The moment Christine McVie knew she had to up her game in Fleetwood Mac: “Am I in the band?”
Christine McVie recalled realising she was being pushed into the background in Fleetwood Mac after seeing the band perform on television. Her response, “Am I in the band?”, captured how Bob Welch’s energetic presence had come to dominate the group, prompting her to recognise that she needed to assert her own contributions.
McVie said she had been content to let Welch take the lead, describing herself as “basically lazy”, while Mick Fleetwood felt the band should have performed more of her songs. She had joined in 1970 after establishing herself with Chicken Shack, and later became a major songwriter, contributing nearly half the tracks on 1977’s *Rumours* and writing hits including “You Make Loving Fun”, “Everywhere” and “Little Lies”. The arrival of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham alongside McVie gave the band several distinctive songwriting voices.
In short
- McVie questioned her place after seeing Welch dominate a TV performance.
- She said she had let him take the lead.
- She later became one of Fleetwood Mac’s key songwriters.
Explained simply
Fleetwood Mac began in 1967 as a British blues band, but its line-up and musical style changed over time. Christine McVie joined in 1970 after playing with Chicken Shack, and brought her own songs and keyboard playing to the group.
In the early 1970s, guitarist and singer Bob Welch became a prominent presence in the band. Later, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined McVie as songwriters and singers, giving Fleetwood Mac several distinct musical voices.
McVie went on to write or co-write many of the band’s best-known songs, including tracks on the 1977 album Rumours. Her place in the group matters because Fleetwood Mac’s sound and success grew from the contributions of its different songwriters.
Art Business Culture Entertainment Markets Music