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Originally posted by Johnny Stew
Trust me, I'd be the last person to ever take credit away from Lindsey when he deserves it.
And I completely agree that his influence pushes Fleetwood Mac to some very lofty heights.
But I also don't see anything un-commercial about the bulk of his music.
For every "Bwana" or "The Ledge," there's a "Trouble," "Slow Dancing," or "Soul Drifter."
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I'm not criticizing you directly on this, because everybody and their dog does it (including Lindsey himself to some degree) but I must say....
WHY must people act like making the terrific songs you've classified as "commercial" somehow takes away from his artistic integrity?!!! I see Christy's list and I cringe as I see many of my favorites labelled with the dreaded "commercial" - ie, sell-outs and not truly from Lindsey's heart. Again, I'm not saying Christy feels this way, or you JS, but that's the implication that comes up AGAIN and AGAIN. Here you are using it to imply Lindsey is disingenuous about not wanting to "sell out." That is sure a harsh criticism, in my humble opinion, and I hate the fact it is based on songs that have really touched me (in this case, namely, Soul Drifter).
I contend that, with VERY few exceptions, EVERY song Lindsey has released has NOT been done to appeal to commercial success, but because it comes from his own aesthetic impulses. I realize that Lindsey's disparaging remarks about songs like SYHA take away somewhat from my argument, but I also believe that he was forced into that kind of stance from other people's stereotypical views of what is "artistic." I really do believe that Lindsey cares A LOT about whether or not people perceive him as a "true artist" and he hopes that his self-disparagement would raise him in the esteem of people whose respect he seeks (those Clash-types). (My thoughts on Lindsey's misguided need for the approval of these types is a whole 'nother issue!)
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Sure, Stevie wrote "Say You Will" in the hopes that it would have broad commercial appeal, and I still really don't see anything wrong with that. If you want to sell those albums, then you have to include some songs that will help you achieve those ends. [...]
Again, it's all well and good to want things on your own terms. There's nothing at all wrong with standing up for what you believe in. But, as the saying goes, sometimes the ends justifies the means... and if you want to sell albums, and Lindsey does, then you better be willing to play ball.
You make some compromises... you give the record company a few of the kinds of songs they want, and then you can fill the rest of the album with the songs you want
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you know what? I give Stevie the same credit I give Lindsey. I don't think she wrote SYW thinking "I'm going to write something commercial." I DO think that, once she wrote it, she thought, "I hope people will like this" (in other words, it be :: gasp :: commercially successful).
I think BOTH Lindsey and Stevie write from the heart, and I think BOTH want people to enjoy their music. There is nothing wrong with either of those despite the perjorative labelling of the latter as "selling out" or compromising oneself by SO MANY people - even some of his staunchest defenders, who seem embarrassed to admit to liking anything on Rumours better than anything on Tusk. LINDSEY FANS, DON'T BUY INTO THIS MENTALITY! ALL of Lindsey's work is worthy of our respect.
OK, except for Family Man.
