May 24, 1969 Melody Maker article

[macfan 57]

Here's a nice, little Melody Maker article on Christine from back in the 1960's.
This was just after she left Chicken Shack.

No Domestic Oblivion For Christine

Swapping a job with one of the country's leading blues bands for a sinkful of dirty dishes may not be everybody's idea of a fair exchange but as far as Christine Perfect is concerned it is.

Last August she became Mrs. John McVie, wife of Fleetwood Mac's bass guitarist and more recently she has quit the Chicken Shack, her place being taken by ex-Plastic Penny organist Paul Raymond.

But Christine isn't going to sink into domestic oblivion. "I wouldn't say I'm the 'darning socks' type," she says. "Life with a musician isn't humdrum. There are always people calling round. It's never boring, there's always lots and lots of things to do. I do a bit of painting and drawing, and some sculpting-I'm doing a model of John-and I hope when we move into a house I can have one room as a combined studio and dark room, because John is very interested in photography."

Leaving the Chicken Shack has giben the McVies more time to see each other than before when both were constantly on the road with their respective groups. "It wasn't like a proper marriage," Christine says. "The ordinary domestic chores were getting ignored and we just weren't seeing much of each other."

But leaving the Chicken Shack doesn't mean the goodbye to music for Christine. "I've been able to write more songs and I'm hoping eventually to make an LP of mostly my own stuff. I've written one or two things that are completely different from what I've done with the Chicken Shack. They're not the three chord, twelve-bar bit, they're more melodic, but they're still blues to me. They're just the sort of material that comes out of me naturally.

"When I'm working on my own, I'm my own boss, not cutting up three other members of the band if it's not convenient. Live gigs? They might come later on. I don't know what I've got in mind but I can't visualise myself as a solo artist. I couldn't do the same kind of gigs as I did with the Chicken Shack."

Her future as a performer is a little vague but one thing seems fairly certain and that is that a band won't be too closely involved.

Says Christine, "If I did get another band around me it would be just like the Chicken Shack, which, as far as a married woman is concerned, is impossible. When you get married, you take on a lot of extra responsibilities-and you can't neglect your old man!"

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Says Christine, "If I did get another band around me it would be just like the Chicken Shack, which, as far as a married woman is concerned, is impossible. When you get married, you take on a lot of extra responsibilities-and you can't neglect your old man!"

Or, just join "your old man"s band...one BETTER than Chicken Shack.

[ThePenguin]

"I do a bit of painting and drawing, and some sculpting-I'm doing a model of John-"

Oh please, someone just kill me now. How romantic is that?! I guess that's the 'clay bust' he mentioned on that 88 interview / Laura Gross, do you know the one I mean, Mary Anne?

sigh. I wonder who has that model now, how much would I love to see that...

Thanks so much for posting that, BTW. Nice little article. Always seems to me that everything she did, she did for him, for the two of them. So sad how it all turned around and bit them in the *ss.

-Lis

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

"I do a bit of painting and drawing, and some sculpting-I'm doing a model of John-"

Oh please, someone just kill me now. How romantic is that?! I guess that's the 'clay bust' he mentioned on that 88 interview / Laura Gross, do you know the one I mean, Mary Anne?

sigh. I wonder who has that model now, how much would I love to see that...


-Lis

I remember that interview. She said that some of her older work, done at college, was probably still in the archives somewhere if it hadn't been thrown away!

I wonder if she still does any sculpting? She said in the Classic Rock interview that she has all the artists materials but if it doesn't turn our brilliant straight away she throws it away! Good job she didn't do that with the songs!

Gsil

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I remember that interview. She said that some of her older work, done at college, was probably still in the archives somewhere if it hadn't been thrown away!
Gail

That's the interview. Laura Gross asked John if any of those sculptures were any good & he said that they were excellent.

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

"I do a bit of painting and drawing, and some sculpting-I'm doing a model of John-"

Oh please, someone just kill me now. How romantic is that?! I guess that's the 'clay bust' he mentioned on that 88 interview / Laura Gross, do you know the one I mean, Mary Anne?

sigh. I wonder who has that model now, how much would I love to see that...
-Lis

Well Lis, I can think of someone you could ask. By the way, I had a feeling you'd like the article.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Well Lis, I can think of someone you could ask. By the way, I had a feeling you'd like the article.

yes, but how to ask without appearing insane? Always a dilemma.

-Lis