Mick & Rick, Nashville Arts Magazine

[OldTimer]

Nice interview with Mick and Rick in the July '09 Nashville Arts Magazine. Puts my worries to rest a little bit - even though Rick's left Hawaii and gone back to Nashville, they say they still intend to keep the Blues Band going, and even the Island Rumours Band, too.

I'm not sure how to link this -- I guess I'll just link the whole magazine. The interview starts on page 24. Some great pics too, but I don't know how to put those in here. Anyone want to help an old timer with that?

http://www.nashvilleartsmagazine.com...tsJuly2009.pdf

Mick Fleetwood & Rick Vito Reunite
Music Legends with a Nashville Connection
Nashville Arts Interview

Mick Fleetwood, the iconic English drummer from legendary
supergroup Fleetwood Mac, stands just over six feet, six inches
tall. His presence is familiar yet slightly intimidating, but one
soon is made to feel at ease as his smooth accent, punctuated
by frequent laughter, assures that he is indeed also a polite, witty
and charming gentleman. Currently on tour with the Mac
(which included a date in Nashville), Fleetwood also finds time
for family, which includes twin 6-year-old girls, a successful wine
business that bears his name, and two other bands that he has
formed with former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and Nashville area
resident Rick Vito.

Vito gained recognition in the 70s and 80s as both a session and
touring musician with such legendary performers as Bob Seger, Bonnie
Raitt, Dolly Parton, John Mayall, Roy Orbison and others before
being asked to join Fleetwood Mac in 1987, where he stayed
for four years. Since then, both men have released a slew of solo
recordings and side projects to add to their impressive credits, but
more recently the two reunited after 13 years to begin a new era of
collaboration together.

Nashville Arts: It’s nice to see you both
working together again. Tell us how that
came about.

Mick Fleetwood: I guess it happened a few
years back after Rick sent me a copy of his
CD “Band Box Boogie,” which was cut in
Nashville where he has a home. I just loved
it for its swinging jump blues sound, and we
started laying plans to get together and form
a band to go out and play shows, sort of in
the tradition of the original Fleetwood Mac,
which was essentially a very purist blues
band. Actually, Rick had seen that band play
when he was still in school around ‘68 or so.

RV: That’s right, it was at the Electric Factory concert hall in Philadelphia,
and that band led by Peter Green just absolutely floored me!
I went right home after that and started writing songs that were similar
to what they were doing and formed a band close to their image.
Their no-frills approach to rock and blues was a sharp contrast to all
the “heavy” acts of the day, and I decided right there that this was
more up my alley. I never could have imagined that 20 years later I
would be asked to join Fleetwood Mac myself.

NA : How did that come about? Had you two ever met or worked
together in any other scenario?

MF: Well, we met a couple of times in Los Angeles backstage, but
we first played together at a Billy Burnette session in the mid 80s.
I also remember coming to a club where Rick was playing, and we
jammed together a bit. It was apparent to me right away that Rick
had a great knowledge of blues and roots rock and roll, and of course
he was into Peter Green, so that resonated with me. After Lindsey
(Buckingham) left the group suddenly on the eve of our “Tango in
the Night” tour, I recruited Rick and Billy. They fit in perfectly, and
we were able to hit the road without missing a beat.

NA : How was that experience for you, Rick?
I would think it might have been slightly intimidating
to step into the position of lead
guitarist with Fleetwood Mac.

Rick Vito: It should have been, but the fact
is that I had just completed a huge year-long
tour with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
playing in giant arenas every night, so the timing
was actually perfect for me. I just learned
the new repertoire and resumed what I had
been doing, only with a different set of faces.
It wasn’t hard to love playing with people like
Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, believe me,let alone with one of the most incredible rhythm sections ever in Mick
and John McVie. I was also pretty much in heaven when Mick suggested
that I sing a couple of the old Peter Green songs in the show.

MF: We had a nice run for about four years with that version of
the Mac, and then Chris decided she wanted to retire, and people
started just going separate ways for awhile, but that’s always been a
part of what Fleetwood Mac does (laughs).

RV: I had gotten a solo deal with Atlantic Records and went off to do
that. Eventually Mick and I just sort of lost touch, and I moved to
Nashville in ‘95. I started writing for awhile and later began touring
in Europe where I had gotten another recording deal from a German
label. I think that brings us full circle to us getting back together
after sending Mick some of these CDs.

NA : So, I understand you both started playing together again in
Hawaii. Why Hawaii?

MF: I started traveling to Hawaii in the 70s and bought some property
there and had always loved it. I had the good fortune of being
able to move there pretty much full time with my family about
five years ago, which coincidentally was when Rick and I started
brainstorming together. Rick started coming over to try out different
combinations of songs and musicians to see what would happen.
As a result, over the next couple of years we were able to form two
bands together, the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band and the Island Rumours
Band, that are now working units. We’re based on the island
of Maui but travel both to other islands there and out to various
mainlands to play gigs and tour. Obviously, right now I’m out with
Fleetwood Mac, but we work it out so that shows with these two
bands are scheduled for my breaks with the Mac. We have longevity
in mind though and plan to be doing both bands well into the
future.

RV: The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band has a new “live” CD release
called “Blue Again,” which has topped all the iTunes, Amazon, Billboard,
etc., blues charts. We did a really successful tour in Europe
last fall and are planning more now.

NA : I love the new CD because it has a great blend of material from
the old Fleetwood Mac blues era and nice new things that you wrote,
Rick. Was that material written in Hawaii?

RV: Thank you. No, actually it was written here in the Nashville
area. I have a small studio at home and make a lot of demos there,
some of which turn into masters at some point. I bring it all with me
to Hawaii and we take it from there.

MF: This band is probably my favorite because, when all is said and
done, I’m basically a blues drummer. Those are my roots, and it’s
the music that we both love most of all. I think we’re probably more
“at home” playing it than any other style, and that comes through in
both the live shows and in the energy of the “Blue Again” CD.

NA : Tell us about the Island Rumours Band. Is that a blend of the
Mac with Island music?

MF: Exactly, yes. We wanted to build a repertoire that featured
some of the favorite Fleetwood Mac songs from all eras with true
Hawaiian music, both traditional and contemporary, and also
leave room for new original things that Rick has penned. So, we
found some great local Hawaiian musicians like Raiatea Helm,
Eric Gilliom, Willie K, and Lopaka Colon, and began forging a
style. It is very much a party band in every sense, and we’ve since
added hula and fire dancers to the show, which is really exciting.

NA : So Rick, will you be moving to Hawaii or dividing your time
between here and there? Do you have time for any collaborations
in Nashville?

RV: I spent the past nine months on Maui, and I love it there, but
I also love my farm here. I have the best of both worlds right now,
and so I couldn’t be happier. In past years, I’ve had the privilege
of working with people like Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Jr., and
Delbert McClinton and really enjoy the amazing talent associated
with Nashville. Hopefully, we can bring the Mick Fleetwood Blues
Band here to play soon. I would really love that!

NA : How about you, Mick; what do you see the future holding?

MF: Well, life is busy but, thankfully, very good at the moment, and
we have a lot to look forward to. Fleetwood Mac is still going strong,
and I’m looking forward to expanding what Rick and I have started
with our other bands. After a nice long rest, that is!

[jenniferuk]

Very nice--thanks for posting!

[michelej1]

That's a great interview. Thanks.

Michele

[sjpdg]

Awesome! Thanks for posting OldTimer!! Helps put my fears to rest as well. Really looking forward to some further MFBB CD's.