Why the disdain for Mick?

[chriskisn]

Probably because Mick would do anything for a dollar. We aren't talking about Fleetwood Mac, of course he wants the band back on the road, although I suspect that isn't necessarily always for the sake of the music or the fans.

You just get the feeling he would lend his name to pretty much anything if it meant a dollar. Mick Fleetwood wines is an example. He didn't grow the wines, he didn't bottle the wines, he just threw his name on some wines he liked and they called it the Mick Fleetwood Collection or some such.

I understand he doesn't make as much money as some of the others in terms of royalties but then again neither does John McVie.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

Probably because Mick would do anything for a dollar. We aren't talking about Fleetwood Mac, of course he wants the band back on the road, although I suspect that isn't necessarily always for the sake of the music or the fans.

You just get the feeling he would lend his name to pretty much anything if it meant a dollar. Mick Fleetwood wines is an example. He didn't grow the wines, he didn't bottle the wines, he just threw his name on some wines he liked and they called it the Mick Fleetwood Collection or some such.

I understand he doesn't make as much money as some of the others in terms of royalties but then again neither does John McVie.

But why is that anybody's business but his own (and maybe his family's)? Why would his foolhardy business decisions cause a fan to have "disdain" for him? Does venturing into "get rich quick" schemes (and often failing at them) really affect what a fan thinks of his drumming ability and what he does to keep FM together? I mean, you might say that what he does is "tacky" or in poor taste, but to to have disdain for the guy because of it? I don't get it.

I'm really not trying to be political, but when did doing everything you could in order to make as much money to provide for you and your family become a bad thing? Are we supposed to hit some upper income level and then all of a sudden stop being ambitious and productive and be content living at 75% of our potential? I can see if Mick was trampling on people or screwing them over in the process to do so, but from what I can tell, that's not how he operates. Someone mentioned Jonathan "Toad" Todd from several years ago with the official FM site. Yes, that guy screwed over a lot of fans. But he's gone now and has been gone for years. I don't think Mick hired him in order to screw over fans; he did that himself. Perhaps once he finally got word of and saw how he was treating the fans, that's when he let him go. Or maybe he left for other reasons. Who knows?

Brad

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by Brad

But why is that anybody's business but his own (and maybe his family's)? Why would his foolhardy business decisions cause a fan to have "disdain" for him? Does venturing into "get rich quick" schemes (and often failing at them) really affect what a fan thinks of his drumming ability and what he does to keep FM together? I mean, you might say that what he does is "tacky" or in poor taste, but to to have disdain for the guy because of it? I don't get it.

I'm really not trying to be political, but when did doing everything you could in order to make as much money to provide for you and your family become a bad thing? Are we supposed to hit some upper income level and then all of a sudden stop being ambitious and productive and be content living at 75% of our potential? I can see if Mick was trampling on people or screwing them over in the process to do so, but from what I can tell, that's not how he operates. Someone mentioned Jonathan "Toad" Todd from several years ago with the official FM site. Yes, that guy screwed over a lot of fans. But he's gone now and has been gone for years. I don't think Mick hired him in order to screw over fans; he did that himself. Perhaps once he finally got word of and saw how he was treating the fans, that's when he let him go. Or maybe he left for other reasons. Who knows?

Brad

I have most certainly never seen anyone here criticize the band members over their success. In fact, we all seem to cluck & preen when we see the likes of Lindsey & Stevie on the Richest Rock Stars lists, or Top Grossing Tours of 2013 (etc), Best Selling Album Of All Time lists, et al. We're proud of the band's accomplishments. We continually hope for new albums, albums that will validate our fandom by hitting #1 on the charts. We want the band to be successful.

If anything, we don't get how Mick can squander his fortunes over & over. And that's solely because we want him to be successful. Sure, we bitch about the inflating ticket prices, meet & greets, restaurants, and wines... but we all support these things just the same. There is absolutely no anti-capitalist sentiment around here. If anything, we want more albums, tour books, t-shirts, bumper stickers, concert tickets, and other items to buy. More than anything, I see people complaining that the band doesn't put enough stuff out there for us to purchase.

[TheWILDheart]

I think *all* the members of Fleetwood Mac are guilty of a cash-in at one time or another. The last 2 tours have been complete cash-in's for all 4 members. I'm pretty sure the 2009 tour would have funded Lindsey and Stevie's latest solo efforts. Does that make them bad people? Does it hell. Look at the rave reviews from last years tour and the THOUSANDS of people who paid out to see them and had a bloody good time. Win win for everyone.

I don't think the tours are just cash-in's either. On the 2013 tour especially, they were clearly having a blast on stage. Stevie once said "you have to think 'I would die if I wasn't doing this'. I can't do anything else".

Of course, I would love to see some more new material from the band, but I'm just thankful I've had the chance to see them 3 times now, considering I wasn't around in their peak.

The only cash-in that irritates me slightly is the constant Rumours re-issues. It's been released 6 times now in one format or another. There are other albums that need the remaster treatment and other stuff they could release from the archives, but instead they chose to "celebrate" Rumours. Why? Because it sells. $$$!! But, back to the point, I don't think that's entirely Mick's doing, I think they're all guilty of it. But again, there's nothing wrong with that. Let em cash in, I say! It's only like one of us doing overtime at the office and getting extra in our pay packet that month, just on a larger scale.

[Dex]

I wouldn't say "guilty" of a cash-in is an entirely fair word choice, but certainly all band members have been shown to have commercial interests, and there's nothing wrong with that. Mick's tend to be particularly visible because they often fall well outside the realm of his artistic work. But it's not like he's making biscuits out of ground up orphans or anything. If I thought I could make money by slapping my name on some wine that I like, I might go for it. I can think of very few people who wouldn't consider that opportunity if it came to them. I don't see ventures like that as a fair point of criticism.

I think people can get caught up in this ideal of what an "artist" is supposed to be, and it can seem jarring and unpleasant when we find out that, like everyone else who lives in the world, money matters to artists too. There's an unwritten rule that they're not "supposed to" care about money, and Mick is pretty transparent about refuting that notion.

Personally I'm basically indifferent to Mick. He seems like he's nice enough, but he's a drummer and I'm not really into drums, so I can find little in his body of work to be excited about. *shrugs*

[RockawayBlind]

Originally Posted by David

His crasser side really started to show itself big when he started his own website years ago. He put a guy in charge of it who was a real weirdo—a scummy Hollywood-agent type. Disgusted fans took to calling this clown "Toad."

Yeah, I think people are forgetting how much of a disaster that website was. So many people got banned from it for very silly reasons.

Also, I think people forget how disloyal he was to the rest of the band with his book that came out around 1990. There was a fair number of untruths in it, and Lindsey even responded to it with his song "Wrong" on the Out of the Cradle CD.

[RockawayBlind]

Originally Posted by Brad

I'm really not trying to be political, but when did doing everything you could in order to make as much money to provide for you and your family become a bad thing? Are we supposed to hit some upper income level and then all of a sudden stop being ambitious and productive and be content living at 75% of our potential? I can see if Mick was trampling on people or screwing them over in the process to do so, but from what I can tell, that's not how he operates.

To me, this is beside the point. The point is the man has had a history of wanting the band to get together only when he needs money. That offends some fans' sensibilities. Secondly, he was very disloyal to Stevie and Lindsey in his book. They may have forgiven him and it's up to them to do that, but it says something about his character that he did it in the first place.

[Jondalar]

I like Mick. God Love him. He is just a money-grubbing whore.

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

If anything, we don't get how Mick can squander his fortunes over & over.

This. I don't know that I sense that much disdain for Mick, and he has always seemed to me like a very nice person, but he is in an enviable position of being able to make millions every time his band hits the road, so his repeated money woes don't generate a lot of sympathy. Most of us don't have even one chance to make a million, let alone several, so I wish Mick would learn some fiscal responsibility and not just rely on the fact that he can solve his problems by getting his band back together.

[michelej1]

From a reddit post by Mongo1021 with people discussing their favorite brushes with celebrities, 2-10-2014:

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/co...it=500#cfbwbrd

Mick Fleetwood -- Very well spoken, friendly person. I was a reporter and interviewed him about a restaurant he was opening in Virginia.

[jannieC]

I've always liked Mick and whether he squanders his money or not is none of my business. We all do things "for the money" but that can only hold up for so long. I have always felt that he is the heart of Fleetwood Mac and that he is genuinely devoted to the band. If he tries to make more money via wine or restaurants, more power to him.

I am a Stevie fan, but I don't think I'd want to know her in person. I love her songwriting, voice, etc. What she does in her personal life is none of my business. Same for the rest of the band. If Mick screwed Stevie over (once or more than once) that's also not for me to judge. People screw over the ones they love all the time...

[chriskisn]

I don't particularly have disdain for him, I just don't really care one way or another for him. There are a lot of members (and not necessarily in the main five) that I have a lot more time and respect for. I'm not sure why I am supposed to love him just because he drums in a band that bears his name. Sure he's done a lot to keep the band going, but he's also done a lot of things over the years that have caused the band to almost fall apart.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

This. I don't know that I sense that much disdain for Mick, and he has always seemed to me like a very nice person, but he is in an enviable position of being able to make millions every time his band hits the road, so his repeated money woes don't generate a lot of sympathy. Most of us don't have even one chance to make a million, let alone several, so I wish Mick would learn some fiscal responsibility and not just rely on the fact that he can solve his problems by getting his band back together.

This is what I've been trying to say- you're far more eloquent with your words than I am. I don't think any of us disdain Mick for his behavior- we'd just like to see him act more fiscally responsible. He's pushing 70, he can't write too many more scathing Playboy articles to entice the band to bail him out of his financial blues. His days of offering fans a $36,000 seat on his private jet have to be limited, too. I think we'd just all like to see him be able to write the last chapters of Fleetwood Mac history with some stability.

Originally Posted by jannieC

I am a Stevie fan, but I don't think I'd want to know her in person. I love her songwriting, voice, etc. What she does in her personal life is none of my business. Same for the rest of the band. If Mick screwed Stevie over (once or more than once) that's also not for me to judge. People screw over the ones they love all the time...

I have zero desire to meet the band members, either. They're a fascinating group of people who make great music. To know them as people would strip away the element of intrigue.

I certainly don't care what Mick may have written about Stevie in his book, or if Christine slapped Lindsey once, or if John is the last one off the wagon. They're all very strong adults who can handle their own battles.

[brickney723]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I am a Stevie fan, but I don't think I'd want to know her in person. I love her songwriting, voice, etc. What she does in her personal life is none of my business. Same for the rest of the band. If Mick screwed Stevie over (once or more than once) that's also not for me to judge. People screw over the ones they love all the time...

Agree, and I have absolutely no desire to meet any of the band members either.. I do not want to be recognized at shows- like maybe Lindsey will see me as some crazy, obsessed punter. I get that lots of ppl don't feel this way, but I do. Certainly they want ppl- lots and lots of people, to appreciate their music- so of course they appreciate their fans.. but actually getting out there and dealing with fans- like meeting them and talking to them is a job, like it would be for anybody. Having had a position where you were expected to smile, schmooze a bit, and act interested in what people are saying, I understand this completely. I guess going along with that, and though it may be fun to discuss, I'm perplexed when people very seriously want to agendize for them; how exactly they should behave, who exactly they need to be collaborating with, how exactly they should be making their music, even what exactly they should or should not be writing about. I'm satisfied just listening to everything and anything they have to say from the heart, lyrically or otherwise, on their own terms- just taking in what is, and leaving it at that.. As a fan, judging (or caring in the least) about the way Mick takes care of his personal finances- other than wanting the best for him- I don't get it.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by brickney723

Agree, and I have absolutely no desire to meet any of the band members either.. I do not want to be recognized at shows- like maybe Lindsey will see me as some crazy, obsessed punter. I get that lots of ppl don't feel this way, but I do. Certainly they want ppl- lots and lots of people, to appreciate their music- so of course they appreciate their fans.. but actually getting out there and dealing with fans- like meeting them and talking to them is a job, like it would be for anybody. Having had a position where you were expected to smile, schmooze a bit, and act interested in what people are saying, I understand this completely. I guess going along with that, and though it may be fun to discuss, I'm perplexed when people very seriously want to agendize for them; how exactly they should behave, who exactly they need to be collaborating with, how exactly they should be making their music, even what exactly they should or should not be writing about. I'm satisfied just listening to everything and anything they have to say from the heart, lyrically or otherwise, on their own terms- just taking in what is, and leaving it at that.. As a fan, judging (or caring in the least) about the way Mick takes care of his personal finances- other than wanting the best for him- I don't get it.

I do a little local show out here in the Valley of Los Angeles. After the show people will come up and want to talk to me and you would not believe some of the stuff that comes out of their mouths. Especially because they've been drinking. I had one audience member start talking about music and then was telling me about his sex life. I can only imagine what kind of questions and conversations FMac members have. People are crazy!! lol