Storms - Dennis Wilson

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by Jessica

Did Bob Welch also think Christine was "holding him back?" In one of his Q&As here, he basically said she was musically unadventurous (if talented) and turned up her nose at anything he tried to do that was less mainstream. I took it with a grain of salt, because he came off as really bitter, but it makes you wonder. She was obviously the one who had the best idea of what would appeal to the broadest range of people, though, given the popularity of her songs.

Christine was always more about the music and playing. Stevie has always sold an image to go along with her songs. I mean, you don't dress like that to sing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" or something. While I think she is a great songwriter (not a producer or arranger, obviously) and had the right voice to go with her music, I don't think she would've been as big without the image she cultivated. Her looks didn't hurt, either. The scary thing is that I don't think she planned it in the beginning. It just worked for her and she's played it up ever since. Christine did not need an image to sell her songs, but she could've been bigger than she was, had she been into that.

I think Lindsey has always believed he was more talented than either of them and that he was largely responsible for their success, which is why it ate at him that Stevie was so popular as a solo artist. Hence his "lounge act" remark. He is a talented producer, arranger and guitar player. But, most of his best songs were on Say You Will, IMO. The lyrics always seemed like an afterthought on many of of his earlier songs. Stevie's solo success and the fact that Christine made 2 great solo records and co-produced both indicates to me that they made their own success. Fleetwood Mac was great during their lineup because the combination of the 5 people was so good, not that Lindsey didn't play an important part as a producer in creating the sound.

Very interesting comments.

I think it is true to say that Christine is somewhat conservative in her musical tastes and that's where Lindsey was good for her I think to push her a little farther than she wanted to go. Christine was good for Lindsey by curbing some of his excesses. I do believe, however, that Lindsey appreciated Christine's talent although he didn't always show it! I think some of his comments after her leaving proove that he misses her, at least musically, because he knows what she brings to the band's sound.

As for Bob Welsh I think he did sound bitter in that Q&A which is not to say that he had not been on the receiving end of some of Ms McVie's sarcastic remarks. I don't think she is "backward in coming forward" as we say in England. Somebody asked him quite recently if he'd like to record with her again and he said he would but he "didn't think Christine liked him very much"

I agree that Lindsey has grown as a songwriter and I like his SYW stuff a lot except for Murrow and Come which are too long for my taste.

for me the appeal of FM was always the diversity - everyone brought something different to the mix and somehow it worked. the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Which is why it annoys me when Lindsey talks like it was all his doing.

Anyway it doesn't look like we'll get another FM album because Stevie wont make on "in this lifetime" without Christine because "they tried it once and it didn't work".

Gail