Let's Show Some Love For... Heroes Are Hard To Find!

[jaycee]

Lucky me, my import orders for HAHTF and MTM came through a few days ago. I collected them on Saturday, and I've already played each album three times! They're both simply amazing albums! :nod: Maybe not flawless (I personally think "She's Changing Me" was a little too conventional, but it's still a great song), but nonetheless worthy of our deep appreciation. So let's hear it for HAHTF! :woohoo:

[chriskisn]

Hmm...given that I think this is Fleetwood Mac's best album in 43 years it is interesting that no-one else is showing any love for it... :(

[holidayroad]

I think it's an excellent album. Bob has some great song on it. 'Silver Heels' and 'Angel' are two favorites. It also has one of my very favorite songs by Christine, 'Prove Your Love'.

[aleuzzi]

I first bought this album in 1983, when I was 12. It was my first pre-BN FM album and I was stunned. Though only half a year earlier than the White Album, it was as if it were an entirely different band with an entirely different conception of how to make music. Years on, when my ears became attuned to the Fleetwood-McVie-McVie core trio sound, I could hear a lot of later FM in this record, but at the time, the arrangements and the songs themselves shocked me.

My first impressions were that Bob Welch could not sing well, that some of his songs were muddy, that the arrangements on Christine's two songs on side one were disastrous, and that there was a general lack of energy throughout the record.

I realize now I was just a young kid who grew up on corporate rock bands like Journey and Boston and who knew very little about the more subtle, sophisticated music that one hears on HAHTF. It took me a while, but now I regard this collection of songs to be among the band's best--at least in terms of the writing. I still think some of the performances lack energy. But Bermuda Triangle, Prove Your Love, Bad Loser, and Angel are among my most cherished Mac tunes.

Come a Little Bit Closer would be wonderful if it were just Christine with a piano or just her voice with Bob on an acoustic guitar. The only song that feels forced here is She's Changing Me, which sounds as if the band were pushing Bob to write a ditty.

About a month after I bought HAHTF, I purchased Penguin and loved that one instantly. In fact, I loved that record so much that it restored my faith in pre BN albums. Still, at the time, I remember thinking all of the songs on Penguin--including the Derelict, but minus I'm a Roadrunner--had a genuine energy and spirit that, I initially did not hear in HAHTF. Interestingly enough, that spirit is evident in spades when one hears live versions of the Heroes' band.

[chriskisn]

Still, at the time, I remember thinking all of the songs on Penguin--including the Derelict...

Thank you, you know I'd have been insulted if you hadn't included it :laugh:

[Madelow]

Hello All: I picked up "Heroes" a few years ago. My first impression was along the lines of "well-written, but under-produced". Guess I was expecting something more along the lines of "Tango in the Night". That being said, I've come to really love it. It might be the strongest collection of Bob Welch songs during his FM years. Most assuredly belongs in the music collection of every Mac fan! Best regards, Madelow.

[cantgoback]

Ok so there's a little music store where I live that also sells old records and they have Heroes are Hard to Find and it's been there forever. However I don't know how good it is since I've never listened to it and it has some bad ratings. Since everyone here is an FM fan i would like to know how you guys like it and if I should buy it or not.

[michelej1]

Yes, you should buy it. Bermuda Triangle is one of the best songs FM has ever put out. Plus, Christine's got some great songs on that album too, including Prove Your Love.

I don't think you can go wrong with this purchase.

Michele

[I'msoAfraid95]

Yeah, its a pretty good album. Its not my fav of that era, but still worth buying. I agree that Bermuda Triangle is an amazing song. HAHTf is a must listen for a FM fan.

[chriskisn]

Ok so there's a little music store where I live that also sells old records and they have Heroes are Hard to Find and it's been there forever. However I don't know how good it is since I've never listened to it and it has some bad ratings. Since everyone here is an FM fan i would like to know how you guys like it and if I should buy it or not.

YES!!! This is better than pretty much anything that came before it or after it.

[holidayroad]

Ok so there's a little music store where I live that also sells old records and they have Heroes are Hard to Find and it's been there forever. However I don't know how good it is since I've never listened to it and it has some bad ratings. Since everyone here is an FM fan i would like to know how you guys like it and if I should buy it or not.

If you like Christine, you should definitely buy it!

[damianip]

I bought HAHTF as soon as it came out, but it was hard for me to really ever get into it. I think that the biggest issue was that it came in on the heels of MTM, and that is an almost impossible act to follow.

It is my least favorite Bob Welch FM album, which is not to say it's bad: it just has some really tough competition.

That said, maybe I'll pull out the old vinyl and give it another listen as we brace for the storm about to hit us here in the NE USA.

[PenguinHead]

I don't compare Fleetwood Mac albums against each other, especially since a lot them have very different line ups. As such, some albums stand alone, and the Heroes are Hard to Find album is very distinctive in that case.

After numerous configurations, they were down to just four members and at a pivotal point of transition. While Christine stayed consistent to her pop style, Bob Welch was pushing a deeper, into more sophisticated waters. It made the album more darker and challenging.

Did they ever perform any shows for this album? All I know of is the TV special they did. That show featured some support players; I recall an additional keyboard player and guitarist.

I've come to appreciate the album more over the years.

[damianip]

I recall them performing "Bermuda Triangle", but I'm not sure if it was before or after the release of the album.

I also remember them performing it on one of the late night TV rock shows at the time.

[SteveMacD]

Did they ever perform any shows for this album? All I know of is the TV special they did. That show featured some support players; I recall an additional keyboard player and guitarist.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41gL-cCNWPL._SL500_SS500_.jpg

The went through two additional keyboardists: Bobby Hunt and Doug Graves. There were no other guitarists.

[HomerMcvie]

The went through two additional keyboardists: Bobby Hunt and Doug Graves. There were no other guitarists.

IMO, there's NO greater "sound filler" than a big, stinking, fat B-3.

[Dreamz19]

I love Heroes. It is my favorite among the pre-1975 FM albums.

[aleuzzi]

That tour poster posted above...I can't read the cities they played. Can anyone tell what the dates and cities were for that tour?

[damianip]

That tour poster posted above...I can't read the cities they played. Can anyone tell what the dates and cities were for that tour?


http://www.superseventies.com/oaaa/oaaa_fleetwoodmac3s.jpg

[SteveMacD]

This creates a few questions on the timeline of events. The last show on the HAHTF tour was 12/1/74, and the offer extended to Stevie and Lindsey was on 12/31. When was that meeting where Bob snapped and announced he was quitting?

[wetcamelfood]

This creates a few questions on the timeline of events. The last show on the HAHTF tour was 12/1/74, and the offer extended to Stevie and Lindsey was on 12/31. When was that meeting where Bob snapped and announced he was quitting?

Although the legend is that he was long gone before S&L came along, Bob did say they were trying to get him to stay on as a 2nd guitarist when they got S&L so to me it seems like there's still plenty of time, the whole month of Dec, for things to play out. Bob might've even snapped before the tour was over and did like PG and said he'd do the rest of the tour as like a "notice" period then Mick came across S&L, then Mick's persuasion to get Bob to stay on ensued etc. Just some thoughts. :)

John

[chriskisn]

Having seen this thread I thought I'd go back and have a listen to those three albums from that period (the three greatest albums from Fleetwood Mac). Dare I say I got half way through Penguin and ended up listening to The Derelict on repeat 5 times! Oh well shall listen to MTM and HAHTF on Monday!

[aleuzzi]

Mick says Bob "snapped" at Christine near the end of the Heroes tour but that it was "nothing heavy." In all likelihood, Bob would have left, whether he had the spat with her or not. Mickey Shapiro also states in Mick's book that even before the tour, when the group were trying to get support from WB to continue work in the states despite the lawsuit, Bob came into his house and said he was going to quit the band. So he must have known he was leaving even before the final preparations--or at the very least during the initial stages of the tour.

[aleuzzi]

http://www.superseventies.com/oaaa/oaaa_fleetwoodmac3s.jpg

Thank you!

I notice a lot of major cities mixed with odd, little ones.

[michelej1]

This is a really great poster SteveMacD. Thanks for putting it up and enlarging it for us.

Michele

[michelej1]

Ultimate Classic Rock by Dave SwansonSeptember 13, 2014 4:11 PM

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/fleetwood-mac-heroes-are-hard-to-find/

40 Years Ago: Fleetwood Mac Release ‘Heroes Are Hard To Find’

Released in Sept. 1974, the ninth Fleetwood Mac album, ‘Heroes Are Hard To Find,’ is, in many ways, one of their most forgotten. Guitarist Bob Welch had been in the lineup since 1971, releasing four albums up to this point, all of which kept the band on an upward trajectory. Albums like ‘Bare Trees’ and ‘Mystery To Me’ started to garner some radio play in the States, and their reputation as a live act had been well established. Despite that, things had yet to really click for the veteran rockers..

‘Heroes Are Hard To Find’ begins on a strong note, with a first-class Christine McVie composition in the title cut. Brimming with her unique brand of jubilation, the song is a perfect album opener, and one of McVie’s lost classics. It should have been a hit, but failed to make any dent. Bob Welch is up to bat next with the slightly psychedelic ‘Coming Home.’ Displaying his solid signature playing that made earlier tracks like ‘Hypnotized’ so strong, Welch is front and center here. It’s an odd song, with no real discernible hook, but the mood created is dynamic and striking. The entire album is split between the songwriting of McVie and Welch, and while their style and approach is quite different, the two paths link up very effectively throughout.

On the third track, ‘Angel,’ Welch is still in command here with a moody, straight ahead rocker that, once again, displays his underrated guitar technique. ‘Bermuda Triangle’ is a haunting tune, almost worthy of its namesake. Welch’s vocal delivery lacks personality at times, and the song never really takes off into the depths it should, but the always reliable rhythm section of John McVie and Mick Fleetwood save the song from itself.

‘Bermuda Triangle’ points to one of the problems with this incarnation of the Mac. They had a tendency to veer to close to the middle of the road. Unlike the raw blues chaos of the Peter Green era, the rootsy approach of the Danny Kirwan/Jeremy Spencer-driven lineup or, obviously, the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks years, with Welch in taken control, things got very smoothed out. Not that it was his doing entirely, but he didn’t have the fire needed to push the band where it needed to go.

‘Come A Little Bit Closer’ is pop perfection from Christine. The song has an almost George Harrison-like quality to it with some nice pedal steel from the legendary Sneaky Pete Kleinow, formerly of the Flying Burrito Brothers. On ‘She’s Changing Me,’ Welch again veers to close to that sterile MOR sound so prevalent in 1974. Not unlike the tune it follows, it has elements of a lost Beach Boys tune, but ultimately goes nowhere. Things really pick up with ‘Bad Loser,’ a moody rocker that shows off some genuinely fine guitar work from Welch and adds in heaping handfuls of personality, something lacking from much of the album. Not to sound redundant, but the rhythm section once again saves the day here.

Welch steps back up with ‘Silver Heels,’ a somewhat country-ish tune that sinks before it could swim. It’s generic mid-’70s rock to the definition, and his slightly funky approach fails miserably. His forte was his subtle, yet haunting, guitar playing, much less so his singing or attempts to ‘rock out.’ ‘Prove Your Love’ is pretty much standard Christine McVie fare, meaning it’s got a hook and a melody and ultimately succeeds, even if the results are not up to her usual standards. ‘Born Enchanter’ finds Welch trying to get all funky again. The LP ends, however, on a very strong note, as Welch gets back into his own groove with the somewhat spacey, and appropriately titled ‘Safe Harbour.’ A beautiful tune, primarily instrumental, that showcases not only his sweet guitar playing, but his knack for creating a mood.

Though the album did make it into the U.S.Top 40, it would be Bob Welch’s final album with Fleetwood Mac. Shortly after its release, he left the band. Welch was a tragic figure, who sadly, took his own life in 2012. He never really got his due as a player or writer, particularly in the Fleetwood Mac story. For unknown reasons, he was the sole member not inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of the band.

Read More: 40 Years Ago Fleetwood Mac Release 'Heroes Are Hard To Find' | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/fleetwood-mac-heroes-are-hard-to-find/?trackback=tsmclip

[PenguinHead]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41gL-cCNWPL._SL500_SS500_.jpg

The went through two additional keyboardists: Bobby Hunt and Doug Graves. There were no other guitarists.

Wow. Love the rare promo ad. I wish I could zoom in and read the tour dates.

[chiliD]

Yes, I realize the poster has San Francisco as the last show on 12/1, but, the show I saw at the Long Beach Arena with the Climax Blues Band as the opening act was after that...like about a week or maybe even two. Christmas was less than 2 weeks away when I saw that show. That most likely was added after the poster was printed.


Thank you!

I notice a lot of major cities mixed with odd, little ones.

The "odd, little ones" appear to be college towns that are home for fairly large Universities. Which were also played in '75 when they did the initial tour with Buckingham & Nicks.

So Orange, NJ (Seton Hall University)
Columbus, Oh (THE Ohio State University)
Stevens Point, WI (University Of Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
Eau Claire, WI (University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Austin, TX (University of Texas)
Odessa, TX (University of Texas of the Permian Basin & Odessa College)
El Paso, TX (University of Texas, El Paso, aka UTEP...formerly known as "West Texas State College")
Bozeman, MT (Montana State University)
Missoula, MT (University of Montana)
Eugene, OR (University of Oregon)

[aleuzzi]

Yes, I realize the poster has San Francisco as the last show on 12/1, but, the show I saw at the Long Beach Arena with the Climax Blues Band as the opening act was after that...like about a week or maybe even two. Christmas was less than 2 weeks away when I saw that show. That most likely was added after the poster was printed.




The "odd, little ones" appear to be college towns that are home for fairly large Universities. Which were also played in '75 when they did the initial tour with Buckingham & Nicks.

So Orange, NJ (Seton Hall University)
Columbus, Oh (THE Ohio State University)
Stevens Point, WI (University Of Wisconsin-Stevens Point)
Eau Claire, WI (University Of Wisconsin-Eau Claire)
Austin, TX (University of Texas)
Odessa, TX (University of Texas of the Permian Basin & Odessa College)
El Paso, TX (University of Texas, El Paso, aka UTEP...formerly known as "West Texas State College")
Bozeman, MT (Montana State University)
Missoula, MT (University of Montana)
Eugene, OR (University of Oregon)

Ah, yes, make sense. Thanks.

[aleuzzi]

Wow. Love the rare promo ad. I wish I could zoom in and read the tour dates.

They are zoomed in a few posts above...from four years ago :)

[Patrick]

Yes, I saw them on the Heroes tour , excellent!

[chiliD]

Though the album did make it into the U.S.Top 40, it would be Bob Welch’s final album with Fleetwood Mac. Shortly after its release, he left the band. Welch was a tragic figure, who sadly, took his own life in 2012. He never really got his due as a player or writer, particularly in the Fleetwood Mac story. For unknown reasons, he was the sole member not inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of the band.


Hmmmm..."he never really got his due as a player or writer"?? :shocked: :eek:

WTF was French Kiss then, chopped liver?? :shrug: :mad:

[PenguinHead]

They are zoomed in a few posts above...from four years ago :)

Duh, :sorry:I'm four years late!

I wish I could go back in time and attend Fleetwood Mac shows in all their various phases. On this last tour I wonder if their set list varied much. I know Bad Loser was performed at least once, but it wasn't in the standard set list.