From “Rumours” to Reality: How John McVie Inspired My Journey to the Bass
When I was eight years old, my parents bought a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. I was captivated. We had a top-notch stereo system, and my dad always cranked the bass knob. I didn’t know much about instruments then, but I remember feeling those low vibrations, hearing that resonant tone. It stayed with me, even though I couldn’t put it into words at the time.
A couple of years later, when I was in 5th grade, the orchestra teacher came to our class and invited us to try out. Without hesitation, I stood up, eager to give it a shot. I tried the violin first, then the viola, and then the cello. I wasn’t convinced. Finally, she had me try the double bass. As soon as I plucked the E string, something clicked. It brought me back to those days sitting in front of the stereo with that Rumours album. I said, “This is the one.”
Looking back, I now know John McVie sparked a lifelong love affair with the bass. It became more than just an instrument to me — it was a way to connect to music on a visceral level. And I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating: if it weren’t for McVie, there might not be a No Treble today.
John McVie’s Brilliance
McVie is often overshadowed by the larger personalities and stories within Fleetwood Mac, but his bass work is the glue that holds so many of their classic songs together. His playing on Rumours is a masterclass in “serving the song” with rock-solid playing and understated brilliance. His playing wasn’t flashy or overly complex, but it’s unforgettable — and it’s a reminder of how the bass can drive a song forward in ways that aren’t always obvious to the casual listener.
The quiet confidence in his role is inspirational on its own.
Why Doesn’t McVie Get More Credit?
In the broader conversation about legendary bassists, McVie’s name doesn’t come up as often as it should. Maybe it’s because his playing doesn’t demand attention the way some others do – it blends seamlessly into the fabric of the music. Maybe it’s the fact that he avoided the spotlight (and interviews) offstage.
Bassists who have studied Fleetwood Mac’s catalog know McVie’s genius. Ryan Madora, in her Bass Players to Know article about McVie, perfectly captures his magic in “Go Your Own Way”:
“McVie’s bass line in the chorus of this song is true musical perfection. Rather than pedaling the root note, which he does quite well during the verses, he crafts a clever and melodic contrapuntal line. He uses unique phrasing that emphasizes the up-beats, follows diatonic harmony, and sneakily fits under the vocal or during breaks in the melody. While the vocal line features long and sweeping notes with lush harmonies, McVie balances out the song with this superbly creative bass line.”
McVie’s talent lies in his ability to craft bass lines that “serve the song” without overshadowing it. Listening to “Dreams” as a kid, I felt the steadiness of his “heartbeat” pattern, grounding the vocals and guitar. I later appreciated how his bass playing didn’t beg for attention but quietly transforms the music.
“You Make Loving Fun” was one of the highlights from the album for me, and I loved finding this live video of the performance. Listen to how McVie subtly expands on the studio bass line, adding a touch of creativity to elevate the song in a live setting:
But, of course, it was “The Chain” that really did it for me, with the bass front and center in the outro of the song. Here’s the band performing it live in 1997:
To me, McVie represents what I love about the bass: creating a foundation that makes the entire band sound better. That’s the kind of bassist I’ve always aspired to be, and it’s a big part of why I started No Treble — to celebrate the players who make the music we love possible.
How About You?
Every bassist has that spark — that player, that song, or that moment that made them fall in love with the instrument. For me, it was John McVie and Rumours. Now, I’d love to hear your story. Who or what inspired you to pick up the bass? Share your story in the comments.
Corey Brown is the founder of No Treble and serves in an advisory role. He’s also Head of Editorial at Muse Group. Learn more about Corey on his website and LinkedIn.
I had been playing bass for a while, but I always considered myself a guitar player first. I was in a Stones tribute and studying Bill Wyman when I fell in love with the outro of Street Fighting Man. It’s just like a lot of McVies stuff in that it’s simple but adds so much to the song. Since then I’ve focused more attention on the bass.
Jack Cassidy blew my mind, it sounded like a tank; John Entwhistle was unbelievable; Roger Glover was a rock groove god; John Paul Jones was the solid solid like McVie. Otstanding players every one, this is my inspiration.
I saw a lounge act, the Fabulous Jets, when I was 17. Bass, Chuck Arnold; Drums, Ronnie Cola-Giovanni; and electric Accordion, Alex. The bass blew my mind. I quickly recognized in a power trio, the bass carries the weight, and that’s all I heard. When I was old enough to drink (18 in NY state then), I had converted from guitar to bass (a pre-CBS Fender Precision bass) and I was off to the races playing rock, blues and jazz. Now age 84, I’m still working, playing bass in a superannuated group comprising bass, piano and drums with a repertoire of jazz and broadway standards. I’ll never forget hearing the 3 Jets back in 1957.
The first bass lick I figured out was the iconic one on “The Chain”. John is a great bassist, I love his lines.
I first hear him and Mick with John Mayall on the Bluesbreakers “A Hard Road” album. Been a fan ever since.
I was forced to take violin by my mother, starting in the 6th grade. I continued through junior high, but my heart was never in it. I was in orchestra and drawn to the double bass, but no one was listening, so I finally gave up on violin, but I still wanted to play bass.
My first awareness of a thing called bass guitar came when I saw a picture of the Beach Boys playing live. I thought Brian’s white bass was the coolest instrument I had ever seen, but I had no idea how to get one. I was around 15 or so.
By the time I was 16, I was singing in my own high school band. My girlfriend at the time had been kicked out of the band she had helped start. She was their rhythm guitarist but switched to bass in my band as we had two guitar players and a drummer, but no bass player.
When the band broke up when we all graduated, I was able to borrow my girlfriend’s bass and amp and so I finally had a (borrowed) bass of my own. That was 1969 and I’ve been playing ever since.
As an aside, that cheap bass I borrowed had a totally dead E string. I didn’t know anything about maintaining a bass back then (plus it wasn’t mine) so I adapted my playing style to avoid using the E string at all. I am sure that’s why, for the longest time, even after I got my own bass, I still played mostly at fifth position or above. Also, as a former melody instrument player (violin), I became, and stayed, a mostly melodic player, learning how to play more rhythmically later on.