Welcome, everyone, to AOL Live and a
special welcome to our guest, Mick Fleetwood. Good evening, Mr. Fleetwood!
MFltwood: I'm glad we're all together and looking forward to an
interesting chat from here and from you!
AOLiveMC8: We're glad
you're here. Ready for some questions from the audience?
MFltwood: Yes!
Will Fleetwood Mac be at the Emmy's...
due to the 3 nominations the MTV Dance concert special received?
MFltwood: I actually wasn't aware -- that's nice to know. I would
suspect in some configuration we would be, yes. Not the whole band though...also
when is it? ;) John's in Tahiti sailing and Christine's in Kent, England.
Mick, when/if Lindsey tours to support his new album (whenever it
is released), will you be touring with him?
Yes I will. I worked
on his album with him prior to the tour -- I also helped produce in the studio
so I definitely will be out on the road with Lindsey at some point, yes.
I saw you at the Stevie Nicks Concert in Phoenix last week!!!! Is
your DRUM always wired for sound?
MFltwood: I played at a
charity a few days ago... it was for the Heart Assn which is run by her father
in Phoenix. And I had a great time apart from the African Talking Drum and the
strap broke and instead of playing that I played on the drum kit ... it was a
bit of a shambles but it all worked out and I didn't make a fool out of myself.
Did the reunion go well enough for us to expect another album
sometime soon?
MFltwood: Yes, the reunion was a great success
and I'm glad to say it was a very happy event for all 5 bandmembers. My strong
sense is that there will be more music from Fleetwood Mac and we hope for
another tour. Maybe in the next 18 months...this band will be doing something of
substance, yes.
What has it been like performing with John and
Christine McVie for 30+ years?
MFltwood: It's been fantastic.
John and Chris are so much part of my life. We lived together in
England...shared a home for many years, saw my kids grow. A family. Hopefully
it's a threesome -- Christine supplies fantastic songwriting skills and
sometimes it's forgotten what a rhythm we have from her...it makes up the sound
of Fleetwood Mac.
Mick, we see you play your vest in concert,
what kind of technology is that?
MFltwood: That is the Hotz
technology.... one that I've been involved with for many years and is onward
going. The vest is one facet.. the nuts and bolts is a software enabling a non
musician to freely play music without having had the time or chance to take
formal lessons. It opens the door to millions of people who never had the
opportunity to enjoy the experience of playing music. MFltwood: As a drummer, I
really appreciate this technology and the depth to draw from because the nature
of the drums is nonmelodic. The frustration of not being able to play a
nonmelodic instrument is no longer a problem. The product we have available on
America Online is the consumer side of our technology that allows the people we
just described to play music right out of the box.
Mick, do you
like the outdoor concerts, or indoor?
MFltwood: They're both
very different animals in terms of the ambience and I have to say that I
probably in terms of sound I have to take indoors is more consistent -- the
audience gets a better sonic experience however there is nothing like a
fantastic outdoor concert. The atmosphere and sense of celebration and people
tend to treat it more like a pilgrimage and you very often get those classic
moments...the most classic being Woodstock. I remember playing in Hyde Park in
London. Those are fantastic moments and unique to an outside concert, I find.
What differed Mac from the other groups of the 70s and 80s?
MFltwood: I think Fleetwood Mac was -- fair to say -- people realize
that as glitzy and self serving the 70s tended to be... I believe and hope that
Fleetwood Mac as a band was accepted as people and I think that that's what made
us different... people identified with us outside of the music.
Since things have calmed down for the band, what does a member of
FM do when they're not on tour or in the studio?
MFltwood: On
the other question -- I think although the imaging of Fleetwood Mac was
certainly very quite show-bizzy almost in terms of imaging... in reality, the
music we made in the 70s and early 80s, I think, had something very personable
about it that people identified with and I think, luckily, hold on to til this
day which I think is fantastic.
MFltwood: Back to the other
question.... It varies...John McVie is very much a family man and takes a lot of
time with his young daughter. Outside of his family, he's an avid sailor and has
an incredibly beautiful boat.. he just got back from sailing to Hawaii. And
that's his passion. Chris loves cooking and gardening -- and is is quite a home
body, she is.
MFltwood: Stevie never stops working! She comes off
tour, goes back on. That's her life. She's totally driven by her music, her
performance.. she doesn't seem to have any spare time. I'm much the same way.
I'm very involved in things outside of music though they end up being somewhat
music oriented like the Hotz technology. I have a record company -- Tall Man
Records. And I'm doing some producing now.
MFltwood: Other than
that...I like to do that terrible thing like lying in the sun and roasting
myself! I keep very, very busy. There's no such thing as sitting around and
doing nothing in Mick Fleetwood's world. And Lindsey Buckingham is completely
and utterly dedicated to the craft of music and recording. He thinks day and
night about what he's going to do. Like an artist. He enjoyed being on tour with
Fleetwood Mac.. he hadn't for many, many years. And he's working on finishing
off a solo project that we mentioned earlier in this get together. I think you
just have to think of Lindsey being synonymous with complete cerebral activity.
Mick, I have never played a musical instrument but I would love
to, how can I actually play music with Hotz Trax?
MFltwood: Hotz
Trax is extremely easy to use. It installs on any multimedia PC. It comes up
ready to play music the first time you click on the program icon... Out of the
chute you're able to perform music on the keyboard that comes out of your PC.
Comes with your PC, that is :) There are over 40 different songs in 20 different
styles and from those songs you can make your own musical creations. It's a lot
of fun... and it's an activity that a family can enjoy as well as on your own!
Do you think there is a possibility of you promoting your new
software on the web (if you already haven't). I know of many fans who would love
to see it there!
MFltwood: You can find lots of information at:
www.hotz.com
Did you find the Zoo and your other solo work as
fulfilling as working with Fleetwood Mac?
MFltwood: I'm glad
that someone actually remembers The Zoo! ;) lol And...I loved that short
project, it was many years ago. With Bekka Bramlett...and other players.
Tagalong Keyboards... That band was a helluva lot of fun fairly short lived...
My real reality is that the history and depth of performance that I've been able
to explore with Fleetwood Mac couldn't compare. My life has been Fleetwood
Mac...but I've enjoyed other projects as well. Billy Thorpe was the other member
of that band :)
Mick, with all the accolades FM has received
throughout the years, in your opinion, what has been the band's greatest
accomplishment?
MFltwood: On staying alive, I think! :) On a
more serious note, truly I think the last 18 months was a real personal accolade
to everyone..to realize that after being through so much ...some very confused
times with some confused emotions involved with this strange creature called
Fleetwood Mac, we were able to come out the other end in good humor and truly
with a lot of love and respect for each other and I'm very, very happy about
that.
Who was the most talented person you have ever worked
with?
MFltwood: I think I'd have to pick two people who have
affected me very profoundly.. one was Peter Green who was with the band in the
beginning and the other is Lindsey Buckingham. Buckingham... as you might have
gathered, I'm a guitar freak ;)
Mick, What do you think of female
drummers. * Hint, I'm one. :-)
MFltwood: I think you're much
better off playing the drums than playing a cello between your legs ;) And the
reality is it makes no difference as long as you're laying down a nice, big fat
groove. It makes no difference.. child, lady, man-- and more importantly as long
as you're enjoying it that's what it's all about.
How is Peter
Green doing? Any chance of a doing a gig?
MFltwood: Peter Green
is touring in the U.S. this August. I'm glad to say about 3 months ago I spent
some time in England with Peter and he is not the man I used to know... but on a
positive note he started writing, playing and singing again. And that has
brought him back into the world. For people who weren't and aren't aware, Peter
had a very troubled 15 years or so with schizophrenia and yet again it's
testimony to the healing powers of playing music and how important that is. He's
back singing the blues and touring California in August and I'm looking forward
to seeing him.
You have a wonderful voice. Do you use it on your
new software? I love listening to "These Strange Days". It's wonderful to
actually hear YOU on a Mac CD! Also, do you do any voice-overs or plan to? If
so, what are your plans?
MFltwood: Thank you so much -- that's
sort of an unknown track on an the Fleetwood "Time" album. I thank you for
enjoying it. And strangely enough, just these last 2 weeks I've been asked to do
some voice overs -- maybe on some cartoons and some children's stories -- on
audio tape. So wouldn't you know!
MFltwood: The new software is
oriented to instruments -- but there's no reason you can't sing while you play
it!
Have all combinations of the Fleetwood Mac group included
both you and John McVie?
MFltwood: Yes, they have. Apart from
one. Which was the original band that for 2 months played with a bass player
called Bob Brunning. Although the band was called Fleetwood Mac. John soon
joined the band as we wanted him to do in the first place.
Just
thought that I'd let you know, you were a great part of the show in LA last
night. Is learning to play the drums hard?
MFltwood: Thanks very
much -- it's always fun to work up a sweat! In theory, it's not hard... the
theory is -- if you can tap in time with your foot, you can play the drums. If
you have an innate sense of rhythm and a passion and desire to play the
instrument, you should be able to play that instrument.
Mick -
hi! this is John from CT - I saw you in NYC some years back with Peter Bardens -
it was great! Can we look forward to you working with him again?
MFltwood: Yes -- that's great. I'm actually helping Peter Bardens
produce a new album coming out on a small album in LA -- we start next month,
mostly instrumental but there will be some vocalizing by some people in his
band. He's becoming active again. Peter Bardens gave me my first gig when I was
16...we go back a long way so I'm happy to be reassociated with him.
Hi Mick. My name is Kelly. I LOVE Fleetwood Mac, but who doesn't?
My question is: What is it like being up on stage with 4 other very talented
people playing some of the most famous songs ever?
MFltwood: It
never fails to be a very, very inspiring feeling. It's unbeatable -- it's
fantastic.
If you didn't become a drummer, what would you imagine
you would have done with your life?
MFltwood: Me likes to think
I might have been an actor. Just recently I did my first full length feature
film. I won't be so bold to say I'm a professional actor...I would like to have
studied but maybe I'm going to be doing more acting.
Mick, is
there one specific Fleetwood Mac album that you hold in particularly high
regard?
MFltwood: Again, I am going to pick 2. One is "Then Play
On" and the other one is "Tusk." I just think that both of these albums
represented a real adventurous, unfrightened moment in the band's history in
terms of where we took our music.
Do you feel that the hardships
that you've been through with Fleetwood Mac has in any way benefitted you?
MFltwood: Yes, I do. I think it's all to do with a growth process in
our visit on this planet. I have no regrets -- not that the journey is over, but
certainly I'm aware that I'm able to reflect on my life and up until now a part
of my life has been with Fleetwood Mac. ...that leads me to believe I've grown
because of that experience.
AOLiveMC2: We have time for one final
question tonight.
Are you going to write another book? I
love the one you wrote years ago.
MFltwood: I think I have a few
more years before I even think about doing something like that again. But thanks
for reading the book -- I enjoyed writing it -- actually two of them. Maybe
that's something to get into when I really do find myself sitting on a chair on
some balcony many years from now, hopefully.
AOLiveMC2: Mick
Fleetwood, thanks so much for joining us tonight in AOL Live! Any closing
comments?
MFltwood: I'd like to add one more anecdote...in
closing. It's a phrase from Shakespeare that I think is very appropriate... If
music be the food of love, play on.
