Bob Welch was a guitarist and songwriter who was instrumental in steering early Fleetwood Mac towards a more radio-friendly sound. He was in the band from 1971-1974 (for 5 albums), just before the band exploded with the arrival of his replacements, Linsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Nonetheless, Welch seemed poised to be a superstar on his own as his solo debut "Sentimental Lady" soared to #8 in 1977 (the song features Christine McVie and Buckingham on backing vocals). He followed it up with respectable chart showings for "Ebony Eyes" (#14), "Hot Love, Cold World" (#31), and "Precious Love" (#19). But that was pretty much the end of the road. Aside from the lackluster "Church," which stalled at #73 in 1979, Welch fell off the radar. His early 80s albums sold badly, as did a comeback he attempted in 1999 called "Bob Welch Looks At Bop." Through the 80s he fell into drug and alcohol addiction, partly due to having Guns N' Roses researching out of his garage. Welch sobered up but was dealt another blow by being snubbed from the induction of Fleetwood Mac into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. A final blow arrived in 2012, after Welch realized that he would not recover from recent spinal surgery. He committed suicide at the age of 66. Despite their commercial disappointment, I enjoy Welch's solo work from the 80s. "He's Really Got A Hold On Her" is a selection from his 1983 effort, "Eye Contact."
Christine McVie has been the keyboardist and one of the hit-making voices in Fleetwood Mac since 1970. While most of the other members of the band have released multiple solo albums, Christie McVie has only indulged in two, not counting her pre-Fleetwood Mac effort from 1970 released under her maiden name, Christine Perfect, or her more recent duo effort with Lindsey Buckingham. McVie's biggest solo effort came in 1984, following the monstrous success of Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was self-titled record and yielded her only two chart hits: "Got A Hold On Me" (#10) and "Love Will Show Us How" (#30). She would soon regroup with Fleetwood Mac for their hugely successful comeback album, "Tango In The Night." While most of the tracks are pretty nondescript, "Keeping Secrets" strikes me as an underrated gem. It has a catchy chorus with ear-pleasing harmonies that make it worthwhile.
The origins of the legendary Fleetwood Mac go all the way to back to 1969. The name is derived from founding members Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Christine, John's wife, joined in 1970. But the most significant change for the band that helped catapult them into the limelight was the addition of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1974. With these five members in place, the band would reach incredible heights, starting with their 1975 self-titled record. It marked a bold change for the band's sound, transforming British Blues into harmonious rock and pop. The band's 1977 masterpiece, "Rumours," remains one of the best-selling albums of all-time and produced their only #1 hit, "Dreams." The record yielded 3 additional top ten hits including "Go Your Own Way" (#10), "Don't Stop" (#3), "You Make Loving Fun" (#9). The band remained strong all the way until 1990, with additional hits like "Sara" (#7), "Hold Me" (#4), "Big Love" (#5), and "Little Lies" (#4). But with the departure of the irreplaceable Buckingham in 1987, the band struggled to maintain success. A surprise comeback record was released in 2003 called "Say You Will." Overall it marked the 17th studio record for the band. It is a mixed affair, but the title track provides a reminder of what makes Fleetwood Mac so amazing and should have put the band back on the charts. And can you hear Sheryl Crow on backing vocals? The record did give the band one last appearance on the top 100. The track "Peacekeeper" waved a white flag at #80.
