Still think Stevie is going to do the FM album?

[KenshiMaster16]

Jesus, some Stevie fans have some big egos and opinions. Without this band, Stevie and Lindsey both would 99% likely be playing bars or city festivals for 200 people max right about now with nobody likely giving two ****s about their artistic potential. This band gave them everything and made them who they are. Fleetwood Mac saved Stevie's career twice. Stevie's musical career was almost dead in the water after BuckinghamNicks and again after Street Angel, considering that album only spent 3 weeks within the top 100 album chart. If it wasn't for the reunion, Stevie would be a relic by now as would Lindsey despite her 'solo success' early on.

[teedeerocks]

Originally Posted by KenshiMaster16

Jesus, some Stevie fans have some big egos and opinions. Without this band, Stevie and Lindsey both would 99% likely be playing bars or city festivals for 200 people max right about now with nobody likely giving two ****s about their artistic potential. This band gave them everything and made them who they are. Fleetwood Mac saved Stevie's career twice. Stevie's musical career was almost dead in the water after BuckinghamNicks and again after Street Angel, considering that album only spent 3 weeks within the top 100 album chart. If it wasn't for the reunion, Stevie would be a relic by now as would Lindsey despite her 'solo success' early on.

This is all SO true.Stevie says in her Gypsy speeches that all of your dreams can come true if you just believe.I feel like saying,"Honey,you have got to be f ** king kidding me.The only thing that you had that most people don't have is unbelievably incredible luck and you just happened to have hooked up with an awesome guitar player,which is what FM wanted anyway.I've been dreaming for about 50 years now and not a f**king thing has changed for me".Don't get me wrong - I am a huge Stevie fan and I'm so thrilled that she made it.But I believe she needs to come down to earth when she describes how she made it and give credit where credit is due.I would love,just one time,to hear her say "Thank you Lindsey for not leaving me in the dust when the Mac asked you to join.And thank you FM,especially you Chris,because you gave the deciding 'green light', for accepting me when you didn't need me".Of course their career took off when the 2 hippies joined but who knows?That could have happened without them too.But y'all know this is "not gonna happen"

[SteveMacD]

I think Fleetwood Mac would've had some success without Stevie or Lindsey. They were on an upward trajectory. Maybe not at the level they achieved, but there would have been some success. Actually, in hindsight, Waddy Watchell would have been the more obvious choice. His style was more similar to the guys before 1975, and he had a quirky look about him, not dissimilar to Bob Welch.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I think Fleetwood Mac would've had some success without Stevie or Lindsey. They were on an upward trajectory. Maybe not at the level they achieved, but there would have been some success. Actually, in hindsight, Waddy Watchell would have been the more obvious choice. His style was more similar to the guys before 1975, and he had a quirky look about him, not dissimilar to Bob Welch.

Fleetwood Mac was selling hundred of thousand of records, by the time Welch left. Plus, they were stars in England. B/N were on their last dime and using the recording studio for free when it was not in use. They did have a blowing up in Birmingham.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I think Fleetwood Mac would've had some success without Stevie or Lindsey. They were on an upward trajectory.

Upward trajectory? More like just maintaining air speed. After Peter Green left, they were riding on the brand name, continuing to exist despite having an identity crisis, with constant changes in band dynamic. It's amazing they retained enough of an audience to keep them going; though they weren't busting up the charts, their albums still sold a feasible amount and they continued to tour.

When Bob Welch left, and they were reduced to just Mick, John and Christine, I would say they were at their most vulnerable. Mick's sense of perseverance and the shear luck of finding Lindsey and Stevie saved them; a union of chemistry that ignited a firestorm.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Upward trajectory? More like just maintaining air speed.

Depends on how you look at it. By the end of 1974, they pretty much established with the record company and the music industry that they (Mick, John, and Christine) were the legitimate owners of the Fleetwood Mac brand, they had moved their base of operations to Los Angeles, they still had a record deal, and they were managing their own affairs, yet they were off the radar enough to where they could still try anything and probably get away with it.

The fact that the first top 20 hit was a Christine McVie-penned song that could have easily been on any of the five albums prior just adds to the notion that they were on their way up anyway. The performances of Stevie and Lindsey on that song weren't especially distinguishable, or really even noticeable (unlike "Say You Love Me").

Mick's sense of perseverance and the shear luck of finding Lindsey and Stevie saved them; a union of chemistry that ignited a firestorm.

I agree that their chemistry took them to the next level. But to suggest that Fleetwood Mac couldn't have continued to be a viable band without Stevie and Lindsey is pretty disingenuous.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I agree that their chemistry took them to the next level. But to suggest that Fleetwood Mac couldn't have continued to be a viable band without Stevie and Lindsey is pretty disingenuous.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. There is nothing disingenuous with my statement; perhaps the nuance was overlooked. I never inferred that they that they didn't have the potential to be a viable band.

[gypsy333]

Where can I purchase the crystal ball that some people appear to have?

YES! I agree with penquinhead

[DauphineMarie]

Originally Posted by teedeerocks

This is all SO true.Stevie says in her Gypsy speeches that all of your dreams can come true if you just believe.I feel like saying,"Honey,you have got to be f ** king kidding me.The only thing that you had that most people don't have is unbelievably incredible luck and you just happened to have hooked up with an awesome guitar player,which is what FM wanted anyway.I've been dreaming for about 50 years now and not a f**king thing has changed for me".Don't get me wrong - I am a huge Stevie fan and I'm so thrilled that she made it.But I believe she needs to come down to earth when she describes how she made it and give credit where credit is due.I would love,just one time,to hear her say "Thank you Lindsey for not leaving me in the dust when the Mac asked you to join.And thank you FM,especially you Chris,because you gave the deciding 'green light', for accepting me when you didn't need me".Of course their career took off when the 2 hippies joined but who knows?That could have happened without them too.But y'all know this is "not gonna happen"

Stevie does thank them.. In her Gypsy speeches she usually thanks Chris specifically for letting in another girl singer. And I know for a fact she has thanked Lindsey for letting taking her with him. You can find it on Youtube, it's the introduction to Without You somewhere in England. But in all honesty, we have to remember here, Lindsey is an amazingly talented and incredible guitarist - but so was Bob Welch, Peter Green, etc. and FM was never massively popular, even in England. It was Stevie that got FM their first and only, to date#1. No, she is not the musical driving force behind the band, or even that song, but I guarantee you FM would not be where they are without Stevie's image. Yes talent should come before style, but in reality, image is crucial to a band's success, and Stevie had "the look." Did she play an instrument? No. Did men and women alike come in droves to admire her beauty and voice? Yes, and they bought the music as well. So yes, Stevie should give credit to FM for making her life easier, but FM would not be where it is today without her.

EDIT:: I found the video. The thank you's start at about 6:45.. She did this just about every night.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

Stevie does thank them.. In her Gypsy speeches she usually thanks Chris specifically for letting in another girl singer. And I know for a fact she has thanked Lindsey for letting taking her with him. You can find it on Youtube, it's the introduction to Without You somewhere in England. But in all honesty, we have to remember here, Lindsey is an amazingly talented and incredible guitarist - but so was Bob Welch, Peter Green, etc. and FM was never massively popular, even in England. It was Stevie that got FM their first and only, to date#1. No, she is not the musical driving force behind the band, or even that song, but I guarantee you FM would not be where they are without Stevie's image. Yes talent should come before style, but in reality, image is crucial to a band's success, and Stevie had "the look." Did she play an instrument? No. Did men and women alike come in droves to admire her beauty and voice? Yes, and they bought the music as well. So yes, Stevie should give credit to FM for making her life easier, but FM would not be where it is today without her.

And she would be nowhere without them. It's a symbiotic process in my mind. And yes, FMac was very popular in England.

[nicole21290]

As DauphineMarie said, basically every single night of the 2013 tour, she profusely thanked Mick, John, Lindsey and sometimes even Christine.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

and FM was never massively popular, even in England. It was Stevie that got FM their first and only, to date#1.

Really? From 22 November 1968 to 26 September 1969, Fleetwood Mac had four top ten singles in England (including the #1 single, "Albatross," which hit #2 when rereleased in 1973). They were only #3 in sales, behind the Beatles the Stones. But I guess that wasn't really massive.

[DauphineMarie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Really? From 22 November 1968 to 26 September 1969, Fleetwood Mac had four top ten singles in England (including the #1 single, "Albatross," which hit #2 when rereleased in 1973). They were only #3 in sales, behind the Beatles the Stones. But I guess that wasn't really massive.

I suppose you're right, my apologies.. Even though I'm English, I never really considered them that big in retrospect. The correct usage should have been they were never that popular in the United States.

[TsnFan4Ever]

If you don't like Stevie, you have a right to your opinion but before Stevie and Lindsey joined, Fleetwood Mac had very limited success--which Mick Fleetwood himself said in his book. With Stevie and Lindsey, the band rose to success because the five of them together created wonderful music.

Just because you don't like someone, you don't need to belittle their achievements. And, really, how many people can sustain career success for 40+ years. Do all of you think that you're going to be functioning at your peak levels when you're 66 or 70?

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by TsnFan4Ever

If you don't like Stevie, you have a right to your opinion but before Stevie and Lindsey joined, Fleetwood Mac had very limited success

If you don't like or respect pre-1975 Fleetwood Mac, you have a right to your opinion but before Stevie and Lindsey joined, Fleetwood Mac had already released over ten albums, including a Greatest Hits album, had had four top ten singles (one rereleased five years after its first run and hitting #2), had been all over the music press in 1974 (any press is good press), had a record deal, had a significant following, and had been on American national television twice.

--which Mick Fleetwood himself said in his book. With Stevie and Lindsey, the band rose to success because the five of them together created wonderful music.

They also made wonderful music with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, and Bob Welch. Maybe it didn't rise to the same level of success, but it was still wonderful.

Just because you don't like someone, you don't need to belittle their achievements.

You mean like you did with the pre-1975 Fleetwood Mac?