Mick is back to play tribute to the vintage 'Mac'
 

By Daniel Durchholz
SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH
02/07/2008
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ent...E?OpenDocument

That's how Mick Fleetwood, on the phone from his mountaintop home on the island of Maui, describes his busy life as a musician. Never mind that Fleetwood Mac, the band for which he's provided the rhythmic heartbeat for more than four decades, is on hiatus.

These days, the drummer named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is performing with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, a three-piece outfit that pays tribute to the Mac's early days, when it drew heavily on American blues music and produced hits such as "Albatross," "Oh Well" and "Black Magic Woman" (which was covered by Santana).

The Blues Band also features guitarist-vocalist Rick Vito (himself a Mac alum) and bassist-vocalist Lenny Castellanos.

"In truth, I've had way too much time off from playing," Fleetwood says. "Not in the last five years or so, but prior to that, we would do these horrendously long tours with Fleetwood Mac, then we'd go straight back into the studio. That went on for about 20 years, and then we started easing up on how much work we were doing, and I started getting into just being at home and quite enjoying that whole thing.

"But I woke up one day and suddenly thought, 'What's missing? Well, what's missing is, you're not playing enough.'"

Fleetwood also has a Hawaiian band, Island Rumours, that plays original music as well as native-friendly versions of Fleetwood Mac songs, using slack-key guitars. He's also been playing private shows for corporations with fellow Mac member Stevie Nicks.

"This whole balance, it's not necessarily easy to do," says Fleetwood, 65, who has a wife and 5-year-old twin daughters. "It's a balance of having a home life and fulfilling something which needs to be fulfilled, which is, I'm a musician."

Fleetwood is also touring to raise the profile of his Private Cellar line of wines, which will be served at a preshow VIP dinner at the Sheldon and a post-show party at Monarch Restaurant. His wine enterprise grew out of his love for choosing wines for dinner parties thrown at his home.

"I had a quiet confidence that I knew what sort of wines that I like, and that premise is what we've stayed with," he says.

Fleetwood doesn't own his own vineyard but works with winemakers to create 19 varietals, most of which have won awards. Starting in California, Fleetwood has spent the past five years moving awareness of his wines eastward, in part through events like the one at the Sheldon.

"I work hard at it," he says. "I don't just stick my name on a bottle and disappear."

As for the show, Fleetwood says, it will be "a revisiting of where my musical roots came from. If you're aware of the early Fleetwood Mac, the whole show is dedicated to that. We're almost, to the song, playing only really vintage old Fleetwood Mac, precious blues material. Maybe a couple of Rick's things, some John Lee Hooker stuff."

In short, it's the kind of material he no longer gets to play with the current Mac lineup.

"In the early days, when Lindsey (Buckingham) and Stevie first joined Fleetwood Mac, we touched on a little bit of that during the transition," Fleetwood says. "But you know, it's not their music, and it sort of went off the radar. So whenever I get a chance to do something like this, it's really a lot of fun."

More Mac music may be on the horizon. Fleetwood won't go into detail about the band returning to the studio, or the road. But he does say that fans should stay tuned.

"Really, all I can tell you is, be very happy and hopeful that we will be working again. I can tell you everyone's going to be extremely excited about what's happening with Fleetwood Mac."

"Extremely excited"? I wont hold my breath. I thought Stevie wasn't going to do another album "in this lifetime" without Christine. So whose mind has he changed?

Gail

PS thanks for posting this

omg macman, i love your funplex sig! can't wait for that album!

back to the topic at hand: i'm not holding my breath either. sounds like he's just saying **** to get us excited and to reel the others back in. "for the fans."

Mick thinks the fans will be "extremely excited" that he's worked out a new drum vest solo.

Michele

Well I know I am

:lol: :lol: :lol:


Gail

Yeah, the beer lines can get kind of long, so he needs to stretch it out a bit so I don't miss it when Lindsey comes back in. ;)

Yah. Why else would he say "be hopeful"?

Haha be extremely excited. I know its such a long shot, but if Chris came back Id go crazy.

I am right there with you AliceLover, I have a funny feeling Chris wil come back I am sooo sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had that same funny feeling right up until the moment that SYW was released without her.

Then, when I went to England I had a funny feeling that she would appear on stage for one of the shows I attended. Unfortunately . . .

For what it's worth, I can't believe that this whole thing is going to end without Chris ever recording with FM again. I think she will. If she doesn't reunite with the whole band on record, then at least she will probably do something with a couple of the "surviving members" at one point.

I don't know if I think that's what Mick was talking about though. I don't think it is, because in other recent interviews, he still acts like she's gone for good. So, I think he was referring to something else we have to look forward to. Michele

I really hope you're right. :nod:

I went to the last show in London because I believed a rumour that she would be on stage with them. Oh well. Still she was in the crowd.

I can't imagine she will tour with them but she might, possibly, maybe do some recording. I've always said that if the collective will exists for the Rumours lineup to make some more music together they'll find a way.

But I don't think that will exists. Christine must be pretty set her lifestyle in Kent and London so I can't see the motivation from her point of view. she can't possibly need the money so why would she want to put herself through the travelling and being away from home? Of course if Mohammed wont come to the mountain then the mountain will have to come to Mohammed.

Gail