John/Chris interview with Bill Huey

[ThePenguin]

This was an interview that was mentioned over at the Chris forum a while back (someone was selling it on ebay)-- but anyway it's John and Chris, narrated by the host, Bill Huey-- and the description of it was: "THIS 45 WAS MADE FOR THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOR "PUBLIC SERVICE RELIGIOUS BROADCAST." (JUNE 1978).

On the tape I have there are actually 2 versions, so I'm not sure which was the final one they decided to use, but they're both fairly short so i transcribed them. The guy gets just about every detail wrong concerning the personal relationships within the group LOL. Also this interview was actually done in 1976, not 1978 as was labeled; I think the guy hung onto his interview tape for a couple of years and then put it out after the success of Rumours. I like the editing much better in the 2nd one; Chris sounds a bit snarky towards Stevie in the first one when she probably didn't mean to. Anyway here it is; hope you enjoy.

-Lis

*************

Host: I’m Bill Huey—In a moment, John and Chris McVie, the Mac in Fleetwood Mac—on ‘What It’s All About'.
Fleetwood Mac grew out of a jam session of British blues musicians in the late 60’s.

J: I was w/ John Mayall, and Peter Green left John Mayall, and when he was w/ John Mayall he recorded a jam track as a trio with me, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green, and for want of a better title he called it Fleetwood Mac.

BH: Later that year, John was playing with the fledgling group at the Windsor Jazz Festival in England. There, he met his ‘perfect’ girl—Christine Perfect. A few years later, he made her Christine McVie. (Plays Don’t Stop.)
FM is one of the top groups in the world, with two straight multimillion selling albums to their credit. Along the way, though, there has been trouble, like in 1974, when they went to court to stop a bogus band from touring as Fleetwood Mac. There have been plenty of personnel changes, too.

J: The main criterion for someone to be in the band is if they fit—as people—'cause this band has held one audition in its life, and that was embarrassing. We had this poor guy come down from London, we said, “OK, let’s play a 12 bar in E” and, y’know, it just didn’t feel comfortable. (Plays Oh Well)

BH: The biggest personnel change came in 1974, when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were asked to join. Stevie was the band’s second female.

C: Why would you wanna have another girl in the band?

J: Especially someone who doesn’t play an instrument, who’s sort of flying around stage and twirling and swirling, and who’s obviously—whether she does it on merit or, y’know, visibility-- is obviously gonna attract more spotlight away from you. (Plays Say You Love Me)

BH: As much has been written about FM’s personal side as about its music. It’s easy to see why—Mick’s divorced, Stevie and Lindsey were married and now are divorced, and John and Chris, after living together for years, got married—then separated.

C: Well, it’s a lotta strain, living with somebody and working with somebody, and the pressures of being on the road….got to be too heavy, y’know?

BH: The pressures of getting along with someone can get heavy. But in a world of 4 billion people struggling to live together, it’s absolutely necessary to really work at it. Working out differences often involves trying to see the other person’s viewpoint, and to do that, you have to really be honest, and really try to understand. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Treat others the way you yourself want to be treated.” And that could be—‘what it’s all about’. (Plays YMLF.)

******Second Version—somewhat different than the first and slightly longer*****



BH: For several years, FM was in the vanguard of the British Blues revival. Then, from a big shake up two years ago, emerged a lighter sounding band. I’m Bill Huey. We’ll talk w/ FM’s cofounder, John McVie, and his wife Christine on “What’s It All About.” (Plays Rhiannon.)

The beginning of Fleetwood Mac is confusing—it started back in 1967 w/ the Windsor Jazz Festival in England.

J: I was w/ John Mayall, and Peter Green left John Mayall, and when he was w/ John Mayall he recorded a jam track as a trio with me, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green, and for want of a better title, he called it Fleetwood Mac. Actually we all played on the same bill, we did the Windsor Jazz Festival, and John Mayall wasn’t headlining, but it was high up on the bill, and then there was a band called Chicken Shack from Birmingham which Chris was playing in, and then Peter Green’s FMac.

C: Aside from John Mayall, that was the very beginning of the so-called ,for want of a better expression,-‘blues cult’ in England, y’know? The Windsor Jazz Festival.

BH: FM is one of rock’s best soap operas. John McVie lived with Chris for several years, then married her, and now they’re separated, but they don’t want a divorce. Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks are married, and drummer Mick Fleetwood is divorcing his wife.

C: Well, it tales a lotta strain, living with somebody and working with somebody, and the pressures of being on the road….got to be too heavy, y’know? (plays Over My Head)

BH: The interesting thing about Fleetwood mac is that despite all the potential jealousies, competition, and personal strife, they’re making thier best music ever. The addition last year of guitarist Buckingham and his wife Stevie Nicks seems to have been a catalyst.

C: “I just think it’s quite an interesting point to suddenly ask another girl to join the band, y’know.

J: Especially someone who doesn’t play an instrument, who’s sort of flying around stage and twirling and swirling, and who’s obviously—whether she does it on merit or, y’know, visibility-- is obviously gonna attract more spotlight away from you. (Plays Say You Love Me)

C: We weren’t striving to have like a sexy, visual kind of a trip in the band at all! It could’ve been a disaster if S and me hadn’t liked each other, y’know. I’m happy w/ what I’m doing. I couldn’t do what she does—she does what she does very well.

BH: John and Chris are the first to admit that their personal lives have suffered from the strain of being together all the time. They do manage, however, to tie things together. In a world more intricately interwoven than are the lives of Fleetwood Mac, it is absolutely necessary to work out personal differences. Working out those differences often involves trying to see the other person’s viewpoint. When people are honest with each other, and really try to understand, a lot of goods things can happen. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Treat others the way you yourself want to be treated.” In a world of 4 billion people struggling to live together, that could be ‘what it’s all about.’

[macfan 57]

Thanks for posting, Lis. I thought this was especially funny:

C: Why would you wanna have another girl in the band?

J: Especially someone who doesn’t play an instrument, who’s sort of flying around stage and twirling and swirling, and who’s obviously—whether she does it on merit or, y’know, visibility-- is obviously gonna attract more spotlight away from you.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Thanks for posting, Lis. I thought this was especially funny:

C: Why would you wanna have another girl in the band?

J: Especially someone who doesn’t play an instrument, who’s sort of flying around stage and twirling and swirling, and who’s obviously—whether she does it on merit or, y’know, visibility-- is obviously gonna attract more spotlight away from you.

Yep, John's kind of looking out for his girl, who never twirled or swirled a day in her life. But I though Chris was very gracious w/ her comment on how Stevie 'does what she does very well'.

I would have loved to hear the whole interview before it was edited; I'm sure they had tons more to say about all that. The tape is probably in some old guy's dank and dusty basement, never to see the light of day....sniff....:-(

-Lis

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

I would have loved to hear the whole interview before it was edited; I'm sure they had tons more to say about all that. The tape is probably in some old guy's dank and dusty basement, never to see the light of day....sniff....:-(

-Lis

Just like that other 1974 hotel room interview.....