Adding Lindsey and Stevie

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Waddy has a **** singing voice. Not sure he is a solid writer either.

I've always heard that he's the falsetto voice on Jackson Browne's version of Stay. Is that true?

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I've always heard that he's the falsetto voice on Jackson Browne's version of Stay. Is that true?

No. That was David Lindley.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by chiliD

No. That was David Lindley.

But he lead guitar on some of Linda Ronstadt's stuff right? Like It's SO Easy

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

But he lead guitar on some of Linda Ronstadt's stuff right? Like It's SO Easy

Yeah, Waddy was in Linda Ronstadt's band for a few years before Linda went "Gilbert & Sullivan"; and, Waddy ended up with Stevie's band. (as did bassist Bob Glaub & drummer Russ Kunkel...who LATER became the rhythm section for Jackson Browne's band...along with Craig Doerge on keyboards & Rick Vito on lead guitar)

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Yeah, Waddy (..) bassist Bob Glaub & drummer Russ Kunkel...who LATER became the rhythm section for Jackson Browne's band...)

didn't these guys play with Jackson Browne back in the NO NUKES-days too, before stevie's band?

[johndoe]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

There's a bit of a difference between having a few co-writing credits to your name and being a songwriter, don't you think?

Well, thats true. But I think that if he was needed to write songs, he would be able to do at least SOMETHING. And even if he doesn't write, whats stopping the band from getting a rhythm guitarist who can sing (in the same vein as the Vito/Burnette pairing)? Or Just getting a lead singer who doesn't play intruments, like Stevie. Just. Not stevie.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

didn't these guys play with Jackson Browne back in the NO NUKES-days too, before stevie's band?

Well, yeah...they did separate tenure's with Jackson. First around The Pretender & Running On Empty...then again from Lawyer's In Love onwards.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by johndoe

Well, thats true. But I think that if he was needed to write songs, he would be able to do at least SOMETHING.

Well sure, but so could a lot of people. The band needed a new songwriter to help turn around their fortunes, though, not just someone who could probably toss off a few half-decent tunes if you really pushed him to.

And even if he doesn't write, whats stopping the band from getting a rhythm guitarist who can sing (in the same vein as the Vito/Burnette pairing)? Or Just getting a lead singer who doesn't play intruments, like Stevie. Just. Not stevie.

Well, at the time, they were in the market for one person who could play guitar, write songs and sing, having just lost someone who did all three. They weren't out looking for three different people to fill those roles. Of course, we all know they ended up getting two, but that wasn't the original gameplan.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

They weren't out looking for three different people to fill those roles. Of course, we all know they ended up getting two, but that wasn't the original gameplan.

You say that as if they really HAD a gameplan. Fleetwood Mac had been coasting though their career ever since Peter Green quit. It wasn't until they actually started working with Stevie and Lindsey that they seemingly began to take things a little seriously. I'd be willing to bet that their plan the day before they met Stevie and Lindsey was to record an album in no more than a month, tour, and let the chips fall where they may.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

You say that as if they really HAD a gameplan. Fleetwood Mac had been coasting though their career ever since Peter Green quit. It wasn't until they actually started working with Stevie and Lindsey that they seemingly began to take things a little seriously. I'd be willing to bet that their plan the day before they met Stevie and Lindsey was to record an album in no more than a month, tour, and let the chips fall where they may.

Well, that much is pure speculation. But we do have plenty of evidence that they were in the market for a single guitarist/singer/songwriter. Whether or not they were coasting, we know what they were looking for at that point.

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I mean, look at Lindsey. And Stevie, for that matter. They couldn't have had too many doubts about her appeal.

Yup, you got it: Stevie and Lindsey had the package: star power, looks, talent, commercial appeal. Waddy has great guitar playing and that's about where it stops.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

Yup, you got it: Stevie and Lindsey had the package: star power, looks, talent, commercial appeal.

If "star power," "looks," and "commercial appeal" were important to the band's decision in adding personnel, Bob Welch would never have gotten through the front door of Benifolds! They all but begged him to stay just a few weeks prior to hooking up with Stevie and Lindsey. So, how important were THOSE factors to them at the time? I believe it was in Keith Olsen's Q&A where he said something which basically suggested John had serious doubts about the band's credibility when they were recording "Rhiannon." It wasn't obvious to them at the time. Their top priority at that moment was survival. Lindsey and Stevie were broke, which means they came relatively cheaply, which is exactly what the band was looking for! Which is not to say those didn't BECOME factors over time. But, in Jan. 1975, I'm pretty sure Lindsey could have been ugly and still would have gotten the job.

To be sure, Lindsey got the job because Mick heard a certain quality that reminded him of the Green-Kirwan days, and the band needed a new guitarist ASAP. Mick just went with the first guy he could think of. Stevie got the job because she was Lindsey's significant other.

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

Waddy has great guitar playing and that's about where it stops.

Not really. He's an idea man (like "hey Warren, I think we need to get Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to play on 'Warwolves Of London'). I'm sure there's a lot more to Waddy's talents than what we see.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

But, in Jan. 1975, I'm pretty sure Lindsey could have been ugly and still would have gotten the job.

To be sure, Lindsey got the job because Mick heard a certain quality that reminded him of the Green-Kirwan days, and the band needed a new guitarist ASAP.

Since Mick was "sold" on Lindsey before he ever met him, just by hearing his guitar work on "Frozen Love", looks weren't even a consideration. It was the Lennon/Ono's concept of "Bagism" at work in its natural form.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

Well, that much is pure speculation. But we do have plenty of evidence that they were in the market for a single guitarist/singer/songwriter. Whether or not they were coasting, we know what they were looking for at that point.

Again, I'm not really sure of the "single guitarist" thing is really all that true. I mean, we also have plenty of evidence that they were going to get at least another guitarist even if Bob had stayed. The main reason they didn't simply replace Weston and made "Heroes" as a quartet was due mostly to timing. They HAD to make "Heroes" when they did and release it when they did, or they could have risked losing the band altogether. "Heroes" was essentially a chess move. So, when Bob left, they knew they needed at least one guitarist. So, Mick calls the only other potentially available guitarist he knows of who kind of sounds a little like Peter Green or Danny Kirwan. I don't think there was a game plan, at least at that point.

[chiliD]

The "what if Bob DIDN'T leave and they STILL added Stevie & Lindsey" is one of my favorite "what ifs" about Fleetwood Mac.