Perfect to McVie timeline

[SteveMacD]

I wonder how much Peter Green’s bad acid trip and leaving Fleetwood Mac factored into the end of Christine Perfect the solo artist? Mick said that Christine’s retirement lasted three months. Her first Fleetwood Mac show was just over three months after Peter’s last.

I imagine everyone in the Fleetwood Mac inner circle was devastated. Between that and the band going on a public hiatus, I wonder if Christine’s running off in tears was less about the actual music and more the trauma of Peter’s situation and wanting to spend time with John?

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I wonder how much Peter Green’s bad acid trip and leaving Fleetwood Mac factored into the end of Christine Perfect the solo artist? Mick said that Christine’s retirement lasted three months. Her first Fleetwood Mac show was just over three months after Peter’s last.

I imagine everyone in the Fleetwood Mac inner circle was devastated. Between that and the band going on a public hiatus, I wonder if Christine’s running off in tears was less about the actual music and more the trauma of Peter’s situation and wanting to spend time with John?

Hi Steve. Wasn't Chris's bad solo tour in 1969? and the whole thing with Peter leaving in 1970? I think she has said she just sounded terrible and didn't like not being part of a band. not sure it was related to what was going on w peter at that point. She has said many times that she joined FM because she wanted to be with John. i'm sure she never thought it would be a forever thing. I've always been curious as to if she would have stayed if Jeremy hadn't left. maybe she would've come back home and said 'screw it, i wanna be a housewife again, i hate all this traveling.' who knows.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

Hi Steve. Wasn't Chris's bad solo tour in 1969? and the whole thing with Peter leaving in 1970? I think she has said she just sounded terrible and didn't like not being part of a band. not sure it was related to what was going on w peter at that point. She has said many times that she joined FM because she wanted to be with John. i'm sure she never thought it would be a forever thing. I've always been curious as to if she would have stayed if Jeremy hadn't left. maybe she would've come back home and said 'screw it, i wanna be a housewife again, i hate all this traveling.' who knows.

Hey there, Lisa! Good to see you!

Christine left Chicken Shack in Spring, 1969 (“I’d Rather Go Blind” was released in June) and the BBC sessions were November 24, 1969. I think Christine’s solo career (more of a hobby, really) went into early 1970 and ended roughly around the same time of Peter’s breakdown.

[Macfan4life]

I think this is right and talked about in Mick's first book. Chris was playing with the band because it was missing something. Then since she was playing with them they eventually asked her to join since she was sort of there already.
I am paraphrasing of course but no doubt Peter's incident changed the course of the band.

[Villavic]

Some words from Mick's first book:

From Disc, dated May 23, 1970: "Rumors that Christine Perfect would join her husband, John McVie, in the Fleetwood lineup were dismissed this week by the group's manager Clifford Davies.
"He told Disc: 'Fleetwood will continue as a four-piece group. There is nobody of any race, color, or creed joining them. They go to America on July 31 where they have been booked as a four-piece group and that's how they'll stay. "

...

You simply keep going if you're a musician. The whole philosophy McVie and I had (and still have) regarding Fleetwood Mac is, if someone pulls out, we're still here.
But this was cold comfort to Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan during the summer of 1970, at Fleetwood Mac's new country seat, Kiln House. Pete was gone and Jerry and Danny were deeply affected: they were now fronting the band, and their morale was low. We were all depressed and nervous because we had been abandoned by our supreme leader. To try to muddle through, I took over leadership of the band from Pete. And John and I got our front line some help. She was the best blueswoman and the prettiest musician in England, as well as being John's wife, Christine Perfect McVie.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Some words from Mick's first book:

From Disc, dated May 23, 1970: "Rumors that Christine Perfect would join her husband, John McVie, in the Fleetwood lineup were dismissed this week by the group's manager Clifford Davies.
"He told Disc: 'Fleetwood will continue as a four-piece group. There is nobody of any race, color, or creed joining them. They go to America on July 31 where they have been booked as a four-piece group and that's how they'll stay. "

...

You simply keep going if you're a musician. The whole philosophy McVie and I had (and still have) regarding Fleetwood Mac is, if someone pulls out, we're still here.
But this was cold comfort to Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan during the summer of 1970, at Fleetwood Mac's new country seat, Kiln House. Pete was gone and Jerry and Danny were deeply affected: they were now fronting the band, and their morale was low. We were all depressed and nervous because we had been abandoned by our supreme leader. To try to muddle through, I took over leadership of the band from Pete. And John and I got our front line some help. She was the best blueswoman and the prettiest musician in England, as well as being John's wife, Christine Perfect McVie.

All very interesting. Chris has always said she joined FM when they asked her because 'I was married to its bass player, and I wanted to be with my husband.' Keep in mind she always hated when he traveled and was away for so long, so she saw joining as a way to be with him and also see America. She recently said when they asked her, she said , 'yes, please.' still doubt she thought it would be a forever thing. But once she was in, how could she really leave??