Blurb from The Press
Elder Statesmen Fly With Blues
What looked like a showcase for the faces behind a lot of mature FM radio
hits was actually a rare glimpse of some of the best players in the music
business.
Rhythm and blues was the lifeblood linking this triple treat comprising one
of rock's great drummers (Mick Fleetwood), arguably its finest blue-eyed soul
artist (Michael McDonald) and an adult pop practitioner with a pedigree far
deeper than many suspect (Boz Scaggs).
Fleetwood, the venerable giant with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes,
started things by paying tribute to his roots in the British blues boom with a
set that included Fleetwood Mac classics such as a gloriously authentic-sounding
Black Magic Woman and Albatross.
What made his Blues Band an unheralded sensation was Mac alumni Rick Vito,
surely one of America's finest guitarists, whose shimmering slide guitar and
bluesy vocals made the quartet's set an event in itself.
While Fleetwood thumped the kit and mugged enthusiastically, Vito set the
place on fire, especially in Love That Burns, when he bypassed the microphone to
sing directly to the crowd.
Watching Michael McDonald, you're struck by qualities that lots of
contemporary musicians leave at the door.
He pours endless amounts of soul and passion into his music, whether it's
bright and funky stuff like What a Fool Believes, which got them dancing in the
aisles, or ballads with worrying levels of heartache like I Keep Forgettin'.
The yearning in a lot of Motown is a natural fit for this guy, so familiar
favourites like Heard It Through the Grapevine and Ain't Nothing Like the Real
Thing regain freshness. Happily though, the St Louis native focused on his solo
and Doobie Brothers material, which was carried brilliantly by his crack
six-piece band and back-up vocalist through to a rousing gospel-style finale in
Takin' It to the Streets.
Scaggs, accompanied by yet another group of hand-picked American musicians,
was a contrast in style.
Mention his name and many think of disco-era celebrations, but he has matured
and mellowed into a masterful purveyor of mellow funk and jazz, as well as
blues.
The introductory Jojo was just elegant perfection that could have stopped on
a dime.
It was like being escorted in slow-cruising musical Cadillac carrying supple,
sumptuous grooves and steered by Scaggs' distinctive mellow warble.
Lowdown came halfway through and as the band took solo turns, it was easy to
reflect on a night of deep-seated luxury that was warmly appreciated by the
moderate-sized crowd
Talk about it on The LegBoard
Eagle's Schmidt Doubts Mac/Eagles Tour
Blurb from Associated Content
Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles May Not Tour After All
According to Timothy B. Schmit
If Timothy B. Schmit knows what's going on, perhaps the Eagles and Fleetwood
Mac will not be touring together after all. In recent interview, the Eagles
bassist was asked about the rumored plan for the two 1970's mega groups to
jointly tour football and baseball stadiums throughout the summer of
2010.
Schmit said he wasn't sure how much he really should say, but
offered that he "didn't think that's happening".
While a joint tour featuring the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac
might make sense from a marketing perspective, and could help spread overhead
costs across the two groups, there would seemingly be a potential for a large
number of logistical and personality challenges. Not the least of which is the
relationship between the two most recognizable members of both bands, Don Henley and
Stevie Nicks. Former lovers, they have had a turbulent relationship through
the years. While most recently it seems they have gotten along well, there have
been rumors of problems between the two on their joint tour in
2005.
Schmit mentioned that the Eagles might tour jointly with another
band, though he did agree with interviewer David White that they wouldn't
necessarily need to for the purposes of ticket sales.
Schmit is hardly
the voice of the band; he was only with them for one album, The Long Run, in the
group's first incarnation and, along with Joe Walsh, are really hired hands as
co-founders Don Henley and Glenn Frey share actual ownership in the band. A
third Eagle with full ownership, Don Felder, was fired from the band in early
2001. A lawsuit and semi-tell
all book followed, both of which portrayed Henley and Frey as making all of he
decisions. Schmit also contributed to the Eagles 2007 album, Long Road out of
Eden, which was met with mixed reviews.
The Eagles have always been a bit of a mystery to the public, and it is not
clear how much say or even information Schmit has relating to the band's touring
and business decisions. That said, he seemed to have reason to believe that an
Eagles and Fleetwood Mac co-headlining tour will likely not happen. While both bands
remain huge draws, neither would likely sell out stadiums of 50,000 plus people;
at least not at the ticket prices that they are accustomed to
charging.
While it is tempting to say that the years of still being able
to tour are dwindling for both the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, it seems people
have been saying that since the mid 1990's when both bands regrouped.
The one sure thing with both bands is that there is no sure thing in
their plans. Both have overcome drug problems, a changing roster of players
(particularly the Eagles), heat from the critics and the ego problems that seem
to go hand in hand with mega success in rock and roll. Through it all, they have
remained immensely popular while keeping their fans (and probably themselves)
guessing as to whether or not the tour they are on is the last
tour.
While it appears unlikely right now that the Eagles and Fleetwood
Mac will tour together, it would be foolhardy to be sure that they won't. Even
the Eagles' bassist, Timothy B. Schmit, cannot be sure.
Talk about it on The LegBoard
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