Why Christine McVie was the real star of Fleetwood Mac
Yes, Stevie Nicks sang lead on “Dreams” and “Landslide,” and Lindsey Buckingham fronted “Go Your Own Way” and “Tusk.”
And yes, Fleetwood Mac is named after drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.
But singer, songwriter and keyboardist Christine McVie – who died Wednesday aged 79 after a “brief illness” – was Fleetwood Mac’s real secret weapon.
The numbers don’t lie: McVie — who, after marrying John in 1969, joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970 — wrote or co-wrote half of the songs included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group’s 1988 “Greatest Hits.” were.
The band’s golden years include “Don’t Stop,” which was Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign song, “You Make Loving Fun,” which she wrote about an affair she had with Curry Grant, the band’s lighting director “Tango in the Night” duo “Little Lies” and “Everywhere”.
In contrast, the much more celebrated Nicks – who was included in both Fleetwood Mac and the RRHOF as a solo artist – only had five songs on this album.
Christine McVie, John McVie, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac perform on stage during the 2017 Classic West at Dodger Stadium.
Bob Welch, Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac in August 1974.
McVie performing with Fleetwood Mac at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota in 1990.
McVie performing with Fleetwood Mac at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota in 1990.
McVie on the Radio City stage in 2018.
McVie performed with the band in Brussels in 1980.
McVie has more than twice as many songs as Stevie Nicks on Fleetwood Mac’s 1988 Greatest Hits album.
McVie married John McVie in 1969 and joined Fleetwood Mac in 1970.
McVie in the recording studio with Fleetwood Mac in New Haven, Connecticut, 1975.
McVie and ex-husband John accept the 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year award honoring Fleetwood Mac in Radio City.
McVie appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon with Lindsey Buckingham in 2017.
That math leaves Nicks pretty much in the “gold dust.”
Buckingham is no real competition for McVie either: He only had three songs on FM’s Greatest Hits.
It all adds up to McVie being a much bigger force in the band, which released one of the best-selling albums of all time, Rumors, in 1977. Despite being one of the group’s key songwriters and lead singers, she was much more of a quiet force than Nicks — no flashy capes for her — or even Buckingham. She was the unsung heroine of the band.
But McVie didn’t have much success in her solo career: Her 1970 debut “Christine Perfect” — which derives its title from her maiden name — didn’t garner any hits, though 1984’s “Christine McVie” made the Top 10 “Got a Hold on Me.” .” McVie’s third and final solo album, 2004’s In the Meantime, also collapsed.
Still, McVie – with her cool, clear tone in stark contrast to Nick’s adorable croak – made fun of loving Fleetwood Mac for 52 years.
https://nypost.com/2022/11/30/why-christine-mcvie-was-the-real-star-of-fleetwood-mac/ Why Christine McVie was the real star of Fleetwood Mac
