Stevie never joined Fleetwood Mac

[Villavic]

Let's imagine Mick asked Lindsey to join Fleetwood Mac and he said YES! without mentioning Stevie as a "package deal"

- It would be more difficult for them to be in the radios and be popular like they actually were. As I read (I was too young) Rhiannon was the biggest hit and it's the song that made the people ask "Fleetwood Mac with hits?", but Say You Love Me would have helped them to be "in the map" anyway.

- Rumours would have been a great success, but not the phenomenom it actually turned to be. They didn't get a N.1 song in the charts (and would never have one). Lindsey and Christine work closer in several more songs (like in World Turning and Don't Stop).

- Meanwhile, the band helped Lindsey's girlfriend, Stevie Nicks, to take off her solo career, and she became a 70s diva with Landslide, Rhiannon, Dreams, etc.. This accelerates the inevitable break between S&L.

- Tusk could have been a double album anyway, buy more likely it was a one disc album.

- Mirage got almost the same success as the real one.

- As Tango, maybe with more Lindsey songs.

What else do you think?

[FierySequences]

I'm all for "what ifs" however I think that The Mac would have been just fine w/o SN. I don't like to think about it.

No, they wouldn't have had a #1 single and some of the other albums may have suffered (just a tad bit) but I still think they would have been ok. LB and CM had great chemistry together...and I think you are right, they would have collaborated more together.

The only thing missing would have been the 3 part harmony Mac is famous for. And of course, Dreams and the astounding BC and Gypsy. I really don't think Nicks would have made it big on her own later....she would have joined someone like Petty as a backup/harmony singer and then released Stand Back and Gypsy as solo projects.

Glad it worked out the way it did :nod:

[WildHearted]

I'm all for "what ifs" however I think that The Mac would have been just fine w/o SN. I don't like to think about it.

No, they wouldn't have had a #1 single and some of the other albums may have suffered (just a tad bit) but I still think they would have been ok. LB and CM had great chemistry together...and I think you are right, they would have collaborated more together.

The only thing missing would have been the 3 part harmony Mac is famous for. And of course, Dreams and the astounding BC and Gypsy. I really don't think Nicks would have made it big on her own later....she would have joined someone like Petty as a backup/harmony singer and then released Stand Back and Gypsy as solo projects.

Glad it worked out the way it did :nod:

But even aside from the harmonies, I mean, if Lindsey had ditched Stevie from the get-go, would we have had GYOW? NGBA? Big Love? Any of his Tusk songs?

Perhaps Lindsey would have never even felt the need to start doing solo albums....

I must say I find this all a very big stretch of the imagination not because I think idea of Lindsey leaving Stevie behind to be astounding, but because I find the idea of Lindsey wanting to join FM without Stevie's push very hard to believe.

[michelej1]

I think the attention Stevie generated for her live performances (i.e. Rhiannon) really fueled a lot of ticket sales.

I think the Mac would have been successful without her, but I don't think they would have been one of the hottest groups of the seventies and eighties. They would have had some hits like the Doobie Brothers, but would not have become iconic.

Michele

[TerraRhiannon]

Exactly what Michele said.. oh, and Tango in the Night would have been way better ;)

[MikeInNV]

I think the attention Stevie generated for her live performances (i.e. Rhiannon) really fueled a lot of ticket sales.

I think the Mac would have been successful without her, but I don't think they would have been one of the hottest groups of the seventies and eighties. They would have had some hits like the Doobie Brothers, but would not have become iconic.

Michele

Nailed it.

[vivfox]

FM release the White Album, music made by white people. Over My Head and Say You Love Me are huge hits for Christine and Monday Morning and Blue Letter are big hits for Lindsey. Then they release Warm Ways and the world is astounded at their brilliance and they win their first Grammy. Chris and Lindsey have an affair.

Chris and John break up during the recording of Rumours. Chris writes YMLF about her affair with Lindsey and he writes Go Your Own Way about his ex Stevie. Both songs become huge hits. Their follow up singles become huge hits and then they win a Grammy.

Their founding father Mick Fleetwood suddenly decides he doesn't like being a drummer and threatens to break up the band if they won't let him be the bass player. John McVie says, "well fick you then" and suddenly quits. Fleetwood Mac no longer exists.

[johnnystorms]

i'm amused by this thread... being Team Stevie, all i can say is, there are LOTS of good songwriters, LOTS of great guitar players. FEW true stars.. Stevie is a STAR! they needed that! they needed the chemistry.. without Stevie... still paying Warners' light bill.

[elle]

I'm all for "what ifs" however I think that The Mac would have been just fine w/o SN. I don't like to think about it.

No, they wouldn't have had a #1 single and some of the other albums may have suffered (just a tad bit) but I still think they would have been ok. LB and CM had great chemistry together...and I think you are right, they would have collaborated more together.

The only thing missing would have been the 3 part harmony Mac is famous for. And of course, Dreams and the astounding BC and Gypsy. I really don't think Nicks would have made it big on her own later....she would have joined someone like Petty as a backup/harmony singer and then released Stand Back and Gypsy as solo projects.

Glad it worked out the way it did :nod:

FM release the White Album, music made by white people. Over My Head and Say You Love Me are huge hits for Christine and Monday Morning and Blue Letter are big hits for Lindsey. Then they release Warm Ways and the world is astounded at their brilliance and they win their first Grammy. Chris and Lindsey have an affair.

Chris and John break up during the recording of Rumours. Chris writes YMLF about her affair with Lindsey and he writes Go Your Own Way about his ex Stevie. Both songs become huge hits. Their follow up singles become huge hits and then they win a Grammy.

Their founding father Mick Fleetwood suddenly decides he doesn't like being a drummer and threatens to break up the band if they won't let him be the bass player. John McVie says, "well fick you then" and suddenly quits. Fleetwood Mac no longer exists.

lmao. love all the different scenarios you all came up with, especially the ones mentioning the so often overlooked Christine-Lindsey chemistry.

[michelej1]

LOTS of great guitar players.

Good thing he's not just a guitar player. Michele

[MacShadowsBall]

We all know that Mick, John, and Christine were just looking for guitar player who could sing and write songs to replace Bob Welch. Let's say that Mick asks Lindsey and he says yes. Stevie decides she doesn't want to join. They remain a romantic couple.

Rewind back to the Welch/Christine albums, all those albums were dominated by Bob Welch, with Christine just having like 4 songs while Welch had around 7-8 songs.

Now comes the time to record the next album with Mick, John, Christine, Lindsey. Christine provides her 4 songs - SYLM, OMH, WW, SD and collaborates with Lindsey on WT. Lindsey does MM, ISA, and BL. Three slots remain open. Based on Christine's passed output, I doubt she would have contributed more songs, so Lindsey would have filled in the other three songs. He would perhaps use his songs/demos he had been working for the sequel to BN album, or collab w/Christine on another song.

SYLM and OMH would still be released as successful singles. A Lindsey song would have released as a third single, perhaps MM. The album still would have done better than Heroes, and other Welch era albums.

In concert Lindsey would probably be seen as the frontman of the group. The setlist would probably be similiar to what we actually had, minus Rhiannon/Landslide.

After that who knows! :cool:

[Stormwind]

Well probably firstly albums like "Rumours" would have never been made. Generally I think that the band, would have less power in vocals, and because of this Lindsey would have concentrated less on "Beach Boys alike vocals" sound in some of the songs.
Without Stevie the band would have lost a great part of its ethereal image (that was exactly her) and maybe a bit of originality (Lyrics and themes by Stevie are original and poetic) .
Musically the sound would have been less West-Coast, more influences from the Blues origins of the band.

[cantgoback]

Think of it this way: All of Lindsey's songs from Rumours and songs from afterwords were all about Stevie, Go Your Own Way probably wouldn't have been a hit cause it most likely would have never existed and same for Never Going Back Again and Second Hand News so think of it that way. Imagine Lindsey having songs on Rumours about his nice relationship with his Hollywood Girlfriend.

[Villavic]

Think of it this way: All of Lindsey's songs from Rumours and songs from afterwords were all about Stevie, Go Your Own Way probably wouldn't have been a hit cause it most likely would have never existed and same for Never Going Back Again and Second Hand News so think of it that way. Imagine Lindsey having songs on Rumours about his nice relationship with his Hollywood Girlfriend.

Never Going Back Again is not about Stevie.

[WildHearted]

Never Going Back Again is not about Stevie.

I think it is, indirectly. The "she" isn't Stevie. It's the new girl he started dating. But he place he's never going back to is Stevie (or at least, the unhappiness he felt due to her).

That's how I've always interpreted it, anyway.

[Macfanforever]

I think FM would survive if Stevie was not there in the group.It probably take a little longer for FM to get notice.Lindsey would be the driving force to get fans to the shows along with Christine being there.

Now if Stevie along with Lindsey did not sign in on FM and they went their marry way. FM probably would not gotten anywhere on the charts here in the US like they did have.But they will got some notice.


If it wasn't for the package deal of Stevie and Lindsey signing up with FM .

I probably would not be a complete FM fan.

[vivfox]

In real life it was actually Christine's songs that reeled me in as a fan. After I bought the Rumours album in the summer of 1978 it didn't take me long to become the chiff that I am today. Stevie's voice called to me like a siren in the distance on a mysterious foggy night over the ocean.

[michelej1]

In real life it was actually Christine's songs that reeled me in as a fan. After I bought the Rumours album in the summer of 1978 it didn't take me long to become the chiff that I am today. Stevie's voice called to me like a siren in the distance on a mysterious foggy night over the ocean.

I was aware of Say You Love Me and Over My Head and of Rhiannon and Dreams too. They were all songs that I liked. But I never thought to myself, "Who sings that? I have to have that song," until I heard Sara. So, Stevie drew me into the band, but once I knew who they were, she didn't monopolize my attention.

Michele

[Macfanforever]

In real life it was actually Christine's songs that reeled me in as a fan. After I bought the Rumours album in the summer of 1978 it didn't take me long to become the chiff that I am today. Stevie's voice called to me like a siren in the distance on a mysterious foggy night over the ocean.

Stevie won my heart to get into FM.Her looks .Her voice. Her song writing. At that time I was starting to discover country music and Stevie kept me with her powers from running away from abandoning FM to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.

Another reason is I love music with a story.Stevie always have a story to tell in her music.

As I was getting more into the Mac I started to like Lindsey and Christine tunes.

Not many other groups have 3 or more lead singers at the time.Thats probably another reason that I like FM.

[MacShadowsBall]

My gateway songs were Dreams, Gypsy, and Edge of Seventeen. After hearing those songs, I got the '88 GH and discovered Christine and her wonderful songs.

I suppose Lindsey could have not had his request to Mick that its him and Stevie or neither. The '75 FM album would have been mostly Lindsey with Christine's four songs, plus World Turning and maybe another collab, and Blue Letter.

Another member could have been added in a year or so getting the Mac back to five members. Who that person could have been is anybody's guess. That's the thing that can't be predicted, really, if someone else joins what happens? :cool:

[michelej1]

I was a kid too, so I didn't really have money to buy Fleetwood Mac or even Rumours. It was around Tusk that I began buying my own albums, books and clothing. So, maybe things would have been different, if I had been older when that line up began. But I definitely knew songs from those first two albums. I can also definitely say I loved Magnet and Steel and Gold, having no idea who the background singer or producer was at all. I was drawn to those songs, even though I didn't know enough to have a bias at that time.

Michele

[vivfox]

I can also definitely say I loved Magnet and Steel and Gold, having no idea who the background singer or producer was at all. I was drawn to those songs, even though I didn't know enough to have a bias at that time.


You forgot to add Whenever I Call You Friend.

[michelej1]

You forgot to add Whenever I Call You Friend.

I did really like the "sweet love" chorus to that, before I knew anything about Stevie. But I didn't like the whole song. The verses are kind of gaggy to me.

Michele

[Macfanforever]

I love when Stevie got together with those artists mentioned.She got her sweet vocals out on the radio when Mac was on break.

I wish she got involved with "We Are The World" and the "Do They Know It's Christmas' collaboration.

I would of love to hear her sing her part of the tune on the radio every holiday.

[Jondalar]

Stevie set the band apart from others. They would of had some hits, but she was that special something that made them truly standout. Infact, she is the reason they are still here.

[SteveMacD]

Stevie set the band apart from others. They would of had some hits, but she was that special something that made them truly standout. Infact, she is the reason they are still here.
WRONG. Mick and John are why they are still here. If they could keep the train going after Peter Green quit...

I agree that she made them stand out, but I think they all made the band stand out. Take any one of them out of the mix, and it would not have been what it became.

[Jondalar]

WRONG. Mick and John are why they are still here. If they could keep the train going after Peter Green quit...

I agree that she made them stand out, but I think they all made the band stand out. Take any one of them out of the mix, and it would not have been what it became.

When I say, she is the reason they are still here. What I mean is that she is one doing interviews, championing the band, getting them glee... She has been the one who has kept them in the media.

That being said, there is no true Fleetwood Mac without Christine McVie. When she quit, creatively Fleetwood Mac will never be the same.