Christine wants to rejoin the band according to The Guardian

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

She doesnt??? The last time she came to Chicago at Allstate, she nearly sold OUT and IIRC, her #s were as strong as FM in attendance.

You just made my point. Stevie NEARLY sold out an arena (Allstate) that seats 18,500, while Fleetwood Mac DID sell out an arena (United Center) that seats 23,500. In other words, Stevie on her own could NOT sell out 18,500, but DID sell out an arena that seats 5,000 more people with Fleetwood Mac. The band IS bigger than Stevie.

To put it another way, you'll never see the modern Fleetwood Mac open for Rod Stewart.

BUT, put it conversely, I'd love to see (as you speculate) how FM would do at the same arena without Stevie???

Assuming Christine was back, I think it would be easy. Everybody in the band would have been part of the classic line-up, including the writer with the most Fleetwood Mac hit singles. There's something to market.

Neither Lindsey (solo) nor Mick has ever drawn what Stevie did individually.

Lindsey and Mick aren't trying to play to mainstream crowds with their extracurricular activities.

Fact is, all of their set-list is geared toward Stevie being at the mic and 90% of them are there to see her do GDW and Rhiannon etc etc. Not a single one would miss So Afraid.

They'd change the set-list. Yes, those songs would be missed, but SYLM, YMLF, Songbird, Everywhere, etc. are missed, too. There are plenty of songs between Lindsey and Christine to make for a good Fleetwood Mac set.

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

That's why I don't think Christine's return can really transform the Mac much from what they are now. Sure we will all love to see her, but I just don't see that the attendance and ticket prices can go much higher.

I think it all depends on how they handle her return. If there's a media blitz, it could be huge. Look at one small interview did. Within a couple of days the story was one of the most trended on the web. There IS an interest.

[elle]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

I'd love to see (as you speculate) how FM would do at the same arena without Stevie??? Neither Lindsey (solo) nor Mick has ever drawn what Stevie did individually.

everyone knows the name Fleetwood Mac. many know the name Stevie Nicks. nobody knows the name Lindsey Buckingham. many know the name Brian Wilson. everybody knows the name Beach Boys. Beach Boys (Brian Wilson-less) play the arenas at the same time Brian Wilson plays little theaters. it's in the name and the legendary band status recognition.

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

Fact is, all of their set-list is geared toward Stevie being at the mic and 90% of them are there to see her do GDW and Rhiannon etc etc. Not a single one would miss So Afraid.

there are a number of tracks the set is geared towards. read the reviews. every single one of them says how they open with the bang, with the couple of their huge tracks that everyone knows - Second Hand News and The Chain. the foursome can easily do those without Stevie and it would be hardly noticed.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

FWIW, I went to see Journey this past summer with their really good karaoke singer, BUT it was NOT the same without SP, it just wasn't!! Would any of us go see FM without Stevie? I know that I wouldnt!!

What a terrible comparison. Steve Perry was THE vocalist for Journey; Fleetwood Mac had THREE vocalists, all of whom had hit singles with the band. And, yes, a lot of people would go see Fleetwood Mac if it were only fronted by TWO of the THREE vocalists.

BTW, Phil Collins is thinking about a summer 2014 Tour. Would you go to see him solo without Genesis??

I don't see the point, here. Phil Collins has been THE vocalist for Genesis since Peter Gabriel quit (save for that short time in the '90s). And, since Genesis ditched their prog roots and became a fluff pop band, the difference between Phil's solo career and Genesis is minimal.

ETA: However, the Genesis example shows how the band was able to continue and go further commercially once Gabriel was out of the band. In other words, the band was still bigger than it's former vocalist/songwriter.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by elle

just curious since we gave some [milder] examples of what annoys some Christine or Lindsey fans - as a Stevie fan, give us some examples of over the top behavior you are referring to?

as a lindseyfan, i'm obviously biased, but you don't usually hear of most buck fan behavior being nearly as over-the-top as chiff fan behavior.

Originally Posted by applebucked

as a CM fan, I would also be interested in this too

Regarding Christine fans... most of the behavior I was thinking of, was several years ago. It really isn't anything that I'm seeing now. But I have seen it, so I felt it worth mentioning. Of Fleetwood Mac's "Holy Trinity" (Chris, Stevie & Lindsey), Christine's fans tend to be the most level-headed in general.

As far as the actions of Lindsey fans... well, I've already pointed some of that out before. However, it usually gets excused or rationalized away -- so no sense in re-hashing it. Nevertheless, examples abound.

(* I'm sure it doesn't need to be pointed out, but I'm talking about a select group of fans. Not lumping them all together.)

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

Regarding Christine fans... most of the behavior I was thinking of, was several years ago. It really isn't anything that I'm seeing now. But I have seen it, so I felt it worth mentioning. Of Fleetwood Mac's "Holy Trinity" (Chris, Stevie & Lindsey), Christine's fans tend to be the most level-headed in general.

As far as the actions of Lindsey fans... well, I've already pointed some of that out before. However, it usually gets excused or rationalized away -- so no sense in re-hashing it. Nevertheless, examples abound.

(* I'm sure it doesn't need to be pointed out, but I'm talking about a select group of fans. Not lumping them all together.)

That's right! Me and the other 10 CM fans are the smartest!!

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

That's right! Me and the other 10 CM fans are the smartest!!

Lol... you are indeed a wise bunch.

Christine has often been referred to as the "eye of the storm" in Fleetwood Mac. She's the calm center to the crazy and dramatic antics of Lindsey and Stevie. Funny thing is, her fans tend to have the same presence here on The Ledge.

Nicks fans: "TASTES GREAT!"
Buckingham fans: "LESS FILLING!"
McVie fans: "Right -- I'll just be over here having a spot of tea."

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

What a terrible comparison. Steve Perry was THE vocalist for Journey; Fleetwood Mac had THREE vocalists, all of whom had hit singles with the band. And, yes, a lot of people would go see Fleetwood Mac if it were only fronted by TWO of the THREE vocalists.

That's exactly why I think Steve Perry re-joining Journey would create a lot more hoopla than Christine re-joining Fleetwood Mac.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

That's right! Me and the other 10 CM fans are the smartest!!

Lisa Adelson was a Christine fan and they even credited the Chris (and John) bio work Lisa did in the Blue Horizons set liner notes.

Michele

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

That's exactly why I think Steve Perry re-joining Journey would create a lot more hoopla than Christine re-joining Fleetwood Mac.

That might be bigger for that reason, but Fleetwood Mac was always a lot bigger than Journey. Fleetwood Mac was like the Beatles of the late '70s/early '80s. Journey was Gerry & The Pacemakers at best.

[michelej1]

So, Amazon just started in 1995, long after the Eagles hey day and the Eagles greatest hit album was #2 on the list of all time Amazon best sellers.

Rumours was #10.

I agree with the poster who said if you go to see the Eagles, mostly you go for the songs, not the individual performers. Obviously, they all have their own focused fans, but the vast majority of casual listeners just don't know them, one from the other. I expect Heartache Tonight, whether Glenn, Don or whatever other stray might be in the band.

Michele

[elle]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I agree with the poster who said if you go to see the Eagles, mostly you go for the songs, not the individual performers. Obviously, they all have their own focused fans, but the vast majority of casual listeners just don't know them, one from the other. I expect Heartache Tonight, whether Glenn, Don or whatever other stray might be in the band.

yes, but i think that's the same with FM or Beach Boys or Lynyrd Skynyrd or other older bands' "fans" (really, crowds that go see them). they go see the band and the hits, songs that they know from hearing them 1000 times. Beach Boys probably play their hits, Brian Wilson doesn't. FM is missing a good number of hits now, with Christine not touring.

it was actually interesting in Glasgow. after the show, bunch of people would go to the bar at the hotel right next to the venue. that bar always plays the hits from whoever is playing Hydro that night. the first night we were there, Rod Stewart played Hydro, so they played his songs for hours (have to say - RS has really old fan demographic, even older that the mac!). the night FM played Hydro, the bar played FM songs... and more than half of the songs they played were Christine McVie songs.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Obviously, they all have their own focused fans, but the vast majority of casual listeners just don't know them, one from the other.

A point WELL lost on Don Henley & Glenn Frey themselves.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

Lol... you are indeed a wise bunch.

Christine has often been referred to as the "eye of the storm" in Fleetwood Mac. She's the calm center to the crazy and dramatic antics of Lindsey and Stevie. Funny thing is, her fans tend to have the same presence here on The Ledge.

To me, a Christine McVie fan is basically synonymous with a Fleetwood Mac fan, given that she's been on everything but two studio albums and an EP.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

Lets face it, without her, LB, MF, JM and CM could never pull in collectively or individually what she does. So, like it or not, chiffonhead fan of her or NOT, La Stevie Nicks IS the band.

While I have absolutely nothing personal against you, THIS is why I can't STAND most Stevie fans. They're not FM fans, they're Stevie fans.

Collectively go wrap some Chiffon around a body part....REAL tight now....tighter.....

[elle]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

While I have absolutely nothing personal against you, THIS is why I can't STAND most Stevie fans. They're not FM fans, they're Stevie fans.

Collectively go wrap some Chiffon around a body part....REAL tight now....tighter.....

lol i was thinking the same when i saw that "La Stevie Nicks IS the band" but i felt bad pointing out yet another blatant example.

it's interesting that when asked what annoys them about chiffs so much that it sours them towards SN, Christine and Lindsey fans don't have to even think, they just have to open any FM-related social media outlet and examples just jump at you.

when asked about examples of what CM or LB fans do to annoy SN fans and sour them towards their music, you don't get any, just that everybody must know them. but i really don't.