All hail, John McVie!

[EveryHour]

I have a weakness for bass, and I CANNOT STOP obsessing over the absolute brilliance and total emotion and feeling of John's playing lately. I truly feel he is one of the greatest players who ever lived, and it's so easy for him to get overlooked (even by us a lot of the time:distress: ) because of the powerful talent and personas of Chris, Stevie and Lindsey (and even Mick). His unassuming and quiet attitude IS indeed part of his personal charm, so I don't really WISH him to be more outgoing...I just wanted to bring him to the fore for the duration of this thread!:) Today I was most obsessed with his playing on the album version of Rhiannon. Holy sh*t!

Any particular performances that blow your mind?

Let's pay tribute to the one and only Mr. McVie.....

:nod: :nod: :nod:

[diamondsnake]

Speaking of which, am I the only one who can't get enough of the bass parts on Smile at You? I know they are hard to hear due to the extreme overproduction by someone who will remain nameless!

[DeadliestPoison]

I LOVE him on "Smile At You." I think the bass drives the song. It's really neat hearing the DVD-A Center Channel of it, as it's only John's bass. I nearly died when I heard it.

I'm also a big fan of his parts in GYOW and Rhiannon.

I love John. :D

[SteveMacD]

John totally rocks. And, I have to say that he's gotten SO much better over time. As for "Smile At You," his playing on that just shows how important he is to the band's sound.

[face of glass]

My appreciation for John has just increased over the years. My friend once compared a song to a car; the drummer is the wheels, the guitarist/keyboardist is the engine and the bassist is the suspension. And the singer is the bumper sticker or the rear view mirror. ;)

John has always been capable of capturing the soundscape of FM into his playing. In the build-up of the old live “Rhiannon” he doesn’t need to do anything but to strike his bass once or twice per bar and it’s just perfect.

Like Lindsey said, it can be very easy to underestimate what John does. (I’m not too sure about that McCartney/Mingus comparison.) But that’s what happened to me and I’m still trying to understand his contributions. So this list is a Rumours line-up only; for Pre-Rumours I could only add “Hypnotized”. But that’ll change.

“Rhiannon” (live and studio)
“I’m So Afraid” (minimalism counts)
“Go Your Own Way” (as important as Mick’s drums)
“The Chain” (duh and duh)
“Oh Daddy” (“works, I guess”. What an understatement!)
"Brown Eyes" (whoah)
“Beautiful Child” (especially the verses)
“Tusk” (duh again)
“Caroline” (if it is him)
“Illume” (makes the groove)
“Smile At You” (naturally)

And on it goes.

[4Buck]

All of the above --- but my current fave is Stevie Nicks' ANGEL on the new TUSK CD. This gem has gargantuan bass sound now that it's been digitally remastered.

I enjoy McVie's versatile, supple bass lines. This rhythmic/melodic great always plays with an understated elegance.

John McVie never ceases to amaze! :cool:

[jwd]

Where's the bowing emoticon when you need it! All hail John McVie!

[DeadliestPoison]

Originally posted by face of glass

“I’m So Afraid” (minimalism counts)
“Oh Daddy” (“works, I guess”. What an understatement!)
“Tusk” (duh again)
“Illume” (makes the groove)

I forgot about those! "Angel"'s pretty good, too. Hell, I love anything the man does.

[TwistedGypsy]

I know "The Chain" is the most obvious and I really can't think of others right now (too tired). But everytime I hear The Chain I turn the bass solo up full blast, bob the head and rewind and bob my head some more. It gives me chills! I love when he said during the Tusk Doc. (i think), "Can we play now?" And that is what John is all about and God Bless him for it!
Brittany

[golden braid]

I love the bass on the version of Second Hand News on the Rumours bonus disk. It makes the song sound so cool.

[DownOnRodeo]

The bass on the chorus of Seven Wonders.

The bass all through (and especially at the end) of SYLM.

[DrummerDeanna]

Dude...John KICKS ASS!!!

I even made a sign for him when I went to the El Paso, TX show..he got a good chuckle out of it...Lindsey found it amusing and Mick, when introducing the band pointed at me and said, "Ahhh...look John, they love YA!"

It was a ton of fun and then after the show one of the roadies ran out and began shouting into the crowd, "WHERE'S THE GIRL WITH THE SIGN??" At that moment I dropped the sign behind some speakers, he said he'd get it and then said, "here, John wanted you to have these..." And he handed me two bass picks with his sig etched in gold and fm etched on the other side...very very cool...

After the show I waved at him as he drove by in the car...the driver actually stopped, John rolled his window down and like waved and said thanks or something...twas very very cool...

He's my favorite bass player...the mellow/laid back dry sense of humor thing is just way cool!

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally posted by DrummerDeanna
I even made a sign for him when I went to the El Paso, TX show..he got a good chuckle out of it...Lindsey found it amusing and Mick, when introducing the band pointed at me and said, "Ahhh...look John, they love YA!"

It was a ton of fun and then after the show one of the roadies ran out and began shouting into the crowd, "WHERE'S THE GIRL WITH THE SIGN??" At that moment I dropped the sign behind some speakers, he said he'd get it and then said, "here, John wanted you to have these..." And he handed me two bass picks with his sig etched in gold and fm etched on the other side...very very cool...
Awesome story Deanna!
I got to talk to John briefly by getting him to sign the Cool Water B-Side, which he seemed pretty surprised I had! He was so funny and easy to talk to. He said 'They really lowered the levels (of his singing'. I said 'Damn them!' lol. And then he finishes signing and leans into me and says 'But I think it was for the best!' and gives me a wink and smile. lol, what a champ! So humble.

[EveryHour]

Originally posted by diamondsnake
Speaking of which, am I the only one who can't get enough of the bass parts on Smile at You? I know they are hard to hear due to the extreme overproduction by someone who will remain nameless!

THAT performance is utterly mind-boggling!:nod:

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by DrummerDeanna
Dude...John KICKS ASS!!!

I even made a sign for him when I went to the El Paso, TX show..he got a good chuckle out of it...Lindsey found it amusing and Mick, when introducing the band pointed at me and said, "Ahhh...look John, they love YA!"

It was a ton of fun and then after the show one of the roadies ran out and began shouting into the crowd, "WHERE'S THE GIRL WITH THE SIGN??" At that moment I dropped the sign behind some speakers, he said he'd get it and then said, "here, John wanted you to have these..." And he handed me two bass picks with his sig etched in gold and fm etched on the other side...very very cool...

After the show I waved at him as he drove by in the car...the driver actually stopped, John rolled his window down and like waved and said thanks or something...twas very very cool...


I was there & I can personally vouch that Deanna made out with the guy after the show. (Okay, that part is made up.:wavey: )
I love the remastered Dreams!

- Jake

[shackin'up]

Illume!!!!!!

And if simplicity counts....
what about Over & Over?

Basslines from Oh Well, very pronounced on the 1980 live-album, kick ass, too. And he's freakin'out on Searching & Fighting for Madge, not to mention his live Rattlesnake shake-version. ( I mean the 24 minute+ performance.)

I understand why John Mayall took him back so often, although he didn't like his alcohol-behaviour....;)

He's just one of the best.

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally posted by darklinensuit
I was there & I can personally vouch that Deanna made out with the guy after the show. (Okay, that part is made up.:wavey: )
I love the remastered Dreams!

- Jake

:laugh: :laugh:

[chiliD]

Some great pre-Rumours John McVie bass lines:

Miles Away
Forever
Believe Me
Somebody
Keep On Going
Bare Trees
Bermuda Triangle
Bad Loser
Angel (Bob Welch's)
Blue Letter
Child Of Mine
Station Man

[4Buck]

Chili's Pre-Rumours' list.....plus SMILE AT YOU, GO YOUR OWN WAY, SAY YOU LOVE ME, ILLUME, OH WELL, RHIANNON -- it is infinite!

McVie redefines the meaning of bass player! He has that unyielding sonic energy on each album track that captures the spirit of each song..

He’s so melodic, his basslicks sound like guitar leads.. yet he still has that infectuous pulse!...

An outstanding rhythm section, McVie and Fleetwood are as tightasthis! :)

[EveryHour]

Originally posted by shackin'up


And if simplicity counts....
what about Over & Over?



Of course it counts! Sometimes brilliance lies in knowing when NOT to play!:nod:

[EveryHour]

Originally posted by 4Buck

An outstanding rhythm section, McVie and Fleetwood are as tightasthis! :)

Oh YEAH! It doesn't come much better.

(I was thinking maybe Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman of the Stones...but I think Mick and John edge them out for tightness:nod: )

[GypsySorcerer]

John is fantastic. FM wouldn't be FM without him. And I love his sense of humor.

[wondergirl9847]

The Chain...'nuff said.

Illume and Smile at You are also phenominal!

If John were American, he'd be the good ol' boy, that down to earth, witty guy. :)

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by DownOnRodeo
I got to talk to John briefly by getting him to sign the Cool Water B-Side, which he seemed pretty surprised I had! He was so funny and easy to talk to. He said 'They really lowered the levels (of his singing'. I said 'Damn them!' lol. And then he finishes signing and leans into me and says 'But I think it was for the best!' and gives me a wink and smile. lol, what a champ! So humble.

That is an AWESOME story, Joe!! Yours was too, Deanna!! The fact he gave you two bass picks, that's way cool. :thumbsup:

John is like your cool uncle, ya know. The one that gives you like 40 bucks for your birthday when you are like, 10 or something. :)

[Janis_no1]

thought id better post a pic of john at melbourne 2004

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
The Chain...'nuff said.

Illume and Smile at You are also phenominal!

If John were American, he'd be the good ol' boy, that down to earth, witty guy. :)

:confused: :confused: :confused:

But he's british...so this don't count?


sorry if I sound dumb, but sometimes there are perception-differences between europeans and yanks.
:laugh:

[ivorymorning]

John's fabulous...it was a pleasure to chuck penguins at him on his birthday last November...and then to read from Cory Buckingham's tour diary that he'd kept every single rockhopping one......

That has to be my overall favourite moment of the UK tour, just because it made him smile and he said 'my babies!'

[ivorymorning]

I don't think Christy meant to imply that it's a shame he's British otherwise he'd be a witty guy.

At least I hope she didn't ;) ;) :laugh: or else I'm on that plane to Texas!

I think he's hysterical...wit so dry it's hydrophobic! I can't begin to think how he copes with some of these gushy media-types...!

[wondergirl9847]

No! I didn't meant to imply he's not witty or cool. No way!! You may have to be from the States to get what I meant, I dunno. It's just there are certain people who live here who are (for lack of a better word) stereotyped (especially in the South) as being a good ol' boy. A good man, a sittin' on the porch whittlin wood, tellin' great stories kind of guy.

Das all. :nod:

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by ivorymorning
At least I hope she didn't ;) ;) :laugh: or else I'm on that plane to Texas!

You are welcome ANYTIME! :wavey:

I love British humour, BTW. Coupling is WAYYYYYYY better than Friends. :nod:

[ivorymorning]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
You are welcome ANYTIME! :wavey:

I love British humour, BTW. Coupling is WAYYYYYYY better than Friends. :nod:

I never saw that, I think it did really well over here though.

[Livia]

John RAAAAWKS! I love him. I would love to drink and chat w/ him!

:wavey:

[estranged4life]

there is a calendar hanging adjacent to my stereo/recording equipment that currently has a current John McVie picture.

He definitely rocks in his understated way!

[golddustdragon]

I've always wondered how John kept his sanity while the others were going nuts. Maybe it was the drink, or something else.

[ivorymorning]

He was the first one to run into the buffers, doesn't it say that he had a drink-induced seizure in about 1980?

[chiliD]

I seem to recall his seizure being between Mirage & Tango. He seemed to have aged quite a bit between those two albums.

[Vianna]

Oh, I know! He is the greatest bass player I have ever heard! and so underrated by the guys that do these lists of guitar greats...Sometimes lately I have just been listening to songs to pick out John's part..

Sisters of the Moon-the intro-that throbbing bass and the drums-it makes chills run down my spine.

The Chain-as was said earlier-duh=:-)

Over and Over

You can hear him really well in Dreams too

Gold Dust Woman, too

Too many to name really.

The remasters I think really bring out some of the background instrumentation you didn't hear real well before. I am hearing things I never heard before in these songs..

John has that neat sense of humor too, like in the Destiny Rules special where he tells Mick he ought to be in the Senate..

[Cammie]

:wavey: All Hail to the Great One---John McVie!!! :blob2:
The greatest bass player you'll hear or see! :laugh:

Fav. Bassest Riffs! :)
The Chain Riff
Smile at You!
Come!!!!oh,yahhh!
Morrow! wow!
Red Rover! :]


All of The Music You Mentioned! :nod:
We just Love John's English Humour!:xoxo:
Him and Linz on boat was sooo FUNNY! :cool:

[stratist3217]

I love the bass part in Say You Love Me! In fact, in the chorus and end of the Dance version, his bass part overshadow's Lindsey's creative banjo part, which is supposed to be the highlight of the song!

There's also this bass riff in the chorus of Go Your Own Way that I love, and I can hear it on every single version I've listened to (no lie).

John is one of the greatest bassists of all time and has been overlooked for so long. Keep it up, Johnny!