“She Didn’t Have To Burn As Many Bridges As She Did”
Singer/keyboardist/songwriter Christine McVie — who wrote and sang “Say You Love Me,” “Over My Head,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Think About Me,” “Hold Me,” “Little Lies,” and of course, “Don’t Stop” — left the band after their reunion tour promoting 1997′s The Dance.
Since then, the band have toured as a foursome (with support musicians in tow), and have released a (double) album, 2003′s Say You Will. But time can heal all wounds — The Rolling Stones recently played two concerts where they were joined by former members Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor for a few songs. So, would Fleetwood Mac ever welcome Christine to join them for a few of her classics? CBS Local put that question to Lindsey Buckingham.
“Well, that’s a good question! It’s an odd thing for me, in many ways I’m having a better time in the band as a foursome, only because it opens up a range of things that I can do. Except for maybe ‘Don’t Stop,’ we don’t do a lot of her stuff. It opens up the amount of material we can play, it allows me to be more of a ‘guy,’ to be more of who I am up there,” he explains, saying that without a keyboardist in the band, his guitar takes center stage. ”I would be shocked if she ever expressed any interest to do anything with us. Shocked and pleased.”
Christine has attended one Fleetwood Mac show since leaving the band (she declined to perform with them), but she hasn’t had much contact with the group in the past decade. But Buckingham explains that she was going through a lot of life changes at that point.
“She ended up getting a divorce, she ended up selling her house in L.A., she moved back to England, she quit the band, she sold her publishing,” Buckingham said. “She didn’t necessarily have to burn as many bridges as she did. Everyone sometimes wonders whether or not there might have been more of a middle ground for her to strike, not necessarily in terms of her staying in Fleetwood Mac. But she just wanted to reinvent herself. She seems to want to lead the antithesis of the life she led before, and I don’t pretend to understand such a radical change but it was obviously something she needed.”
Full article at 94.5 Kool FM
I love Christine on record, but Hold Me and Little Lies sound terrible live because their success lush middle-of-the-road pop is owed to layers processed synthetic harmonies and studio polish. She also co-wrote those songs with other people (Robbie Patton, Eddie Quintela) who shouldn't go unmentioned. Over My Head and Everywhere are too Adult Contemporary and bring concerts to a dead stop. Say You Love Me is great opening song, World Turning works, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteThere's something wrong with you... You break down the production of some songs, but then fail to respect the amazing REAL harmonies Christine sang on so many songs. She has a great voice. She also has a slew of other huge songs for Fleetwood Mac. If you actually take a look at FMac's singles and charts, she's brought the band more success than Mr. Buckingham has. People are too quick to write her off as "the girl that's not Stevie Nicks" and don't respect her as a songwriter, vocalist, and incredible piano/keys player... Guaranteed you would not be enjoying whatever your favorite Stevie ad Lindsey songs are without her on the recording. ("World Turning works" .. let's hear some shit you wrote!)
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that some of Christine's songs didn't work well live, Little Lies sounds great on the Tango concert video, but other live versions sound like they are all struggling to keep it going, around that time Everywhere was hit and miss as to whether it would work (although it sounded great on The Dance). None the less, I love Christine, largely as her popular hits were the ones that first attracted me to the band and she is origonally from the West Midlands (UK) like myself. I felt a big loss when she left the band and although I stick by what I said about certain live versions, many of her songs are some of Fleetwood Mac's best known and are missed in concerts. Although I would love to see her return to the band and tour again, I equally understand that she is not getting any younger, has worked that way for most of her life, and clearly doesn't need the money so is enjoying her retirement. There are a number of artists who "should have" retired long ago, I am glad to say the remaining members of FM appear to have many good years left in them yet, especially the Goddess Ms Nicks (love you Stevie).
ReplyDeleteLittle Lies didn't sound good live because you had Rick Vito and Billy Burnette singing and playing
ReplyDeleteAmen to that!
DeleteMay the bridges she burned light the way!
ReplyDelete😊💙
DeleteI just think it's difficult to comment and agree on the line-up changes, I think Rick and Billy kept things going well for a while, unlike the Bekka Bramlett and Dave Mason line-up, I'd wouldn't call that FM at all, although a group of talented musicians it was hardly the same band at all. I was never blessed to see the 5 classic members all together, I saw the Behind the Mask tour, and then the 2003 and 2009 tours, and although I love them and dearly hope to get good tickets again, without Christine, I feel it's turned into a Buckingham/Nicks show, and no longer Fleetwood Mac really. That's just my opinion of course.
ReplyDeleteI think Christine McVie is a big part of the Mac, and a Mac concert without "Songbird" seems to be missing something. But the group has a history of change, so even though the new version seems Buckingham/Nicks and Co., I guess 'tis just a new chapter.
ReplyDeleteThis clarifies the Christine mystery a little bit and Lindsey's frank about it while remaining a gentleman. Menopause, divorce, panic attacks, fear of flying...I understand why Christine gave it all up but that doesn't change the fact that we miss her terribly. Obviously she did what she felt she had to do and has had more than enough time to rest and come back, which by now we know was never her intention. As for her place in the live shows, you'd have to mis-remember most of the band's history not to get how important she was on record and live - she was the glue that kept the Lindsey-Stevie dynamic from exploding and she's absolutely their equal in terms of her singing and the quality of her songs. I'm amazed people even question that. So what if a few of the high-profile hits didn't translate well live - don't forget that Stevie dropped GYPSY, SARA and SEVEN WONDERS from the set - all signature chart hits!
ReplyDeleteVery much agreed there! I think Christine did "glue" the whole thing together nicely and at times, kept them grounded when Stevie and Lindsey would be a little too "way out". Also agreed that Stevie has dropped a number of well known hits in her live performances, with and without FM. I know a number of people who are fans but are happily living without Christine and that is a bone of contempt with me, although songs like Everywhere and Little Lies can be considered very "pop" for a rock band, they are instantly recognisable by many people and therefore I considered the 2009, Unleashed-Greatest hits tour, to be slightly misleading with such songs missing. Stevie and Lindsey did a very good version of Say You Love Me, and of course, kept World Turning and Don't Stop, but I guess I'm heading towards another issue here. Apart from the unplugged Big Love, where are all the other amazing songs from Tango in the Night? An album that was said to have parralled Rumours for it's success!
ReplyDeleteNot the most gracious comments from Lindsey. He sounds relieved Christine is no longer in the band. At least he added that he would be "pleased" if she agreed to do something with the band-but nothing else in the interview suggests he means that. Too bad. Those arenas wouldn't still be filling without the success Christine McVie brought to the band over decades.
ReplyDeleteMusically and personally, I think Christine McVie was the only Fleetwood Mac member that could keep Lindsey Buckingham's tremendous ego in check. And I don't think he appreciated that. More than once, it's been written somewhere that Buckingham would try to impose his ideas in the studio on both Chris and Stevie's songs. Watch the Tusk documentary. Read interviews with Stevie. Unlike Stevie, Chris didn't need Lindsey's "assistance" with her songs. But yet, he would still take credit for the "doing it all" in the studio. Chris is probably a lot happier now than during her last few years touring with Fleetwood Mac. But I miss Christine McVie. It was her "sound" that first attracted me to Fleetwood Mac 37 years ago. To me, her songs were the essence of Fleetwood Mac.
ReplyDeleteGood grief Lindsey...I think you need to check your ego ! Christine had/has a fantastic voice and could play that piano beautifully. I have always been a fan of Ms. Nicks but her voice never matched that of Christine's. For Stevie it was in the beginning, all about her onstage image!
ReplyDeleteI like that picture of Ms. McVie!
ReplyDeleteI saw Fleetwood Mac in Detroit in 1990.
ReplyDeleteThe concert changed my life for the better.
My memories now are that Christine's songs were so touching and hearfelt and her voice was just beautiful. Stevie obviously had alot of presence and brought alot of energy. And then they also had songs with alot of harmonies and trading off between them. That dynamic was truly special.
On that night everyone was heading for the doors and most of the stadium was empty ... then I heard some of the crowd ... so I just walked back in and got to sit in the front row, in front of Christine's piano (with literally no one around me for 15 rows) as Christine sang songbird by herself. So obviously I have special memories of that. When I was much younger and dating my wife we lived 2 hours apart and I would only see her on weekends. We would play that song and cry together before I had to head back home for the week.
Anyway I sure would love to see the complete lineup. But for her own reasons Christine has moved on at this time. Am still going to see them though (probably twice) on this tour. Stevie is special enough to carry this band herself - but this band is so much more with Christine in it.
Thanks Christine and all the best. And we love you, we love you, like never before.
Fleetwood Mac with Christine McVie is enough to persuade me NOT to go see them live anymore. An integral part of their sound has been lost and that loss is huge.
ReplyDeleteUnless she comes back, I will defer to playing their CDs and watching the DVD
Love listening to FleetwoodMac and Christine. Was she ever checked for chronic Lyme disease which can cause panic attacks? A brain spect test will show diminished blood flow to parts of the brain. This is very treatable with antibiotics and fixes the blood flow problem and the panic went away. Happened to me for years until the right doc found it.
ReplyDeleteJG15sdRI
Christie McVie was the Paul McCartney of Fleetwood Mac. It is and has been a shallow replica of its former self since she left the band. Her absence is an enormous loss for them. Stevie Nicks has a unique voice but it grows old on repetition. Therefore, unless they regroup in total, I'll certainly take a pass and choose to listen to the old music instead.
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