Sheryl Crow
 

So who will be going to to see FM with Sheryl Crow?

Personally I will wait and see what the set list is. As I'm in the UK I'm assuming they'll tour the states first so I will get a chance to see what happens.

If Sheryl Crow sings lead on YMLF then I won't be parting with my cash.

What about everyone else?

Gail

I think it is fine if she plays and sings on one or two CM chestnuts. After all, La Nicks and LB "covered" the earlier FM stuff and many wish they still would. Also, Bekka slayed GDW IMO.

In reality though, SC likely will sing one or two of "her" new FM songs, maybe one of her solo songs, and partcipate in the rest of the FM new and old stuff.

I mean the SYW incarnation only did one song, and I thought it was fine.

Of course, this question wil beg the question of whether people are just pissed that CM is not there and anyone at all sould be out of line for touching CM's stuff. I am not of that school.

Nothing against Sheryl personally -- she seems like a nice lady with great voice chops & all. But Fleetwood Mac is growing more generic by the hour. The only noteworthy idiosyncrasy the band has these days is that they let so much time slip by between windfalls. That I suppose must be regarded as perverse.

You know David, my initial reaction is that they really just don't have that solid character anymore. They just seem so desperate to squeeze out tours and do the rumours thing again and again, it's become quite vanilla and all that chemistry has dissolved from repetetion and watered down instrumentations. Christine must be so happy having her own life again.

She probably had a wry smile on her face when she heard SYW. No matter how good the songs, arrangements and production - she just added that something that made it alot, lot better.

Sheryl Crow just aint Christine McVie.........

I think that if people are expecting that CM's place will be filled, they always will be disappointed. I think that is why on SYW, they tried to go to a new sound. I think they will do that with SC. I mean it is about a new sound. Comparisons to CM are, IMO, unfair.

Call me stupid...

I thought that CM bowed out of SYW because she knew In the Meantime was right around the corner.

Why put up with all the BS and power struggles of the Mac, when you can be pleased with the direction YOU want to go?

I think she's happy in England and looks at Sheryl like "It's your turn to go a couple of rounds with LB in the ring."

I don't expect SC to replace CM, nobody could (except maybe Christine Perfect LOL. My point is that the band has become so vanilla IMO. And I don't necessarilly think It's due to CM leaving although that didn't help. They just don't inspire me anymore, live or studio. The chemistry just isn't there, and the voices (live especially are horrendous). Adding Sheryl Crow seems like a desperation move to me. Who knows... I could be wrong...

FM has been a band of changes... it's survived through them all.
Losing a key member like CM is a blow, but SC is talented too. Maybe she'll get them rock a little more???

Just another incarnation of the Mac, we'll how this one turns out.

It's your love for jazz and amazing blues and jazz women that have taught you that Christine truly was legendary without ever having stepped inside of FMac. I can play Nina Simone and a few Chickenshack or Perfect tunes together and it just sounds so good together. Two women on piano and vocals that pour their unique hearts out. Talk about two strong minded women!

You're too cool for the ledge!

I'm not ever going to argue that Christine's tracks have always been the best on the FM albums (except for Songbird which is my favourite track on Rumours) but her INFLUENCE/INVOLVEMENT has been critical to the band. Her vocals or piano just make so many other tracks move from the above average to brilliant. And there is something about her songs that has moulded the Stevie/Lindsey contributions into solid great albums in a way that SYW didn't.

I agree and disagree with you.

I don't think Christine had/has any ill will for Fleetwood Mac, she left on her own terms when she felt the time was right. As far as I know there was no major rift or anything of that nature. She probably was not crazy for everything on SYW, but Im sure she probably felt the same for some of Tusk.

Sheryl ain't no Christine.

I don't think for a minute that Christine has/had any ill will for the band - she doesn't seem to be that kind of person.

But she must have played the album and I'm sure she would have thought 'I would have done this' or 'I would have done that' and she must have realised that it could have been better with her involvement.

Listen to Crystal... The Fleetwood Mac version... check out the acoustic guitar and keyboard playing off each other... Now that's inspiring, doesn't bore me... and quite honestly moves me...

Yes! And on Sara - the keyboard and guitars play off one another in probably the best song Stevie Nicks ever wrote. And (sorry about starting two sentences with 'And') one of the great things about having the cleaning lady version is understanding and appreciating the LIndsey/Christine thing that happened in that later mix. From the 'building your house' line the two play off one another just like jazz musicians........

I will always feel that Christine made Lindsey a better guitar player because being a blues player she could find a progression.. and improvise within it... and she was always so generous with giving him a solid bed of rhythm that it certainly inspired him.

Sometimes she laid off too much... she seemed to tire of soloing and grabbing a bit of the light... rather she did it in subtle fashion.... which is why I find Crystal so unique... it's written by Nicks... Sung by Lindsey... and has a Christine solo.... the harmonies.. recording, arrangement, the mix... all very pristine...!!!

No one's Christine. She's just too damn unique.

Why doesn't Mick just let Christine record an album with them and get it over with? I'm annoyed with this "no tour, no record" mentality.

I'm still not sold on that's how it actually played out. I still think she offered songs to the band to help them out more than wanting to play some role in the group. Christine wanted out of the whole rock star thing. That doesn't mean she doesn't still care about the band. Also, I still don't see how that's Mick's policy when John, Lindsey, and Stevie all said similar things to what Mick said. It appears that it was a band policy, not just Mick's. I bet Christine was relieved by the news of Sheryl Crow. It takes the pressure off of her to get back into the Fleetwood Mac groove. Actually, now that the pressure is off of Christine to be a member of Fleetwood Mac, I wouldn't be shocked if she makes a cameo on a potential new Fleetwood Mac album.

No, Sheryl isn't Christine. Nor was Bekka. Nor was Stevie. Hell, nor was Brett. However, I think adding Sheryl is something extremely positive for Fleetwood Mac. Stevie and Lindsey need a third, and if it can't be Christine, I think Sheryl is a brilliant choice.

OK here's another question. If Sheryl Crow sings any of Christine's songs is there one (or more) that you would regard as sacrosanct? that she should never sing under any circumstances.

For me it would be Songbird. If she sang that it would be a blow from which I might never recover.

Of course Sheryl might have to take more than just Christine's singing duties. She might be required to slap Lindsey across the chops and throw a glass of wine in his face :lol:

Gail

Not really. I think anything is fair game at this point. Even "Songbird" which as been covered by a number of artists, including a friend of Mick's (Eva Cassidy) and Willie Nelson. Sacred cows are for religion. Songs are for musicians to play.

For me Songbird sung live at a FM concert by anyone other than Christine would be a step too far.

Gail

I can't think of anything. I think the band should do a bunch of different writers' songs, like "Just Crazy Love," "Sands of Time," "Mystified," & "Planets of the Universe."

I tend to agee. In fact, I thought Bekka did a fantastic job on the Time tour. I wonder what CM's take would. I tend to think she would not care, but who knows.

Even if no one else objected (and they all probably would), I can't see John letting that happen, if he thought BMW was too associated with someone else, I doubt that he thinks a new band member could sing Songbird, a song that used to make him weep in the wings.

Michele

That's a thought. Perhaps Mr McVie might think Songbird was too associated with his ex missus.

For me Sheryl Crow could do Songbird if she wanted at one of her solo concerts, it's just at an FM show I would object (and I'm sure that would upset them greatly)

Gail

I don't object to them singing Christine's songs... just please do them well.... for christ's sake!!!

This was my line of thinking. If Sheryl does cover some Christine songs, why not the old, forgotten ones, like "Believe Me" or "Sugar Daddy"? "Songbird," however, seems too closely identified with Christine.

I'm guessing Sheryl might like to try "World Turning," since in a Rolling Stone feature piece she once said she loves to blare this tune in her car as she drives along the California highway. And as the tour rehearsals in the DR documentary proved, neither Stevie or Lindsey can hit the highest notes of that tune anymore--the ones Chris would be prevailed upon to sing.

I'll say it again.... if you want to do Christine songs... no problem with me... just do them so i'm either moved or think it's really interesting... and for that matter do the LB and Sn the same way... I want to hear the magic again... not the re gurge it tation......

Christine could help the tour along no end ..... just teach Stevie the bloody words to Don't Stop.

I still cannot imagine anyone else sitting alone at the piano singing Songbird at a FM concert.

Gail

At least it's not Vanessa Carlton.

Crow is the best choice. She's always been a fan of FM and SN. She sings great (and even sweetened vocal tracks for a few other vocal singers, which I won't say who) and will bring back the 3 part harmonies.

Ever since Peter Green left Fleetwood Mac and they continued to perform Peter Green songs, whatever group of musicians calling themselves "Fleetwood Mac" has always been a little bit of a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. The best Fleetwood Mac concerts always included songs by previous writers in the band.

So, should they play Christine songs and does it matter if they do? I think it does, because if they completely omit her songs it is like leaving out the heart of their history. If they ignore Christine's immense contribution to this band for over three decades, they are making a grave mistake. But can Sheryl Crow sing "Songbird"? NO NO NOOOOOOO! The thought of it makes me want to throw up.

I think in the case of "Songbird," Christine's style of performing it is crucial to the song itself. There are other songs written by Christine where her particular style of performing is less important, where the song stands alone apart from Chris' performance of it, and those are the songs that Sheryl should attempt. As someone else said I'd like to hear her try her hand at some of Chris' less well known songs, even ones from before the 'Rumours' era. She might do a decent job at "Just Crazy Love" or "Heroes Are Hard to Find," for instance.

Unfortunately, I just don't think it's going to happen, at least not with this configuration. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm thinking the only way to try to get it to work is to start over, with just Mick and John and a new front line singing all new songs. Or--and I state the obvious--resurrect the Rumors lineup which, despite the highs and lows, was always bubbling with real energy.

I seriously hope you are right and I am wrong... I just dont want anymore vanilla Fmac

Come A Little Bit Closer

haven't listened to that tune in a while...

This just occurred to me ... it's pretty funny that we're discussing the idea of a singer named CROW singing a tune called SONGBIRD.

Bravo! I love bad puns! I wonder if, in her performance of it, Sheryl will "Eat Songbird."

This is an excellent point you make, Joanne, & bears repeating: When the vocal style is crucial to the song's impact or perhaps even the meaning, it's more problematic for another singer to attempt it. Some songs are better interpreted by a wide variety of singers.