::laugh: I remember in a Wild Heart era interview when she was 35 she mused about retiring when she was 40 and "everyone else doing it was 14" .Demented old hag.

Marry me? :p

You wonder why she didn't retire at 40. She has expressed interest in having children and she'd still be fertile at that age. Was it really that she wanted to keep making music? Or was this the managers' doing?

My guess is that she can't live without being the center of attention,:shrug: ie. being in the limelight.

Interesting article but the answer is simple. Its not just the money but the amount of money. The amount of money a classic rock artist makes from touring today can be greater than all the years of touring in the 70s and 80s even with inflation worked into the equation. I will use Stevie as an example. I would bet she grossed more money on the 24K Gold tour than all of her prior tours combined. I bet the ON WITH THE SHOW tour grossed more money than most Mac tours combined.
Lets look at some figures:
In 1983 I saw Stevie with Joe Walsh for $12.75. They played to a 3/4 full arena (10,000) which grossed around $127,000 without T shirt sales. I bet Stevie probably made about $50,000 each night (approximately). In 1983 that was probably someone making $200,000 each night today with inflation. Artists actually made more money on album sales than touring. Touring was mostly about promoting the album. Today, rows of tickets sell for over $1000 with many tickets $200-$400 range. A sold out arena can gross 1.5 million. Stevie probably made close to a million dollars each night. Lets be conservative and say $750,000. Its so much money and money they are making in one year that would take them 20 years to make in the 80s. Its just too much damn money to pass up.

But when you're seventy, what can you do with all of that money. You have real property and expensive assets already. In Stevie's position, I couldn't get all that excited about leaving all that money to her niece.

Now, Stevie probably feels an obligation to her solo tour crew who now make their living off of her. So, she wants Waddy and Sharon to be financially set for their retirements. Lori will be treated like family in her will, I guess.

But at some point, even the lure of more money seems empty.

The adulation is a different thing. I suppose the rock stars want that until they take their last breath. They like being iconic and powerful, large and in charge.

Yes! I was going to mention R.E.M., too (one of my all-time favorites and definite soundtrack to my life growing up in Georgia in the '80s). I had mad respect for them for continuing on without Bill Berry (post aneurism) for 15 years, and even more respect for being self-aware enough to know when to call it. They had great successes, made an indelible impact on the music scene for a couple decades, continued to tour and make albums for years (with Berry's blessing), and then realized, "We had a great ride and it is time to move on." There's a lot to be said for that. They're all still dabbling in different projects (music oriented and otherwise) and appear to be enjoying life post-R.E.M.

I do 100% understand how it would be hard to walk away though. As many here have stated, once you experience the thrill of the adulation and cheering manic crowds (and GOBS UPON GOBS OF MONEY), it would be nearly impossible to walk away. I'm amazed Christine retired for as long as she did... and also was not surprised when she came back for the same reasons.

I think this is what it comes down to for Stevie. Having fallen off her perch at the top of the industry back in the late 80s/90s until The Dance, she knows how the biz treats you when you're up vs when you're down. She likes being UP. She likes being well-regarded. It reminds me of a recent comment by Lindsey Graham about why he would embrace Trump after what Trump said about his bestie John McCain. Graham said it made him "feel relevant" being at the center of all the key decisions being made. I think same for Stevie-- she likes being part of the conversation about who's doing what in her industry; she likes 'her band' being among the top of the charts with their tour; she likes being 'relevant'

Stevie likes to tell that story with that slant because it makes a great tragic story, all the children she might have had.

The reality is she never was willing to make any sacrifices to her career that a personal life would require. She could have had children at any point; indeed she ended pregnancies rather than have kids. So I don't buy that sob story in this case as much more than a great drama.

My guess is that she never wanted to have children, which is ok, but apparently her image of Saint Stevie got tainted if she told the truth. And of course it makes a great tragic story for her fans who believe whatever sugarcoated story she wants them to believe.

So, that's when the question of why does she need so much money comes to mind. For who? Her niece and her niece only? Her parents are dead, she's not exactly in a great relationship with her brother, she doesn't speak with Robin's son. So, yeah, one wonder why she needs all that tainted money.

You have to remember, being in Fleetwood Mac was "like being in the Army". Fleetwood Mac prevented her from having the family she dreamed of, not her.

Michael Stipe is one of a tiny handful of rock superstars who is a true introvert so I don't think he ever really had a great desire to be a rock star.

I have cringed at that line for 20+ years. She is truly delusional and it's not just in the last year...

We're not killing anyone. They make the choice. They must accept responsibility for the consequences of that choice, whether they are positive (loads of money, adulation) or negative (health issues or, God forbid, death).

this is something thing I've wondered about these days, haven't kept up with.. any specifics, was there a falling out? I mean I know he's supposedly a shady dude, but what's the latest story regarding him and Stevie's relationship?