BOB Welch- RIP
Posted by: mlauner on 08 June 2012
Bob Welch, singer and guitar player for Fleetwood Mac committed suicide yesterday at age 66. His contributions to mid-era Fleetwood Mac were major. Bare Trees and Heroes are Hard to find still rank with all of their material. RIP.
That is very sad news.
Even more so when one reads why he shot himself.
He showed amazing strength and empathy imo.
My thoughts go out to his family.
RIP Bob.
I will play some of the great music you left us with today.
Stu
Bare Trees was an excellent album made before FM morphed in to an AOR pop group. I don't think they made anything better after it. In fact when Bob and Danny left then that was it for me even though they went on to sell zillions.
Side one
"Child of Mine" (Danny Kirwan) – 5:09
"The Ghost" (Bob Welch) – 3:58
"Homeward Bound" (Christine McVie) – 3:20
"Sunny Side of Heaven" (Kirwan) – 3:10
[
Side two
"Bare Trees" (Kirwan) – 5:02
"Sentimental Lady" (Welch) – 4:35
"Danny's Chant" (Kirwan) – 3:16
"Spare Me a Little of Your Love" (C. McVie) – 3:44
"Dust" (Kirwan) – 2:41
"Thoughts on a Grey Day" (Scarrott) – 2:03
I was very sad to hear Bob had killed himself - I don't know why somebody with such great talent would do that, but neither do I understand why Danny threw it all away.
RIP Bob.
.
Even more so when one reads why he shot himself.
Was it not ill health?
.
Even more so when one reads why he shot himself.
Was it not ill health?
Bob had a big operation on his spine a short time ago.
The last one of a few things he has had done over the last year.
He would of just gone down hill in the next few months with lots of pain ending up as a vegetable.
He did not want that for himself ,Or want to put his family through it.
IMO It took amazing strength of mind, character and empathy to do what he did.
Stu.
I would not want to spend my last months/days in lingering pain and decrepitude either.
I would not want to spend my last months/days in lingering pain and decrepitude either.
That all said Derry.
No comment from you on his music? or even a RIP then?
Rest in peace Mr. Welch. Very sad indeed. Apparently his father was an invalid, cared for by his mother for years. Bob loved his wife so, and didn't want Wendy to have to take care of him for the rest of his life. One can only imagine how much his family is going through now.
Dave
I would not want to spend my last months/days in lingering pain and decrepitude either.
That all said Derry.
No comment from you on his music? or even a RIP then?
De mortuis nil nisi bonum and all that. I am not one for public mourning, as a rule.
Amongst a whole heap of new wave stuff that I was buying at the time (77/78) I purchased Bob's album French Kiss - and I still rate it as classic example of polished American FM rock. it's easy to be wise in hindsight of a tragedy but he was a very underrated guitarist (as is Lindsey Buckingham I reckon)
Sentimental Lady from French Kiss remains a great single, RIP Bob
Those "orphaned" Fleetwood Mac albums are very much underrated, and the first few of his solo albums are terrific (they get progressively patchier), but what are particularly worthwhile hearing are the two albums he made with sidekicks Glenn Cornick, Hunt Sales and Thom Mooney as Paris. Heavier. Don't think they've ever been released on CD.
Interesting but not in the above league is the album he recorded In France as head of the trio Head West back in 1970.
Loved his style of writing and his singing. Wasn't a bad guitar player either.
Sad to hear but I understand why now.
When I got back to LPs I wanted those mid career Macs, I really enjoy them more that the later ones which I never re-bought. Bare Trees and Heros are 2 favorite albums. Don't have my TT set up yet, but when I do, they'll be back on it. Love the clear sounding band and wonderful songs and voices.
A very sad way to have to go for both Bob himself and his family.
Fleetwood Mac guitarists seem to have a curse; Peter Green post LSD madness, Jeremy Spencer Children of God, Danny Kirwan alcohol etc and now poor old Bob.
With growing up a fan of the original group I never really connected to the the albums after Peter Green left. They seemed to have lost their way in those wilderness years of the mid to late 70s'. I have the albums so out of respect I shall put on Bare Trees this evening.
Steve
Having read about Bob Welch's death earlier in the week, thought I'd play Mystery to Me as this is the only FM album I have with him on and sitting here thoroughly enjoying it. Haven't played it in years, so making a real change too. Maybe not the best example of FM from this era, but sounding good all the same and will now be looking out for a copy of Bare Trees, given the comments above.