I have all the Buckingham Nicks era stuff, what now?

[diamondsnake]

I have been an obsessive fan for about a year and have collected pretty much all the stuff from the buckingham nicks era of the band. The only FM cds I don't have are Time and everything prior to the White Album. Where should I start, now that I want to branch out?

Keep in mind that I really love Christine Mcvie, so what albums is she really good on and has a lot of songs on?

Also, I really loved Behind the Mask. Is that album similar to Time at all?

Also, I am a little confused about some of the albums, like Mystery to Me. On that album, is it just Christine who is singing on it? Or were there other people doing lead vocals?

Also, has FM always had vocals on their albums or have they ever done instrumentals? I think that would be somewhat boring...

And I am also confused about what kind of sound FM had when it first started? Rock? Blues?

Any help on where to start would be great. My tastes revolve more around female singer, if that is any indication of what I might like.

[louielouie2000]

Mystery to Me is fabulous... every song is worth it's weight in gold. It's an excellent diving off point. The album is just total pop perfection... you'll LOVE "Why"... one of Christine's all time best songs... heck, one of the Mac's greatest too! :D Bob Welch also contributes some neat material to that one.

Heroes Are Hard To Find is a really neat album, but doesn't seem to be well liked by the masses. It's got a very ethereal vibe throughout. "Prove Your Love" is another all time great Chris song. This album also features Bob Welch with some nifty, albeit "out there" tunes.

Future Games is neat as well. Very mellow and mystical as well. Chris, Bob, and Danny are on board as singer/songwriters for this one. "Woman of 1000 Years" is worth the price of admission alone :) .

Penguin is a very hit and miss album. Some of the greatest perky, bouncy Chris songs ever recorded are on this album (Did You Ever Love Me, Remember Me, Dissatisfied), but they are peppered by complete garbage like "The Derelict" and "Roadrunner." Bob, Christine, Dave Walker take over singer/songwriter duties on this one.

Many think Bare Trees is one of the best Mac albums, but I just don't care for it. It's too bluesy, and copycat-ish. Half of it sounds like recycled Cream material. This album also features Danny, Chris, and Bob.
I recommend these albums in this order :). But that's just my 2 cents.

[macfan 57]

I agree with the last post. If you love Christine McVie, then you'll like the 5 Bob Welch era albums. Some of these albums are just as good as Buckingham/Nicks, in some cases even better and ALL of Christine's songs are terrific on these albums.

Mystery To Me is just about my favorite Fleetwood Mac album ever. It's just Chris & Bob on vocals. It's a nearly perfect album and "Why" is a perfect song. My other favoites are "Hypnotized", "The Way I Feel" & Emerald Eyes". There's not a bad song on this album. I would get this one first.

Heroes Are Hard To Find is almost as good. Again, just Chris & Bob on vocals. "Come A Little Bit Closer" & "Prove Your Love" are terrific. Bob's "She's Changing Me" is terrific, too.

I like Bare Trees ALOT, although not quite as much as MTM & HAHTF. My favorites are "Spare Me A Little Of Your Love", "Sentimental Lady" & "Dust". Danny Kirwan really dominates this album-he's got 5 songs.

Future Games is also very good. My favorites are "Show Me A Smile" & the title track, "Future Games".

I agree with the last post about Penguin. Christine's songs are fantastic and there is a great instrumental from Bob Weston. But, I just don't care for the rest of the album. I would get this album last.

As for Time, if you like Christine then you should get this album. She has 5 songs on the CD. They range from very good to terrific. "All Over Again", which is her goodbye to Fleetwood Mac, is her best, in my opinion. I also love Bekka's 3 songs on the album almost as much as Christine's songs. Dave Mason's songs are OK, but I really don't care for Billy's songs. The ladies really make this album, in my opinion. I think Time is ALOT better than it's given credit for and is definitely worth getting.

[blinker12]

I like everything Christine wrote for the band pre-BN. If you're a big fan of hers, I'd suck it up and buy all five albums from 1971-1975, because she's on all of them.

But if you're on a budget and can only afford to get one at a time, this would be the order in which I'd get them:

1. Bare Trees
2. Future Games
3. Heroes Are Hard to Find
4. Mystery to Me
5. Penguin

I happen to be a big Danny Kirwan fan, so that's why I put BT and FG first. With Chrstine AND Danny, you can't go wrong.

It should be noted that one of Christine's very best songs EVER is on BT: "Spare Me a Little of Your Love."

I also think her tunes from HAHTF are all of the highest quality, especially "Come a Little Bit Closer." That tune is just heartbreaking. This album, more than any of the others, proves she "had it" well before Lindsey joined the band.

I can't get into most of the Bob Welch material on these albums, but some of his tunes are good too.

[EricBliss12345]

DEFINATELY pick up Heroes Are Hard To Find as soon as you can if you like Christine, who's also my favorite. :)

To me, this album contains her best ever work, and I like her songs on this one better than any from the B/N era and better than any album from the earlier ones.

This album contains 3 of her very best songs and one other that is solid. "Prove Your Love" is probably her most gorgeous song and has the catchiest vocal, yet wordless, line she's ever sung. It's got this awesome "Ahhhh ahhh ah ah ah ahhhhh la da da da da da ahh ahhhhh" thing that will get stuck in your head in the worst way ever. It's tied for favorite Chris song with "Morning Rain." Plus it has a really great, subtle string arrangement that enhances the beauty of the music nicely.

"Come A Little Bit Closer" also contains a devastatingly touching vocal line and a stately, joyous feel throughout the track.

"Heroes Are Hard To Find" is Christine's ultimate anthem as far as I'm concerned. To me, this should be the ultimate breakup jam for women and gay dudes. It's got a really fun, upbeat feel to it and a cool horn arrangement, and I like the contrast to Christine's unusually venomous lyrics. If you need a good man-hating jam I couldn't think of a better one than this. Her other track "Bad Loser" is also unusually venomous for Christine and has a menacing, dark vibe to it along with the Bo Diddly beat. It's a very good song, but is definately the least best of the three.

Not only do you get these songs, but Bob Welch also turned in a few gems himself that are just as good. "She's Changing Me" is about as good a pop song as any band could hope for and has some really pretty vocal harmonies. I'll take this over the best B/N era pop tune any day. Silver Heels is also a great rockin' take on 70's culture, and Angel a solid rocker. Bermuda Triangle is really mysterious and dark and has to grow on you a little, but it's more than worth listening to, and is definately his answer to "Hypnotised" for this album. Another track of his, Coming Home, catches Fleetwood Mac in highly unusual prog-psychedelia freak out mode and has some great menacing basslines from John and a really great main melody that I wish they had expanded on more.

It's hard NOT to reccomend this one, as it is my favorite FM album and all. Seriously though, I don't see how any Mac fan couldn't like this one. It's definately the most "all over the place" of any Mac release, and sounds like a different band song to song. As far as "all over the place" mac this album is much better than Tusk. Pick it up immediately.

Mystery To Me is a step below but still an excellent album, and probably my 2nd favorite from the Mac. Christine has a few really good ones, the very catchy "Prove Your Love" and a favorite pre-Buckingham Nicks tune among fans "Why."

Albums like Penguin and Future Games are a little spotty but once again contain some of Chris's very best work despite the uneven quality and are more than worth having. I found my copies for 11.99 a piece and it's worth it at that price. Penguin is worth having for "Dissatisfied" alone, not to mention "Night Watch" and "Caught In The Rain." Future Games has Christines best song ever, which is "Morning Rain."

Bare Trees is dominated by Danny Kirwin so it rocks pretty hard throughout, and Chris contributes to the rockin' with "Homeward Bound" and her smooth R&B flavored "Spare Me A Little." This album contains the original version of "Sentimental Lady" which was much better in it's original form compared to Bob Welch's dippy remake of it years later, which curiously was a smash hit.

Start with Heroes and Mystery first. :)

[dontlookdown]

if you're really serious about getting to know the band - i suggest getting them all. take your time and digest them.
start with Bare Trees then move on to Penguin, Mystery To Me, Heroes Are Hard To Find. And be sure to at least sample some of the really early blues albums. They rock and you'll still get that same John and Mick vibe that you hear on Rumours, Tusk and Say You Will. It's pretty interesting when you realize how much the bass and drums makes up what we all love about the Fleetwood Mac sound.

[shackin'up]

I'd say:

1.Heroes are hard to find
2.Mystery to me
3.Then play on (a MUST. would be my personal nr 1 in this list, but chose another order cause you're a chris-fan)
4.Future games
5.Bare trees
6.Penguin

Soooooo much yet to discover. Wish I was in the same stage.......

Have fun! but I'm sure you will....:wavey:


gerald

[ShamHy89]

I was in the exact position as you a couple months ago. I have basically all of the albums listed here now, and each one is special in its own unique way. I personally LOVE Mystery To Me, Bare Trees, and Future Games, in that order. For me, this is Christine's golden age of writing and once you pick up a few of these albums, you'll understand why many of us think so. I, (like you most likely) am only a high school student so I know it's hard to scrape up the cash sometimes...so just take your time and enjoy each one. I personally would recommend "Mystery To Me" as your start, and I think soon you'll be exploring all pre-BN era Mac music from there. Good luck and enjoy!

Shamus:)

[diamondsnake]

Originally posted by ShamHy89
I was in the exact position as you a couple months ago. I have basically all of the albums listed here now, and each one is special in its own unique way. I personally LOVE Mystery To Me, Bare Trees, and Future Games, in that order. For me, this is Christine's golden age of writing and once you pick up a few of these albums, you'll understand why many of us think so. I, (like you most likely) am only a high school student so I know it's hard to scrape up the cash sometimes...so just take your time and enjoy each one. I personally would recommend "Mystery To Me" as your start, and I think soon you'll be exploring all pre-BN era Mac music from there. Good luck and enjoy!

Shamus:)

Yes, I'm in highschool, so it is hard to get a bunch of money... Fortunately, I've got Christmas coming up!

I like the idea of digesting them one at a time because I made a big mistake when I purchased all 6 of Stevie's solo albums at the same time. That was about 75 songs to take in all at once and it really took away from the music, I think.

Not only that, but I still find myself finding songs on the different records that I hardly recognize because all the songs were just blaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh by the time I listened to so many of them.

[wondergirl9847]

Good to know you are interested in the pre-Rumours eras!! :nod:

My faves in order are:

Bare Trees
Future Games
Mystery to Me
Then Play On

I don't own Penguin or HAHTF on CD..only LP so I've only listened to them once or twice. Can't really give an opinion on them.

I'm a huge Danny fan so my fave CD's are the ones with him up front. Mystery to Me would be a great start for fans of Miss Christine, IMO. Then, Future Games and Bare Trees.

Happy listening! :)

[mylittledemon]

Ok first off, TIME sucks donkey balls.

Secondly, I'm one of those fans who for whatever reason, cannot enjoy the pre-Buckingham/Nicks era. If you do like the Buckingham Nicks era, then check out all 3 of Lindsey's solo albums AND of course all of Stevie's solo material.

[chiliD]

Originally posted by mylittledemon
Ok first off, TIME sucks donkey balls.

To quote Lindsey Buckingham: Wrong.

Another case in point at someone having no concept of "Fleetwood Mac".

Originally posted by mylittledemon
Secondly, I'm one of those fans who for whatever reason, cannot enjoy the pre-Buckingham/Nicks era.

Your loss.

Originally posted by mylittledemon
If you do like the Buckingham Nicks era, then check out all 3 of Lindsey's solo albums AND of course all of Stevie's solo material.

Yawn.

[EricBliss12345]

MyLittleDemon is not only a fool but also a buffoon.

Go ahead and pick up the pre B/N albums. Theyre good! :D

[mylittledemon]

Hey ChiliD, that's jut my opinion. If we were all alike, we'd be completely boring wouldn't we? At any rate...Time is a terrible album. Aside from Mick and John's constant as musicians and Christine's voice/writing the album is terrible. Bekka Bramlett is a joke. Out of the Cradle by Lindsey is fantastic and underrated, and Stevie's first solo album is solid.

[Merf]

Originally posted by EricBliss12345
MyLittleDemon is not only a fool but also a buffoon.

Go ahead and pick up the pre B/N albums. Theyre good! :D

I see no reason to put down MyLittleDemon. He was simply stating his opinion about "Time," and a well thought out one, at that, after reading his 2nd post about it.

[EricBliss12345]

Oh I showed it to him the minute I did it. He knows I'm playin. ;)

I'm lucky I edited what I DID write or I'd have been so out of here permanantly. I hate having to do that, but oh well. :laugh:

[EricBliss12345]

resume pre B/N albums convo:)

[chiliD]

Originally posted by mylittledemon
Hey ChiliD, that's jut my opinion. If we were all alike, we'd be completely boring wouldn't we? At any rate...Time is a terrible album. Aside from Mick and John's constant as musicians and Christine's voice/writing the album is terrible. Bekka Bramlett is a joke. Out of the Cradle by Lindsey is fantastic and underrated, and Stevie's first solo album is solid.

Then state it as "your opinion". You stated it as "fact"...not just originally, but above, too. Time is NOT a terrible album. YOU think it is, *I* think it isn't. I love Bekka's voice. I've been a Dave Mason fan since his days in Traffic. I like Billy Burnette, too. I think if this lineup would've been kept together for at least one more album (without Christine, who I think hi-jacked Time by not touring), they would've been better accepted.

Out of The Cradle: yeah, it's Lindsey's best album. But, it is also very self-indulgent (as just about ALL of Lindsey's material is)

Bella Donna: again, one of Stevie's best, but between BD & TISL, she released alot of crap (in MY opinion), too.

I think Rumours is boring, too...so what?

[mylittledemon]

Hey that's cool. You're entitled to that. Next time I state my opinion, which is what these forums are all about, maybe I should make it more clear. I wouldn't want anyone to get the impression that every idea I have about Fleetwood Mac is FACTUAL. At any rate, I'm not the one who's acting I'm like dumber for having heard someone else's thoughts. I respect what you feel about the early/latter Mac stuff and I'm not putting it down. So nanny nanny poo poo.

One more thing about Bekka Bramlett. I saw this bootleg video of her and the Mac that looked like they were playing at some club. Billy/Mick/John were there. She was singing this godawful version of Gold Dust Woman while wearing cut off shorts. I wanted to barf.

[chiliD]

And, I saw the same thing and thought that was the 2nd best version of "Gold Dust Woman" I ever saw/heard (closely behind Stevie's version w/Sheryl Crow at Central Park). See? We're NEVER going to agree on that lineup, so let's agree to disagree and call a *truce*, eh? :)

[mylittledemon]

WOW. Second best version of Gold Dust Woman!? That's hardcore. You really must've liked TIME. Bramlett totally butchered that song. I think the best version I've seen is on the Dance DVD. I love the screaming part.

[chiliD]

I like Fleetwood Mac.

I like Billy Burnette & Rick Vito's version of "Oh Well" the best.

I like Bob Welch's version of "Green Manalishi" the best.

I like Lindsey's version of "Station Man" the best.

And, as I said, I like Bekka's version of "Gold Dust Woman" over any other FLEETWOOD MAC version.

Doesn't matter to me...it is just Fleetwood Mac playing Fleetwood Mac songs...regardless of "personnel".

For all of Christine's contributions to the band and have them only play "Don't Stop" in the current set really irks me; and to have the current Fleetwood Mac totally ignore any material prior to 1975 is just sad.

I get annoyed when the Rumours lineup is deified as the "be all & end all of Fleetwood Mac". Sure they were the most well-known, but that doesn't automatically make them "the best" incarnation.

But, then, in the whole scheme of things it seems really moronic to be arguing about some pop/rock band...there's a whole string of things that are infinitely more important and should take priority, in our daily lives.

[face of glass]

Then state it as "your opinion". You stated it as "fact"...not just originally, but above, too. Time is NOT a terrible album. YOU think it is, *I* think it isn't. I love Bekka's voice. I've been a Dave Mason fan since his days in Traffic. I like Billy Burnette, too. I think if this lineup would've been kept together for at least one more album (without Christine, who I think hi-jacked Time by not touring), they would've been better accepted.

I agree. When I bought the album not too long ago, I had to seriously nullify my head in order to give it an unbiased listen. And when I did listen to it, it didn’t turn out to be the loathsome monster I was told it was. I think some people are seriously overreacting when they’re discussing Time. Yes, I can understand the hatred towards “Blow By Blow” and “These Strange Times”, but otherwise not. If you hate Billy/Bekka/Dave, it’s most likely because you they’re not Buckingham and Nicks. It has to be accepted before giving the album a proper listen. You shouldn’t expect the album to sound like the Rumours era anyway; the only thing that hints at it is of course the rhythm section, some of Richard Dashut’s production/arrangement ideas and Christine’s songs. Speaking of which, I know Johnny Stew said something similar at Burnish, but any Rumours-era fan who is avoiding Time because of its reputation should have the album anyway, if only for Chris’ contributions. She’s as consistent there as ever. Why “Temporary One” (although catchy) with its very routine arrangement gets praised is beyond me, when every Chris song on Time is the equal of it in songwriting and surpasses it in attention to detail.

I know, that should go to the Post-Rumours forum. Maybe one day. :rolleyes:

Out of The Cradle: yeah, it's Lindsey's best album. But, it is also very self-indulgent (as just about ALL of Lindsey's material is)

An understandable backlash. ;) But yeah, it is so very serious and very self-indulgent. That’s about the only negative thing I can say of the album.

I think Rumours is boring, too...so what?

Backlash again? ;) Surely you didn’t feel that way in early 1977? But I can understand this, the whole album has overshadowed the rest of the back catalogue like a giant mushroom cloud. If it’s the reason they’re going to be remembered alongside the Beatles, Dark Side Of The Moon and (gasp) Thriller, then fine. But I do agree with your previously expressed sentiment; it might have been better for the band to have a success on a smaller scale throughout the entire 36-year-old career.

For all of Christine's contributions to the band and have them only play "Don't Stop" in the current set really irks me; and to have the current Fleetwood Mac totally ignore any material prior to 1975 is just sad.

Complete agreement.

[chiliD]

Originally posted by face of glass
Surely you didn’t feel that way in early 1977?

Well, no, THEN it was a brand new Fleetwood Mac album. But, it DID get "old" quickly, for me. The soap opera hype eclipsed the music...and pretty much HAS, still to this day.


Originally posted by face of glass
...the whole album has overshadowed the rest of the back catalogue like a giant mushroom cloud.

Not just their BACK catalogue...their ENTIRE catalogue.

Originally posted by face of glass
...If it’s the reason they’re going to be remembered alongside the Beatles, Dark Side Of The Moon and (gasp) Thriller, then fine.

The Beatles called it a day and didn't have to (and at the time COULDN'T) and mostly likely WOULDN'T have performed most of "Sgt Pepper" in their set for 25 years.

Pink Floyd doesn't focus their entire concert set on Dark Side Of The Moon each tour...they focus on the material from their most current album and then they fill the remainder of their set from a variety of tunes from their previous albums.

With Fleetwood Mac nowadays, we get a tease of new material, a majority of Rumours & the "white album", a couple of Tusk gems, and that's pretty much it. There's been PAINFULLY little variation in their concert sets in the past 28 years. At least from the Tango tour, through Time tours, they shook up the set due to the change in personnel. It was back to the same thread-bare set during The Dance, and that has carried over into THIS tour, as well. Sure, a few new tunes and a changed arrangement here & there DO add some flavor, but it still is like having mashed potatoes for the fourth night in a row...just having a different type gravy topping.

[face of glass]

Originally posted by chiliD
Well, no, THEN it was a brand new Fleetwood Mac album. But, it DID get "old" quickly, for me. The soap opera hype eclipsed the music...and pretty much HAS, still to this day.

And that is a problem; that's why the Rumours line-up still lacks credibility in elitist rock circles.
Only the people in the future will be able to view this music in adequate objective surroundings. No mega-seller of the '70s would have sold as much as it did without additional hoopla around it that had nothing to do with music. Led Zeppelin IV had the mysticism and the accusations of paganism. Dark Side Of The Moon sold because of its "deep artistic pretentiousness" and because of Pink Floyd's stage show. Rumours had the drama. I guess it's a huge part of the music for some people, but for those who would rather just sit down and listen and take the music at face value, it will get stale really quick.

The Beatles called it a day and didn't have to (and at the time COULDN'T) and mostly likely WOULDN'T have performed most of "Sgt Pepper" in their set for 25 years.

Pink Floyd doesn't focus their entire concert set on Dark Side Of The Moon each tour...they focus on the material from their most current album and then they fill the remainder of their set from a variety of tunes from their previous albums.

Well, I guess that's because nothing in their catalogues overshadows the other albums like Rumours does in the Mac's output. Other Beatles albums from 1965 to 1969 may not have the status of Pepper, but they get nearly the same respect anyway. And for Pink Floyd, it's still three albums that they're focusing on: DSOTM, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. Those were all monsters. If the White Fleetwood Mac album, as the second biggest seller in FM's output, has sold five million copies, then it's nowhere near Rumours. The band is itself responsible of this situation though. I don't think the same old repetitive promotion of Rumours is helping the sales THAT much.

Sure, a few new tunes and a changed arrangement here & there DO add some flavor, but it still is like having mashed potatoes for the fourth night in a row...just having a different type gravy topping. [/B]

I agree. Collecting recordings of current Fleetwood Mac performances is pretty much these days only a job for the hardcores, who will always swoon over Stevie's change of lyric or Lindsey's change of a speech/guitar solo. Whereas in the past I would have recommended the whole collecting procedure to just about any lover of rock music.

[chiliD]

It just boils down to you can't believe what the band says. Mick & Lindsey say that Say You Will is the best they've ever played. Cool. If the album is that damned great, then back it up by playing more of it in concert. Be a "now" band, not a "revival" band. That's what The Dance tour was about. Move on.

By just looking at the set list this tour, one would wonder which album they're promoting...Rumours or Say You Will? With the evidence I've seen so far, I'd choose the former.

ANNNNYWAY...back to the topic of the thread:

Get Mystery To Me...don't wait, go to the store NOW! :nod:

Collect aluminum cans, take 'em to the recycling center, take the cash, go get Bare Trees. :thumbsup:

Sell a pint of blood, go buy Future Games. :laugh:

Sell an internal organ or two and go buy the rest of the catalogue. :lol:

[mylittledemon]

Here's a thought about RUMOURS for you ChiliD. Obviously you're older than some of us here. I wasn't even BORN when Rumours came out. I didnt even get "into" Fleetwood Mac until The Dance back in 97. I had just started college. So...in that sense, the days of the late 70s/early 80s where the drama that was Fleetwood Mac was overshadowing the music were long since gone by the time I got into them. I didn't grow up having to watch that; in a sense "growing up" with the band. I only found out about it after the fact. Fleetwood Mac/Rumours/Tusk were all very fresh albums to me. I still don't get tired of listening to them either. Maybe I'll feel differently in 10 years...?

[chiliD]

If you read the interviews, even now, the drama HASN'T gone away...it is still there. With Christine gone, the focus is even MORE about Lindsey & Stevie. Just read threads here (and other FMac/Lindsey/Stevie message boards) started by people even younger than you. "Will Lindsey & Stevie ever get back together" or "Wouldn't it be great if..."

It is all about them. The concept of Fleetwood Mac as a band, a really good, creative BAND is non-existent anymore.

They're destined to milk the "soap opera" forever. So, I think they should bail out, be "Buckingham Nicks", let Mick & John carry on as Fleetwood Mac with more creative MUSICIANS.

[mylittledemon]

I almost agree with you there. I think the Buckingham/Nicks lineup sans Christine is little more than Buckingham Nicks. I daresay that only 3 or 4 tracks on the new album really "feel" like Mac tunes. Destiny Rules being one of them. At any rate...I think the drama to this day keeps it interesting. The departure of Christine and the obvious love that still exists between Lindsey and Stevie onstage. They will never get back together, and I dont even think about that sort of stuff. I'm just glad they're still together and making music. I think that given the chance, if Lindsey and Stevie were to write music again with Mick and John giving their input, we could have a truly new and fresh Fleetwood Mac album. It also sucks that Christine is no longer there to balance out the eccentricities of Lindsey and Stevie.

[ShamHy89]

Collect aluminum cans, take 'em to the recycling center, take the cash, go get Bare Trees.

Oh, believe me...I was almost at this point a month ago. Once you get Mystery To Me, you'll probably be screaming to get to a store with more pre-BN Mac. (Well, I was anyways.:laugh: ) Oh, and once you get something, please share your thoughts. I'd love to know what you think of the albums. Remember, keep saving...there's always more to buy.

Shamus:)

[Cour]

Originally posted by chiliD


They're destined to milk the "soap opera" forever. So, I think they should bail out, be "Buckingham Nicks", let Mick & John carry on as Fleetwood Mac with more creative MUSICIANS.


While that's a nice little fantasy, I don't see Mick giving up $50K per show, million$ of dollars for a BNFM tour and traveling in a bus trying to get heard and booked in today's music market.


For the most part, IMO, they have become Buckingham Nicks with a big time great rhythm section. I'd love to see Lindsey and Stevie on a pared down BN tour with a different toned down set up and back up players, but for many reasons I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

I agree about the milking of the soap opera. After this tour and round of interviews, they really should stop complaining about the soap opera that they use so well to sell their tours. I don't have a problem with it at this point, it kind of goes with the whole FM hype. I'm just tired of them complaining about it when they milk it as much as anyone else.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally posted by face of glass
Speaking of which, I know Johnny Stew said something similar at Burnish, but any Rumours-era fan who is avoiding Time because of its reputation should have the album anyway, if only for Chris’ contributions. She’s as consistent there as ever.Unfortunately, that's usually the only way I can convince someone that 'Time' is worthy of a place in their collection.

Of course, the hope is always that they'll eventually give the rest of the album a chance, and come away from it with a new appreciation for that era in the band's history.
And if they don't, at least they gave it a fair shot, by actually listening.

It's a shame to just have the attitude that "No Buckingham & No Nicks = No Sale."
Though I readily admit that I was apprehensive at first. After all, it was really Stevie's music that got me into the band in the first place, and 'Time' was the first new album to not feature her.
But I figured that since I did love all of the Pre-Nicks albums, there was no reason I shouldn't love 'Time'... and I was right!

There are MANY "classic" Mac moments throughout the album, and the "new guys" added some really interesting textures to the band's sound.
I can't lie and say that I'm not tickled pink to have Stevie & Lindsey back in the band... but I would have been more than happy to have had at least two more albums out of the 'Time' lineup.


By the way... my recommendations for your first Pre-Buckingham & Nicks purchases: 'Mystery To Me,' 'Future Games,' and 'Then Play On.' :)

[face of glass]

Originally posted by chiliD
It is all about them. The concept of Fleetwood Mac as a band, a really good, creative BAND is non-existent anymore.

Reading something like this, as an adorer of SYW, can easily get the blood boiling at first. ;) But I guess I could agree with you in a way. I don't think Lindsey's creativity has disappeared. But I do pretty much believe that his interaction with the other instrumentalists has seriously lessened, at least while they're on stage. If rock and roll was originally about the interaction, the social chatter, the fun the "cosmic giggle", the "let's-see-what-happens-next" vibe, then it doesn't seem to be that way for Fleetwood Mac anymore.
I did speculate in another thread that Lindsey himself might have had enough of jamming, because it often can lead nowhere and he might feel he has nothing significantly new to contribute to the band interplay. Consequently it will take something vital out of the live performances.

They're destined to milk the "soap opera" forever. So, I think they should bail out, be "Buckingham Nicks", let Mick & John carry on as Fleetwood Mac with more creative MUSICIANS.

I wonder where Mick's and John's playing ambitions are, if they're so willingly accompanying the carefully pre-rehearsed show that a Fleetwood Mac concert is these days. They could as well fulfill their jamming needs in side-projects. I do want them to back Lindsey and Stevie in the future too, even though the old days of musical interaction within FM might never return. That rhythm section is still one of the trustiest instrumental backbones in the business.

[wetcamelfood]

Not to dig it up again mylittledemon, but I was away for a whle and just saw this thread. It really is down to the way you say it. Look at these 2 sentences and see if they come across different to you (and these are your opinions, not mine, just for the record for everyone else) I can't remember the exact words you used a long thread ago now so just paraphrasing here:

1. It is my opinon that Time sucks

2. Hey, it's my opinion. Time sucks.

The first part of sentence 2 may allude to it being your opinion but then the second part turns it upside down. Just something to consider is all. OK? :)

Also, it's fair enough if your view of Bekka's rendition of GDW is "butchery", but one of the reasons you stated as to why you felt it was "not good" was due to her wearing cut off jeans while singing it. Uh, well, again, if you feel that strongly about what one wears while singing then OK but...well, how about this angle, Stevie did used to wear jeans and she and Lindsey used to cover Peter Green and Danny Kirwan songs when they joined FM. Wouldn't you feel the need to speak up if someone said "Hey it's my opinion. Stevie & Lindsey butchered "Station man" & "Green manalishi". Their versions sound horrible". (?) Not that anyone dares to say that as none of us have the time to stay on the board all week fending off SN & LB fanatics retailiations but I'm sure you know what I mean. :)

Regarding Cour's remarks: I mostly agree but I think what ChiliD and I (and probably others as well feel is that going to other lineups shouldn't be about loss of money. It's just the sad thruth about life I guess that FM will only be promoted if all that BN soap opera garbage is beaten to death and then some. I guess I find it sad that many seem to want to buy in to it rather than just stand up and buy music they want regardless of what is promoted to be the "hip stuff". It shouldn't be the fans fault that Mick pisses the money he earns away a year after he earns it. It doesn't help that he must get less due to the others getting the songwriting royalties. All I mean is that IF he cared about the music & the "band" etc. as claimed, then surely he earned enough of it on "The dance", SYW, VBO, etc. to hire a promoter willing to push a "new look Mac" if they ditched those other 2 and got new musicians. I know it would not be a popular move but it did used to go on with some success (the bogus FM in a sense, the "new" Animals in the 60's (which PG almost joined :) heck, even Led Zeppelin started out as the New Yardbirds and I'm sure ChiliD can dig up some other examples for us :) ) so if he paid the firm to do it then I'm sure one would oblige. I mean, if he's going to lose his money anyways, at least he could lose it constructively. :) ...but oh yeah, he already lost his last year's earnings, darn. He likes to poke fun at how Peter Green had his long nails as his excuse as to why he couldn't play guitar in the late 80's so I guess this is his excuse as to why going all out on a "new look" Mac "isn't possible". he just can't afford it. Aw shucks Mick, if only you had the money to do it, that's the only thing holding you back huh? My heart bleeds...

As for Mick & John's musical aspirations, that's down to Mick (if they have any at all), John is like Peter Green these days in just going along with what their respective band's members want to do, they just go along with it. It's ironic that MF & JM are (or at least were, before the Lindsey gush era started) thought of as a strong part of the instrumental interplay of the FM sound yet they rarely, if ever, do instrumental tracks anymore. Could it be because instrumentals are not thought of as commercial anymore? Hmm, I wonder (note sarcasam). :)

Anyways, back to original topic. Start with BT & MTM and then take it from there. :)

John