The Admiral Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Went to see Fleetwood Mac last night, and it really brought home to me what a great player John Mcvie is, and how you don't have to play a million notes a minute to be the engine room of a good band. He mostly played a very nice Lakland P, with bound edge to the board, and block inlays - swapping to a fretless (couldn't really tell 'what' from up in the Gods) for one song. Amps - Ampeg (racked) and Ampeg cabs : 2 stacks of 8 x10s I think, on top of 4x10s. Have to say that Lindsey Buckingham is clearly a v.good player, but he's [b]very[/b] annoying on stage - and Stevie Nicks............., well considering all she has been through, she looks pretty good, but can barely walk : tottering about on huge heels, and the way the set list ran, with her going off after 2 songs - for 5 - 10 minutes at a time, it felt as if she was pacing herself. At least we didn't get 40 minutes of stuff from a new album (threatened for early next year apparently), and at £60 a ticket (+booking fee) : it was just about worth it, although I wouldn't have paid it personally - My Mrs treated me for a birthday gift. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I went to see them on the Tango in the Night tour in 88, Nicks was doing all that back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Excellent. Always loved the Mac, McVie is a criminally underrated player and always has the right line for the song Lindsey Buckingham is one of my favourite guitarists too, what made him annoying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='639367' date='Oct 28 2009, 07:34 PM']McVie is a criminally underrated player and always has the right line for the song[/quote] +1. McVie has always sounded great in all the incarnations of the Mac and the Bluesbreakers before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) Great player! Here's a pic from last night... *squints* Can I see a little Ampeg combo back there, too...? Edited October 28, 2009 by wateroftyne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 John is one of my all-time favourites; he has a lovely way with a melodic & deceptively mobile line. Mick is also one of my favourite drummers, and Lindsey one of my favourite guitarists. Combined with some of my favourite songs ever and Stevie Nicks - who in the late seventies was probably near to my perfect woman - what's not to like? My favourite gig ever was the Mac gig at Maine Road in (probably) '88. I know what you mean about Lindsey though. First time I saw the video of the Mirage tour he annoyed the crap out of me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 [quote name='lemmywinks' post='639367' date='Oct 28 2009, 07:34 PM']Excellent. Always loved the Mac, McVie is a criminally underrated player and always has the right line for the song Lindsey Buckingham is one of my favourite guitarists too, what made him annoying?[/quote] I think what I'm getting at is the way it comes across as Lindsey and his backing band. With no Christine, it's really LB and Stevie Nicks who front the band, which - given the lovey dovey schtick they were doing last night, it further emphasised the 'us and them' aspect, with Fleetwood and McVie banging away at the back. To give the oldies/chemically damaged a break- he, at various stages, turned it into a solo gig too, which again fuelled the 'me and my band' feel. He also has this ' hey, look at me, I'm whacky [b]and[/b] cool' thing going on, which started to grate after a bit. He's obviously a great talent, a fine songwriter, and very intense in all things he does, but I can imagine he could really get on your Bristols after a while. Perhaps for the songs, drive and productions skills he's brought to the band since the 70s - that's the price to be paid. Oh .... and he went a bit overboard on some of the solos (on those hideous custom guitars) quite a bit too. But it was good ..... honest! A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 (edited) McVie & Fleetwood have been pretty lucky to have intially got a talent like Peter Green on board and then in later years (when the band was once again getting a bit directionless) the Nicks/Buckingham package . And then there was Christine chipping in with some quality songs of her own to boot. Edited October 29, 2009 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='KevB' post='639985' date='Oct 29 2009, 01:00 PM']....McVie & Fleetwood have been pretty lucky to have intially got a talent like Peter Green on board....[/quote] Other way around... PG got them onboard, actually just Mick Fleetwood. Initially John McVie wouldn't leave John Mayall's Bluesbreakers! You're right, though, they were very lucky to get a second shot with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='KevB' post='639985' date='Oct 29 2009, 01:00 PM']McVie & Fleetwood have been pretty lucky to have intially got a talent like Peter Green on board and then in later years (when the band was once again getting a bit directionless) the Nicks/Buckingham package . And then there was Christine chipping in with some quality songs of her own to boot.[/quote] Well, lucky in a sense but they got lucky because they were/are a great rhythm section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='The Admiral' post='639522' date='Oct 28 2009, 10:16 PM']He also has this ' hey, look at me, I'm whacky [b]and[/b] cool' thing going on, which started to grate after a bit.[/quote] Did he do that funny little goose-step walk during his solos? Very odd. Didn't know they were touring, TBH. Nice to know they're still out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted October 29, 2009 Author Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='skankdelvar' post='640024' date='Oct 29 2009, 01:25 PM']Did he do that funny little goose-step walk during his solos? Very odd. Didn't know they were touring, TBH. Nice to know they're still out there.[/quote] Goose step very much still part of the package, and interesting to note that he still uses a cable - not a wireless system, which was interesting when he went 'walkabout' across the stage. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='640023' date='Oct 29 2009, 01:22 PM']Well, lucky in a sense but they got lucky because they were/are a great rhythm section.[/quote] Undoubtedly but it's an odd situation where the founding people who gave the band it's name have relatively few writing credits through the years, I suppose it's probably not a lot different from Wyman & Watts though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 [quote name='KevB' post='640252' date='Oct 29 2009, 05:04 PM']Undoubtedly but it's an odd situation where the founding people who gave the band it's name have relatively few writing credits through the years, I suppose it's probably not a lot different from Wyman & Watts though [/quote] Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 (edited) [quote name='KevB' post='640252' date='Oct 29 2009, 05:04 PM']Undoubtedly but it's an odd situation where the founding people who gave the band it's name have relatively few writing credits through the years, I suppose it's probably not a lot different from Wyman & Watts though [/quote] Wyman & Watts - sounds more like a traditional Gentlemens' Outfitters: "New cravat, Jumbo?" "Wyman & Watts, old chap!" [/topic derail] Edited October 29, 2009 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 By the time Peter Green had Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan on Assistant Lead Guitar and Lead Guitarist's Assistant, or whatever, I was starting to wonder who was doing how much of the hard work. Unfortunately I never got to see him live till Splinter Group, and by then it was all too painfully obvious. Regarding McVie and Fleetwood, there's not too many that have survived from Mayall to the present day with their integrity pretty much intact. I'm sure I have a Wyman & Watts cravat somewhere, paisley pattern, I think it's in the ottoman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YouMa Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Rumours is a beautiful chill out album i love dreams and never going back again,i thought stevie nicks was lovely in the 70s,i still would even now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faceman Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Just bought myself a ticket for the Sheffield gig, I can't wait. John's tone on some of the YouTube videos is very sexy, I'm hoping he is going for that sexy 70s Precision tone, not any of this active rubbish (hides) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneyg42 Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 BBC 1 tonight 10.20pm Fleetwood Mac-Don't Stop. Documentary looking over the bands career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badass Posted November 1, 2009 Share Posted November 1, 2009 [b]barneyg42[/b] Thanks for the heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faceman Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 [quote name='barneyg42' post='642714' date='Nov 1 2009, 07:00 PM']BBC 1 tonight 10.20pm Fleetwood Mac-Don't Stop. Documentary looking over the bands career.[/quote] Thanks for the heads up also, was a pretty good program. Shame there was no interview with Christine McVie, just archived footage from 1998 and 2004. Is there still some animosity here? The relationship between Buckingham and Nicks was fascinating to see. Off to Sheffield tonight. I've been on a bit of a Fleetwood Mac binge over the past few days. I've been enjoying Tango In The Night, Rumours and Tusk massively in the past few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Always been a huge fan - though it's a couple of years since I saw them. I always figured it's a very deliberate - and neccesary - policy by McVie and Fleetwood to continually hand over the musical direction of the band and take their pleasures from the versatility that delivers and the contributions they make. I doubt 'luck' is much to do with it. Christine's songs have been a bit lightweight for me over the years - though the biggest hits too. The current set is imbalanced without them though leaving the way clear for an ego like Buckingham's , partic as Stevie seems content to play more of a bit part since enjoying solo success. He's as finer guitar player as they come in my opinion - vastly underated. The playing and his production ideas , particularly when applied to Stevie and Christine's songs have been his greatest contribution to the Mac , I think explaining his 'tortured soul' persona as he'd obviously prefer to have seen more reward for his songwriting. They're a band in the true sense - each feeding off the others and weaker alone. As for the personal relationships....stuff of legend - and the contribution that's made to their success is fundamental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='639388' date='Oct 28 2009, 07:51 PM']Great player! Here's a pic from last night... [/quote] It may be an illusion from looking through the grill cloths, but if the top cabs are 8 x10s haven't the bottom ones got to be 4 x 12s? To me they look bigger than the drivers in the top cabs. Having said that I may be talking bollocks (it's my specialist subject). I don't even know if Ampeg make a 4 x 12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 [quote name='Count Bassy' post='643630' date='Nov 2 2009, 05:36 PM']It may be an illusion from looking through the grill cloths, but if the top cabs are 8 x10s haven't the bottom ones got to be 4 x 12s? To me they look bigger than the drivers in the top cabs. Having said that I may be talking bollocks (it's my specialist subject). I don't even know if Ampeg make a 4 x 12.[/quote] Nah... 4x10's, I reckon. The top cabs are raked back which might explain why they look shorter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 The top cabs look like 8x8's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.