Part 2 Is Now Posted: The Christine and John McVie Story!
 

So finally, here is part two. I know it has taken ages, but I went in phases of either being obsessed with it, to not really being able to work on it much- kids home from school, we were on vacation, I had a car accident, etc. Then the whole process of verifying the quotes, of finding/scanning the photos....and the editing...I tend to re-structure sentences and re-organize paragraphs obsessively. :-)

The first part of this was fun to write...but as they got less happy, it got a bit less fun LOL. There weren't too many 'personal' quotes from either one of them from those years (71-74) when things were sort of deteriorating, so I had to go by what others that were there had said, and by what I'd infer the reality was. It was hard to write about the J/C situation without also going into a bit of FM bio history, but I tried to keep it simple.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it. Comments/corrections, please pass them on to me. Anyone who owns articles from this time period (70-74), I would love to arrange a trade for copies. Hope you all love the photos as much as I do!!!

I also added some new quotes to the first one in the last few months too. Here is the link to the first. You can get to the second at the bottom of the page:

http://www.fleetwoodmac.net/penguin/themcvies.htm

On to part three.... :-)

-Lis

Lis,
That was great! I'm so jealous of you, you're such a terrific writer. You even managed to find some quotes that I've never heard before. I never heard anything from Chris about wanting to adopt children. That must be what she was talking about in that very recent interview-probably right around the time she got together with Eddy Quintela.

I'm curious about that picture of her half brother Cyril that's in the BTM tourbook. I've often wondered who that was. How do you know that's him? Also, have you ever seen a picture of her other brother, John(Dan's father)?

That was also cool seeing those quotes & pictures from that stuff that I sent you, especially that fantastic picture of Chris with the eyelashes.

Now, I'm looking forward to Part 3. :D Great job. :thumbsup:

>>That was great! I'm so jealous of you, you're such a terrific writer. You even managed to find some quotes that I've never heard before. >>

Thanks, Macfan. Organizing those quotes was quite a job. :-)


>>I never heard anything from Chris about wanting to adopt children. That must be what she was talking about in that very recent interview-probably right around the time she got together with Eddy Quintela. >>

Yeah, I think that was from a 1980/81 TV interview, not sure which year. She did say in a few places (around the time she was contemplating marrying Dennis) how 'my lifestyle is fairly settled in terms of accomodating myself to children', so I suppose she (like most people) sort of swung back and forth in terms of what she wanted.

>>I'm curious about that picture of her half brother Cyril that's in the BTM tourbook. I've often wondered who that was. How do you know that's him? Also, have you ever seen a picture of her other brother, John(Dan's father)?>>

Can't really tell how I know....but it's a pretty reliable source, would say I'm 99.9% sure that's him. He looks a lot like their dad also in that pic- all he needs is the white hair LOL. I do have 3 pics of John Perfect, and 2 are from those BTM tourbooks...the other is more recent, from 97, I think, when he was appointed director of the NRI in the UK. I'm glad you mentioned that because I had meant to put one of John P in there, around where he helped her w/ the driving. Will try and get to that tonight, I know I already have it scanned.

>>That was also cool seeing those quotes & pictures from that stuff that I sent you, especially that fantastic picture of Chris with the eyelashes.
Now, I'm looking forward to Part 3. Great job. >>

Thanks very much for those articles and pics! They were fantastic. :-) Those false eyelashes crack me up.

Do you have that tape of them at Benifolds from 1970 (where I got those 6 collage pics from)? That is classic. I want to add a few more of Mick/Danny/Jeremy also.

-Lis

Great job! You are a great writer.

I enjoyed reading it so much! Learnt a lot too! The pictures are also great.

Thank you. :thumbsup:

I'll be looking forward to those photos of John Perfect. I had a feeling he might be in one of those tourbooks. What's the NRI?

I don't have a tape of them rehearsing at Benifolds? Is there a video of this? I thought I had pretty much close to everything until you came along. :laugh:

>>I'll be looking forward to those photos of John Perfect. I had a feeling he might be in one of those tourbooks. What's the NRI?>>

It's the National Resources Institute. He and Anthea are/were entemologists for the government in England and I guess that gave him some background in terms of getting the NRI position-- I think I recall they mentioned something about him studying crop growth in Africa etc. I think he held the position for several years before retiring.

In the tourbook photos he has wavy dark hair and a beard, and is w/ Anthea, who has long blonde/brown hair (Leo's mom but not Dan's).

>>I don't have a tape of them rehearsing at Benifolds? Is there a video of this? I thought I had pretty much close to everything until you came along. >>

It's a short video from some TV special that had been done on blues bands, I think-- I don't have the whole thing, just the part that was on FM. It's only about 5 minutes total but it's so priceless to me. I'm nearly sure it was shot at Benifold, but geez now that i think of it... maybe it was done at Kiln House before Chris 'officially' joined? I have to watch it again. It shows John driving the whole band (and little Dicken) in a jeep through the woods to the house, and then they all go in. Jeremy and Danny each do a song in the 'music room' and Chris does one outside at night, pretty neat. Plus it has the bonfire footage, and some clips of them walking in the woods together. To get those pics for the bio, I had to take about 50 digital shots of my TV sceen LOL to get a few that looked usable. I have more i would like to add but Marty only has so much patience for my endless requests. :-P One day we will get to it!!

-Lis

I've always thought that picture was of Dan Garfield! So that's actually Christine's half-brother?

If I recall right what Dan looked like, I think there might have be a resemblance between them. Didn't Dan Garfield have longer hair back then, and blue eyes? Hey if anyone knows for sure I'm always open to correction, but as far as I know (according to my source -which there's always a slight chance may be wrong but I doubt is wrong on this) that young guy is her brother. :-)

-Lis

Thank Lis, another great read!

Absolutely fascinating reading! Thank you so much for going to the time and trouble to do this.

Lis,
There is a more close-up picture of Dan Garfield in the BTM tourbook. In that picture he does appear to have a bit longer hair & he has blue eyes. The picture of Christine's half-brother isn't close enough so that I can easily see the color of his eyes. But, the resemblence between the two is uncanny. They could be brothers. :laugh:

I believe I found the picture of John Perfect & his wife. It's at the top of one of the pages of photos of friends & family. He would have been about 50 around this time. The guy in the picture looks to be maybe in his early 40's so maybe the picture was taken some years before BTM. If that's her brother, he's very handsome. I can see where Dan Perfect gets his good looks. :)

Yeah, I looked too and there is quite a resemblance actually. Now I'm starting to wonder LOL. No, I don't think it's the same guy. But now aargh who the &*% knows. To me I do see quite a resemblance between Cyril Sr and (supposedly) Cyril jr. I am going to ask another source and see if I can get a more concrete answer. Now I am on a mission.


I'd be mortified if Chris read this one day and the first thing she exclaimed was "THAT'S not my brother!" LOL. If i can't verify this w/ this other source then I may end up taking the picture out.

John Perfect is wearing a suit in one tourbook, and wearing a burgundy shirt in the other. He is a cutie, Macfan, I agree! He even looked very cute in the 97 picture I have, without the beard.

-Lis

Hi Lis
I Love The Mcvie Story
You Really Must Write A Book On The Mac Some Day
I Would Love To See The 97 Photo Of John Perfect Without The Beard

All The Best Have A Great Day

>>Hi Lis
I Love The Mcvie Story
You Really Must Write A Book On The Mac Some Day
I Would Love To See The 97 Photo Of John Perfect Without The Beard
All The Best Have A Great Day>>
*****************************

Thanks very much to everyone who has said such nice things. :-) I would love to write a book but there are already so many out there...

I will locate that photo of John P and maybe put it next to the one from the late 80's. I printed it off the internet years ago when the article appeared (when he got the position), but I think the quality is pretty good.

-Lis

The picture that you included of John P I always thought was Stevie's former manager Irving Azoff :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

No I'm serious!

Thanks for taking the time to do this. I expect it was a labour of love. It makes you realise how with one or two decisions being made differently the whole history of popular music could have been changed.

Gail

>>Thanks for taking the time to do this. I expect it was a labour of love. It makes you realise how with one or two decisions being made differently the whole history of popular music could have been changed.
Gail>>

It was definitely a labour of love. These two have been overlooked for too long. :-)

And you're absolutely right about how things could've been so different if Chris had made different choices. I think the whole thing snowballed on her LOL. It's like a week turned into year turned into a decade etc. Stevie always says she *wanted* to be a star etc...Chris never really wanted that. And even now that the poor woman has 'retired' after a lifetime of service to FMac, people are still pissed that she left the band! sigh.

-Lis

Lis,
I see that you put up another 6 pictures from that Benifolds video. Thanks!!!
I also see the picture of John Perfect from the Tango tourbook. In the BTM tourbook photo, he looks alot younger & doesn't have glasses. But, his wife looks exactly the same. He's still very handsome either way. :)

I'm looking forward to seeing that recent 1997 photo, too. Thanks, again!!!!

>>Lis,
I see that you put up another 6 pictures from that Benifolds video. Thanks!!!
I also see the picture of John Perfect from the Tango tourbook. In the BTM tourbook photo, he looks alot younger & doesn't have glasses. But, his wife looks exactly the same. He's still very handsome either way.
I'm looking forward to seeing that recent 1997 photo, too. Thanks, again!!>>>
********
Yeah, I took a bunch more, and Marty and I found the 6 best last night and added them. I love those shots, i really do. And it's amazing how he can 'clean them up' w/ Photoshop.

I found and scanned the newer John Perfect photo- but as always I have to wait for Marty to help me put it on the site. I am just helpless w/ this darn computer, it's a shame. I told him if i knew how to make collages like he made w/ those 12 old FM pics, i would never leave the house LOL, I'd just make collages of stuff taken from FM video footage. Sad, I know. :-P

-Lis

Wonderful job! Thanks a million!

Paula

Lisa ~

Fabulous work and a wonderful read ~ you are a great writer! I'm so glad you and Ben are OK from your car accident, too ~ when Marty told me about it, I was so upset for you all. Thank goodness you are both OK. Take good care and thanks again for all of your hard work!

Claudia, thanks so much. Benjamin and I were really very lucky that day; we could easily have been snuffed right out, it all happened so fast.

Then the world would have had to live without Part Two of the McVie story LOL.

Actually one funny thing-- I was kind of in shock and wasn't really thinking straight, but before they towed away my totaled car, I made sure I took out all my FM CD's, and popped "In the Meantime" out of the CD player! :-P

Glad you enjoyed reading about J/C :-)

-Lis

Smart girl, lol, I would have done the same thing! :D Now you can enjoy all of those great tunes in your new car...did you get a really cool stereo in your new car too? That's a must have! :)

Love ~
Claudia

>>Smart girl, lol, I would have done the same thing! Now you can enjoy all of those great tunes in your new car...did you get a really cool stereo in your new car too? That's a must have!
Love ~Claudia>>

Yeah, I actually got the car Marty used to drive, which has a *great* sound system. I know he misses that LOL-- even though he has the new car, the stereo isn't as good.

Also i forgot to let everyone know that I added the newer pic of John Perfect last night, in case anyone wanted to check it out.

-Lis

Just finished part 2. Excellent! My favorite weird thing was about her psychic mom saying look in an orange grove, and lindsey and stevie living on orange grove! wooooooo! I can't wait for the next part, to see how you're gonna structure the story with the inclusion of Stevie and Linds. Great job! :xoxo:
Amber

Nice work! :thumbsup: I'm really enjoying this.

Yeah, I love that part too! I sort of gives me the chills.

Yeah, I hope she told everyone in the band that story. You would think she would've. But then you'd also think that if she did, somewhere, somehow, Stevie "Destiny Rules" would've repeated it in an interview somewhere, right? I mean, it's not even me and it's so cool and weird that I want to tell people i know about it! :laugh:
Amber

>>>Yeah, I hope she told everyone in the band that story. You would think she would've. But then you'd also think that if she did, somewhere, somehow, Stevie "Destiny Rules" would've repeated it in an interview somewhere, right? I mean, it's not even me and it's so cool and weird that I want to tell people i know about it! >>>

I think the other FM people all know. She definitely told Stevie, because Stevie is the one who brought it up in the two interviews where I got that info from! One was just stevie alone, around 1994 maybe?? (I'm not a huge S fan and don't know for sure w/ the dates!) and she mentioned the thing about C's mother.

The other clip was from a Miami (I think) group radio interview, from around 'greatest hits' album release, w/ rick and billy there- and the dj asked if there was any symbolism in to orange tree leaves since that was on the cover. Stevie had some reference to herself (which i can't recall.....) John said he's been to Orange County LOL, C didn't really say anything until Stevie reminded her, "What was like the last thing your mother told you before she died?" Chris said, "I dunno, I know it was *something*...."
:-) LOL Too funny, these people crack me up. Stevie then reminded her of the 'you'll find it on Orange Grove' and then C remembered and said yes, they found S and L on Orange Grove.


I love that story. I guess since S is more into the mystical stuff, maybe that's why she brings it up? I've never actually heard J or C bring that up themselves.

Also....I hate to burst anyone's bubble :-) but I doubt that Part three will have too much dirt on S/L. I think this will be the one hardest part to write; so far I have mainly lots of nice stuff J/C have said about each other both during the split and in the years after, how they worked thru all that etc. I don't really want to go in detailed info on *all* the splits...

To be honest i don't really even want to delve much into J's marriage to Julie ( I think things may not be so good in that department anyway- he hasn't worn his wedding ring in months).... i don't want to dwell on Chris w/ Dennis (although lately she has talked quite a bit about him) or Eddy (if you can't say anything nice...)

aargh part three may take awhile. I'm frustrated just thinking about it. I'd love to end it w/ them hooking back up but I guess that's not likely LOL. Although w/ this band... anything is possible... :-)

-Lis

OH, you won't burst my bubble. I didn't think you'd be writing much about L& S, especially not about the relationship. I was thinking that it would be difficult to chronicle J&C during the L&S period, cause obviously there is a whole new dynamic in the band, as well as a whole new level of fame. I was just thinking it would be difficult, and looking forward to seeing how you were gonna do it!
So it was Stevie that "publicised" the orange grove thing. Boy, I nailed that one, eh ;) ? I was like, no way would Stevie not have mentioned that!
As far as dealing with all the other people J&C were dating, well...I dunno, I'd probably only do the ones where they were still married and simultaneously dating someone else. "the affairs", if you will :D But I just thought you were writing the J&C story while they were together, i didn't realize you were writing the WHOLE J&C story!! Wow!!! :eek:
Anyway, can you finish the next installment by tomorrow? I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN!!! :p
Amber

>> I was thinking that it would be difficult to chronicle J&C during the L&S period, cause obviously there is a whole new dynamic in the band, as well as a whole new level of fame. I was just thinking it would be difficult, and looking forward to seeing how you were gonna do it! >>

I have no %&$# idea!! :-P

>>I'd probably only do the ones where they were still married and simultaneously dating someone else. "the affairs", if you will >>

FWIW John may have had his issues but he seemed to be a faithful husband. Who knows what (if anything) went on w/ Chris and Martin Birch....but the fact that he seemed willing to let it go IMO speaks volumes; he obviously loved her very much. I don't think he ever had any affairs; he hardly wanted to date after she left him, he was a depressed shell of a man. Honestly even after she took up w/ Curry, if she'd suddenly decided to give her marriage another shot, I think he would've taken her back then also. Didn't Mick say how John is a man who likes 2 ladies in his life- but always makes sure one of them is a boat.
:-)


>>But I just thought you were writing the J&C story while they were together, i didn't realize you were writing the WHOLE J&C story!! Wow!!! >>

yeah I may as well get it all out there!! They really were very good friends for years; it makese me so sad that C recently said they don't really keep in touch now. maybe reading all this will prompt one of them to pick up the freaking phone. There are so many great photos and video clips of such sweet interaction between them in the late 70's...they had something that L/S just didn't have at that time. In lots of the backstage japan footage/ Mick's 'basement tapes'/Tusk photoshoot footage--they were still in love and it showed. I have lots of digital photos to take of this stuff LOL. (Perhaps S/L were also still in love but they certainly IMO had very little affectionate/positive interaction.)


>>Anyway, can you finish the next installment by tomorrow? I CAN'T PUT IT DOWN!!! Amber>>

You are too sweet. Thank you so much. To be honest, I love to read it myself. I like that I am helping FMac fans to see that these two ALSO had something wonderful that was lost. Hate to always see them overlooked.

Enough rambling...:-)
-Lis

Lis,
Thanks for the 1997 photo of John Perfect. :) I'd seen his pictures in those tourbooks for years never knowing that it was Christine's brother. I noticed that you've removed that picture of Cyril Perfect Jr.?

By the way, that Orange Grove comment from Stevie was from the 1988 Rockline call in radio show. John's comment about Orange County was hilarious. He had quite a few pretty funny things to say in those Rockline shows(Tango & Greatest Hits).

Yes, can you please finish Part 3 by tomorrow. :laugh:

>>Thanks for the 1997 photo of John Perfect. I'd seen his pictures in those tourbooks for years never knowing that it was Christine's brother. I noticed that you've removed that picture of Cyril Perfect Jr.?>>

I knew you'd appreciate the JP pic. Frankly I still think the other one was Cyril Jr, but now that i have this seed of doubt in my mind I feel better taking it down-- I'm trying to verify it w/ another source, so it may still go back up. :-)

>>By the way, that Orange Grove comment from Stevie was from the 1988 Rockline call in radio show. John's comment about Orange County was hilarious. He had quite a few pretty funny things to say in those Rockline shows(Tango & Greatest Hits).>>

I don't even know if I have the Tango Rockline thing. We may have to trade again. :-P Anything John or Chris say, you know I must hear. Actually I just checked, I have 12/5/88 and 6/18/90, those are the ones, right??

>>Yes, can you please finish Part 3 by tomorrow. >>

LOL I wish. If I put up what i have so far it would be quite disappointing, I can assure you!

--Lis

No. The 1988 Rockline is the Greatest Hits one(with the Orange Grove comment). But, the 1990 Rockline is the BTM one with I believe Mick, John, Rick & Billy. There is a 1987 Rockline for Tango. I don't have the exact date. It's hilarious. Chris is very funny. There's a running joke about the DJ looking like Eric Clapton. Chris & John and the rest of them are very funny. It was in Miami while they were on the Tango tour, probably sometime in early November 1987.

If you want to trade again, you can send me an e-mail. If you no longer have my e-mail address, just send me a private message.

Macfan, thanks for jogging my memory on the Eric Clapton thing. Yes, i do have that one already. Chris took quite a fancy to that guy LOL.

I'm not so sure I have the 1990 Rockline. Will write if I can't find it....

I have to go back and give some of these things another listen.

-Lis

Brilliant Lis!
 

Sorry to hear of the auto accident! THANK YOU for this new chapter. I can't wait for the next installment! Kudos on a majorly great read! :)

hi lis thank you for all the nice photos by the way do you have a photo of dan you can post

thank you
songbird anne :blob1:

>>hi lis thank you for all the nice photos by the way do you have a photo of dan you can post
thank you
songbird anne>>

Any photo I would post of him would be taken from the videos at Chris' website...I guess I could try to get one but I'm not sure the quality would be all that great.

Glad you like the other pictures. :-)

-Lis

Christine Fans
 

I thought I would let all Christine fans know that I will be auctioning off a painting that Chris did for me in the early 1980's when I worked with her.
She painted it for my birthday and signed it by saying: Dear ___________
it's not good enough for you but it's mine Tons & Tons of love and happiness Love Chris XXXXX.
It is time that this painting is in the hands of a true fan.

contact: [email protected]

Hiya! i know no ones posted on this thread for a while (ages actually) but i just want to say that i ADORE the chris and john story and i really hope your still gonna put up the third one because its so amazing! is that happening any time soon? i hope so!!!! i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much. Every so often i read it myself and I have to admit I love it too! :woohoo:

The 3rd part is about 2/3 done. i haven't worked on it in ages though....I can't get it to where I like it as much as I like the other two parts...as it's not so much of in a 'story format' as just a collection of nice quotes. so it's sort of languishing there. I have to accept that obviously part 3 will not be as good as the 1st two parts! One day i will finish it up. I've got a couple of really nice pics I'd like to add to part 3 also, I don't think I've ever seen them online before....but i digress. Thanks very much for the kind words!! :nod:

-Lis