Old-timers... Who's still around?

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

i'd grown up not knowing anybody else who really liked fleetwood mac at all. to me it felt like i was the only crazed FM fan in the world, that nobody loved/understood them the way i did.

I had a similar feeling too. And it's so strange since there were lot of fans of other bands that didn't have a phenomenom like Rumours. But even in the 80s I met many people that didn't know Fleetwood Mac.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

It's definitely a cult. And it's so hard to imagine how hard figuring out the internet was back then. Many thanks to you and Marty!

God bless John, by far the most normal member.

I'm certainly glad we did it. glad he convinced me.

i remember the day we got this email from john complimenting us on the site and i was so skeptical...i wrote back something like, 'i doubt you're the real John McVie, but i'll assume you're a fan!' etc, and he wrote back , 'This really is McVie!' and then offered to help us out w details etc when he had time (not this his memory was ever stellar lol) .

so i kind of believed him, but not 100%. I asked for chris's middle name for her bio (at that time this was *nowhere* to be found on the internet!) and he told me it was Anne. so being the lunatic that I was/am, i did some research and got a document from the UK (using snail mail back and forth which took 100 years) and lo and behold, when i opened that envelope and saw her middle name was what he'd told me, i literally cried and hopped around the room. THAT was when i believed it was really him. watta moment.

and it still took me a good 8 years and lots of BS-ing back and forth to ask if he wanted to do a Q&A!

--Lis

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

I'm certainly glad we did it. glad he convinced me.

i remember the day we got this email from john complimenting us on the site and i was so skeptical...i wrote back something like, 'i doubt you're the real John McVie, but i'll assume you're a fan!' etc, and he wrote back , 'This really is McVie!' and then offered to help us out w details etc when he had time (not this his memory was ever stellar lol) .

so i kind of believed him, but not 100%. I asked for chris's middle name for her bio (at that time this was *nowhere* to be found on the internet!) and he told me it was Anne. so being the lunatic that I was/am, i did some research and got a document from the UK (using snail mail back and forth which took 100 years) and lo and behold, when i opened that envelope and saw her middle name was what he'd told me, i literally cried and hopped around the room. THAT was when i believed it was really him. watta moment.

and it still took me a good 8 years and lots of BS-ing back and forth to ask if he wanted to do a Q&A!

--Lis

That is SO COOL! I can't imagine how thrilled I'd be!

John is/was definitely the most grounded of them all.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

That is SO COOL! I can't imagine how thrilled I'd be!

John is/was definitely the most grounded of them all.

Yes, he definitely was/is. And in those days he really wasn't doing much, so his emails were quite long and interesting, just shooting the breeze. we used to chat about mundane things but i used to print them out and bring them w me to work to brighten my crappy days. once the reunion happened, the emails got waaay shorter lol but still were amazing to me. will always remember that time.

--Lis

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

Yes, he definitely was/is. And in those days he really wasn't doing much, so his emails were quite long and interesting, just shooting the breeze. we used to chat about mundane things but i used to print them out and bring them w me to work to brighten my crappy days. once the reunion happened, the emails got waaay shorter lol but still were amazing to me. will always remember that time.

--Lis

I'm so jealous! Lucky you!

[Villavic]

Beautiful story, I didn't know the story behind the Q/A session and how you contact John. Nice to read it. It's an unforgettable episode in your life.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Beautiful story, I didn't know the story behind the Q/A session and how you contact John. Nice to read it. It's an unforgettable episode in your life.

It was indeed. and it was someone here from the ledge who really pushed me to ask him, because for the longest time i was just resisting. i didn't want him to feel i was being opportunistic or anything I guess... i think it was blackcat?? does that ring a bell? kept gently pushing because it wouldn't hurt anything to ask...and so finally I did, after we'd done some others so I felt better telling him that so-and-so did one and enjoyed it etc. and he immediately went for it! that first one had a few bumps trying to get it done in the smoothest way, and he always "emptied his folders" after sending so if anything needed to be re-sent, i was screwed. and several times, replies disappeared!! it aged me, losing some of those replies lol


and of course the best part was that HE asked two more times if he could come back!! he said he really enjoyed doing them when he had some time. and what a great resource those turned out to be. our q&a's are referenced in books all the time. (Mark Blake did not, but i wrote him after seeing at least 3 mentions from john's Q&A and he apologized lmao, nice chap.)

--Lis

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

It was indeed. and it was someone here from the ledge who really pushed me to ask him, because for the longest time i was just resisting. i didn't want him to feel i was being opportunistic or anything I guess... i think it was blackcat?? does that ring a bell? kept gently pushing because it wouldn't hurt anything to ask...and so finally I did, after we'd done some others so I felt better telling him that so-and-so did one and enjoyed it etc. and he immediately went for it! that first one had a few bumps trying to get it done in the smoothest way, and he always "emptied his folders" after sending so if anything needed to be re-sent, i was screwed. and several times, replies disappeared!! it aged me, losing some of those replies lol


and of course the best part was that HE asked two more times if he could come back!! he said he really enjoyed doing them when he had some time. and what a great resource those turned out to be. our q&a's are referenced in books all the time. (Mark Blake did not, but i wrote him after seeing at least 3 mentions from john's Q&A and he apologized lmao, nice chap.)

--Lis

Incredible story.
Did not Bob Welch's wife post here? When I got my first computer back in 2000 Bob had his website and its almost impossible to believe but back then you could email him directly and buy an autographed CD from him. The stories he would tell on his site. At the time I did not think it was that big of a deal. But now boy do I regret not buying stuff and engaging him. 2 favorite tales from his site were how Mick and Chris would give him side eye and hated his speaking mid song like on the Bermuda Triangle. Another story was when the White Album was still be recorded he ran into Lindsey at some bar or club and Lindsey asked him "how the hell did you get along with these people?" LMAO

I was recently watching an old Bob interview and he was telling the story of his first band and album after leaving the Mac. He said when the Mac heard it they thought it was trash and he felt the band really believed their legacy was hurt by Bob's new music. He said NOTHING made him happier knowing the band was pissed off and angry with his new music

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Another story was when the White Album was still be recorded he ran into Lindsey at some bar or club and Lindsey asked him "how the hell did you get along with these people?" LMAO

What did he answer?

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

What did he answer?

I think he said that Christine was a sarcastic bitch.

For me, he gave me a LONG response, explaining how different types of royalties work.

I too always wanted to engage him, and invite him and Wendy to dinner. But I never worked up the nerve, afraid of rejection. I was leaving Nashville the morning that he killed himself, and instantly regretted my reluctance.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

What did he answer?

I dont think he gave a direct answer. It was in context of the difficulties working with the Mac and articulating the struggles working with the band. Bob often called Fleetwood Mac royalty because they could talk down to people especially Chris. Stevie and Lindsey were 2 new kids on the block. Lindsey was a young California kid working with very stubborn, established English musicians. No doubt there was clash. The wild success put all that to bed though
BTW, I think I misquoted him. I believe Lindsey said "how the hell could you stand to work with these people?"

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Incredible story.
Did not Bob Welch's wife post here? When I got my first computer back in 2000 Bob had his website and its almost impossible to believe but back then you could email him directly and buy an autographed CD from him. The stories he would tell on his site. At the time I did not think it was that big of a deal. But now boy do I regret not buying stuff and engaging him. 2 favorite tales from his site were how Mick and Chris would give him side eye and hated his speaking mid song like on the Bermuda Triangle. Another story was when the White Album was still be recorded he ran into Lindsey at some bar or club and Lindsey asked him "how the hell did you get along with these people?" LMAO

I was recently watching an old Bob interview and he was telling the story of his first band and album after leaving the Mac. He said when the Mac heard it they thought it was trash and he felt the band really believed their legacy was hurt by Bob's new music. He said NOTHING made him happier knowing the band was pissed off and angry with his new music

yes his wife posted here but i think she got banned at some point? i wasn't really on here much at that time and can't recall. but bob always had interesting stories, and a regret of mine is that i didn't speak to him more when i had the chance.

--Lis

[dougl]

Link to Bob’s archived Penguin Q&A

https://web.archive.org/web/20071021...bwelch_qa1.htm

[HomerMcvie]

Yeah, Wendy got banned, which seems inconceivable(banning someone from inside the circle), but it happened. She had no self control, and protected Bob with every fiber of her being.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

This sh1t is 50 years ago. It WAS a different time.

I know all anti/offensive-gay expressions were more accepted 50 years ago, the world was different (that doesn't mean it wasn't wrong), but was it the same with the pro nazi stuff? I'm not sure. I thought it was very questionable even in the 70s/80s (I remember Hitler's book was already banned).

Anyway it just mean they, we, are all human beings, with good and bad things. Sometimes very bad things. John seems to be a good person, but that "maintains a collection of Third Reich memorabilia" as Mick wrote, is very controversial. I don't know if he has talked about it in any interview.

I will always like Fleetwood Mac's music, just as one of my favorite movies has never stopped being Midnight in Paris, even though there are arguments that indicate that Woody is an a---ole. Learning that all those talented people have bad attitudes or ugly defects, it's dissapointing anyway.