FWM: Touring This Year?

[Regina]

I would love another tour--in any and/or all combinations of Stevie and Lindsey.

I don't consider them a strictly nostalgia band. However, many people do--and they expect to hear the old songs. That's just a fact of life. These songs mean something to people. They were songs played at the prom, or ones they made out to, or just stuff that helped them make sense of their lives. On the last Atlantic City show--there were these women in front of us and one of them, from the start of the concert, was going into spasms, screaming for Rhiannon. I just wanted to tap her on the shoulder and say, "Relax, dear. A concert without Rhiannon? Never. She's on her way." I didn't do that and it was almost worth it because the woman nearly fell to the ground when the opening notes sounded. She was just floored that she was hearing Rhiannon live.

It's a kick. And for many in the audience, it is a big nostalgia trip. And I like being around for that ride, but I personally love the new stuff even more. And they have been giving us a little bit of both.

What they can't give us is youth. Ours or theirs. And I'm afraid the day will come when concert promoters or whoever will not book them because they are "too old," and not enough of a draw for the younger audiences who spend more at these things (allegedly. My VISA card would prove them wrong).

As long as they can ride out this wave, I'm right there with them.

They put on great performances. They make me extremely happy and I just feel fortunate to have the experience that just a decade ago, seemed like a completely impossible dream.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think they are aware of the ticket costs and they must on some level know. I base this one:

the amount they get per show (WELL over $200,000 for the four)

the private 727 (as opposed to a bus )

the luxury suites (drops in the bucket IMO)

the 10 or more backing musicians/singers - etc.

and many other perks.

I do not begrudge them one bit as I would do the same. AND - apparently they priced themselves correctly because the market sustained the price for the most part in that the tour sold well - not sold out mind you - but well enough.

How about just dropping the freaking back up musicians. It's all I'd ask

[ShangriLaTroubl]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

How about just dropping the freaking back up musicians. It's all I'd ask

I agree...well atleast a few of them...I would say leave Taku, Brett, and Carlos...and get rid of Jana and bring back Mindy or Lori


Chris

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by ShangriLaTroubl

I agree...well atleast a few of them...I would say leave Taku, Brett, and Carlos...and get rid of Jana and bring back Mindy or Lori


Chris

I think one piano player...and additional percussionist and guitarist....one backup singer is all they need.....and lower the mic volume on them...geez a whiz....sounds like a Sharon and Jana show than anything.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

How about just dropping the freaking back up musicians. It's all I'd ask

I agree - I think it should be Mick, John, Stevie, LB and no others (no Sharon, no Brett, no Neale, no Carlos - as much as I like them and admire their great talents). I think it was great for awhile, but it is too much now. Let's se them jam with just themselves. They can do it

[Kelly]

The jet, hotel rooms, massages, various personal expenses get paid for by the band after the tour is over. Yes, I am sure they try and figure out what they will spend but their nightly take was negotiated before they went on the road and their expenses are paid for the members when the tour is completed. If they want to pay for extra expenses, like the jet, that is their choice...they earned the money. It's not like the accountants and lawyers sat down and said, ok, Stevie wants a jet, a masseuse, a luxurious suite so we have to jack the ticket prices up. She pays for her expenses. They would still earn the same set price per show even if they took a bus and stayed in the Econo Lodge because that is what the investors feel the band is worth to them.

As far as ticket prices...who really believes the band sits down and decides the prices? Of course they are involved to some extent but the people that front the money for this tour must have alot of say in how much is charged per seat. That is how they recoup what they invested and earn money. The band makes the same amount no matter what.

[David]

Originally Posted by ontheEdgeof17

I think one piano player...and additional percussionist and guitarist....one backup singer is all they need.

Why? Why even them? Is it that you just don't want to hear Lindsey, Mick & John play?

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Let's se them jam with just themselves. They can do it

You got it!

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

You got it!

Can LB play the piano well? He plays on the Tusk Doc. But, I am unsure if that was just chords. I think La Nicks could brush up enough to play some cooll chords, though nothing fluid, etc. But, i think the four would be VERY cool Of course, the ticket price would still be $125

[David]

Originally Posted by Lux

I think that might be rather sparse. Unless Stevie wants grab a guitar and jump in on rhythm (actually even if she does), I think they need some support guitar. It's not a matter of how talented Lindsey is, without the back-up, GYOW would end up being some simple power chords or just incredibly sparse.

You mean the way it was from 1975 to 1982? Because the rhythm guitar on GYOW during those years was a very minor addition to the sound -- almost negligible.

However, there's the organ . . . I still don't know how I feel about that. I suppose it's okay to have somebody play the organ on things like GYOW or I'm So Afraid.

Same goes for Brett, without him they drop half the act. I don't like the growing presence on stage but most of their songs would hardly work without rhythmn guitar or keys.

Most of their songs worked beautifully without rhythm guitar onstage, & many of their songs would work just fine without keyboards. During the years with Christine, the keyboards were about half the time not a prominent part of the texture, just some little dillies off in the sonic background. Apparently, it's difficult to get a keyboardist-for-hire to sink back into the background.

Of course, the real problem with keyboards-for-hire these days for Fleetwood Mac is that they overrely on keyboard hardware rather than actual keyboard playing. So it's not really Brett we should blame but the whole band because it's the whole band who agrees to the overuse of computer chips in these state-of-the-art synthesizers (which provide everything from instruments to vocals to "found sounds").

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Can LB play the piano well? He plays on the Tusk Doc. But, I am unsure if that was just chords. I think La Nicks could brush up enough to play some cooll chords, though nothing fluid, etc.

Lindsey's better than Stevie on piano . . . but not by much.

As for Stevie brushing up, it seems dubious. We have recordings of her playing "Rhiannon" thirty years ago & we have recordings of her playing "Rhiannon" six or seven years ago, & over that twenty- to twenty-five-year period, she shows no progress whatsoever in her playing.

It's the damnedest thing I've ever heard.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Lux

Remember the random thumping of keys that was Dreams on the Rumours doc? I suspect Lindsey has a more adquate musical intuition that allows him to in the least avoid stumbling over the notes. Most who are so skilled at one instrument have an automatic advantage when it comes to sitting at a piano.

La Nicks can play it better than the chords she played in that sniglet of Dreams - on the ABC special for the TISL tour, she plays a little of HAEWAFY and that little bit sounded delightful if not melodic. But, she is no pro by any means. I do think, however, she knows enough to provide a chord rythm to the three others

Interestingly, Stevie actually played guitar onstage in the early 70's and has said she could again if she practiced. Thus, she has some talent in guitar as well, though no way near approaching LB's

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Interestingly, Stevie actually played guitar onstage in the early 70's and has said she could again if she practiced. Thus, she has some talent in guitar as well, though no way near approaching LB's

Maybe she should have played Rose Garden instead of plopping her way through Rhiannon during the Enchanted years.....I'd like to her her play guitar.


or not.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Lux

Well I'm not sure what HAEWAFY is but I believe you. I would appropriate the last bit to say that her guitar skills are not approaching even my 'I can play Day Tripper and Norwegian Wood' *talent*.

THAT BAD

I have never heard her play guitar unless she does so on an old boot and I so not know it. If Brian J. reads this or maybe David - do either of you have anything where La Nicks plays guitar. I think those were Mac pics I saw - but they could be Fritz or BN ones

Interestingly, CM played guitar on, I think, the Tusk tour. But, I may be wrong on that.

[David]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

La Nicks can play it better than the chords she played in that sniglet of Dreams - on the ABC special for the TISL tour, she plays a little of HAEWAFY and that little bit sounded delightful if not melodic. But, she is no pro by any means. I do think, however, she knows enough to provide a chord rythm to the three others

Her best playing & singing simultaneously was "Sisters" on the 20/20 program in 1980. But Stevie's piano "style" just isn't something I can imagine being of much use to Fleetwood Mac in a live setting, & I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. Being able to play some chords is not the same thing as being able to play those chords within the context of a band: with the latter, you have to have the ability to "lock in" & blend -- it's an additional set of skills.

Interestingly, Stevie actually played guitar onstage in the early 70's and has said she could again if she practiced.

Did she actually play during a concert? It's possible that the photos we have are from rehearsals for GYOW (we talked about the Rumours rehearsal & her guitar playing in an old thread).