Fleetwood Mac Solo Or With The Backing Band

[Nicks Fan]

I was watching the Live in Boston DVD and I gotta say that while the muscians that backed them on the tour are all very talented I wish the band would leave them behind on the next toour as we are paying to see FM and not Fm plus how ever many back up singers /musicians they have. It just doesn't work for me. I like music and the concert I saw was good but I wish they would go back to the days when it was just the band and not all of this grand production.


Matt

[sodascouts]

I agree, Matt. It's one thing when it's Stevie solo but having all those backup singers on a Mac tour is unnecessary and excessive.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Nicks Fan

I was watching the Live in Boston DVD and I gotta say that while the muscians that backed them on the tour are all very talented I wish the band would leave them behind on the next toour as we are paying to see FM and not Fm plus how ever many back up singers /musicians they have. It just doesn't work for me. I like music and the concert I saw was good but I wish they would go back to the days when it was just the band and not all of this grand production.


Matt

I agree 100% Matt. I've asked before, and of course no one can answer- "WHO decided that bands can no longer go out as a 4 or 5 piece?" Around 1990, ALL these backing musicians somehow slipped their collective arses onto the stages.
I think the blame started with MTV. But now, with all the lipsyncing, etc, I think it's what the public has come to expect. A live performance that sounds 98% like the record. Warts not allowed.......bull****, IMO. I frequently do sound for COVER BANDS that have up to four backing tracks! The last one I did had a guitar track; a keys track; a percussion track; and a BIG vocal track(all the high notes, and high harmonies were on it).
Welcome to perfection, friends....

[sodascouts]

Oh, and while I at first only replied regarding backup singers, it's true of the other musicans too, as Matt pointed out. Ray's always been around for songs like GYOW, but when I see Lindsey not even playing on Stand Back, I wonder if they've gone too far in that direction, too.

[dissention]

If they insist on going back out on the road, leave the kit and caboodle at home. The back-up singers are cloying and fill-in for the lead singers too much, while the back-up musicians spoil the songs. Too many cooks spoil the soup. They totally butchered I Know I'm Not Wrong.

[David]

Originally Posted by sodascouts

Oh, and while I at first only replied regarding backup singers, it's true of the other musicans too, as Matt pointed out. Ray's always been around for songs like GYOW, but when I see Lindsey not even playing on Stand Back, I wonder if they've gone too far in that direction, too.

Yeah, Ray & Jeff & Tony used to play with the band, too, but it was a piddling minority of songs, in the first place, & in the second, it in no way shape or form affected the quintessential sound of just the four members of the band. It's not even worth comparing the techies who played in the old days with what happens nowadays -- there's just no comparison at all.

I guess ever since the '87 tour, Fleetwood Mac went digital. Not only did the extra musicians & singers troupe out for the entire show, but the hardware backstage increased exponentially. All of it en masse changed the whole dynamic (for the better or for the worse, depending on your own take), & the sound of the bandmembers themselves, dumped into a big sonic goulash, took on a completely different flavor.

[ontheEdgeof17]

It's pretty sad that Brett and Taku get more air time in LIB than McVie. Doesn't make sense to me.....

[Serrart]

All those back-up musicians create a surreal effect to me, it's like to see two bands play at the same time. I'd like to hear the real Fleetwood Mac's sound live today without them. But if you could choose, would you eliminate all the non FM components or just some? What about the keyboards? I'd vote to keep Brett and the singers.

Romy

[Lala]

Originally Posted by Serrart

All those back-up musicians create a surreal effect to me, it's like to see two bands play at the same time. I'd like to hear the real Fleetwood Mac's sound live today without them. But if you could choose, would you eliminate all the non FM components or just some? What about the keyboards? I'd vote to keep Brett and the singers.

Romy

I think you'd have to keep keyboards without Christine because the music needs that. It's kind of a backbone, especially on the older bootlegs so that Lindsey can be free on the guitar without it sounding too awkward.

If you think about it...a lot of what the other musicians do might be compensating for a lack of Christine. If Chris was there you wouldn't need the backup singers for the harmony. I don't know it was just a sudden thought...but they all seem to have mics.

I love the old bootlegs and the sound and the space in the music but I don't know if it would work today. My only concert experience has been this past July and I think I was too much in awe of my music idols to really focus on the backing band at all.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Serrart

All those back-up musicians create a surreal effect to me, it's like to see two bands play at the same time. I'd like to hear the real Fleetwood Mac's sound live today without them. But if you could choose, would you eliminate all the non FM components or just some? What about the keyboards? I'd vote to keep Brett and the singers.

Romy

I'd keep Brett for obvious reasons, but I'd can the background singers in a heartbeat. They're rather annoying and I'm sick of the band relying on them for almost all harmonies and high parts.

[David]

Originally Posted by dissention

I'd keep Brett for obvious reasons

IMO, it's not that important whether you keep Brett or not if you're going for the old sound, but it's essential that Brett's gear be downgraded. If you're going for the retro appeal of Fleetwood Mac in the late 1970s or early 1980s, a Korg Triton has no business onstage. Racks mounted with dozens of modules are sheer overkill: Fleetwood Mac songs aren't Emerson Lake & Palmer songs.

Brett could outfit himself with an acoustic grand piano, a B3 & an electromechanical piano of his choice (preferably dedicated if it's electronic), & he could reasonably simulate the old days. I think the music would have a lot more charm, too. Imagine hearing "Sara" or "Dreams" with Mick (& only Mick) on drums, John on bass, Lindsey (& only Lindsey) on electric lead, Stevie & Lindsey (& only Stevie & Lindsey) on vocals, & Brett (& only Brett) on electric piano & organ. I dunno . . . . I guess some fans would love it & some fans would hate it.

In my own case, I might be more tempted to see the band when they rolled into town.

[DeadliestPoison]

Originally Posted by dissention

They're rather annoying and I'm sick of the band relying on them for almost all harmonies and high parts.

Word. All they do is sway around. And all Jana does is shriek and make girl-in-closet-in-The-Ring-face. And that's not attractive.

However, if Elisecia ever came out of hiding? Sign me up.

[David]

Originally Posted by Lala

If you think about it...a lot of what the other musicians do might be compensating for a lack of Christine.

Sometimes I wonder whether the Army is there to compensate for Mick. According to Taku, Mick's ability to keep a solid tempo has diminished in recent years.

[Lala]

Originally Posted by David

Sometimes I wonder whether the Army is there to compensate for Mick. According to Taku, Mick's ability to keep a solid tempo has diminished in recent years.

Hmm...well one of the things I noticed the first time I heard LIB (with no live experience) was that the druming wasn't as "on" as with The Dance. I don't notice it as much anymore though.

[Hawkeye]

I'd say keep Brett and just Sharon to make up for Christine's harmonie. My biggest gripe with the extra musicians is they're there when they aren't needed. The biggest example is Second HAnd News. They have FOUR guitar players on SHN! I don't know about you, but I don't think SHN is that complex of a song that 4 guitars are needed. I'm pretty sure Lindsey's the solo guitar player on ISA. And I think it's just Lindse, Mick, and John in the first 2 minutes of that song. That's one of my favorite moments of the show, when it's just the 3 of them jamming almost.