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John McVie... How did I miss him?

#22
roccobass said:
Yes indeed, John McVie is underrated.

Along with the Bluesbreaker album, I strongly suggest grabbing this releases either via disc or download. It’s so ironic this thread came up. All 4 of these are on my weekly rotation on my Bose. The music is fantastic too. :thumbsup:
(Oops. The lower left disc is entitled “Then Play On”. It got cut off.)

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Thanks for posting with those album references, a real trip down memory lane. Now I'll have to look them all up and buy them again, or search itunes, haven't listened to any of them for ,b***y decades.:D
 
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#23
I am always extremely impressed with McVie’s playing on the Buckingham-Nicks era Fleetwood Mac catalog. Tight arrangements can be a challenge for bass players. In that setting it’s a vital skill to compose lines that are both economical and integral. Yet he does it with impressive consistency. I’m not sure how much help he got from Lindsey; most arrangers have at least some influence over bass lines, but in this case I think it was McVie who more often helped Buckingham.
 
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#25
It's extremely rare that he ever did interviews, but in one that I recall reading the answer to a question, John mentions that a lot of his bass lines were constructed around Christine's keyboard parts. He wasn't specific about it, but the the lock with Mick was incidental and natural, the counter-melodic stuff was all about Chris.
 
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#26
EdwardofHuncote said:
It's extremely rare that he ever did interviews, but in one that I recall reading the answer to a question, John mentions that a lot of his bass lines were constructed around Christine's keyboard parts. He wasn't specific about it, but the the lock with Mick was incidental and natural, the counter-melodic stuff was all about Chris.
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That makes a lot of sense.
 
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#28
Phoenician said:
That makes a lot of sense.
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I've been looking for it a while now. The site where that Q & A interview was is gone now. I have a printed copy of it somewhere though. If I recall, it was shortly before the Say You Will tour began in '03. There was some pretty good candid stuff in there. He's just so private (as we all deserve to be) and enjoys the quiet life away from the stage that you can't drag him to publicity stuff. He doesn't do gossipy band crap, but very much enjoys talking about music. It's a shame that page died. Good thing I printed that screen for future reference though.
 
#29
bearhart74 said:
Now you have gone and done it... went down the rabbit hole of super tasteful non flashy players. Gotta get with Lee Sklar, Howie Epstein, Ron Blair, Patrick O'hearn, Pino, Hutch & Michael Rhodes next.
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I was listening to Billy Cobham's album Spectrum the other day, Lee Sklar's playing is absolutely just what it needs to be on the tracks he's on. Being a 70s fusion album you'd expect ultra-flash but he is the glue that holds the tracks together while the rest show off their virtuosity.
 
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#31
nozkcb said:
Been playing bass for about 40 years. Have had many influences from the super, mega chops flashy masters of the bass, to some of the world's most Renown Studio session players as well as a handful of and players from rock, pop, Jazz and Country, but for some reason, until recently I didn't have a good appreciation for John McVie's work with Fleetwood Mac.

Maybe it's because he doesn't do anything flashy or because he just stands there and plays the bass. I'm not sure how I missed it until I started working with a group that is doing a handful of Fleetwood Mac songs, and once I started to really pay attention to what he's doing, I discovered his playing is a huge part of what made those songs what they are. And no, it's not just that bass riff in The Chain. A lot of very tasteful and internal parts of Fleetwood Mac songs came from his hands.

I wonder how many others have underappreciated him as a player and an big part of what made the band songs so good?
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Good player. I’ve always respected his work. His partnership with Fleetwood was a solid foundation for the band.
 
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#32
Fleetwood Mac really was groundbreaking. They created a unique style. They mixed vocals in an uncommon way. They actually deployed 3 lead singers, not in a “show band” way. And they were all top musicians. Without fawning all over Buckingham and McVie and…
Basically they were a super group in every sense.

Back to OP, McVie was an innovator. He brought a personal sense of musical style to the bass guitar in rock/pop music that is still rare. He expanded the pocket, so to speak. I’m not talking just about 1 song with a weird metal fingerboard bass. The electric bass guitar is mixed front and is key to the melody of a lot of their material. I’d argue that a lot of bassists in pop/rock bands have more creative freedoms today in part because of McVie.
Plus, dude was a total rock star.
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#33
Killing Floor said:
Fleetwood Mac really was groundbreaking. They created a unique style. They mixed vocals in an uncommon way. They actually deployed 3 lead singers, not in a “show band” way. And they were all top musicians. Without fawning all over Buckingham and McVie and…
Basically they were a super group in every sense.

Back to OP, McVie was an innovator. He brought a personal sense of musical style to the bass guitar in rock/pop music that is still rare. He expanded the pocket, so to speak. I’m not talking just about 1 song with a weird metal fingerboard bass. The electric bass guitar is mixed front and is key to the melody of a lot of their material. I’d argue that a lot of bassists in pop/rock bands have more creative freedoms today in part because of McVie.
Plus, dude was a total rock star.
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He should get recognition for that tache as well as his bass playing, definitely up there with Zappa...
 
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#36
nozkcb said:
Been playing bass for about 40 years. Have had many influences from the super, mega chops flashy masters of the bass, to some of the world's most Renown Studio session players as well as a handful of and players from rock, pop, Jazz and Country, but for some reason, until recently I didn't have a good appreciation for John McVie's work with Fleetwood Mac.

Maybe it's because he doesn't do anything flashy or because he just stands there and plays the bass. I'm not sure how I missed it until I started working with a group that is doing a handful of Fleetwood Mac songs, and once I started to really pay attention to what he's doing, I discovered his playing is a huge part of what made those songs what they are. And no, it's not just that bass riff in The Chain. A lot of very tasteful and internal parts of Fleetwood Mac songs came from his hands.

I wonder how many others have underappreciated him as a player and an big part of what made the band songs so good?
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As a Teenager of the 60's and a blues fan his playing with John Mayall on the 3 records featuring Eric,Peter Green and Mick Taylor were a road map on how to play blues. All the records with the Peter Green Fleetwood Mac follow the same pattern of how to play with a band. I believe that there is a roll to play as a bassist and overplaying ruins the intent of the music in Blues. I never followed Fleetwood Mac once Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer left.
 
#39
projectapollo said:
I love his tone on Rumors. That bass sounds great on any play back system. That record was recorded on Sound City's Neve console. Big reason I use the Neve DI box.
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Actually, Rumors was recorded at The Plant in Sausalito, CA. It was the self titled album Fleetwood Mac with John and Mick on the cover that was recorded at Sound City.

Sound City album:
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