Last Word Christine McVie

[HomerMcvie]

Chris and Billy's harmonies were probably better than hers and Lindsey's.

I LOVE Lindsey, but Billy is a better singer. Billy's voice doesn't get enough love on here. It's comforting, like Christine's.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Chris and Billy's harmonies were probably better than hers and Lindsey's.

I LOVE Lindsey, but Billy is a better singer. Billy's voice doesn't get enough love on here. It's comforting, like Christine's.

Christine can harmonize with anyone so well. She really. has some magic.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Christine can harmonize with anyone so well. She really. has some magic.

True! I mean, Bob Welch and Lindsey’s voices couldn’t have been more different but she sounded great with both of them. I think of her harmonies on Emerald Eyes and Hypnotized are haunting. But then her harmonies on The Chain, Rhiannon, and World Turning are equally haunting in a different way.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Chris and Billy's harmonies were probably better than hers and Lindsey's.

I LOVE Lindsey, but Billy is a better singer. Billy's voice doesn't get enough love on here. It's comforting, like Christine's.

Very well said, especially the part about Billy’s voice being comforting. That’s exactly the word I use when I think of his voice, so hearing you felt the same way was cool.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by bwboy

Very well said, especially the part about Billy’s voice being comforting. That’s exactly the word I use when I think of his voice, so hearing you felt the same way was cool.

I'm often surprised that so many here don't seem to like Billy. I mean, Lindsey is the real talent, but Billy is a good songwriter, with a really nice voice.

He had every reason to be pissed when they didn't ask him back into the band.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I'm often surprised that so many here don't seem to like Billy. I mean, Lindsey is the real talent, but Billy is a good songwriter, with a really nice voice.

He had every reason to be pissed when they didn't ask him back into the band.

I was never satisfied with Billy as a replacement for Lindsey. He can sing but the only good song he contributed to FM was ITBOMM, IMO. He's not at all exciting to watch onstage. Why would they want him back in the band when his being there the first time didn't do a damn thing to benefit or take FM to another level? The Behind the Mask and Time versions of FM were their lowest points.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I was never satisfied with Billy as a replacement for Lindsey. He can sing but the only good song he contributed to FM was ITBOMM, IMO. He's not at all exciting to watch onstage. Why would they want him back in the band when his being there the first time didn't do a damn thing to benefit or take FM to another level? The Behind the Mask and Time versions of FM were their lowest points.

So you're saying Neil and Mike brought some magic to the band that Rick and Billy didn't?

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

So you're saying Neil and Mike brought some magic to the band that Rick and Billy didn't?

The BTM show I saw in Cleveland was explosive. I left saying "wow"!

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

The BTM show I saw in Cleveland was explosive. I left saying "wow"!

I thought that was you I saw there LOL! We should have hung out!

Actually, I saw them in Cincinnati in November of 1990. No Save Me

Still a good show. That was the first concert I’d ever been to.

I understand why FM didn’t go to Billy or Rick in 2019- they had already done that once, so they wanted someone new. And as already pointed out, Stevie wanted Mike Campbell. As much as I like Billy, Neil Finn was a good choice. And didn’t Billy have major health issues shortly after the announcement? Or it might have been right before, can’t remember.

All I want from FM now is a BTM Deluxe Edition. Ok, and a Christine McVie Deluxe Edition of her 1984 album. And a rerelease of her concert on dvd/Blu-Ray. Oh, and Deluxe Editions of Rock a Little and the Other Side of the Mirror by Stevie. And the full concert videos of the Mirage and Rock a Little tours. And a video compilation of all the FM videos.

[SteveMacD]

Billy and Rick weren’t picked because they were inspirational artists, they were picked because opening night was 55 days away and the band was behind schedule.

Billy was in their inner circle. They’d all worked with him, they knew he knew the songs, and that he could sing with Stevie and Christine. Rick was an in-demand sideman who was a fan of Peter Green. Furthermore, Billy and Rick had a working relationship.

It saved a lot of time and got them road ready by opening night.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

So you're saying Neil and Mike brought some magic to the band that Rick and Billy didn't?

Nope. I didn't want them there either. But if I had to choose, I'd take them back over Billy any day.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by vivfox

Nope. I didn't want them there either. But if I had to choose, I'd take them back over Billy any day.

Nobody here likes Billy. I've peed beside the man, and he's a good guy. And a good singer. Billy deserves some love here.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I'm often surprised that so many here don't seem to like Billy. I mean, Lindsey is the real talent, but Billy is a good songwriter, with a really nice voice.

He had every reason to be pissed when they didn't ask him back into the band.

I think Billy has a lovely singing voice. I'm with Viv in that I only like ITBOMM (for Rick, I really like Love is Dangerous).

I think he should have been asked back in 2018, Rick too. But, one, isn't he not healthy enough to do a one year 90 show tour and two, even though Lindsey isn't a big audience draw, do any casual fans of FM music even know who Billy Burnette is in 2022? With Neil and Mike, you get CH and Heartbreaker fans.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

I think Billy has a lovely singing voice. I'm with Viv in that I only like ITBOMM (for Rick, I really like Love is Dangerous).

I think he should have been asked back in 2018, Rick too. But, one, isn't he not healthy enough to do a one year 90 show tour and two, even though Lindsey isn't a big audience draw, do any casual fans of FM music even know who Billy Burnette is in 2022? With Neil and Mike, you get CH and Heartbreaker fans.

But this is Fleetwood Mac, not CH OR TOM PETTY.

It's not Ringo Starr's All Star Band!

[jmn3]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

But this is Fleetwood Mac, not CH OR TOM PETTY.

It's not Ringo Starr's All Star Band!

No but it’s basically the Stevie Nicks All Star Fajita Roundup Band!

After firing Lindsey they were going to need to ensure that whatever press there was going to be saw the change as an upgrade or at the bare minimum keep things level. I think adding Neil and Mike accomplishes that. Going with Rick and Billy or even Billy instead of Neil wouldn’t quite have the same impact. I don’t think Neil’s name is that much of a household name in the US but as soon as you plug Don’t Dream It’s Over in the background of a news story announcing him in the band, a majority of the “tourists” who might want to “see a Fleetwood Mac show finally” will go “oh I love that song” etc. It just adds more legitimacy than going with Billy Burnette who really is not well known at all. It was different in 1987 - Lindsey had left and the band had a hugely successful album. I don’t think reuniting that era would really sound like a good (or more importantly, money making idea to Azoff) in 2018. Outside of us, that era of Fleetwood Mac post-Tango up through The Dance is largely forgettable to the general public (not to mention to the band itself).