Vito Interview from July 1990

[michelej1]

New Jersey Record (NJ), July 22, 1990

Section: LIFESTYLE / ENTERTAINMENT


FLEETWOOD MAC IS NOW HIS HOME


Barbara Jaeger, Record Music Critic

Rick Vito has heard the line that Lindsey Buckingham was such a potent musical presence in Fleetwood Mac that it took two guitarists to replace him.

And the journeyman guitarist _ who has been a sideman for Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt, and Jackson Browne, among others _ can laugh at it.

These days, Vito is secure in knowing that he and Billy Burnette are integral members of Fleetwood Mac. The two joined the lineup after Buckingham announced his departure on the eve of the band's 1987-88 tour.

"There was never talk of us duplicating what Lindsey did, and there were never any restrictions placed on us," said Vito. "From the start, it was stressed that we project our own styles of play and exert our own influences."

Burnette and Vito were no strangers to the band. For eight years, Burnette had played sporadically with drummer Mick Fleetwood, including a stint in the Zoo, a four-man side project that Fleetwood put together between Fleetwood Mac projects.

In 1982, Fleetwood met Vito at a recording session at which Burnette was also working.

"I think Mick had me in the back of his mind, so I really didn't have to do an actual audition," said Vito. "It was all very casual, in fact. I got the call, I learned some songs at home, and then I went to the rehearsal studio. After playing a bit, I was offered the job, along with Billy.

"Billy and I really play well off one another. He's not some frustrated lead guitarist, but, rather, he's extremely inventive on rhythm guitar. He'll craft parts that are uniquely his own, as well as being complementary to what I'm doing."

While both Vito and Burnette proved their merit during the lengthy "Tango in the Night" tour, it was on the recording of "Behind the Mask," Fleetwood Mac's new album, that the newest members really made their presence felt.

The death of Christine McVie's father caused Fleetwood Mac to cancel several dates on its tour, which brings the band to Byrne Arena on Tuesday. And it was during the unfortunate break that Vito took time to talk about his entry into the band's lineup and the contributions he believes he has made.

Speaking from his California home early one evening, the soft-spoken Vito said: "Joining the tour as Billy and I did was a little like trial by fire. But with hindsight, it certainly was the way to go.

"We got to know each other musically by playing together and exciting the people. It was a real confidence booster that carried over when we headed into the studio."

Buckingham, the craftsman of Fleetwood Mac's soft-edged rock, had helped the band move up the rock-and-roll ladder to international stardom. But success came at the expense of significant contributions from the other band members.

When Buckingham left, the others had a fresh chance to shine. The nine-month recording session for "Behind the Mask" yielded 13 songs and found vocalist Stevie Nicks, keyboardist Christine McVie, Burnette, and Vito sharing the songwriting duties. (Bassist John McVie completes the lineup.)

"Most of the songs I wrote were written in the studio," said the Philadelphia native. "Blues rock is what I particularly like, and it was a matter of adapting some of the things I do to achieve a group sound.

"When I'd come up with something that the older members would say sounded 'Mac-ie,' I knew I had it."

While "Behind the Mask" has moments of lush pop instrumentation _ a holdover from Buckingham's production days _ there are excursions into gritty blues-based rock ("Stand on the Rock") and rockabilly ("When the Sun Goes Down"). And those sojourns, which harken back to 1970 when Fleetwood Mac began as a blues-based outfit, are courtesy of the more roots-rock orientation of Vito and Burnette.

"Writing in the studio was a good experience," said Vito. "There was a real openness and honesty, and the songs, which were created pretty much as things happened, I think reflect that."

It was the opportunity to make artistic contributions that led Vito to consider a spot in the sometimes volatile Fleetwood Mac lineup.

"I had spent the major portion of my career working for other people," said Vito, who graduated from Kutztown State College in Pennsylvania and then got his professional start with Delaney & Bonnie and Friends. "The chance to have creative freedom and to see things built as a result of my contributions was a dream come true."

But didn't he have even the tiniest of reservations? After all, Fleetwood Mac's history reads like a soap opera.

For starters, founding member and guitarist Peter Green quit the band in 1970, a month before the group was to begin an American tour.

Then there was the mid-tour defection in 1971 of guitarist Jeremy Spencer, who left the band for the Children of God cult. Spencer's replacement, Bob Welch, quit. Another guitarist, Danny Kirwan, was fired.

Tensions within the group reached a boiling point during the making of the blockbuster album "Rumours." Those sessions were marked by personal turmoil _ Fleetwood's divorce, the breakups of Christine and John McVie, Nicks and Buckingham.

And there were the group's share of problems with drugs and alcohol that sent both Nicks and John McVie in search of treatment.

"I knew all about the band's history, but that's what it is _ history," said Vito, who is married and has a 6-year-old son. "As far as I'm concerned, this is a proving ground for me, and so far, things have gone very smoothly."

But that could all change next month with the release of Fleetwood's autobiography, "Fleetwood: My Life and Adventures in Fleetwood Mac." Written with Stephen Davis, author of the controversial Led Zeppelin biography "Hammer of the Gods," the autobiography, Fleetwood has said, will tell "the truth" about the group.

Fleetwood has refused to let his bandmates take a prepublication look at his book, and, according to Vito, all the "tight-lipped" Fleetwood has said is "there's some personal stuff in there."

"Who knows what will happen, but I think the turbulence that seems to surround this band is part of its allure," said Vito, laughing. "They always seem to be flirting at the edge of the precipice.

"But they always seem to endure. As for me, I want to stay with the band until it drops or they throw me out."

[vivfox]

When did Rick officially leave FM? And did he quit or was he "let go?"

[strandinthewind]

Well, he went on tour with La Nicks in 1994, and she had left the band by then. She also appeared in his 1992 LP "King of Hearts" in the songs "Desiree" and "Intuition," the former IMO an excellent deut. It has been rumoured that La Nicks and Rick Vito were romantically involved, but, to my knowledge, no proof of this ever surfaced. He was not on 1995'sw FM release "Time."

So, I tend to think that his "defection" into the La Nicks camp may have been the deal breaker with FM, though that remains unclear as well. Does anyone know if there was a formal announcement? I know La Nicks mentions the SS fight in a few 1991 Timespace interviews and in the August 25, 1990 BTM concert, one of the last ones, La Nicks clearly says "take your Silver Springs and dig your grave" - which IMO clearly was a not so subtle jab at Mick Fleetwoodm though La Nicks is the Gold Dust Woman who apparently is taking her Silver Springs and then digging her own grave as a result. Lord love her for the cryptic nature



at about 1:26

[wetcamelfood]

I think it was Dec '91 he left, and though he is great to converse with, the reason he left FM is the one thing he won't discuss, it was just for "personal reasons". I have a feeling it was something to do with his family but I don't know.

John

[aleuzzi]

And he came back, as a favor to the group, to play with Burnette, Fleetwood and the McVies for the Superbowl in 1993 (or 92, right after the Clinton inauguration). They did "Say You Love Me." I don't think he appeared with them again.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

And he came back, as a favor to the group, to play with Burnette, Fleetwood and the McVies for the Superbowl in 1993 (or 92, right after the Clinton inauguration). They did "Say You Love Me." I don't think he appeared with them again.

Yeah, that's right, I think he said in his Penguin Q&A that it was mainly for Billy that he did the Superbowl deal since Billy didn't feel comfortable doing it alone and it was short notice etc.

John

[chiliD]

Hmmm, interesting that there's no mention of Rick's connection with Fleetwood Mac when he was in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with John McVie back in 1976 on his Notice To Appear & A Banquet In Blues albums.

[michelej1]

[Here's an interview where John mentions working with Rick with Mayall]

San Jose Mercury News (CA) , December 11, 1987

Section: Weekend

MAC'S BACK FACES HAVE CHANGED, BUT THE SONGS REMAIN ALMOST THE SAME

HARRY SUMRALL, Mercury News Pop Music Writer

IT'S the first Tuesday in December and John McVie, the ''Mac'' of Fleetwood Mac, is calling from Austin, Texas. Into the ninth week of the group's tour (which makes its way to the Cow Palace Saturday and Sunday), McVie is enjoying a two-day break, and he sounds easygoing and relaxed. ''It's nice here,'' he says. ''I just got back from a round of golf at Willie Nelson's country club.''

With Fleetwood Mac's latest album, ''Tango In The Night,'' selling platinum (1 million copies sold) and its most recent single, ''Little Lies'' just now fading on the charts, it is possible for McVie to take it easy.

But in August, it wasn't such a breezy picture. ''Tango'' was out and selling and the tour was ready to roll when guitarist Lindsey Buckingham decided to depart the group and pursue a career as a solo performer.

What was the Mac to do?

''Before Lindsey had decided to quit,'' McVie says, ''we had already thought about adding another guitarist for the tour. Instead, we ended up with two.'' The two were Billy Burnette and Rick Vito, former collaborators with drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist McVie. Both were hurriedly assembled and became full-time Fleetwoods as of an official news conference Aug. 18.

''Billy had worked with Mick's group and, in the '70s, Rick and I had played with John Mayall,'' McVie says. ''We had them by for a rehearsal, and it just worked from the start. The combination of the two of them seemed right. We just said, 'They're in!' ''

For any other group, the departure of such an important member (Buckingham co-produced ''Tango,'' played guitar and wrote several of the album's songs) might have created a crisis, or made the others in the group think about calling it a day. But, with Fleetwood Mac, it was more like business as usual. Over the course of its 20-year career, the group has changed members (particularly guitarists) the way a snake sheds its skin.

The '60s version of the Mac saw guitarist and founder Peter Green go his own way, followed by guitarists Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer. At that point, guitarist Bob Welch joined, along with McVie's wife (at the time), Christine, on keyboards. But Welch quit after a time, and Buckingham and Stevie Nicks became Macs. And now, Buckingham . . .

''I think the reason the group never broke up is really down to Mick and myself,'' says McVie, 42, a founder along with Fleetwood and Green. ''We have common tastes and ways of thinking about what we want to do that have made it possible to survive when the others have quit.''

Changing, flourishing

Through it all, the Mac not only survived but also flourished. The no-compromise blues stance of the Green days (Green was one of the seminal exponents of the British blues scene), with records such as 1968's ''Fleetwood Mac'' and 1969's ''Mr. Wonderful,'' gave way, in the Welch period, to an eclectic sound that could be heard on such records as 1972's ''Bare Trees'' and 1974's ''Heroes Are Hard To Find.'' And, when Welch gave way to Buckingham/Nicks, the Mac entered the period of its greatest commercial success, with 1977's ''Rumours.'' That record, with its mellow rock sound, became one of the biggest-selling albums of all time. (Its sales have reached 20 million.)

But that record represented the apex of the Mac's musical and commercial output. Subsequent records, such as 1979's ''Tusk,'' ''Fleetwood Mac Live'' from 1980 and ''Mirage'' from 1982, seemed to lack the energy of former releases (while still selling platinum). After ''Mirage,'' the Mac disappeared for five years, as various members pursued solo careers and McVie hauled into St. Thomas for a brief respite. ''We were in touch with each other the whole time,'' he says. ''But we had to get away from each other and the group. We knew we'd get together when everyone thought the time was right.''

And now there is the new and bigger Mac.

New blood for good feeling

''In many ways, it feels good with Billy and Rick,'' McVie says. ''There's a new feeling of enthusiasm and fresh blood in the group. Lindsey was never a blues-oriented guitarist, but Rick is, and slowly, I think we're coming round to a sound that is very similar to what we did long ago.''

At this point, that sound will not be heard for a while, as the group churns out its hits on the tour. ''But we are playing a blues from the first album,'' McVie says.

''Right now, Christine and Stevie are writing new songs for the next album,'' he says. ''We start work on it next summer, and it should be out sometime in 1989.'' Vito and Burnette, at this point, are definitely a part of the Mac's plans.

''I don't know of any reason why we shouldn't do what we've always done,'' McVie says. ''With this group we have the perfect environment as people and a band. There is space in it for individuals to do what they want, but to also play as a group. We've never tried to sound a certain way -- to be successful or commercial. We just stumble about, and 99 per cent of the time it just happens to work. And through it all we try to maintain our sense of humor.

''The group is fresh because of their (Burnette's and Vito's) presence. We are out touring and having fun and that's what we like to do. When it gets to the point where it isn't fun, that's when we'll think about disbanding the group.''

-------------------------

Fleetwood Mac

With the Cruzados

When: Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m.

Where: Cow Palace, Daly City.

Tickets: $18.50 reserved. (408) 998-2277, (415) 762-2277.

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I know La Nicks mentions the SS fight in a few 1991 Timespace interviews and in the August 25, 1990 BTM concert, one of the last ones, La Nicks clearly says "take your Silver Springs and dig your grave" - which IMO clearly was a not so subtle jab at Mick Fleetwoodm though La Nicks is the Gold Dust Woman who apparently is taking her Silver Springs and then digging her own grave as a result. Lord love her for the cryptic nature

That had nothing to do with Silver Springs not being on Timespace. Stevie sang that in the song on many, many stops on the tour. The Timespace fight over Silver Springs hadn't started yet. It didn't start until 1991.

[michelej1]

Orlando Sentinel, August 23, 1987

Section: CALENDAR

FLEETWOOD MAC LEAVES BUCKINGHAM BEHIND, PICKS 2 TO TOUR
Bruce Britt , Los Angeles Daily News

Fleetwood Mac, the Anglo-American band whose colorful career has produced million-selling albums such as Rumours and the current Tango in the Night, formally announced last week that guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has left the group and confirmed that he will be replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito .

At a press conference here, the group's remaining members -- drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie, keyboardist Christine McVie and vocalist Stevie Nicks -- announced they would tour with the two guitarist-vocalists.

Both Burnette and Vito are veterans of the Los Angeles music scene. Burnette has recorded several solo albums, and his songs have been recorded by such pop-music luminaries as Roy Orbison, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis. He also co-wrote a song with Christine McVie, ''So Excited,'' that appeared on her 1984 solo album. He is the son of rock 'n' roll pioneer Dorsey Burnette.

Vito is a popular session guitarist who recently recorded and toured with Bob Seger. Vito also has recorded with a Fleetwood Mac member, playing with John McVie on some 1970s John Mayall albums.

''Joining the group was very emotional and exciting for me,'' Burnette said. ''It took a few days to sink in.''

Vito said he hoped he could help improve the group's sound and image. ''Lindsey and I have totally different styles,'' Vito said. ''But I hope to make this as exciting as I can.''

The new guitarists will share vocals when performing Buckingham's songs in concert. The group will embark on a 10-week tour starting in October.

Managing the six fiery personalities that comprise Fleetwood Mac may be a balancing act in itself. Tensions within the group have threatened to break up Fleetwood Mac before. Nicks hinted that she might leave the group once the tour concludes in December.

''It is hard to say what you are going to do after a 10-week tour,'' she said. ''You may never come back.''

But Christine McVie expressed hope that the group will record after the tour concludes.

Fleetwood Mac's latest LP, Tango in the Night, has sold more than a million copies so far and has spun off two hit singles, ''Big Love'' and ''Seven Wonders.'' The group has sold nearly 40 million records worldwide.

[michelej1]

8/22/87 Dallas Morning News
Section: TODAY

FLEETWOOD MAC REPLACES GUITARIST BUCKINGHAM
The Dallas Morning News (DAL) + _____
Bruce BrittLos Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Fleetwood Mac, the Anglo-American band whose colorful career has produced million-selling albums like Rumours and the current Tango in the Night, formally announced this week that guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has left the group, and confirmed that he will be replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito .

At a press conference at the Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood Tuesday, the group's remaining members -- drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie, keyboardist Christine McVie and vocalist Stevie Nicks -- announced they would tour with the two guitarist-vocalists.

Both Burnette and Vito are veterans of the Los Angeles music scene. Burnette has recorded several solo albums, and his songs have been recorded by pop music luminaries like Roy Orbison, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis. He also co-wrote a song with Christine McVie, So Excited, that appeared on her 1984 solo album. He is the son of rock'n'roll pioneer Dorsey Burnette.

Vito is a popular session guitarist who recently recorded and toured with Bob Seger. Vito also has recorded with a Fleetwood Mac member: He played with John McVie on some 1970s John Mayall albums.

[The Catdancer]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

I think it was Dec '91 he left, and though he is great to converse with, the reason he left FM is the one thing he won't discuss, it was just for "personal reasons". I have a feeling it was something to do with his family but I don't know.

John

I always wondered why he left...

[michelej1]

The Globe and Mail (Canada)
July 6, 1990 Friday


Don't throw away those Fleetwood Mac tickets. While Sunday night's
local performance at the CNE Grandstand has been scratched (due to the
illness of singer Christine McVie's father, back in England), it is being
rescheduled for late July or early August.

Fans who fear that the inclusion of new guitarists Rick Vito and
Billy Burnette might result in a paucity of the band's classics in live
performances, shouldn't be concerned.

"We'll be covering practically the whole spectrum of Fleetwood Mac
history," noted Vito from a recent stop-over in Chicago. "We'll cover the
Rumours period, Tango In The Night, the white album (the one simply called
Fleetwood Mac). In fact, practically everything but the Bob Welch period.
We'll only do about four or five songs from the new one."

Because Vito and Burnette are relatively new to the band, there's a
tendency to think that they're rookies. Not true. In Vito's case, he had
16 years of professional playing experience behind him when he joined
Fleetwood Mac, including gigs with Jackson Browne, Bob Seger, John Mayall,
Roger McGuinn and Bonnie Raitt.

But what is probably as important to the band as his history, is his
appreciation of theirs. "I was a fan of Fleetwood Mac from the very
beginning," admitted Vito. "I have their first four albums. I'm a huge fan
of (early Fleetwood Mac guitarist) Peter Green. And when he left the band,
so did I, so to speak. I took a lot of inspiration from him. He was an
incredible singer, perhaps the best white blues singer of the period. And
his guitar playing was the epitome of taste and tone."

Vito related how he caught the band on two successive nights at the
Electric Factory in Philadelphia in 1968. "It was incredible," he noted.
"One night it was pure musical mastery, the next night a cavalcade of
clowns. I couldn't believe it was the same band."

So enamored is Vito of Green's performances that he covers two little
known Green gems in Fleewtwood Mac's concerts. "I got to pick what I
wanted to play for this tour, so I picked I Loved Another Woman from the
band's first LP, and Stop Messin' Around from the second." And, of course,
Billy (Burnette) will play lead on Oh Well, a classic Green composition
that has been a staple of Fleetwood Mac's performances through the years.

Vito is stepping into some pretty big shoes as a guitarist for this
band. But he professes not to be over-awed. "I never really felt any
pressure," he insists. "I saw it as an opportunity. They saw it as a
progression. It's a relationship from which everybody benefitted."