Fleetwood Mac on Ellen

[priestofnothing]

Originally Posted by tsitopen

That actually made me laugh

OMG, I just got it too - finally! LOL. Ellen won't bring up Lindsey since they both shared the same lover - Anne Heche.

If this were that "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" game or whatever that was called, and it wasn't "in the same movie together" - but instead "who slept together" - Ellen and Stevie would be in pretty close degree to each other.

LOL - Chain keep us together.

[Hawkeye]

I’m with the majority that most of that sucked but the parts that didn’t have me REALLY excited

The first half of The Chain and all of Gypsy was incredibly unimpressive, boring and in the case of The Chain hard to even watch at times. And it has nothing to do with not being able to see someone other then Lindsey singing those lines with stevie, it just looked and sounded completely off.

But to be fair when has Gypsy not been boring live and Stevie’s vocals not sucked on Gypsy. (The Hey Hey Baby thing is her worst live change up ever)

And maybe worst of all is why are they using a cardboard cutout of Christine like John in the Tusk video?

Slight exaggeration, but how do they get 2 songs and and play on TV for the first time with Christine after she left in 98 and not utilize her at all. It’s like since Stevie feels she’s the new Lindsey or Alpha in the band, Christine wants to be the new Stevie and just stand there looking pretty and making cool
Hand gestures when it’s not her song

Now the one bright point of these 2 performances was The Chain From
johns solo on. I had the same smirk as Stevie during the guitar solo. It looks and sounds as great as I hoped it would when I first imagined mike Campbell playing with Mick and John. This clearly condensed version of what’s in store for the actual concert has me really excited. Plus I actually thought Neil sounded great on the Running in the Sgadows line. And the harmonieson “The Chain keep us together” actually sounded good.

So while 80 percent of what I saw today sucked, and does not have me wanting to go out and buy my ticket, it left me feeling more optimistic then pessimistic about this upcoming tour. It’s really going to come down to what their set list is. I know a lot of us say that every tour but I think the quality of this one depends on their choices. I bet they will sound amazing and have better chemistry on songs they want to play vs. the ones they have to play.

So if the set is heavier on Mike Campbell Mick and John jamming to Peter Green songs, passionate performances from Stevie on some interesting songs, pre 75 Christine songs, Christine actually singing and just a few cringeworthy moments of rumours era Fleetwood Mac songs, it will be great.

But for gods sake keep the Lindsey songs to an absolute minimum! they better not do more then Then Chain,GYOW or shared Christine vocal songs.

[studyinscarlet]

Liked 'The Chain'. I've seen then do that song when Stevie and Lindsey were not with FM and they subbed everyone, so...that's not a point. Loved the new guys. Something more rock n' roll they brought. I liked that.

'Gypsy'? Stevie I love you, but that was pretty bad. Everyone else was pretty good.

I think the set up in the tv studio as far as sound was pretty bad. Stevie got drowned out. Otherwise, I liked it. I've seen variations of FM and this is not a bad one.

[sodascouts]

Well, after watching that, I feel totally validated in my disdain for the "new band."

Finn's voice did not have enough edge and passionate intensity to sell the Chain, but what was really pathetic was Stevie trying to play with him during the song like she did with Lindsey and it falling completely flat. Apparently it never occurred to her that pointing at Neil and singing "if you don't love me now" wouldn't have the same power as when she sung the line to a man who was actually her lover, no matter how much she scrunches up her face and gesticulates in attempts to recreate their dynamic.

Gypsy minus Lindsey's harmony, echo, and guitar was also lame.

Christine looks cute, though. Too bad I couldn't hear her.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by Sugar Mouse

I had an idea today that could work well for the new Fleetwood Mac. The band would pick seven or more pre-Lindsey songs that would fit nicely with the new lineup.

For example, Oh Well, Dust, Come A Little Bit Closer, Why, For Your Love, Green Manalishi, Hypnotized, Man of The World, Spare Me A Little of Your Love, and The Way I Feel are some possibilities.

Then have the new lineup record new versions of these songs. Perhaps someone like Mitchell Froom could produce.

In addition, have Neil, Christine, and Stevie each bring in one new song. Could be completely new or simply an unrecorded old song. Record those three songs as well.

Now they'd have a fairly easily to finish new studio album of 10+ songs to release prior to the tour to add some excitement to the upcoming dates.

If you really are Mick or someone around the band,could you pass along that At least 1 person (me) loves that idea. And if you aren’t, I guess I still love it

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

It’s the same part Lindsey played on guitar during shows. What Mike did was closer to the original recording.



Christine typically plays chords on the organ during Gypsy. She never played that part.



He absolutely could. That’s a very, very easy part to play. He was just doing something different.

Yes, that's right. Lindsey, the guitar player, played that part on the guitar in concert. Just as he played that part on acoustic guitar on the recording. It is also played on a piano and some percussion by other band members on the recording.

He didn't play it on a keyboard when the band had a keyboard player, or two, onstage either.

You're being contrarian and missing the point.

There are two keyboardists onstage during that song... [one of whom may not actually be playing anything at all though posing behind a keyboard]. One of them played on the original recording. As noted, this is not a musically complex song. It would be entirely possible for said keyboardist to play both the chords on the organ and plonk a few notes on a synthesizer. She didn't.

There is a second keyboardist onstage with a plethora of keyboards which presumably he is playing throughout. Again, not hard for him to plonk those notes, even if he's also the one actually playing the organ.

The act of having Mike do it is just plain weird. Again, stating the obvious, I have no doubt he could play the bit on the guitar, as Lindsey, the guitarist he is replacing, used to do. That was the point.

[nicepace]

Just watched "The Chain." I think the horribly bright, blinking stage lights were used on purpose to make it hard for the audience to see who was on stage. I thought John's solo sounded pretty good. I think I could hear both Stevie and Christine singing during the first couple of phrases before the song starts to get loud, but after that I really couldn't distinguish either of their voices in the murky sound created by too many people on stage. I think Chris may have played a little bit of piano -- I thought I heard a few tinkles on the piano around 1:20 and then again after the 2 minute mark (she did seem to be doing something with her hands during that section), but maybe it was mystery keyboard guy. And who was mystery guitar guy? (standing behind Chris). I didn't realize they were adding THREE guitarists!

The most annoying thing in any FM TV broadcast is how much the camera focuses on Stevie, even when it isn't her song. This has been the case for forty three years, so the fact that they did it on this song is nothing new, but it's still really annoying.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by nicepace

Just watched "The Chain." I think the horribly bright, blinking stage lights were used on purpose to make it hard for the audience to see who was on stage. I thought John's solo sounded pretty good. I think I could hear both Stevie and Christine singing during the first couple of phrases before the song starts to get loud, but after that I really couldn't distinguish either of their voices in the murky sound created by too many people on stage. I think Chris may have played a little bit of piano -- I thought I heard a few tinkles on the piano around 1:20 and then again after the 2 minute mark (she did seem to be doing something with her hands during that section), but maybe it was mystery keyboard guy. And who was mystery guitar guy? (standing behind Chris). I didn't realize they were adding THREE guitarists!

The most annoying thing in any FM TV broadcast is how much the camera focuses on Stevie, even when it isn't her song. This has been the case for forty three years, so the fact that they did it on this song is nothing new, but it's still really annoying.

Christine was playing electric keyboards during the Chain. I could actually hear her for a change.

[SteveMacD]

I wish someone could actually point to an example of them sounding good on TV going back to 2003. Lindsey blowing Peacekeeper in 2003, the pitchiness in 2014, the bizarre LBCM appearances…


Edit: He blew the intro to GYOW.

[annabellee]

Originally Posted by SmthngOfADreamr

I haven't posted in a long time but felt watching the videos made me want to. Was it awful? Not at all. It was OK. I'd even say it was good despite the technical issues and too many extra musicians on stage. But I have to say watching it made me feel incredibly sad. I know the answer to my own question before I even ask it ($$$) but why are they doing this? Money isn't even a really acceptable answer because how much money could they really need? I'm even over the fact that they're touring without creating something new, because that's pretty much been status quo for well over a decade, but what I really don't understand is why they think it's OK to take something with such a strong legacy that was very good and now offer something that's mediocre with zero chemistry. It's frustrating to try to rationalize it, and watching them today just brought these feelings, which I've read many of us sharing here, straight to the forefront.

I listen to a lot of new music, almost exclusively, and primarily Alt-rock and Indie rock. I enjoy it very much but there's very little in these genres in the way of old school rock n roll like Fleetwood Mac. It's doubtlessly a dying genre. A few bands pop into my head, like The Growlers for example, but otherwise it's difficult to find music of their style being produced today at all because a lot of new rock relies on electronics and not guitar. Also pop music is now mostly hip-hop and rap. So it frustrates me even more that we have an exemplar of a genre, but they're coming across as if they're covering their own songs because there is no enthusiasm and a glaring missing piece of the puzzle. We certainly missed Christine but it was somehow different when her absense was by her choice. Here it feels like we've been robbed. I feel like they're just putting another nail in the coffin of a fading musical genre instead of putting a spark back into it and that really bothers me.

Maybe I'm being pessimistic but like I said, watching the videos primarily made me sad.

This sums up everything I am feeling. I have a ticket and I plan to go, but it is not the Fleetwood Mac I knew and loved. I am a Stevie-apologizer, but I can't take the hand gestures and "hey baby" nonsense. The Rumours five are all responsible for the current state of this band and I can't help but feel this story should have a different ending.

[nicepace]

Just watched "Gypsy." To me it looks like Christine really playing on this song, but maybe she is just pretending and mystery keyboard guy is doing the actual playing. Without evidence of that, I would rather give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that's Chris really playing.

The TV editing was terrible. Mick was making some really cool Mick faces and they never had a closeup on him, not even once. Mostly they just showed Stevie (boring). Poor diva got no voice left, does she? About a 2-note range and even that is pitchy.

Not much energy to the song, either. Altogether, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it sure doesn't make me want to go see this version of the band.

They really need to ditch the extra musicians. If it was just the core 4 with Mike and Neil it might at least be interesting, the same way a car crash on the other side of the highway grabs your attention. But with all these musicians (and they will undoubtedly have additional backing tracks during the concert tour), the sound is just so muddy it has no life, no zing, no pep.

Honestly, I would rather go see an actual tribute band (there are several good FM tribute bands out there) than see this overblown, overproduced, and underskilled version of a formerly great band.

[Storms123]

Originally Posted by nicepace

Just watched "Gypsy." To me it looks like Christine really playing on this song, but maybe she is just pretending and mystery keyboard guy is doing the actual playing. Without evidence of that, I would rather give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that's Chris really playing.

The TV editing was terrible. Mick was making some really cool Mick faces and they never had a closeup on him, not even once. Mostly they just showed Stevie (boring). Poor diva got no voice left, does she? About a 2-note range and even that is pitchy.

Not much energy to the song, either. Altogether, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it sure doesn't make me want to go see this version of the band.

They really need to ditch the extra musicians. If it was just the core 4 with Mike and Neil it might at least be interesting, the same way a car crash on the other side of the highway grabs your attention. But with all these musicians (and they will undoubtedly have additional backing tracks during the concert tour), the sound is just so muddy it has no life, no zing, no pep.

Honestly, I would rather go see an actual tribute band (there are several good FM tribute bands out there) than see this overblown, overproduced, and underskilled version of a formerly great band.

Mystery Keyboard guy is the keyboardist from Stevie's solo band, Ricky Peterson

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by nicepace

And who was mystery guitar guy? (standing behind Chris). I didn't realize they were adding THREE guitarists!

Neale Heywood. He’s been with Lindsey since 1993 and Fleetwood Mac since 1998.

[Storms123]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Neale Heywood. He’s been with Lindsey since 1993 and Fleetwood Mac since 1998.

Brett Tuggle also played with FM and Lindsey forever. He opted to go with Lindsey. He plays guitar and keyboard and he definitely spotted Christine during OWTS. Had all of this not happened and LB wasn't fired, there would likely be another keyboardist with them. Mike Campbell on the keys is the surprise. Good thing they have 3 now. LOL

[ViscountViktor]

They all look so disinterested. It's a money grabbing tour, end of.

Awful performance, Chris and Stevie were barely miked up. It's just all wrong and a damn shame to end the band like this.

If I was in the US I would not be going.