. If she'd had her way, she'd have recorded more with Lindsey and the band. She didn't want to do it alone.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I always say, "it's better to have the album than the tour." Some disagree, but Christine didn't. If she'd had her way, she'd have recorded more with Lindsey and the band. She didn't want to do it alone.

I prefer this over SYW which is a compilation of some good music and some poor music. Also, prefer this over BuckVie, which is a little gem.


It's a true solo record for her. No Lindsey, no Mick, and a lot darker than we are used to. Some different vocal techniques, too.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Did her drug rehab for painkillers come right after this album? I think in its release the album sold 50k units. In 2004 that was a considered a huge failure. But if an artist sells 50k units today the first year I dont think its remotely as bad. People dont buy music like they used to.

From what I heard, no, she didn't do rehab that early. She was still sort of struggling to deal with everything alone (and not doing such a great job.) I think the 1st rehab was in 2012.

--Lis

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

From what I heard, no, she didn't do rehab that early. She was still sort of struggling to deal with everything alone (and not doing such a great job.) I think the 1st rehab was in 2012.

--Lis

So ITM was probably recorded before her alleged fall and pain pill addiction.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by SpyNote

Christine McVie sounds identical to the 1997 remaster. There's no mention of remastering in the liner notes, so it's probably the same version. The booklet has a "new" photo of Christine, and the band members photos have been removed.

Hey SpyNote, I just opened my copy of her 1984 CD from Amazon, and in my booklet, the pictures of the 3 band members are in it… not in the same places as in the original booklet, but all 3 headshots are there, along with the two photos of Christine. I wonder if there are different booklets for the remaster? The CD on the new version I got is black, and the packaging isn’t the hard plastic like the original was.

[JeremyGloff]

BWBoy - the one I received is exactly the same as you described.

I'm on the fence about the ITM remix - the original album was such a beloved album to me that I played so many hundreds (thousands?) of times it's hard for me to reconsider what I consider to already be at times a masterwork.

The one thing that I don't love about the remix is how most of the background vocals/harmonies are turned way down in the mix. I loved the blend of the background singers with Christine.

I did notice completely different vocals at the end of "Bad Journey" which was cool. I'll keep listening - it might just be a matter of my ears being so used to the way I'm used to it.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by JeremyGloff

BWBoy - the one I received is exactly the same as you described.

I'm on the fence about the ITM remix - the original album was such a beloved album to me that I played so many hundreds (thousands?) of times it's hard for me to reconsider what I consider to already be at times a masterwork.

The one thing that I don't love about the remix is how most of the background vocals/harmonies are turned way down in the mix. I loved the blend of the background singers with Christine.

I did notice completely different vocals at the end of "Bad Journey" which was cool. I'll keep listening - it might just be a matter of my ears being so used to the way I'm used to it.

I agree. I generally dont like remixes. Things are turned down. The best remix ever was Chris Lord Alge's remix of Stevie's songs on Timespace. To this day its the most profound remix I ever heard of every song. He totally transformed Edge of 17 and removed the chorus echco/playback which was so cool. Its the mainstay of what you hear today. For kicks, its fun to hear the original Edge of 17.
But I am so thirsty for anything Chris and bought her Songbird CD with remixes. However they were not just remixes. The producer added new musical parts which is both good and bad.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by JeremyGloff

BWBoy -

I did notice completely different vocals at the end of "Bad Journey" which was cool. I'll keep listening - it might just be a matter of my ears being so used to the way I'm used to it.

You are absolutely correct. I've listened 1000 times by now and the new versions are beloved to me. They were NOT at first.

But I overall see the vision. I even like the "and cut" at the end of Bad Journey. *I think he says that.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by JeremyGloff

BWBoy - the one I received is exactly the same as you described.

I'm on the fence about the ITM remix - the original album was such a beloved album to me that I played so many hundreds (thousands?) of times it's hard for me to reconsider what I consider to already be at times a masterwork.

The one thing that I don't love about the remix is how most of the background vocals/harmonies are turned way down in the mix. I loved the blend of the background singers with Christine.

I did notice completely different vocals at the end of "Bad Journey" which was cool. I'll keep listening - it might just be a matter of my ears being so used to the way I'm used to it.

I also miss some of the guitar in the new mixes. And the synth horns in Forgiveness, which made the song pop.

[aleuzzi]

Listened again to the ITM remixes. Wow—Friend and You Are really benefit from Dan Perfect’s technical efforts. You can hear so much in these versions.

Everything else is better and worse—crisper keys and vocals, loss of background vocals and other textures that made the originals sound finished.

I’m glad to gave both ITMs, but the new one does not replace the old…

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Listened again to the ITM remixes. Wow—Friend and You Are really benefit from Dan Perfect’s technical efforts. You can hear so much in these versions.

Everything else is better and worse—crisper keys and vocals, loss of background vocals and other textures that made the originals sound finished.

I’m glad to gave both ITMs, but the new one does not replace the old…

The keys on "You Are", I love these. Not in the first version.