Quote:
Originally Posted by jmn3
I'm sorry but this just wasn't good. It also wasn't terrible, but it lacked something bigger than just Lindsey, it lacked chemistry. It seems forced and not particularly fun for anyone other than Mick who always looks like he's possessed.
Song Choices - Really, I mean, I feel this was a major middle finger to Lindsey. You have your inaugural performance with The Chain? The one song that all five of them have a songwriting credit one. A song that literally says not to break the chain? And then you go full throttle with that middle finger and play the Stevie song that Lindsey is on record as saying one of his proudest works with her? How on Earth were these the choices? Why the hell wasn't a Christine song done?
Vocals - Stevie doesn't, to my ears, sound much worse than how she's sounded for years. Her Gypsy vocal has been bland af for a long time now..."and it lights up the night" is where the energy just falls flat on it's face and the song never recovers. Is Christine's mic even on? And Neill just doesn't have the sound for this band. Shades of Billy Burnette all over again. He's a fine singer and services the song well enough, but it came across bland bland bland.
Music - These guys are all professionals with decades upon decades of experience amongst them. The music sounded fine. The sound was bad but I'd assume that's a result of the TV show vs. their choice to have John's bass solo barely audible. Campbell's guitar skills can't be questioned and clearly the reason the Gypsy solo wasn't played was because they had x amount of time for a TV show. I mean, it's the Ellen show not The Forum. I would expect in concert he would do something with the solo. But what I can't fathom is him playing that stupid piano part? I don't care that it was played on the album similarly, it sounded and looked ridiculous. Play it on the guitar man! And why on Earth is he playing it with two other keyboard players right there?
Christine - Chris took quite possibly the worst 16 years off that she could have ever picked. Her skills from a live perspective have been questionable ever since she came back. I love this woman and felt that the band sorely missed her on the Say You Will album and tour and the two greatest hits tours that followed. I was so pumped at the beginning of You Make Loving Fun in 2014 - she was back! But it was clear then that she wasn't the same. Her vocals are not good and I'm not sure where exactly she's playing anymore. The BuckVie shows exemplified this and then this Ellen performance showed more of the same. I'm sorry, but Chris and Stevie needed to be in full kick ass mode in order for this to work.
Overall, this made me sad. I am still appalled that Lindsey was fired. I have never been a so-called "Lindsey lover" at all. I love the BAND and felt that all 5 of them made each other better. To get to this stage of their career (the end-stage) and pivot to whatever the hell it is that they've become, is just embarrassing. It's like Jagger kicking out Richards at 75. Keith's been pissing Mick off and flubbing solos and playing ridiculously wrong notes for years but the Stones are the Stones still. This Fleetwood Mac looked old and tired. For a new band I would have expected a kick ass performance where they showed some ability beyond being able to somewhat parrot the same songs and arrangements that they've been delivering for 20 years. I don't care that they're in their 70's - you want to make that bold move that you did in firing Lindsey Buckingham, you better bring your A-game to generate interest and prove that you didn't need the man. All I saw here was an advertisement for a cash grab hits tour. "Hey look we're gonna play the songs you love, gonna start with The Chain too! And mama's still here front and center, waving fingers and throwing odd vocal phrasings into the mix...we're the same as before...come see us!!"
|
You said everything I was thinking, very articulately.
The Ellen performance finally clarified for me my feelings about what has happened. This band, with Rumours lineup, has been a huge part of my life from childhood until middle age. With Lindsey gone, I will not have the opportunity to give a proper goodbye (in my mind) nor allow me to close out this important part of my life in a meaningful way. This is not the end of the world, and certainly there are bigger problems out there. But it’s important to me and by reading these posts over the months, it’s important to many.
Had the band decided to throw in the towel, I would still have been disappointed but it wouldn’t have been so upsetting. Putting together this ridiculous new band and having the ****ing nerve to have The Chain be their choice to debut - it’s a slap in the face and shows so much disrespect for fans who have stuck with them during all of their drama and games. Because we love them.