Do we really want a new Fleetwood Mac album?
 

There's been quite a bit of talk about this one. Obviously the Mac are my all time favourite and of course I'd get the CD if/when they do it... but does it really need to be done?

I read some comments by Mick Jagger not long ago where he said the Stones probably aren't going to do any new studio albums. He said when a band does a new album they usually devote the majority of any gigs afterward to material from that. Now that's cool for a band that hasn't been around as long and doesn't quite have that same status... but with a band like the Stones - people at the gigs want to hear the old classics. Stuff that they know and can sing along to. Jagger I guess finds that a little dissapointing - but still wants to please the fans.

I'm wondering if it's the same with Fleetwood Mac. OK there was a tiny bit of new material on the 2013 tour, but that was literally only one or two tracks from Extended Play. Plus they sandwiched them bang slam in the middle of the gig between the old classics. The audience WERE receptive (and seemed to be quite happy to sing along to Sad Angel) because I'm guessing it was just one or two songs and not overpowering.

Now personally - if the Mac do release a big new CD I'd want it to be a live album of the 2013 tour (maybe with a CD of Extended Play as a little bonus). That would be a package I could get excited about because I'll know that I'm going to love it. I wouldn't have that guarantee with a new studio album.

Then maybe when another big world tour gears up just do another EP. Extended Play II if you like. Then for that new tour do another couple of tracks off that.

An occasional 4 track EP through iTunes is I think the best way for the band to get a bit of new material out there every now and then.

What do you guys think?

If they were to take a back to basics, from the ground up approach and work on the album as a band, absolutely it would be great to have a new album. I cringe a bit at the idea of Stevie "sending" them some tapes and dropping by near the finish to slap on some vocals and having zero part of the creative process. Also, the band would need a producer who "gets" them, Dashut and Calliat come to mind :) and take them in a direction that upholds the quality of the work through the process and keeps the egos in check. Otherwise, we would be in for more bloat and inconsistent work which would end up on the shelf or taking up i-pod space. Oh yeah, did I mention not to be attempted without Ms McVie in the room? :wavey:

I completely agree! A fresh batch of songs from scratch would be a refreshing change of pace rather than a collection of recycled songs from past projects, which essentially made up Say You Will. And now since its been confirmed that Christine will be rejoing the group, that could very well reinvigorate the rest of the band and indeed bring back a group sense of work ethic.

It would be great to have the band flesh out songs like You Can't Fix This and give us something great. One devil reference is enough to create a hook, let's try some great metaphor to bring the song to greatness....Ms Nicks will need to be open to a just a little feedback on grammar and editing to get her writing back on track and Mr Buckingham will need to bring himself to realize it's us who need to like his experiments. Christine will just need to be herself :) and we'll get that elusive great album we've been waiting for since '79

who are these us you are talking about? FM fandom is very fragmented. there are enough of us who LOVE his experiments. wish he'd go back to them. you all convinced him that with the Mac he has to just run the formula into the ground instead. :p

(which is fine, he just has to get that mac album out of the way and get back to us solo.)

That's certainly a good point Elle and Lindsey's experimenting has certainly worked for him in some instances, Tusk for example by and large, but my main point is that quality will need to prevail in the vein of an Out of the Cradle vs inconsistency that's plagued some of his and Stevie's other work. I personally don't care about formula for the ~Mac, I just want something really good to listen to.

As for Buckingham's experimental stuff... some of it works and some of it doesn't. But by the same token... isn't it good that the guy wants to push the envelope a bit? Wouldn't it be a little bit boring if the guy had just did the same thing over and over for the last 40 years?

I kinda dig Tusk by the way.

I honestly want Lindsey to write exactly how he wants. I just want them to have cohesion and magic on the same mic. Certainly don't want cut and paste. I hope he does experiment, that's when the magic happens.

OK, here's a bit of an "out there" thought that I think a lot of you are not going to like. But since Christine McVie is rejoining restoring the classic Rumours line up, and Rumours STILL makes headlines years after it was released... maybe a new album could be Rumours Part II?

A full on sequel to that album, where the personal story of the band is updated to where it is now? Offer some kind of closure to some of the stuff that was happening on that album? A DIRECT response? It would be a hell of a difficult trick to pull off - but boy I'd respect them for at least taking up the challenge.

Please don't flame me for that... I'm just trying to think outside the box a little bit here...

As long as we get at least four new Christine tunes, I will be thrilled. I wold prefer six, but, hey, let's not get greedy. I am betting Stevie's involvement will be more substantial than it has for Tango or Say You Will or the EP. Now that Christine is aboard again (Thanks Mick for giving the official nod) Stevie will probably want to be more directly involved.

I am all for this. I thought SYW was too long and, frankly, one of the reasons I love The Mac is the blend of the three singer/writers with John and Mick, which I really felt was largely absent. I like a majority of the recent EP tracks.

I don't care about formula or experimentation. I could not care less about their studio methodology. What I want is for these five very talented people to work together and to produce some new music, and then get out there and let us hear it. A new live package of some sort would be great too, if only because I don't know if/when I would get to see them perform.

I have been saying this for years. I agree. Rumours II would be brilliant.

You'll soon discover that Tusk is the most beloved Mac album by us fellow hardcore fans. Mick himself has even agreed.

You're probably on to something. Say You Will was sort of the spiritual successor to Tusk... and the band hasn't seemed satisfied with the results. In my opinion it wasn't as artistically successful because of Christine's absence. It needed her counterpoint. Extended Play was a return to Lindsey being super conservative & pop-oriented. Christine has mentioned in the press that the batch of songs she has recently recorded are very much in the vein of her classic 1970s sound. So signs are pointing to a new album being a familiar, approachable style.

*a majority* of the hardcores. This hardcore has never been too enamoured.

I don't think I would be such an obsessed Fleetwood Mac fan if Tusk didn't exist. I love Tusk.

I really want a new Fleetwood Mac album more than I want a solo album from any of the 3 songwriters. I love those 3 voices together and I want more of it. More, more, MORE.

I'd take a new Fleetwood Mac album over a new solo album any day of the week, honestly. I think even at their worst, they're better together.

Yes, it very much seems that way. I think the production choices on a new album will either make or break it though. Even if they have nice classic sounding songs written, if they're not arranged/produced right... it can be disastrous. See: Without You.

We've had one album in 15 years. I would die to think they would end on a, SYW note. ewwwwwwwwww...

Anyway... yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:blob1:

I'm not sure the concept of Rumours II really makes very much sense. Rumours worked so wonderfully well in part because it came about organically. It was emotionally-charged singer-songwriters writing excellent confessional pieces, and the "Rumours" theme was tagged on after the fact. Going the other way, and having a theme before content, doesn't seem likely to work. Our writers are still writing confessional songs, but about each other? I mean, their relationships are really as millionaire-colleagues, before anything else, these days. They mostly see each other for business. Doesn't make for very compelling songwriting. Any attempt would just feel forced. And I think the media might frame Rumours II as commercial pandering and further milking of past glories. And I'd probably agree.

That said, it'd probably garner more mass interest than an album by any other name, at this stage.

To answer the original question, I would like a new album from the classic lineup, for sure. I loved Say You Will and hated the EP. So it could go either way for me. I'm not sure what impact Christine's presence will have on the production at all, but I'd like to find out. If it's bad, it's bad. And it'll be forgotten. It's not like the band really has anything left to prove. They'll keep their oldies-based live set and continue to command insane ticket prices, worst case scenario, and we'll have lost nothing. Might as well have a crack at it. :)

Tusk II! :D :D :D Spend a million or two making it and experiment in the studio!

excuses excuses.... :rolleyes:

This is exactly what makes Fleetwood Mac so special - they are still making music after all this time. Ok they could have done more in the last 15 years -but they've had solo careers too, with new music, which has kept many fans happy. One of the reasons I am so into this band is that you are never sure what's going to happen next. With the Stones you know its going to be all the oldies, and as much as I love some of those, it doesn't keep me interested in them. I'm over the moon that FM will be making a new album, with Christine, no matter how it turns out.

This is my stance as well.


I want a combination if Rumours and Tusk, if that's possible.

It's not. :lol:

Recipe for a great Fleetwood Mac album.

1. Take 1 part Christine's sweet breathy upbeat and cheerful love songs
2. Take 1 part mystical, semi elusive lyrically yet witchy and bitchy lyrics from Stevie.
3. Take 1 Part Lindsey's wacky.


Mix well.

3. Tone down Lindsey's wacky with Christine's sensibilities so it is cutting edge but approachable
4. Tone down Stevie's elusive garbage lyrics with some Lindsey feedback and improve them till they SHINE.
5. Add some Mick and John
6. Ban The use of more than two sets of keyboard parts, two sets of guitar parts and a bass and drum part and NOTHING that plugs in unless it is a Hammond B3 organ or Electric Guitar.


Mix well.


7. Make sure that 2/3rds of the album have three part harmony.
8. Ban Waddy, and "the Girls" from the Studio.
9. Ban Sheryl Crow

Shake. and Bake at 375 for 3 months.

Sure...it would be called Tumours


I'd like it to be a cross between Then Play On & Mystery To Me, but with Welch gone, THAT ain't gonna happen, either.

They should just record their new album (with Christine's involvement & input)..just "do what they do" and I'm sure it'll be just fine...and worthy of a final statement by Fleetwood Mac...then ride on into the sunset, with "Albatross" playing as a loop in the background.

With John's recent bout with cancer....:lol:( ok distasteful)

What I meant is that I want some experimentation, but also that recognizable FM sound

What is there even left to experiment with at this point, though?

Idk, my hope would be that they wouldn't try to overthink all of the songs and would just let them be natural and organic and whatever they end up being. I feel like when they try purposefully to be left-field or they try to be FM-y or commercial it ends up sucking.

Why not?
I don't expect a new Tusk, a new Rumours or Tango, but a fine work of those FIVE would be cool.

YES! A new record please! A great FM record has been toooo long overdue!! With Chris on record as having sent Lindsey some new material, it really does sound like a new record is most likely in the works - which would be amazing news! Stevie probably has given Lindsey some songs/demos as well. However, my only hope is that all three songwriters are given EQUAL songs for the 1st time, instead of the 3 Stevie songs to Chris' 4 and Lindsey's 5 - SYW being the exception! But since Stevie holds much, MUCH more power in the band since the 80s, i'd be really surprised if she is given the short end of the stick.

A 12 song record w/ 4 songs from each (released this year) sounds about perfect to me with a "Tango" meets "Rumours" production value. And please toss out the disappointing production of "Extended Play" - I really expected more from Mitchell Froom, but Lindsey co-produced as well:cool: . Bring in Calliat or Dashut, I now appreciate what brilliance (sound engineering) each brought to the table, to the sound of the first 5 BN era FM records. Bottom line is they need an amazing & objective sound engineer & co-producer. Hell, bring in Dave Stewart & his team- "In Your Dreams" sounded pretty amazing!

Can't wait to hear the 5 of them together again... :blob1:

Hell yea we want a new album! Im pretty sure we will see one before a tour. I like the idea of a cross between tusk and rumours. That's kind of what SYW was to me, some classic sounding stuff next to something crazy. I really liked the EP. I love the three of them together more than solo even though Stevie has had some great solo moments. 4 from each writer would be nice. And yea ban all back up singers! I want the three of them Harmonizing. Some duets would be nice. But what ever they put out I'm sure it will be great, what ever they want to do. They are my favorite band for a reason.

I get what you're saying. But what I thought was seriously missing from Extended Play was some of Lindsey's quirkiness. The whole thing was just so middle of the road. Bland. I think Fleetwood Mac is at it's best when Lindsey is a little bit zany, Stevie is kooky/mystical, and Christine bridges them with her breezy pop influence. I really think Lindsey will bring on his A-game with Christine's inclusion, though. I think she's able to challenge Lindsey in a way no one else can.

I used to disagree with the thought of going back to Ken and/or Richard. But no one has ever been able to produce this band better. I haven't heard much of what Richard has done lately, but Ken's work on his daughter Colbie's albums is just the absolute best of what was so good about the classic Fleetwood Mac sound.

Regarding the equal distribution of songs... at this point, if does end up uneven, I think it will be a mutual decision. Like you pointed out, Stevie carries a weight these days that she never did in Fleetwood Mac's prime. I think the number of songs she brings to the table will ultimately be her own decision. She didn't want to contribute anything to Extended Play, so she didn't. Equal distribution would be nice, but I want this album to be organic, too. So if that means Christine gets one additional song (or whatever), then so be it.

Speaking of the Mac doing a "Rumours II," isn't that what they tried to do with Mirage? That album sort of felt like a forced Rumours (though there were moments of brilliance), and you just can't force something like Rumours. That's why Rumours worked so well, because it was so natural. They just need to go in as a band and do what feels right at the moment. Don't over think it.

Mirage was like a Buckingham/McVie album to me with some great Stevie tunes. The album to me sounded like a band. The harmonies are amazing, and the production was brilliant. Mirage gets a bad rap.

I want a new album, but I am afraid of it at the same time. I don't want to hate it or be disappointed.

I will take a Fleetwood Mac album over three new solo CDs in 2014. As I love their solo efforts let's get those three voices together again.

Tusk is a masterpiece.

Yes but not with Christine...:sorry:

LOL!!! I was waiting for your response. :wavey: