The continuing mystery of the Mac's 1974 tour

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by David

Good article which answers one or two questions but raises several more: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...n-tour-233735/

My favorite quote from it is this: “To the band’s thinking,” said Welch, “that’s kind of beside the point. If he [Davis] has the rights to the band’s name, theoretically he can put anybody there. He can put four dogs barking on a leash and call it Fleetwood Mac.”

Maybe THIS was a premonition that five years later Lindsey would record that strange background sound-loop for Tusk! After all, it sounds like a bunch dogs barking at once…

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

All excellent points David. The financial strain of the cancelled tour and losing a guitarist definitely could of been financial motive for the fake band. Its a miracle they got their s**t together and did Heroes. While the album is fantastic, it has an odd vibe. Bob and Chris pushed to the front. Were they just going through the motions. Its fun to think WHAT IF the fake band never happened or Weston was never fired. Its likely Buckingham and Nicks would have never made the line up.
Another excellent observation is why people went to see the band. Chris and Welch were not really stars on their own merit drawing people to the band. The band was living off its name which was the perfect storm for a fake band resuming a tour.
Its a shame no one recorded any of these shows. It would be something to hear. But according to Joe Walsh they kicked ass.

I’d really like to go back and understand the demographic of the fan base back in those days. The Peter green era band was obviously huge in the UK and big in Europe. But really didn’t make a dent in the US. But then the Bob Welch band actually charted in the US….much higher (comparatively) than the early albums. Okay, they weren’t exactly the top of the charts, but there’s a noticeable shift in chart placings from Kiln House onwards. This to me suggests there was actually some fan base for that band. They weren’t just relying solely on the name as they shifted more units in the US than the early albums ever did. Penguin, I repeat….Penguin!!!!! actually broke the US top 50. That might not sound amazing….but somebody is taking a keen interest. I don’t know if it was maybe some sort of underground college thing?

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

I’d really like to go back and understand the demographic of the fan base back in those days. The Peter green era band was obviously huge in the UK and big in Europe. But really didn’t make a dent in the US. But then the Bob Welch band actually charted in the US….much higher (comparatively) than the early albums. Okay, they weren’t exactly the top of the charts, but there’s a noticeable shift in chart placings from Kiln House onwards. This to me suggests there was actually some fan base for that band. They weren’t just relying solely on the name as they shifted more units in the US than the early albums ever did. Penguin, I repeat….Penguin!!!!! actually broke the US top 50. That might not sound amazing….but somebody is taking a keen interest. I don’t know if it was maybe some sort of underground college thing?

Mick writes about this in his book. The Mac was very popular in the UK and Europe but when they went to the States that all changed. They had a steady grass roots touring crowd that made them money. The more popular they became in the states the less popular they were in Europe and the UK. This continued even in the Rumours era and went to the BTM era. BTM and OSOTM were considered disappointments in the States but in the UK they were #1 and #3 albums there.
When Weston was fired sort of started a chain of events that nearly collapsed the band and led to a fake band and eventually Bob Welch leaving.
They were making really good money touring the states. They were not really rich but comfortable. Look at John's car collection at this time. Once the Mystery To Me tour was cancelled touring dried up. That definitely was motive for the fake band. Had they been still making good coin on the road it may not have happened. I think they did have an underground college cult base that kept them afloat for years. When Lindsey and Stevie joined and toured with the band before the album release in 1975 they still played college campuses. I fell out of my chair when I learned they played Slippery Rock college in PA. I grew up not far from there and its crazy to think about.