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  #1  
Old 10-20-2018, 01:38 AM
ricohv ricohv is offline
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Default “Stevie is running the show,” tour keyboardist says in interview

http://www.startribune.com/twin-citi...c/497968671/#1
Twin Cities keyboardist 'having a ball' touring with Fleetwood Mac
Ricky Peterson joins Fleetwood Mac in St. Paul on Monday.
By Jon Bream Star Tribune OCTOBER 18, 2018 — 5:55PM

He hasn’t ridden on the private jet yet. But Twin Cities keyboardist Ricky Peterson is on quite a ride playing with Fleetwood Mac.

His first gig with the band was for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in September. Then came the iHeart Radio Festival. Now there’s the 50-city tour, arriving Monday in St. Paul.

“This is wonderful, man,” he said recently from his room at Chicago’s posh Ritz-Carlton hotel overlooking Lake Michigan. “The band has never sounded better. I’m having a ball.”


Peterson is just three weeks into the six-month tour where he plays behind Stevie Nicks, complements keyboardist Christine McVie and marvels at Mike Campbell’s guitar playing.

First, an explanation of how Peterson got the gig. He’s played keys for Nicks’ solo tours since 2007. He also happened to know drummer Mick Fleetwood from vacations in Hawaii, where the veteran British rocker lives and operates a blues bar. Peterson got the call when Fleetwood Mac’s longtime sideman keyboardist left the band and started touring with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham.

“I didn’t have to audition for this gig,” said Peterson proudly. “They invited me to come and hang. I love it. I sort of grew up on this music.”

Fleetwood Mac

When: 8 p.m. Mon.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul.

Tickets: $69.50 and up; ticketmaster.com.

He’d jammed before with Fleetwood at the drummer’s blues club in Maui. Plus, he had Nicks’ endorsement.

Peterson was essential enough that when Fleetwood and ex-Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers member Campbell auditioned singers in Hawaii, Peterson was involved. He won’t name names as to who tried out, but Neil Finn of Crowded House got the gig. That makes Finn and Campbell official members of Fleetwood Mac, while Peterson is a handsomely paid hired hand.

Two months of rehearsals

The keyboardist’s next assignment was to learn 38 songs before convening for rehearsal in Los Angeles on Aug. 1. The group practiced five days a week for about four or five hours daily until Sept. 28.

“I didn’t think it would take that long to get it all down, but it actually does, because there’s so much involved,” Peterson observed. “It’s a lot of music, and [learning] the beginnings and endings of songs.”

Who’s in charge? Buckingham used to be. He sued Fleetwood Mac two weeks ago over his dismissal. The band disputes his claims.

“Stevie is running the show,” Peterson said. “But they discuss it. No one is yelling at each other. It’s very, very diplomatic. And the principals are involved. Ultimately, I think Stevie and Mick are the final decisionmakers.”

Personnel drama from the start

There was a Fleetwood Mac long before Buckingham and Nicks came on the scene. The blues-rock band was founded in England in 1967. Personnel changes were a hallmark of the band until the lineup stabilized, and the music soared with the addition in 1975 of Buckingham and Nicks, who were a couple then.

The album “Fleetwood Mac” became a blockbuster, followed in ’77 by the even bigger “Rumours.” One of the bestselling albums of all time, it discussed the various romantic soap operas in the band. Hit albums, including 1979’s “Tusk” and 1982’s “Mirage,” and sold-out tours kept coming. So did bumps in the road.

Nicks and Buckingham launched solo careers and took brief leaves from the band at different times in the ’80s and ’90s. McVie, the third singer, retired in 1998 but returned to the fold four years ago.

With Fleetwood Mac planning to play only three shows a week on this tour, Buckingham wanted to be able to squeeze in solo concerts between Mac dates. The band not only said “no” but decided to proceed without him. The soap opera continues.

Peterson has no access to those feuds and lawyerly negotiations.

“I didn’t hear any heavy feedback from the principals, but nobody’s really talking about it,” he said. “Everybody’s happy and it sounds like it. Everybody’s having a good time onstage.”

Oldies plus a Petty hit

Peterson was there when the band whittled the set list down to 26 tunes for the tour. “That’s why it took two months,” he said.

There is a Tom Petty classic as well as hits Finn sang with Crowded House and Split Enz plus Fleetwood Mac oldies, including “Oh Well,” that predate Buckingham and Nicks.

Peterson gets solos during “Black Magic Woman,” one of the band’s oldies, and “Rhiannon,” one of Nicks’ biggest songs with Fleetwood Mac. And he does background vocals.

Keyboard parts are carefully worked out so Peterson doesn’t overshadow McVie.

“She’s the main keyboard player,” he said. “This is a sideman job. She’s very accommodating. She’s such a sweetheart. This is not a play-a-lot-of-notes gig. This is more of a listening-and-feel gig to figure out where everybody is going with the music. My job is to make them sound as good as they can.”

Peterson has no complaints about traveling by bus while the principals of Fleetwood Mac — and their assistants, spouses/significant others and dogs — journey by jet. Actually two jets. The keyboardist does get to roll in one of the many limousines used to transport the band to and from the hotel and arena.

Peterson, 60, knows the bus routine from his days playing with Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer and Nicks. He’s also toured for three decades with jazz saxophonist David Sanborn as well as recording with a host of stars, including Prince, George Benson, Mavis Staples, Steve Miller, Ben Sidran, Al Jarreau and Les McCann. Peterson has released four solo albums in the United States, with a new one issued in Germany this year.

But playing with Fleetwood Mac is “just a fun hang. There is no animosity. No attitudes. Everybody has their happy-camper vibe on. It’s just a great rock band.”

To avoid taxing Nicks’ voice, Fleetwood Mac never plays two nights in a row. Thus, Peterson gets plenty of free time. He’ll visit tourist sights and hit the gym. Then he mentioned the steak dinners he’s had with other sidemen in the band.

Peterson may not be a rock star, but he’s living in a rock star world, private jet notwithstanding.
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  #2  
Old 10-20-2018, 04:23 AM
SorcererJP SorcererJP is offline
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Yes, she is running the show. So what!

Somebody has to do it :-)

Nice article though.
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  #3  
Old 10-20-2018, 05:42 AM
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Ouch!
So its not Christine playing the solo during Black Magic Woman. Although she does a good job pretending its her. I miss her playing

Of course Stevie is in charge. Her rules when to tour. Her rules who's in the band. Her rules what songs to play. Her rules on the Petty tribute.
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Last edited by Macfan4life; 10-20-2018 at 06:59 AM..
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Old 10-20-2018, 05:52 AM
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Well, let's look at this logically: John doesn't give a crap about what they play, he probably has even less interest than the new guys in what they play. Christine also seems, hmmm, how to say this, perhaps little emotionally invested in the set list as well. This is obvious to me by several comments she's made in the past. Clearly, Neil and Mike put in their requests, and so did Mick, but yeah, I have no doubt that Stevie was the one behind most of this set list or in charge- someone has to be, and it was never going to be John, Christine, Neil, or Mike. My only surprise about this is that anyone is surprised about this LOL!
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  #5  
Old 10-20-2018, 06:27 AM
NotonRodeo NotonRodeo is offline
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Wonderful. The band has chosen the least musically qualified person to rule the band. No wonder she hated Lindsey enough to kick him out--of course he would not have allowed her to get her way. What other band in its right mind would allow a person whose musical knowledge extends to plonk plonk plonk on a piano to become its musical director? With Mike fortuitously becoming available she saw her chance and took it.

This is not a band I want to see or whose music I want to listen to. Thank goodness for Lindsey's Solo Anthology.
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Old 10-20-2018, 10:03 AM
secondhandchain secondhandchain is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SorcererJP View Post
Yes, she is running the show. So what!

Somebody has to do it :-)

Nice article though.

It proves everything. She can dictate how many nights a week they play but when Lindsey wants to delay the tour two months he gets fired. See? She fired him to get her buddy mike in the band. He can’t sing so they needed Neil. She’s a total freaking jerk and the whole thing makes me sick. She makes me sick.

Last edited by secondhandchain; 10-20-2018 at 10:13 AM..
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  #7  
Old 10-20-2018, 10:24 AM
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Originally Posted by NotonRodeo View Post
Wonderful. The band has chosen the least musically qualified person to rule the band. No wonder she hated Lindsey enough to kick him out--of course he would not have allowed her to get her way. What other band in its right mind would allow a person whose musical knowledge extends to plonk plonk plonk on a piano to become its musical director? With Mike fortuitously becoming available she saw her chance and took it.

This is not a band I want to see or whose music I want to listen to. Thank goodness for Lindsey's Solo Anthology.
I don't think the interview said Stevie was the musical director.
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Old 10-20-2018, 10:26 AM
TheWILDheart TheWILDheart is offline
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I wonder what songs didn't make the setlist?
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Old 10-20-2018, 10:48 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bwboy View Post
Well, let's look at this logically: John doesn't give a crap about what they play, he probably has even less interest than the new guys in what they play. Christine also seems, hmmm, how to say this, perhaps little emotionally invested in the set list as well. This is obvious to me by several comments she's made in the past. Clearly, Neil and Mike put in their requests, and so did Mick, but yeah, I have no doubt that Stevie was the one behind most of this set list or in charge- someone has to be, and it was never going to be John, Christine, Neil, or Mike. My only surprise about this is that anyone is surprised about this LOL!
Do YOU understand that Fleetwood Mac used to be a BAND? With THREE songwriters all pretty much equally contributing?????? And that it's now no longer a band?

And that your beloved queen ended that for us???? That it's now the $tevie Nick$ show? Can't you see that?

The old goat should have just left, and stayed solo. But old Dick needs her, for a bigger paycheck for his loser ass.
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  #10  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:09 AM
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Default The Man Who Said Too Much

Ricky Peterson answers the door to his hotel room on the day after this article drops. Karen is standing there, flanked by two hired goons from.
"Oh, hi Karen."
"Hi Ricky. We need to talk."
The smile fades from Ricky's face.
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:12 AM
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I agree that it makes perfect sense that Stevie took charge here. When Mick is in charge, he has enough leadership ability to scout someone to be the next leader. Lindsey has long been the leader and I’m also not surprised that Stevie is the new leader.
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:35 AM
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I'm going to say something that is not going to be very popular around here. I will get lots of hate for sure, I expect that as this board has become all about hate.
I still love Fleetwood Mac. I still love Stevie, there I said it. I love the band and the years of music. I thought this was a place to go to share our love for the music and how it impacts our lives.
Every page I go to is the same over and over and over, how we hate the band and Stevie, week after week month after month. I get it, Stevie did the unpardonable sin, you think she should die and be sent to hell to rot etc.
But enough is enough already. Seems lots of people have left and no longer post. This has become the hate board. I thought this was supposed to be a place for FANS of the band to hang out. If you no longer like Fleetwood Mac or certain members, or can no longer listen to or buy their music maybe your not a fan anymore, you should start your own web page for haters of everything Fleetwood Mac and Stevie and move along, and not destroy this board for the rest of the people who would like to be here.
Can we move on, please?
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:41 AM
NotonRodeo NotonRodeo is offline
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And I thought people had the right of free speech. So we dislike what the band did to Lindsey and to itself, we should just shut up and leave? Well! If the mods and admin want to kick me out fine, I am hereby formally submitting my request to be removed as a member.

Stevie Nicks is going to burn in Hell. There. I've said THAT.

Last edited by NotonRodeo; 10-20-2018 at 11:44 AM..
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NotonRodeo View Post
And I thought people had the right of free speech. So we dislike what the band did to Lindsey and to itself, we should just shut up and leave? Well! If the mods and admin want to kick me out fine, I am hereby formally submitting my request to be removed as a member.

Stevie Nicks is going to burn in Hell. There. I've said THAT.
AMEN.

We're allowed to our opinions, and if you don't like it, go away yourself.

I hope the Old Goat burns in Hell. F*CK her. There. I've said THAT.
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Old 10-20-2018, 11:57 AM
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Not against free speech, but many posts are bordering on, trying to find the right word...hate speech, bullying, and even wishing to bring personal harm and death to others. This goes on and on month after month. You wouldn't or I hope you wouldn't ever say some of these things to a persons face. I guess some people hide behind social media to say things that should never be said.
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