There must be some sort of chemistry between the members of a band for it to work. Fleetwood Mac’s live performances were akin to fireworks, a result of their personal relationship struggles and love affairs behind the scenes. This is something that few outfits can achieve without actually going through it. Such dynamics, according to Christine McVie, are what make great musicians.
With his voice capable of captivating an entire room, McVie was an essential member of Fleetwood Mac. She showed the power of sensual, smooth vocals against Stevie Nicks’ more raspy bellows, performing with him. Of course, both singers were incredibly powerful, but McVie’s voice had a certain nostalgia to it that few others could match.
McVie wasn’t a founding member of the group, but her entrance was noteworthy. She joined the group on tour with her band Chicken Shack and was immediately drawn to the group’s extraordinary talent. Her increasing fondness for their working style led her to participate as a session musician on their album Mr. Wonderful.
She would have been content to watch from the sidelines as long as it meant she could stay near her partner, John McVie. But there was something about the band’s electrifying live persona that kept pulling her in. In this atypical Fleetwood Mac setup, they actually bounced off each other on stage and enjoyed each other’s company. That was a strange thing to happen, especially for a lesser-known name.
Still, McVie’s true purpose in life never seemed more apparent. Chicken Shack used to open for them, as she clarified in an interview with The Guardian in 2022. It was amazing and thrilling how I got to know John and fell in love with him,” she remarked. “Fleetwood Mac were fantastic and really funny,” she continued. Peter Green was undoubtedly the biggest joker among them, but their sense of humor was very harmonious. Peter’s departure devastated them.
Christine McVie noticed the band’s “kick-ass” chemistry right away when she first witnessed their performance. She loved to watch experts at work, and would frequently dash over whenever she heard them playing. The singer told Mojo, “You had little Jeremy Spencer playing slide, doing lots of Elmore James stuff, and Mick and John were a force to be reckoned with.” But Green was the real deal.
Green “was like Jesus, playing out-of-this-world guitar,” according to McVie, who called the performance “killer” to watch. The band was in disarray after Green left, having to deal not only with the possibility of a broken lineup but also with a huge void in their dynamic. But once, in an attempt to cheer them up, they asked McVie to join in during rehearsals. McVie was more than just a suitable stand-in; his contributions helped the Mac become one of the most innovative bands of the 20th century. Despite Green’s unmatched influence in the early going.
