Lincoln cut short. Mick very sick

[Doctor]

Little late for the Bob Welch reunion.

Here is an article the local newspaper did on Steve, the drummer who did Go Your Own Way

http://journalstar.com/blogs/ground-zero/a-little-more-about-steve-the-substitute-fleetwood-mac-drummer/article_a7b4cc3c-1bbf-5563-b0fa-5b09b3887b6a.html

[elle]

Originally Posted by Doctor

Here is an article the local newspaper did on Steve, the drummer who did Go Your Own Way

http://journalstar.com/blogs/ground-zero/a-little-more-about-steve-the-substitute-fleetwood-mac-drummer/article_a7b4cc3c-1bbf-5563-b0fa-5b09b3887b6a.html

nice article, thanks for finding it! here's the whole text:


A little more about Steve the substitute Fleetwood Mac drummer

5 hours ago • By CORY MATTESON | LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR0

On Tuesday, Fleetwood Mac is scheduled to perform the band’s planned tour date in Grand Rapids or wherever. The next stop matters little to Lincoln concertgoers, who saw the show here cut somewhat short on Saturday night. But that wasn’t before the band brought out “Steve” to fill in for an unfortunately ill Mick Fleetwood on “Go Your Own Way.”

Steve performed admirably in Fleetwood’s absence, drawing a “Yay, Steve” from Stevie Nicks at the end of his “big audition,” as she called it. He also got some stray “Steve” chants at the end of the show from fans who perhaps hoped he could lead the band through the rest of the scheduled set. (You can hear concertgoers asking if he could keep playing during a fan recording of “Go Your Own Way” that has over 7,000 views on YouTube already.)

So who’s Steve? Steve is Steve Rinkov, and he’s been a drum tech with Fleetwood Mac for over a decade. He's also worked with Lenny Kravitz and Pearl Jam, to name a few. In 2004, Rinkov did an interview with Cheryl Ferguson on a public radio program about careers, “The Recruiter’s Studio” where he talked about inadvertently landing a drum tech job, and then a performing role with Fleetwood Mac. During Rinkov’s conversation with Ferguson, he also gave some insight into why he might not have been able to cruise through the band’s catalog on command this Saturday.

“You’re not there to play the instruments,” he told her, referring to band rehearsals. “Nobody wants to hear it.”

So the technicians aren’t forming Fleetwood cover bands when Mick, Christine, Lindsey, Stevie and John take tea breaks. But that doesn't mean Steve can't play some Mac. He backed Fleetwood on some songs during the show at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, as he has for years. And Rinkov told Ferguson that he was not nervous, but excited, those first times he joined the band on stage. Here's what Rinkov had to tell her about going from a drum tech to playing with the band years before he sat in for Mick at the head kit during the Lincoln show. (Here's the entire interview.)

“I was minding my business, I swear," Rinkov said. "I was just minding my business. Because you learn early on, you learn early-early on -- and if you don’t already know, someone will not be shy about telling you -- you’re not there to play. You’re not there to play the instruments. Nobody wants to hear it. Nobody wants to hear it.

"Our rehearsal days, the band would show up at, you know, noon to two o’clock in the afternoon and in some cases I’d be working with Mick, and the sound crew would have to be there until one o’clock in the morning. And the last thing anyone wants to hear is someone else banging away on a drum set or wailing away on a guitar when they’re just really not supposed to.

"In rehearsals one day, I swear I was minding my own business and we had done one small show for a group of Best Buy retail executives. And it was just 10 days into rehearsal that we’d done that show. And I think that’s when Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood heard me play drums. Because they walked in when we were soundchecking.

"About a week-and-a-half, two weeks later, they were rehearsing a song from the new album, from the 'Say You Will' album. And on that song, there are two drum parts that were recorded separately. And out of the corner of my ear, I swear I heard, what I had to question -- did I really hear it or not? -- I heard Lindsey say, ‘Well maybe Steve can just play that part.’

"And I’m typing away on my computer and I’m looking up and I’m thinking: ‘No. Back to work.’ And Mick looks over his shoulder and goes, 'Have we got any drums here?' We had every drum that Mick Fleetwood owned there. So I said, 'Yes we do, as a matter of fact.' And (I) probably was just finishing another word by the time I had the drums all set up and ready to go.

"And so that was it. That was one song. Within literally a couple of days, one song became two songs and two songs became three."

Ferguson then asked Rinkov if he was nervous about getting to play with the band as a backing drummer.

"No, no," he said. "Nervous wasn’t part of it. Excited. It’s a weird thing. Being nervous about playing drums is just something that has never happened to me. It’s never happened to me. The first show of the tour, which was Columbus, Ohio, which is where my father’s from. So my aunt is there. I have cousins there, And I’m at an arena that holds I think like 17,000 people and there isn’t an empty seat in the house. And I was excited. I wasn’t nervous at all. I couldn’t wait to do it and keep doing it. It was a blast."

Steve, if you see this, it'd be great to know how the brief starring role went for you in Lincoln.

Reach the writer at 402-473-7438 or [email protected]. On Twitter @LJSMatteson.

[michelej1]

It is a great article. Steve seems like a character. I have never heard his speaking voice, but I can imagine what his speech pattern is just by reading those sentences and the repeated phrases. I am glad he has a role he enjoys in the band and that they recognized his skill even though he wasn't putting it on display. Michele

[Macfanforever]

I wonder how he's making out tonight in Grand Rapids.

Any Ledgies attending tonights show.

There is no "Ill be there' thread started yet for the Grand Rapids show.

[nicepace]

Is Steve's brief appearance on drums the first time ever that someone other than Mick Fleetwood played drums with Fleetwood Mac? (I mean, other than the backing drummers and percussionists they've been using for years.)

If so, this was truly a historic occasion, since Mick is the only band member who has been in the band from the very beginning and has played every gig.

[Mr Scarrott]

Originally Posted by nicepace

Is Steve's brief appearance on drums the first time ever that someone other than Mick Fleetwood played drums with Fleetwood Mac? (I mean, other than the backing drummers and percussionists they've been using for years.)

If so, this was truly a historic occasion, since Mick is the only band member who has been in the band from the very beginning and has played every gig.

I don't think it's ever happened before in concert. Didn't it happen to John once when Rocky Burnette filled in for him due to illness? Was that on the Tusk tour?

Thinking off the top of my head, there have been occasions when Mick didn't play drums on FM records. I seem to recall that Lindsey said Mick (and John) "weren't really on" Without you. Then there's probably the odd track on Tusk and maybe even TITN on which Lindsey did everything. Going further back S P Leary played drums on some tracks on the Blues Jam at Chess Album including World's in a tangle. Technically, although FM got top billing, I think that album was credited to Various Artists (it is on the verson I've got, anyway) so maybe that doesn't count.

[nicepace]

A factor to keep in mind in this whole discussion is that drumming is hard work. It is really good exercise, and very demanding physically. This would explain why Mick has sometimes received oxygen during a show; it's like a football player getting oxygen on the sidelines after an exhausting series of plays.

Playing an electric guitar or a heavy bass guitar is demanding too, but not as much as drumming.

The only musician in the band who gets off relatively easy in terms of the physical stress of playing her instrument is Christine. She doesn't have to lift her instrument. (Well, except the accordion, but that's just one song.) She has always had a delicate touch on the keyboard, too, so hopefully her hands aren't getting sore from all this performing. Good thing she's not a "basher"!

[elle]

Originally Posted by nicepace

Is Steve's brief appearance on drums the first time ever that someone other than Mick Fleetwood played drums with Fleetwood Mac? (I mean, other than the backing drummers and percussionists they've been using for years.)

If so, this was truly a historic occasion, since Mick is the only band member who has been in the band from the very beginning and has played every gig.

cool - good point!

Originally Posted by Mr Scarrott

I don't think it's ever happened before in concert. Didn't it happen to John once when Rocky Burnette filled in for him due to illness? Was that on the Tusk tour?

Thinking off the top of my head, there have been occasions when Mick didn't play drums on FM records. I seem to recall that Lindsey said Mick (and John) "weren't really on" Without you. Then there's probably the odd track on Tusk and maybe even TITN on which Lindsey did everything. Going further back S P Leary played drums on some tracks on the Blues Jam at Chess Album including World's in a tangle. Technically, although FM got top billing, I think that album was credited to Various Artists (it is on the verson I've got, anyway) so maybe that doesn't count.

cool info! so it seems that live, this still may be the only occasion someone had to fill in for / instead of Mick!

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

If Fleetwood Mac weren't so lock-step and tight-knitted, they could ad-libbed the rest of the show in some manner. But they just don't have those abilities; once they go off script they get completely lost and then grind to a halt. They could have turned this into a historic show for all the right reasons. Lindsey could have done some solo numbers. Surely they must have some songs in their wheelhouse could perform. Aside from stripping down some of their set lists songs, they could have performed unrehearsed numbers. Surely they would be expected to sound rough and unpolished, but that would be the charm about it. They could have garnered suggestions -- taking requests and questions from the audience, making them part of the show. Turn it partly into a talent show, and call out members of the audience with specific skills. Just some ideas to fill the time.

Some artists have the skills of engagement, with the confidence to be impromptu. Tom Petty and Elvis Costello come to mind, though I know there are better examples. It's an arena of entertainment just doesn't suit Stevie and Lindsey; that level of exposure and looseness makes them uncomfortable. Neither of them have that kind of showmanship in them. The only band member who does is, ironically, Mick!

yes! all great points and interesting suggestions!

confidence plus the balance of roles in FM may be a a big part of what's holding them back. another reason why i prefer LB solo shows where he can go off script. plus i immensely enjoy pushing him in that direction much more than he seems to be comfortable with - because when it does happen it can be pretty spectacular. when we were at his 92Y q&a and he did Rock Away Blind live for the first time ever - after he had to re-tune his own guitar right in front of the whole audience - everyone there felt like we just witnessed something truly amazing. unfortunately it's so rare.

[nicole21290]

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

I wonder how he's making out tonight in Grand Rapids.

Any Ledgies attending tonights show.

There is no "Ill be there' thread started yet for the Grand Rapids show.

Well, he did make it to the end this time, so I guess that's good?

http://onwiththeshow-bn.tumblr.com/p...robin-bartells
http://onwiththeshow-bn.tumblr.com/p...-c-mark-rendel
http://onwiththeshow-bn.tumblr.com/p...c-sabswill7596

[michelej1]

[Mick often gets oxygen during a show, though. On one occasion in a high altitude, I saw Lindsey take oxygen onstage as well.]

Star Tribune, Jon Bream 1-19-2015

http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/289080251.html

Drummer Mick Fleetwood acknowledged that he was feeling under the weather when he addressed the sell-out crowd Friday at the end of Fleetwood Mac’s concert at Xcel Energy Center.

Indeed, we heard rumors that he was getting an IV and oxygen before the show.

On Saturday in Lincoln, Neb., things didn’t go so well for Mr. Flu-wood. He began vomiting backstage. The show was curtailed by several songs, according to the Omaha World-Herald.

Here is what Kevin Coffey reported in the World-Herald:

“Mick is really sick. We don’t know exactly what to do,” Stevie Nicks said, adding that Fleetwood suddenly became ill and was throwing up backstage.

Set to play more than two hours, Fleetwood Mac cut its set short by eight of its planned 24 songs and finished almost an hour early with “Go Your Own Way” and “Songbird,” and they had to call on a drum tech to get behind the kit to finish.

“We’re so sorry,” Nicks said. “In all of our 40 years, this has never happened.”

“It’s really unfortunate,” Lindsey Buckingham added. “We’re really sorry, guys.”