Stretch (aka The Fake Fleetwood Mac)

[chriskisn]

I was listening to Stretch's "Why Did You Do It" today (supposedly about Mick Fleetwood's failure to join the fake Fleetwood Mac tour).

It got me wondering, do any bootlegs exist of the fake FM performing as Fleetwood Mac? I've never heard of any, but was wondering if anyone else had?

Just listening to the Stretch album Elastique, I have no idea how they could ever have been passed off as Fleetwood Mac...

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

Just listening to the Stretch album Elastique, I have no idea how they could ever have been passed off as Fleetwood Mac...

Keep in mind that they were playing under the notion that Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie would be rejoining the band. The bassist looked a bit like John McVie and Elmer Gantry looked a bit like Bob Welch. The visual, especially if Mick and Christine had returned, would've been there.

However, it wouldn't have been too hard to believe, considering in like six years they went from Shake Your Moneymaker to Hypnotized.

Check out the video

[chriskisn]

A search on the net doesn't dig up many photos of the band, but I found these two





I can see your point Steve about Elmer Gantry (Dave Terry) looking like Bob Welch...I guess it wouldn't have been hard to pass them off for appearances, but as soon as they opened their mouths it might not have worked - Bob Welch is pretty distinctive vocally.

[Almost Simon]

The drummer was, I believe, Jeff Rich who had a long career with Status Quo in the 80's/90's.

That song is a great tune, by the way.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by Almost Simon

The drummer was, I believe, Jeff Rich who had a long career with Status Quo in the 80's/90's.

That song is a great tune, by the way.

Yes but Craig Collinge was the drummer for the band when they were posing as "the new Fleetwood Mac".

John

[Almost Simon]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

Yes but Craig Collinge was the drummer for the band when they were posing as "the new Fleetwood Mac".

John

Didn't know that.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

A search on the net doesn't dig up many photos of the band, but I found these two





I can see your point Steve about Elmer Gantry (Dave Terry) looking like Bob Welch...I guess it wouldn't have been hard to pass them off for appearances, but as soon as they opened their mouths it might not have worked - Bob Welch is pretty distinctive vocally.

I had never seen these photos. Thank you!

[michelej1]

From Music News
http://www.music-news.com/showreview...nReviewID=7840


Those of a certain age will remember Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera who produced a stunning rock/psych album in the late '60's. Elmer Gantry then went off and surfaced on what was supposed to be the new incarnation of Fleetwood Mac before Mick Fleetwood disowned the project and put together his own new Fleetwood Mac without Gantry. Gantry then got together with Kirby Gregory, late of Curved Air, and formed Stretch who are themselves famous for their 1975 hit 'Why Did You Do It?' - a direct attack on Fleetwood but also one of the funkiest songs ever to have been released by a white band and featuring Gantry's growl at its best.

[Jimi Mac]

I do know it's hard to find much information on the subject on the internet, and I've not yet found any vids or audio of the fake Mac on YouTube...

---

They really ain't half bad...

They still do a smattering of Fleetwood Mac tunes in their set...

I still wonder if any of 'em were in-the-know, or if they were completely victims of the management endeavor that was a hoax of the band when all was said and done...

I certainly don't hold any animus toward them for the debacle, Fleetwood Mac had enough bizarre history that this part of it fits right in...

[SteveMacD]

Elmer Gantry/Dave Terry played had ties to the Strawbs (which originally featured the amazing Sandy Denny) and the Alan Parsons Group (Eye of the Sky). Those guys weren't slouches, and I suspect they got into a situation that quickly escalated out of their control. I actually believe they thought Mick and Christine were coming back at some point.

I hate to give Cliff an ounce of credit, but at least he didn't put any of the ex-Mac in that band, as he easily could have. Imagine if he had gotten Danny, Walker, Weston, and Brunning on board for that tour. That could have quickly become an issue for Mick, John, Christine, and Welch. That it was a band of musicians that had nothing to do with Fleetwood Mac really helped the real Fleetwood Mac's cause.

[chriskisn]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Imagine if he had gotten Danny, Walker, Weston, and Brunning on board

Damn you Clifford, why didn't you think of this?

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by chriskisn

Damn you Clifford, why didn't you think of this?

LOL! Well, Brunning probably wouldn't have done it due to his teaching career, Walker and Weston might've (if Dave got sober & if Weston knew how much the affair was going to affect his career) but of course real roll of the dice on Danny at that point as we don't even know why Hungry Fighter split up after one gig (which could've been a deal breaker depending if there were issues between Danny & DW, if not for drinking or mental health issues). Having said this, Hungry Fighter hadn't even been formed yet at that point so who knows. Anyway, this does make for fun what if games.

John

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

& if Weston knew how much the affair was going to affect his career

Well, he did THIS with Murray "One Night In Bangkok" Head.



WGAF, you ask?

Well, basically The Who , minus Pete, but with Jimmy McCulloch (McCartney & Wings) did...