Set your DVR's ...
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I set my DVR, but don’t know if I will be able to convince myself to watch it.
After hearing Lightsleeper, I am more confused than ever as to why Neil has joined this band. I don’t know if I can bear to watch Neil perform two classic Fleetwood Mac hits as a hired hand.
brownie posted:I set my DVR, but don’t know if I will be able to convince myself to watch it.
After hearing Lightsleeper, I am more confused than ever as to why Neil has joined this band. I don’t know if I can bear to watch Neil perform two classic Fleetwood Mac hits as a hired hand.
To me, Neil sees this as a chance to be a kid in a candy shop for as long as it lasts.
Sugar Mouse posted:brownie posted:I set my DVR, but don’t know if I will be able to convince myself to watch it.
After hearing Lightsleeper, I am more confused than ever as to why Neil has joined this band. I don’t know if I can bear to watch Neil perform two classic Fleetwood Mac hits as a hired hand.
To me, Neil sees this as a chance to be a kid in a candy shop for as long as it lasts.
I think it would be a wonderful chance to see Neil happily being led for a change. Mixing his creativity with others and a blending of different voices may surprise. I’ll certainly watch it if we get it here in Australia. Just because I am more curious. Stevie’s voice has never been one I’m enamoured with but Christine’s music yes. Interesting times folks 🤗
Plus the exposure is a good thing- I dare say a lot of people watch that show. It always seems to be on in public places when I'm out & about.
gryphon posted:Plus the exposure is a good thing- I dare say a lot of people watch that show. It always seems to be on in public places when I'm out & about.
This will be the most-watched thing Neil’s done in a long time, I believe. His last really major American appearance was probably when Crowded House were on Jimmy Fallon for Intriguer (this was pre-Tonight Show). But Ellen has probably double that show’s audience — **4 million** eyes will be on the band, and Neil. Interesting times indeed.
Slowpogo, thanks for posting. I was wondering when his last national US TV appearance would have been. I agree 100 percent that this is great exposure to a huge national audience (and is "Ellen" on internationally as well?)
If they're playing two songs, then I guess it will be a Nicks song and a Christine McVie song. What will be interesting is when they do full concerts. I just hope that there won't be malcontents in the audience.
I don’t know, I feel like they might want to make a statement and play “Go Your Own Way” or another LB song. As if to say, “This is a new lineup and we’re moving on and we can do what we want.” I actually think Neil could nail that song.
I cannot wait to see Neil bust loose in a new role.
Will there be Malcontents? It's fair to say the Ellen audience supports their host.
Would be shocked if they played Go Your Own Way as one of the two songs. I reckon there would be more chance of them playing a couple of Billy Burnette-era tracks...
While I expect Go Your Own Way to be a concert staple for the new line-up (and probably be the only true "Lindsay" song Neil sings on the tour) I'd be very surprised if the two songs weren't one each for Christine and Stevie (Eg. Dreams, Over My Head, Gypsy, Everywhere, Landslide, Love In Store, Rhiannon, etc.)
Then again, I wouldn't entirely rule out The Chain or Don't Stop.
If I had to guess, I'd say Neil will also sing Lindsay's parts on these two songs at the concerts. Have to remember though that Christine McVie wrote Don't Stop and The Chain is truly a band song.
c.houser posted:I cannot wait to see Neil bust loose in a new role.
Will there be Malcontents? It's fair to say the Ellen audience supports their host.
I have to agree. Ellen is my favourite show host of all time. Yes above Oprah. I’ve found her light hearted ness yet mature and insightful comments and questions will bring balance to many questions we the subjects fans have. I hope she asks questions in a manner not to hurt but to get down to the gritty stuff. Get things out and hopefully eliminate the current drudge. I’d like to hear an old blues song or two on the show. I hope people will stop comparing Neil to Lindsey and if there’ll be harmonies no doubt there will be more than Neil involved in singing the BV. And to just put another spinner here, maybe Liam joining Neil on BVs wouldn’t hurt. I dare say it would just add more value. More edge perhaps?
Good choice in my opinion with choosing Ellen’s show as their first outing 🤗
slowpogo posted:I don’t know, I feel like they might want to make a statement and play “Go Your Own Way” or another LB song. As if to say, “This is a new lineup and we’re moving on and we can do what we want.” I actually think Neil could nail that song.
Really ? I would think making that kind of statement may be the boot in the quicksand nobody needs atm. But I do like being proven wrong. In saying that Stevie wants old blues and with her voice and as a seductress in low tones I would love to hear her voice in a new set of songs that are heart wrenching and new for Stevie to play with.
Annie99999 posted:slowpogo posted:I don’t know, I feel like they might want to make a statement and play “Go Your Own Way” or another LB song. As if to say, “This is a new lineup and we’re moving on and we can do what we want.” I actually think Neil could nail that song.
Really ? I would think making that kind of statement may be the boot in the quicksand nobody needs atm. But I do like being proven wrong. In saying that Stevie wants old blues and with her voice and as a seductress in low tones I would love to hear her voice in a new set of songs that are heart wrenching and new for Stevie to play with.
I probably don’t know what I’m talking about. They just don’t seem like a group to shy away from anything.
OneIssue posted:If they're playing two songs, then I guess it will be a Nicks song and a Christine McVie song. What will be interesting is when they do full concerts. I just hope that there won't be malcontents in the audience.
It will be interesting as you stated and I missed– the ticket purchasing public may be the most vocal about how they feel about Crowded House guy. If they truly value what they are paying the prized rate for, they may as well be receptive to Mr. Finn's charms.
For those in Oz you might be able to view this on 9NOW (our Fraudband is crappy today but have a link below) hope it works. (You'll probably need to sign in to 9Now too).
I’m unfamiliar with The Chain but Neil certainly sang very well. I like that they let him lead the premiere performance of the new lineup.
They are both up on YouTube
Scanning twitter, there are some positive reactions, and others ranging from “it’s just not the same” (obviously) to “train wreck” ??. I have to say, many FM fans (especially the Lyndsey Buckingham loyalists) have been the biggest whiny babies about this whole thing. They’re looking for any excuse to trash the new lineup. I wasn’t blown away by the band’s performance on Ellen but it was certainly solid and not remotely a “train wreck.” Probably best to ignore those people from now on.
Here are my grades of The Finnwood Mac performance on The Ellen Show
“The Chain”
Neil A (Neil nailed the vocal, looked confident)
Mike A (Mike nailed the guitar solo)
Stevie C (seemed off-key to me and made an odd vocal gesture mid-way through the song)
Mick A (Mick nailed the drums and seemed energized)
John B (played the bassline well but hard to see behind Neil)
Christine B (solid performance)
“Gypsy”
Neil B (not much for Neil to do in this Stevie song)
Stevie D (her vocal was really sub-par and that’s being kind)
Mick A (again looked energized)
John B (off camera most of the time, but solid)
Christine B (off camera most of the time but solid; interesting that the focus was never on Christine making me think that she may depart the band after this tour)
Wow. Didn't expect to feel like Neil was basically leading the band in that first track. This is all quite surreal. I wish he was doing his own material but this is still fun.
Great pic, Sugar Mouse!!!
I enjoyed it. Nice to see our guy singing out front.
Hope they have a wonderful tour and don't get stale. Appreciate this thread and this forum.
Paināporo posted:Wow. Didn't expect to feel like Neil was basically leading the band in that first track. This is all quite surreal. I wish he was doing his own material but this is still fun.
Out of curiosity, if anyone saw them during the Dave Mason, Vito or Burnette days, did they seem to lead like Neil did?
Well, it was better than I expected to be honest. The Chain wasn't a song I thought would work very well, but I enjoyed it. I think TV studios are often poor for sound quality for live music, but it sounded OK to me. I've not watched Gypsy, but I don't care much for the song anyway.
It's a bit much to dismiss anyone who didn't like it as whiners and moaners. My wife (no loyalty) thought it was terrible and out of tune, and my sister (big Mac, esp Stevie, and Crowded House fan) thought it was a car crash, and neither one of them have any loyalties to LB. Sometimes it's just personal taste. I think The Chain live is one of Buckingham's great vocals, so it was a brave choice. As I say, I enjoyed it - not enough to spend £100+ if they come to the UK, but I'm glad they sounded good together (to me).
I agree with the general vibe noted by others, i.e. Nicks was dire in Gypsy but otherwise this was pretty good. It’s funny hearing a couple of Neil’s vocal inflections particularly compared to the way LB did them live (Neil doesn’t shorten “saying”, he Americanized “never”, and he didn’t do the “run run run run” thing at the end) - not good or bad, just different.
The Chain solo is of the kind Neil actually does well, it would have been fun to see him try that. But you can’t have everything. As mentioned by others above, it’s nice to see NF at the front of such a widely known group. Here’s hoping some of the audience become Frenz in some sense or other.
Southern Cross posted:^^^ Yeah very mixed reactions. I frankly think that part of reason why Neil was brought in, was to bolster vocals. Fact is the long timers all in their 70s now, but Mick seems to want the band to continue as long as possible... Christine was barely audible. Nicks out of tune in places. Don't know if nerves or studio recording. There were a few things here and there, but I think they can be sorted out.
I got my own thoughts why that song was chosen but think I've said enough!
A couple of other thoughts after watching the songs again:
1. Neil's vocals were turned up in "The Chain" with Stevie/Christine being more of the background harmonies. Neil still has such a good voice especially when he's rested; he sounded great today. Stevie's voice is nowhere close to what it used to be and is horribly off key much of the time and she's lost most of her range.
2. Christine had such a small role in these performances. Some online are saying that she was barely playing at all and her vocals where turned down in the mix. I'm much more of a Christine fan than a Stevie fan so this isn't good news for my taste.
Dont know much about this band, but Neil is obviously on high level of self-concsioussnes - so easily get out of personal comfort zone, well adopted in new situations and relations, fluid like water, thin as air, I can only admire that! 
Possessed7 posted:It's a bit much to dismiss anyone who didn't like it as whiners and moaners. My wife (no loyalty) thought it was terrible and out of tune, and my sister (big Mac, esp Stevie, and Crowded House fan) thought it was a car crash, and neither one of them have any loyalties to LB. Sometimes it's just personal taste. I think The Chain live is one of Buckingham's great vocals, so it was a brave choice. As I say, I enjoyed it - not enough to spend £100+ if they come to the UK, but I'm glad they sounded good together (to me).
I think if you'd been seeing Fleetwood Mac's twitter mentions the last few months, you might know what I meant. 
People are acting so entitled, as if they're owed something and FM has betrayed them personally, knives out long before there was even anything to criticize. Almost as if they don't realize, if they're unhappy with it, they can just do something else. Instead they've chosen to spend months spewing skepticism and bile toward anything FM-related. It's like, alright people, go ahead and cry yourself to sleep every night and leave the rest of us alone.
I also don't understand why anyone would think this particular performance was a "car crash." I'm a musician and the harmonies were no more out of tune than the vast majority of live performances (Neil was totally fine to my ear). Perhaps FM is usually better live; I wouldn't know. I DID think Stevie Nicks was a bit pitchy for Gypsy. But overall, as a band, I thought it was pretty solid and far from a disaster.
But anyway, a lot of judgments are being made seemingly without any consideration for this being a premiere performance. I've seen a lot of "low energy" comments; surely Neil and Mike are feeling a bit conservative with their stage presence at this point. They're the new guys in an iconic band and are understandably hanging back a bit. Et cetera.
slowpogo posted:Possessed7 posted:It's a bit much to dismiss anyone who didn't like it as whiners and moaners. My wife (no loyalty) thought it was terrible and out of tune, and my sister (big Mac, esp Stevie, and Crowded House fan) thought it was a car crash, and neither one of them have any loyalties to LB. Sometimes it's just personal taste. I think The Chain live is one of Buckingham's great vocals, so it was a brave choice. As I say, I enjoyed it - not enough to spend £100+ if they come to the UK, but I'm glad they sounded good together (to me).
I think if you'd been seeing Fleetwood Mac's twitter mentions the last few months, you might know what I meant.
I also don't understand why anyone would think this particular performance was a "car crash." I'm a musician and the harmonies were no more out of tune than the vast majority of live performances (Neil was totally fine to my ear). Perhaps FM is usually better live; I wouldn't know. I DID think Stevie Nicks was a bit pitchy for Gypsy. But overall, as a band, I thought it was pretty solid and far from a disaster.
But anyway, a lot of judgments are being made seemingly without any consideration for this being a premiere performance. I've seen a lot of "low energy" comments; surely Neil and Mike are feeling a bit conservative with their stage presence at this point. They're the new guys in an iconic band and are understandably hanging back a bit. Et cetera.
For a first appearance, this was very solid. As far as lack of energy, Neil is taking Lindsey's place and is absolutely going to be a bit reserved to start especially with strong personalities like Stevie and Mick in the band. I would expect Neil to be more assertive and energetic as time goes on and everyone gets more comfortable. He actually looked fairly assertive for a first appearance. Stevie doesn't provide much energy neither does Christine or John so it's up to Mick and Neil to bring the energy and Neil will with time. Mike Campbell is a laid back performer and I wouldn't expect much energy from him outside of his awesome guitar licks.
I thought it sounded a bit like an early rehearsal. I hope they put on a better show for the actual concerts. Particularly given what people are paying for the tickets.
As said above, they are getting on. Christine has been a bit pitchy for a while. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VVY5mqpE4g
I don't think they were dreadful on Ellen, but I wouldn't describe it as ... excellent. However, they may have sounded even worse with Lindsey. See the 'Little Lies' video.
I had an idea today that could work well for the new Fleetwood Mac. The band would pick seven or more pre-Lindsey songs that would fit nicely with the new lineup.
For example, Oh Well, Dust, Come A Little Bit Closer, Why, For Your Love, Green Manalishi, Hypnotized, Man of The World, Spare Me A Little of Your Love, and The Way I Feel are some possibilities.
Then have the new lineup record new versions of these songs. Perhaps someone like Mitchell Froom could produce.
In addition, have Neil, Christine, and Stevie each bring in one new song. Could be completely new or simply an unrecorded old song. Record those three songs as well.
Now they'd have a fairly easily to finish new studio album of 10+ songs to release prior to the tour to add some excitement to the upcoming dates.
I didn’t like it.
I had not realized how little range Stevie has left. I thought Mike Campbell did fine but thought Neil added nothing, and had strange pronunciation of words in The Chain.
As much as I love Neil, I don’t like this band without Lindsey.
brownie posted:As much as I love Neil, I don’t like this band without Lindsey.
However, it appears that most of Fleetwood Mac don't like the band with Lindsey.
Very interesting song choice for the very first live song for this iteration of FM, considering the band used the song as its theme of band unity when Buckingham returned to the band in 1997. I think Neil’s performance was respectful and maybe a little too polite; I expect Neil, as he gets more comfortable with the group and the material, will let loose a little. Give Neil credit, he was thrown into the fire and he held his own.
All varied opinions and analysis aside, wasn't it just so satisfying and very cool to see Neil playing on a popular American daytime show as opposed to the late late late variety that he and/or CH usually make appearances on? I couldn't stop smiling and being so very proud that his talent will be revealed to so many.
ginacandle posted:All varied opinions and analysis aside, wasn't it just so satisfying and very cool to see Neil playing on a popular American daytime show as opposed to the late late late variety that he and/or CH usually make appearances on? I couldn't stop smiling and being so very proud that his talent will be revealed to so many.
Yes, very happy for him! Getting on national US television with such a huge audience on a big show is huge. He looked professional (not that he doesn't) and held his own. Good on him!
Honestly? A bit flat. You could definitely see the band working and enjoying it but I don't think television was the best medium for the debut of this latest incarnation. The mix just felt off. It is television after all.
Can I say "Cramped" for a stadium act? Did you see the "curtain doors" they opened? It looked like they were on The Price is Right. (Neil Finn, come on Down!) This is aside from the musicianship, of course. The exposure they got was huge and uniquely satisfying.
Looking again at Twitter with more time for people to comment, the reaction is overwhelmingly negative. Lots of “it was horrible” and “the singing was awful” and “I’ve seen better tribute bands.” Yikes, too bad. It’s cool that NF got so much exposure and the naysayers always speak louder, but I do feel a little heartbroken that Neil’s big moment gets this sort of reception.
I think there are a number of posts here about the sound quality of performances in TV studios. I'm sure that plays a part, though I doubt 'Joe Public' takes that into consideration. In arenas, as part of a full show, I am sure the sound and overall vibe will be very different. I've not been looking on twitter for reactions, but it may be that the reactions are as much about the rest of the band as they are Neil being a sub for LB. The negativity surrounding Stevie seems pretty heavy. I definitely order my Mac vocalists LB>SN>CM (personal preference, not a judgement on their technical ability). I had a strong preference for LB vocals, but I always enjoyed Steve's vocals live (seen them 3 or 4 times).
Ultimately, some people don't like change, and despite how Mick would like to paint it (and it's his band, so he can do what he wants), I think people (normal people, not musos and super-fans) these days consider the 'true' FM lineup to include Nicks and Buckingham. It is a big change, and even if it turns out OK, it was unlikely the immediate reaction would be gushing.
I still find the sacking a strange development, when the band sans Stevie recorded and released an album together so recently. What isn't strange in the history of the Mac though?!