Linda Ronstadt vs. Stevie Nicks

[markolas]

Originally Posted by dissention

That's one of the most insightful things I've read on here in a while. And that's precisely how I feel. It's to the stage where even when she does release new stuff, the songs are just newly packaged retreads of stuff she did years earlier.

For the most part, yeah...but, it's to the point where I think...why expect anything else? Like, when people here talk about how cool it would be for Rick Rubin to produce an album for her...it's a nice idea, but it'll be a cold day in hell. Stevie thinks of herself as a big, flashy rock star...she's never going to cut her hair, tour small clubs, and release a stripped-down album without all the bombast, as great as it might be if she did. I honestly don't think a new album from her would knock me out. TISL was the best thing she'd done in quite a number of years, but I have a feeling a follow-up to it would be anti-climactic. Even though I'd totally buy it.

I think I said before that I thought she's been plagiarizing from herself for eons. I don't see any growth as an artist in her.

I agree, but I don't know if I really expect that of her. I'm not sure why. I think it might be because it was a bit late in the game when I got into her, so I already knew that she did her best songwriting (for the most part) from 1975-81 and then went downhill.

I don't think it makes you or I or anyone else less of a fan simply because of viewpoints like that, either.

I don't think it does either. I mean, I like RAL, and even parts of Street Angel.

If I were to disagree with anything you said, I'd disagree with your assertion that it's fine to do the same old, same old. It's not fine, it's downright lazy.

Yeah, but she's far from the only one. She found a niche and she stayed there, and I've just never expected anything else. I think my biggest peeve is probably that she's too concerned with selling records and pleasing her audience. Joni Mitchell (I hate to keep bringing her up, but I can't think of anyone to better make my point) basically alienated her entire audience when she did the album with Charles Mingus, but she didn't give a ****. She did it because she loved the music. Everything else was secondary. And I don't think Stevie feels that way. She wants people to like her.