Rolling Stone: McVie comments on FM and Songbird

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

I had no idea she had a back issue. I'm not surprised given her age.

They really fumbled the ball in 2018. That was their last shot for a proper farewell and instead, we got Tom Petty and Crowded House covers.

A Split Enz song too.
A reunion with Lindsey will never happen, but if Stevie let it so many deep cuts like Paper Doll, Angel, Welcome to the Room, Beautiful Child, No Questions Asked, Not Make Believe, Crystal, and Fireflies could be done instead of the pre-Nicks material that they did in 2018. That's what I'd love instead of Dreams, Rhiannon, Landslide, Gold Dust, and Gypsy from Stevie every tour.

[elle]

Originally Posted by In Your Dreams

“I don’t communicate with Stevie [Nicks] very much either,” she says. “When we were on the last tour, we did a lot. We always sat next to each other on the plane and we got on really well. But since the band broke up, I’ve not been speaking to her at all.”

Does she mean to say that Fleetwood Mac no longer exists? “Well, not as we know it,” McVie says. “I don’t know. It’s impossible to say. We might get back together, but I just couldn’t say for sure.”

Mick Fleetwood has been open about his hopes to see the Rumours-lineup come back together for a grand farewell tour, but McVie is highly dubious. “I don’t feel physically up for it,” she says. “I’m in quite bad health. I’ve got a chronic back problem which debilitates me. I stand up to play the piano, so I don’t know if I could actually physically do it. What’s that saying? The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

In theory, McVie could sit at the keyboard to make it easier for her to get through a show, but she says that wouldn’t work in practice. “I couldn’t sit at the rig I play,” she says. “You have to stand up to play the piano and the Hammond Organ is beneath that, so it’s a bit difficult to think about sitting down and doing it. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to do that.”

According to McVie, bassist John McVie is in a similar predicament. “I don’t think John’s up for another tour,” she says. “He’s got health issues, so I don’t know if he would be up for it. You’d have to ask him.”

If a tour does somehow happen, McVie hopes that they’ll find a way to bring Buckingham back into the fold. “I’d always want Lindsey back,” she says. “He’s the best. Neil and Mike were such a cheerful couple, but Lindsey was missed.”

but but but but but................ the whole band wanted Lindsey out, no? it was not Stevie, it was them, the whole band, no?

how is it possible that Mick and Christine keep saying they miss him and want him back, and that Lindsey is "the best"?

[elle]

Originally Posted by David

With an obvious unwillingness to mount another tour because of health problems and hatred and what-not, no better time for four of them to record another semi-Fleetwood Mac album. This time, call it Fleetwood Mac and stop bloody worrying about band politics. All these nebulous, timid concerns about “We shouldn’t do this” or “We can’t say that” are so silly at this advanced stage.

they should do it.

Stevie and managers would be fuming, but she'd have no legal right to sue since she doesn't own the name and band doesn't contractually exist between stints of tours or records. so sounds like a win-win!

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by elle

they should do it.

Stevie and managers would be fuming, but she'd have no legal right to sue since she doesn't own the name and band doesn't contractually exist between stints of tours or records. so sounds like a win-win!

Yeah, but she threatens to quit, and there goes their ass filler.

I mean seat filler.

Same thing...

[John Run]

My opinion - those stadium dates happen next year - LA Chicago Dallas - Atlanta or Nashville - New York. Then London. So 6 cities. 12 dates. Massive payday for short work. Stevie will talk about how Fleetwood Mac is like the Army and the Army needed her, Lindsey will say the reconciliation of the five was an organic thing and Mick will run to spend as much of that cash windfall as he can …

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by In Your Dreams

I debated dropping this here vs Christine’s board but thought this was appropriate:

Christine McVie On Her New Solo Collection ‘Songbird,’ Uncertain Future of Fleetwood Mac
Listen to her new version of the 1976 Fleetwood Mac classic “Songbird” where the original vocal track has been paired with a new string arrangement


Christine McVie has spent the vast majority of her professional career in Fleetwood Mac, but she did take a brief break in 1984 to record Christine McVie and followed it up 20 years later with In the Meantime. This solo material is largely unknown to the general public — especially in America — but she hopes to change that on June 24 with the release of Songbird (A Solo Collection). It’s a mixture of songs from her two solo albums plus a handful of unreleased songs, including “All You Gotta Do,” a duet with George Hawkins originally cut for In the Meantime.

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham maintained active solo careers during their time in Fleetwood Mac, but McVie says she never really had that desire. “I’ve never felt like I was a solo artist,” McVie tells Rolling Stone from her London home. “I always liked to be part of a group. I also felt a little ill at ease doing a solo tour for that material. It just made me uneasy.”

For the new collection, McVie “went for my favorite songs that weren’t on Fleetwood Mac records,” working with producer Glyn Johns and redoing the tracks with extra instrumentation.

“The Challenge” from McVie’s self-titled 1984 album features backing vocals by Buckingham and guitar by Eric Clapton. “I clearly remember asking Eric to play on it,” McVie says. “And to my delight, he agreed. Like all of my songs, it’s about life and remorse and rejection.”

A majority of the Songbird (A Solo Collection) songs come from 2004’s In the Meantime. She released the album a few years after parting ways with Fleetwood Mac and retreating to her home in the English countryside. It peaked at #133 in the UK and didn’t even ding the U.S. charts. “I really like that record,” says McVie. “I think it wasn’t advertised as well as it could have been.”

The lone Fleetwood Mac song on the record is her 1976 ballad “Songbird,” and it’s a new rendition that pairs her original vocal track with a new string arrangement by composer and arranger Vince Mendoza.

Fleetwood Mac have been completely inactive since the conclusion of their 2018/19 world tour. It was their first outing since their bitter split with Buckingham, when he was replaced by Crowded House frontman Neil Finn and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell. “Those guys were great,” McVie says. “We have a great time with them, but we’ve kind of broke up now, so I hardly ever see them.”

“I don’t communicate with Stevie [Nicks] very much either,” she says. “When we were on the last tour, we did a lot. We always sat next to each other on the plane and we got on really well. But since the band broke up, I’ve not been speaking to her at all.”

Does she mean to say that Fleetwood Mac no longer exists? “Well, not as we know it,” McVie says. “I don’t know. It’s impossible to say. We might get back together, but I just couldn’t say for sure.”

Mick Fleetwood has been open about his hopes to see the Rumours-lineup come back together for a grand farewell tour, but McVie is highly dubious. “I don’t feel physically up for it,” she says. “I’m in quite bad health. I’ve got a chronic back problem which debilitates me. I stand up to play the piano, so I don’t know if I could actually physically do it. What’s that saying? The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

In theory, McVie could sit at the keyboard to make it easier for her to get through a show, but she says that wouldn’t work in practice. “I couldn’t sit at the rig I play,” she says. “You have to stand up to play the piano and the Hammond Organ is beneath that, so it’s a bit difficult to think about sitting down and doing it. Anyway, I wouldn’t want to do that.”

According to McVie, bassist John McVie is in a similar predicament. “I don’t think John’s up for another tour,” she says. “He’s got health issues, so I don’t know if he would be up for it. You’d have to ask him.”



If a tour does somehow happen, McVie hopes that they’ll find a way to bring Buckingham back into the fold. “I’d always want Lindsey back,” she says. “He’s the best. Neil and Mike were such a cheerful couple, but Lindsey was missed.”

“But I’m getting a bit long in the teeth here,” she continues. “I’m quite happy being at home. I don’t know if I ever want to tour again. It’s bloody hard work.”

This may disappoint Fleetwood Mac’s legions of fans, not to mention some of her own bandmates, but they’ll be relieved to know she’s not closing the door on a tour completely. “I really can’t say for sure,” she says, “because I could be wrong. So I’ll just leave it open and say that we might.”

Interesting to hear her say she likes In the Meantime, she's seemingly kinda disparaged it in the past.

This sounds like typical Stevie politics-- she likes to have an ally within the band. Coming in it was Lindsey, then it was Mick, for while during Tusk she was awfully tactile with John. I can see her buddying up with Chris during the last tour for company (you know, she has to pal with other rock stars) and for band politics, to have someone who will be on her side in any emergent disputes. (Face it Chris, you were just her road f**k).

She's said before John's health would likely make him not tour again, but this is the first time she's said the same about herself. She doesn't just say I have a bad back, she uses the word "debilitating". Not good. Perhaps explains why she didn't actually seem to play that much on the last tour, and possibly why she didn't play everything on the BuckVie tour).

So funny and yet so Christine to hear her say she's quite happy to just stay at home. It feels like such a full-circle moment. It's exactly how she felt when she left after The Dance. She just wanted to stay home in England. Seems like over time she forgot how hard the road was, and romanticized going back. Then she went back for what, 8 years or so? And is now back to "yep, I prefer staying at home". LOL.

If they did do another album as a 4 piece, there would inevitably be pressure to tour for it.... LB would want to tour it, Mick also.... managers etc. But clearly John and Chris are at best up for one-offs.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by John Run

My opinion - those stadium dates happen next year - LA Chicago Dallas - Atlanta or Nashville - New York. Then London. So 6 cities. 12 dates. Massive payday for short work. Stevie will talk about how Fleetwood Mac is like the Army and the Army needed her, Lindsey will say the reconciliation of the five was an organic thing and Mick will run to spend as much of that cash windfall as he can …

Mick will finally be financially solvent.









When he's dead.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Interesting to hear her say she likes In the Meantime, she's seemingly kinda disparaged it in the past.

Well, she IS doing promo for a weird compilation made up largely of songs from that album, so there’s that.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Well, she IS doing promo for a weird compilation made up largely of songs from that album, so there’s that.

That’s totally it. And the whole line about her collecting her favorite songs from those two solo records probably isn’t true, either. Likely, the song list has been cobbled together with songs that haven’t been sold off to. Otherwise, she’d have certainly included the two hits, plus “You Are,” and “Smile.”

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

That’s totally it. And the whole line about her collecting her favorite songs from those two solo records probably isn’t true, either. Likely, the song list has been cobbled together with songs that haven’t been sold off to. Otherwise, she’d have certainly included the two hits, plus “You Are,” and “Smile.”

That's it. You cracked the Da Vinci code. It all makes sense now.

If she could turn the page in time and rearrange a day or two, an album like this would have come out BEFORE she sold her catalog. Then the fans would get all those gems that are missing from this collection.

[blinker12]

^ Oh wow, that does make sense Re: the rights. So… does that mean that Stevie, for example, could not release another best-of that includes her most famous hits, because she sold off the rights?

But one other question, I thought these deals were for the writers’ entire catalogs?

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

That’s totally it. And the whole line about her collecting her favorite songs from those two solo records probably isn’t true, either. Likely, the song list has been cobbled together with songs that haven’t been sold off to. Otherwise, she’d have certainly included the two hits, plus “You Are,” and “Smile.”

This is my conclusion. This seems so forced. Another "Bingo!" for you, Tony!

[DownOnRodeo]

But then why release this album at all?

Seems unlikely that she has been under some sort of contract in the past decade.

So let me one-up Tony: the whole thing is a Producers-like loss-making tax scheme! This theory is only strengthened when you listen to the new "arrangement" of Songbird.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by elle

but but but but but................ the whole band wanted Lindsey out, no? it was not Stevie, it was them, the whole band, no?

how is it possible that Mick and Christine keep saying they miss him and want him back, and that Lindsey is "the best"?

We don't disagree often, and this is another one of those times we were in complete agreement of the "who" "what" and "why".

but but... she fired herself!! She even said she fired herself!!! Why are you guys saying she fired Lindsey???
Or, "This shows how much love they still have for each other!! See we told you!!"

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

We don't disagree often, and this is another one of those times we were in complete agreement of the "who" "what" and "why".

but but... she fired herself!! She even said she fired herself!!! Why are you guys saying she fired Lindsey???
Or, "This shows how much love they still have for each other!! See we told you!!"

Christine is probably getting a call from Sheryl Louis or Irving today.

Next week she'll say "What I meant was I miss the Lindsey from the 70s, not the current Lindsey... he was very mean"