He is the Mac in Fleetwood Mac!
Seminal Sides: John Mayall & The Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton; Then Play On (1969), Future Games (1971), Mystery to Me (1973), Fleetwood Mac (1975), Rumours (1977), Tusk (1979), Live (1980), Say You Will (2003).
The late, truly great British blues guitar icon Peter Green was clever to name his fledgling ensemble for drummer Mick Fleetwood and former tax inspector / bassist John Graham McVie. Acknowledged among the most identifiable and flexible rhythm sections in rock history, Fleetwood’s bona fide Mac is a consummate song player – from pop to improvisatory blues.
Born in London in 1945, John commenced his musical journey as a teen, moving from trumpet, then to guitar, and then to bass when his dad purchased a snazzy Fender akin to Jet Harris – which must have cost a small fortune in the economically depressed post-war UK!
McVie’s tenure in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers commenced when he was still relatively new to the instrument. Yet McVie help set the template for standard rock blues electric bass: working the lower register, outlining the changes, plying subtle harmonic extensions, and supporting the resident god-like guitar hero with a fat tone.
As with The Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman, Mac’s approach evokes how Willie Dixon might have sounded had he played electric – which is quite logical given that his boss John Mayall (who hired and fired Mac several times) tutored the emerging musician, and was a staunch Dixon devotee.
Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (aka “Beano”) is among the most influential albums of the classic rock era. Note that McVie and drummer Hughie Flint worked the pocket in the service of Mayall and Slowhand with a decidedly swing feel.
John McVie Sound & Vision…
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
“All Your Love” https://youtu.be/rUUEtCBhn_Q
“Steppin’ Out” https://youtu.be/PkulcvRkd4I
With Fleetwood Mac, and its various singer / songwriter / “front persons” including Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham, Dave Mason, Rick Vito, Billy Burnette, Neil Finn, and Bekka Bramlett, McVie waxed inventive passages in support of the superstar singers and their chart-topping songs and album tracks. Often the subject of his ex-wife Christine McVie’s songs on Rumours, McVie’s weapons of choice included the Fender Jazz, Precision, and Telecaster Bass, and Alembic. Nowadays he’s a Lakland man. In 1992 John waxed his sole solo slab John McVie’s Gotta Band with Lola Thomas.
McVie also worked the occasional session, most notably with Warren Zevon on the classic track “Werewolves of London” with Mick Fleetwood helming the drum chair: https://youtu.be/iKtPOC3VqGs
And dig these Deep Mac tracks…..
“Rattlesnake Shake” (Then Play On / 1969) https://youtu.be/ob5Q_daCOB8
“Coming Your Way” (Then Play On) https://youtu.be/JCEqKVDsa0E
“Station Man” (Kiln House / 1970) https://youtu.be/YSZJFWn7OM4
“Sands of Time” (Future Games / 1971) https://youtu.be/1Jkp34jMeEw
“Child of Mine” (Bare Trees / 1972) https://youtu.be/F–ImFAn8oU
“Revelation” (Penguin / 1973) https://youtu.be/chcRAWh8Tik
“Miles Away” https://youtu.be/3za5HwkfuVQ and “Hypnotized” (Mystery to Me / 1973) https://youtu.be/fDzXbdxeeHI
“Bermuda Triangle” (Heroes are Hard to Find / 1974) https://youtu.be/f83nXE0TBvA
“Rhiannon” (Fleetwood Mac / 1975) https://youtu.be/jQAK6sVovUk and “The Chain” (Rumours / 1977) https://youtu.be/kBYHwH1Vb-c
Photos Courtesy of Fleetwood Mac . Com
By Thomas Semioli
A Grammy nominated producer, recording artist, sideman, bandmember, musical director, multi-instrumentalist, educator, clinician, and bassist – among other distinctions: Roscoe Beck’s remarkable five-decade (and counting) career has spanned rock, fusion, jazz, folk, reggae, funk, Americana, blues and permutations thereof.
Among Beck’s notable collaborations include Leonard Cohen, Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, the Vaughn Brothers, Jennifer Warnes (a Grammy nod for Famous Blue Raincoat), Passenger, Darden Smith, and The Dixie Chicks to cite a few.
A fretted, fretless, and upright player, Roscoe served as Leonard Cohen’s musical director and bassist for several years until the Canadian bard’s passing.
Fender has issued two signature Roscoe artist models – a four and five string with design cues taken from the Fender Jazz bass.
Dig Roscoe plying grooves aplenty with Leonard from Field Commander Cohen: Tour of 1979 “Field Commander Cohen” https://youtu.be/EyLmYpSP4w4
Dig Roscoe from his Walk On solo slab “Wasn’t It Fine” https://youtu.be/8FlYT66IF0E
Dig Tony Senatore’s rendition of Roscoe’s “Talk To Your Daughter” with Robben Ford https://youtu.be/zeu4h5QnqYo
Dig Roscoe with Passenger “Baked Benson” https://youtu.be/1nSChuNprKI
Dig Roscoe with Jennifer “Came So Far for Beauty” https://youtu.be/xlXNhoELB6g
Dig Roscoe with Oz Noy, Warren Haynes, Chris Layton, Reese Wynans https://youtu.be/imhsexYLwTE
By Joe Gagliardo
Among the top session/touring sidemen of the late 1960s and 70s, Billy Rich brought his rich knowledge of blues, soul, funk, gospel, and jazz to several notable artists including Taj Mahal, John McLaughlin, The Buddy Miles Express (with Jimi Hendrix), Geoff Muldaur, Seals & Crofts, Jesse Ed Davis, and Paul Butterfield, to cite a few.
An Omaha native inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Fame in 2004, Rich was offered the bass chair in Jimi’s Band of Gypsys by producer Alan Douglas but declined. Billy’s composition “69 Freedom Special” as recorded by Les Paul & Friends, won a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental in 2005.
Rich remains active on the bandstand and recording studio – check out all things Billy Rich at http://www.billrichmusic.com/
Billy Rich Sound & Vision:
Geoff Muldaur “Chevrolet / Alice” https://youtu.be/wEkoKntwRV0
Buddy Miles “Freedom Special” https://youtu.be/0L5ZG96b-xg
John McLaughlin “Marbles” https://youtu.be/l0wnc-eBRbg
Taj Mahal “Johnny Too Bad” https://youtu.be/l0wnc-eBRbg
Paul Butterfield “New Walkin’ Blues” https://youtu.be/SV-aqZXlhDI
Les Paul & Friends “69 Freedom Special” https://youtu.be/cTC0acyGpMg
Bill Rich “Can You Pheel It” https://youtu.be/vO-ui58SwYg
Courtesy Rory Gallagher Com
Courtesy Rory Gallagher Com