Do Fleetwood Mac need backing vocalists?

[Skylark]

Excuse me... Since we are villifying here...I got so tired of those girls up there swaying back and forth constantly! It was very distracting to me! Weren't those Stevies back-up singers? So, of course she used them!!! Lindsey did his best work...Alone !!!


They will never have that FRESH...YOUNG...Buck/Nicks vibe again
as they are mature now and not strong enough to do it all ... as they acknowledged with all the extra musicians and singers on stage
during The Dance Tour! I feel as Phil does!!! Later! Sky

[David]

I like a Mac concert that's rough & off-key. When you bring in the Celanis & the Mabrys & the whozits & whatsits, they are trained to sing on pitch, which really bums me out. I don't want my Mac concert to sound like elevator music. That's what the '97 concert sounded like with all those perfectly pitched oohs & aahs in the background. The other thing I didn't like was Christine McVie's choice of electric piano patch. It was way too bland for my taste. It sounded like the Rhodes Billy Joel played on "Just the Way You Are." Yecchhh.

[Sugar]

I for one would vote for no backup singers. I like my Mac pure, imperfections and all.

[bookie29]

If Christine was there then I would say no backup singers. I feel that without her they really need another voice to round out the songs. Although I love Stevie & Lindsey's harmonies, Christine's vocals really enriched the blend.

Also, in the past it seems that Chris & Lindsey didn't do enough vocally on some of Stevie's songs during live performances.

During Dreams they would sing during the chourus "heartbeat...stillness...lonely" and that really added to the song. Also during Sara they did the ooh's and aah's and joined in with harmony during the " I stay home at night, all the time" part of the song.

In later years it seemed that they only sang the "thunder" part of Dreams and added nothing to Sara(when they still performed it).

I have also seen Stevie leave the stage during I'm So Afraid & You Make Lovin' Fun.

It seems that since Tango, when they started using the backup singers, that the songs seemed "fuller". To me they add to the song, without being overbearing.

I also am in the minority here, but I would not mind seeing Sheryl Crow on tour with them. They need a keyboard player and someone to perform Chris' songs. I would like to see a few of Chris' songs performed.

JMHO

Sean

[seteca]

I don't really mind backup singers, as long as they stay well to the BACK of the stage!

If it means the songs will sound better than they otherwise would (and I'm sure Fleetwood Mac can make a good decision about that!), then sure, let the backing vocalists "aaaaaaahhh" all they want!

[Phil]

I am not keen on generic backing vocalists under any circumstances. I don't have a problem with Sheryl assisting, especially in a supporting role because apart from being genuinely talented, she has lived and breathed the road so possesses an acute understanding of what is required... some ****ing passion.

Anyone who wants to hear the studio recordings recreated on stage may as well sit home with their cds and dvds - that way they'll save their money and won't cop any nasty surprises like off key vocals or improvised instrumentation. Jesus what is the art of live performance all about anyway?

I don't need to hear pristine muzak or watch an array of costume changes or marvel at how well Stevie's makeup stays in place or observe the stilted backing vocalists' tacky moves... I want flesh and blood, something real. I wanna hear Stevie's voice crack and Lindsey's guitar bleed... surely others do too.

C'mon Stevie and Lindsey (after all it will be their show), reclaim your edge and leave us breathless like you did twenty years ago! Age has not withered them - they still have the ability to mesmerise, of that I'm sure. So let's see them strut their stuff like they actually mean it and maybe, just maybe we'll forgive the occasional "foible" in exchange for something positively visceral... a meaningful and moving connection. Yeah, I think that's what it's all about.

[wetcamelfood]

I agree with Phil, given the choice, STRIP IT DOWN! I go to a show because I want to see FLEETWOOD MAC in concert. This is their "false advertising" stuff going on again but we are used to this one by now as it's been going on since 1987 (as already stated elsewhere in this thread), by rights the shows SHOULD be billed as "Fleetwood Mac... and friends" but haven't been and of course won't be as this kind of fakery is done by just about all in the music industry now so it's become "the norm" as LB would say.

Sure, I enjoy my DVD/VHS's (respectively) of "The dance" & "Tango..." etc. and yes, they have "extra people" (whether it be backing vocalists or added musicians but since TITN, we haven't had much of a choice in the matter, if we want to see recent stuff by FM, it's this or nothing, take it or leave it. The closest they came to being stripped down to just the Mac was the "Time" tour but even then, they felt as though they needed to "fill the void" left by Christine with Steve Thoma as an "added musician" on the eighty eights.

Unfortunately the "business" that FM is, dictates that it is considered the "right" thing to do for everything to sound plastic so there WILL BE extra people on this tour, I'm COMPLETELY sure of it. It would be one of the most surprising things I have EVER witnessed if only the 4 of them were to do this tour (or any future tour) WITH "cracks/imperfections" and all but they will NEVER do that again (unless it becomes "the in thing" to do but I highly doubt that will ever be the "case/trend". I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to do this kind of thing back in the 70's but it just wasn't done by anyone back then so they stayed with what was the "done thing" and didn't do it. This is probably why I love that older live stuff more, it's more real, what you see is what you get and the fans were given the benefit of the doubt that they would stick by those that they liked and wouldn't just say "Oh, you hit a wrong key, I'm outta here!" but I guess we don't have the benefit of the doubt on this anymore.

It reminds me of an interview I heard about ten years ago with songwriter Jules Shear on local Boston radio station WFNX where he had talked about how he had gone to MTV with the idea of the "Unplugged" shows (and I do remember him hosting it originally) as he thought it would be cool to have bands/artists come in and jam with each other and play each other's songs and just have it be accoustic, loosen up, mix it up a little, etc. but he said (with the exception of Aerosmith who were completely into the idea) all of the other bands/artists were screwing around with it doing extra takes and camera angles as they were always concerned with looking/sounding good and never wanted to do songs they were "unfamiliar" with in so far as performing. So he eventually quit the show as it became sort of a joke of what it was supposed to be. I'm not saying FM are a "joke" live or anything, I just mean it sounds like they don't want to have spontaneous/different moments (like the "Unplugged" artists) and that would be the whole appeal of going to a live FM show for me personally, to hear anything different to what I can already hear on the records (in a substantial way) but that's JMHO.

So that just leaves the decision of whether to go to the shows or not, I don't think I will be going but that's just my own choice and I hope those of you who will be going have a good time.

Sure, I will buy the DVD they release next year (though I get a feeling they are trying to replicate the Tusk doc feel on it rather than having it just be a straightforward concert DVD like "The dance" which I would prefer but...). If they are going to serve up "plastic perfection" anyways, I might as well hear it COMPLETE with the added overdubs and all and let them bring the show to me for $19.95 rather than spend however much for the tix (if lucky enough to get good ones which I probably woudn't be anyways) for the same thing as we know it will be the same rehearsed thing (speeches and all) at every show on the tour with the exception of any "guest appearances" (a la Crow) at a particular show, in which case when the introduction of the "guest" is over and the next song counts in, the script continues.

Sad but true, this is the way it is though I am happy some of you like that extra stuff. The record is the main thing to me personally anyways so I guess I'd be willing to bend on that as heavily overdubded discs are order of the day now it seems, so as long as it sounds good, I'll be happy as that is what I will hear over and over again anyways, not the concerts as such.

By the way, I thought it had been confirmed already that Sheryl Crow IS going to be on one of the tracks on the new FM album? (can't remember if it is on keys or backing vocals or what though but...)

John

[Vianna]

I want my Mac pure and simple, please=:-)...No back-ups. I really wasn't happy about them at the Dance tour; at least they were for the most part unobtrusive.

I have heard Sheryl will be on the album somehow but I hope she's not on tour with them...

[Alison]

Well for me the back up singers never bothered me. They were always a part of Stevie.
I will take Fleetwood Mac anyway I can, I have never seen them live and I have been a fan for over 27 years. I think there is a lot of nic picking going on.
How many bands do you know after all these years are still powerfuly popular, have such an impact on us, and still tour. I think not many. Be grateful that they are even doing this at all. You can't please everyone. And I bet they can't even please everyone in the band. So be grateful they are still around, that no one has died or is ill. Be grateful, they are I bet giving all they can. I would love to see them live one day, I hope.

Alison

The words you say last a life time. So say it with love.

[Street_Dreamer]

We are never going to have Lindsey on stage singing "Go Your Own Way" with the edge he did in 77, we are never going to have Stevie on stage having her "Rhainnon exorcisim" ever again. Also the intensity of the songs has passed and all of the real raw emotion that once was there isn't anymore. I'm willing to put down some money that there will most definately be backups for this upcoming tour and like it or not, that's the way it's going to be.

Matt

[Sugar]

The background singers are never background enough for me. I absolutely HATE the "Runnin' in the shadows" thing they do at the end of GDW! Hardly unobtrusive!

If I go to see Fleetwood Mac, I'm not looking for anything but them. I'm not looking for a "full sound" or what the song sounded like on the album. I think I'm with Skylark on this one. Lindsey was AMAZING with his stripped down "Go Insane" and " Big Love", and just as well because they probably wouldn't have done very well on stage if he had tried to re-create the studio sound. But that's where the artistry comes in! I would rather see a concert with ALL the FM songs stripped down and just the 4 or 5 of them than this freakin' entourage thing they've been doing for the last couple tours!

[chiliD]

Other than the VERY short "Mirage" tour, Stevie hasn't been without her background singer entourage since "Bella Donna", 20+ years ago...what makes anyone think it'll be any different NOW?? I think (and fear) that "Fleetwood Mac" will have the same personnel as "The Dance" tour, minus Christine. Let's hope fresh arrangements abound, however. But, it's Fleetwood Mac we're dealing with here, so I kind of doubt it.

[jmn3]

Originally posted by Street_Dreamer
In the studio they don't need back up vocalists. On stage they probably do. For example, listen to Go Your Own Way from the Dance, then listen to another live version of it by the Mac in any of their previous tours. There is a major difference in the vocals. Some people like back ups some don't, I do. It's all just preference.

Matt

IMHO, no version of "Go Your Own Way" will ever compare to the Mirage Video version...the vocals...the music....amazing!

"BAAAAYYYYBAY I'd GIVVVE YOU MYYYY WORLLLLD"

And of all the songs on The Dance, GYOW really seems to have the least effect from the back up vocalists...it's actually hard to hear them...you have to pay close attention.

[jmn3]

Sure, the Mac aren't spontaneous with their arrangement, and the concerts (setlist, arrangement, personnel) are fairly predictable...but they are in no way as bad as say...The Eagles. You may as well listen to the album in lieu of going to an Eagles concert. They are a great band with some great, amazing songs...but I honestly believe Hotel California has never been changed in 25 years!

[wondergirl9847]

That sucks! Why would I want to go see a band who sound IDENTICAL to their album!!??

THANK GOD Lindsey redid Big Love and Go Insane, two highlights from The Dance!! I don't think I've ever heard an ISA that sounded identical...similar yes...identical...nope. There ARE some FM songs that they've done which are almost identical tho. I love finding a diamond live song amidst all the similar sounding ones...like the SOTM from the Mirage video is REALLY different from the Denver 82 version...and I love them both!!