Christine solo live 1984 - Just Crazy Love
 

It does not get any better than this :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWWeW7kcIQc

Agreed. This is great.
Its a shame she didn't do a short tour for In the Meantime.
We can only imagine how it would sound and look if played as part of a FM set today.

This version of the song would have fit so easily on that 1984 solo album. It sounds closer to 80s pop rock than it does a song from the early 70s. I had the same feeling when I heard Christine perform Remember Me for the Bob Welch event a few years earlier. Her performance of that song sounded again like a radio hit that would have played well sandwiched between Springfield and, say, early Sammy Hagar.

She writes tunes that can be reimagined in a variety of eras. Love it.

Just when I thought there would be no more surprises, this was quite a surprise.
I wonder if she ever performed this song on stage with Fleetwood Mac.

I love how this perfomance sounds very much in the style of the time. As someone else posted, it sounds just like it could have been on her self-titled album.

Christine has a very impressive collection of songs on the five Fleetwood Mac albums circa 1971-1974. But those albums seem to get overlooked and under- acknowledged, as they fall into that transitional pocket between their prominent Blues and Rumours eras.

Early on, when Stevie and Lindsey joined the band, some of the songs from that era were performed. But, understandably, most of those songs were dropped as new songs and hits were introduced. Oh Well as the only one that had some traction, as it was featured on the LIVE album. It was also a single, and got a lot of air play (well, at least in New England, where I lived at the time. The original Hypnotized was also a radio staple ).

One of the reasons the song sounds so great was because of her outstanding band. She picked the best of the best to tour with. The song is much more up-tempo and translates live very well. I saw this tour live but I also bought a bootleg CD of her concert live in NJ and it was professionally recorded. Some of the songs like Got A Hold On Me and Love Will Show Us How sound almost identical as the recording.
Todd Sharp is an ace guitarist and much better than Billy Burnette or Rick Vito. IMHO, he should have gotten the call to join Fleetwood Mac.

Sharp sure is a great guitarist. I would not have minded him being selected.

I'm not sure I'd put him above Rick Vito in terms of his guitar playing. I'd suggest his song writing is much more in the vein of FM than either Billy or Rick though. Agreed he was a bit unfortunate to have been overlooked in 87.

Let me re-phrase. I did not intend to imply Billy and Rick are not good guitarists. Both are not the best vocalists though :eek: I have seen Billy and Rick live twice and Todd Sharp live once. Todd is a better vocalist and would have added a lot more energy into Fleetwood Mac. He wrote some great songs with Chris on her solo album. I forget the Fleetwood Mac website but there was an interview with Todd Sharp that asked him point blank if he was upset he never got the call to join. He answered the question perfectly and made a joke about it. But he made it clear he was not asked but would have loved to have been asked. "Oh well" you cant re-write history. But the song on this thread would have been a great addition to the Mac setlist in 1987 instead of Another Woman. During Christine's solo tour she did allow Todd to perform one of his songs when she took a break back stage. He even did an awesome guitar solo. He really packed a punch live. And clearly he also nailed Just Crazy Love too :) Todd was also Chris's musical director for the tour. The worked together great thus this great version of Just Crazy Love.

They are such different songs! Just Crazy Love could have been included along with I Loved Another Woman, as opposed to replacing it.

What song did Todd perform on her tour?

Guitar Bug

I wish she would have cut, "Too Much Is Not Enough"!

A Billy Burnette song? Hmmm...interesting. Especially since he was working on his own album at the time (even though it wasn't released for another 2 years), I would've thought he'd play one of his OWN songs.

Having seen Todd many times while playing in Bob Welch's band from '77-80, then his being the guitar player on Mick's The Visitor trek in Africa, along with his tenure with Christine's touring band, I'm really surprised that he wasn't given a shot with the big league team (Fleetwood Mac)...not so much in '87, since Billy & Rick were pretty much a team at that point, but I think Todd was a better fit in '94 than Dave Mason, that's for sure. There must've been some sort of falling out between Todd & Mick at some point, or maybe it was due to his association with Bob Welch, and the Welch vs FMac litigation going on around '94 & such, worked against him being considered.

You are so right IMHO. I would LOVE to ask Chris this or Mick if he would tell the truth. I totally get Billy Burnette being asked to join. He knew everyone and worked with Mick Fleetwood's Zoo, Christine McVie, and I think even worked with Stevie. A good guitar player and loyal to the band. I know Rick Vito's credentials are very long and good. I just missed the connection to Fleetwood Mac. As you point out, Todd Sharp was sort of like Billy Burnette in a sense he worked with the members and former members. Could it be that in the late 80's is when Mick and Bob Welsh started to have issues and Todd was too closely associated with Bob? I cant imagine Chris not lobbying for Todd. You are also right (damn you are so good) to point out Todd Sharp released his solo album in 1986 and Christine sang on 2 songs. Plus he does a cover of his own song he gave to Christine (I'm the one).
We may never know why those who got the call did and others did not. Billy was already playing Mac tunes live with Mick and Chris. I probably just don't know the Rick Vito connection.
BTW... I was reading an article about Bob Welsh's funeral and Todd Sharp was quoted about playing with him and playing at Cal Jam when they opened up the entire event. When I saw the video on youtube with Stevie singing with Bob's band (Ebony Eyes), I could not make out Todd. But the guitar player was so young....was that him?

(Sorry, OCD kicking in...it's WELCH. ;) )

At CalJam2, yeah, that was Todd...he looked about 14 then! :laugh:

Well, Rick Vito's resume pretty much got him in Fleetwood Mac. He also is an alum of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers & was in the band around the time that John McVie had sat in with Mayall at a few gigs during Fleetwood Mac's down times (late '70s); and remember that even John McVie returned to the Bluesbreakers himself for a spell before the Mirage sessions started up. Another "family tree" link for Rick was that he was in Jackson Browne's band when Russ Kunkel was the drummer...Russ, of course, worked a lot with Stevie early in her solo career...plus, later one both Rick & Russ were reunited in Stevie's Street Angel tour band. Rick had always been just a degree or two outside the Fleetwood Mac circle prior to his joining...he was in Thunderbyrd with Roger McGuinn in '77 when they had recorded Tom Petty's "American Girl"...McGuinn was always a big influence on Tom, & from hearing a live recording of Thunderbyrd in concert, Rick just tore it up. So, Tom may have put the bug in somebody's ear regarding the guitar virtuosity of Rick Vito back that early, as well.

At the time Billy was asked to join, Billy & Rick were working on an album together, as well as doing a session or two for Roy Orbison (which were used on his Mystery Girl album). So, it was just "timing" that got Rick in the band, but he was well worthy of getting the job.

Thanks for the info. I am attaching the video we are talking about in case some have not seen it. I cant believe that is Todd Sharp. You are right he looks like he is 14. I love how he smiles when Stevie sort of pushes him away from his own microphone to sing back up.

Cal Jam 2. Very young Todd Sharp and Stevie Nicks backing Bob Welch :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z99...99SDSmapI#t=25

Todd and Christine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2w99UaRCzI

I bought that album in high hopes and just to get that tune. I was really disappointed. I wanted it to sound like Christine's album.

Do you still have the album?

If you don't want it, I'll gladly take it off your hands.

I know what you mean. It doesn't crackle or spark like it should. It just kind of gets stuck in industry stock-in-trade cliches.

But damn he is a great guitar player.

His 2nd album "Walking All The Way" is great! Much better than "Who Am I?".

I will check this out.

I like this song! First time I've ever heard it. Sounds like the song on her album that goes: "It's 2 a.m. and it's you on the telephone ..."

He does I'm the One on his album. Its funny because its a cover of his own song ;) Chris does a much better job IMHO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVWIFcqcOc0

No, when I moved to Los Angeles I entrusted my brother with my albums and that was not a good idea.

I never heard that Todd/Christine duet before. I like it. Todd Sharp is a great guitar player and I agree it would have been interesting if he had the chance to join Fleetwood Mac.

One of the highlights for me when I saw Christine solo in 1984 in Boston was when she played "Just Crazy Love" and "Spare Me a Little of Your Love." As a huge fan of her 1970-1974 output, I was just thrilled to hear those two songs.

I wore the t-shirt from that tour to my recent FM concert in Providence. Glad I've kept it all these years.

I love his guitar playing. His solos were brilliant during the 1984 tour.

I remember with pleasure how Christine and George arranged the vocal call & response on "Spare Me a Little."