Stevie still not on board for new album.

[KenB]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Oh....let Jeff Lynne have a crack at it. He's already turned the Beatles (individually & collectively) into ELO, why not Fleetwood Mac??

Oh wow -- am I the only one who LOVES the idea of Jeff Lynne producing FM? I'd never thought about it before, but now that you mention it, there do seem to be some sonic similarities between Lindsey's production style and Lynne's -- lots of layers, feather-beds of harmonies, etc. Of the outside producers mentioned so far in this thread, this is the only one I like the idea of!

On a different note, I've always wanted to hear Lindsey produce Elvis Costello, a pairing that seems unlikely to ever happen.

[reebokandlace]

Originally Posted by BlueDenimLamp

FM will not put out a record without Stevie while she is still a member of the band and Fleetwood Mac ( MF in particular and possibly LB not sure about JM or CM) will not do anything that will potentially put their "cash cow" touring revenue at risk ( cash over creativity ) so if FM want's a new album Stevie will get her way.

I highly doubt that. If Stevie insists on Dave producing her songs I don't believe Lindsey and Mick would stand for such a terrible producer to put his sound on an FM album. The other four members are far too talented to be charmed by that snake oil salesman. Dave sees himself as some sort of ringleader, I see him as a talentless ego maniac. Stevie may be enchanted by him but I think Lindsey is far too talented a producer to allow Dave's bubble gum crap sound to cross his threshold. Even her die hard fans are complaining about the crappy production and mixing of her latest cd.

I say they shouldn't give into her. It will be interesting to see and hear the sound of just the four members. Remember Mick, Christine and John only wanted just Lindsey to join the band, Stevie just came as excess baggage. Yes, it was the most amazing lineup and yes they all got very rich from it....but they have come a long way since then and have made enough money that they can tell Stevie to go pound sand.....the show can and will go on without her.

[MikeVielhaber]

I don't see Lindsey just being like "yeah, whatever you want Stevie" as far as the music and sound go for something that's going on an album with his name attached.

[anusha]

I don't know -- last year, it seemed that Lindsey was more in a we'll see if Stevie wants to do anything but I'm not pushing sort of vibe, but now that Chris is on board to do an album, and they've enjoyed working together in the studio, you've got 3 people who want to do an album (Mick, Lindsey, Chris, though Mick could flip-flop), one who'd probably be fine touring forever (John), and Stevie, who still seems to want no part of it.

I also think that this is probably a source of real tension among the band, if only because of the press that everyone is doing. And I get it -- Stevie has 100% control of the situation. And this has been the situation for FM albums going back to when she put out Bella Donna and became a huge solo star.

I don't think it would work for them to release the everyone-but-Stevie stuff if they're going to hold themselves out as a five-piece for the long, lucrative tours (that have, for the past decade, largely banked on the Stevie-Lindsey reconciliation, though the Chris comeback has changed that a bit).

That Say You Will ended up being a negative situation for Stevie, subjectively, is huge here. Did they ever say what the big sequencing fight was at the end? Clearly it was big, since she gave a lot of interviews after the fact that she was unhappy, and Lindsey alluded to it during his Under the Skin solo jaunt. I always suspected it was about Lindsey's songs ("Come" in particular), and how they were sequenced in the album. And I just think that, given that she has an outlet for her solo work, is fine with its quality, and it probably sells the same or maybe even more than a new FM album would, given her iconic status (and FM's demographic and poor album sales generally), she just can't be bothered to give up any songs for a new album.

But this band, and its politics, are a moving target, so we'll see. They will likely tour through a good part of next year, so I wouldn't expect that album anytime soon.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by anusha

I don't know -- last year, it seemed that Lindsey was more in a we'll see if Stevie wants to do anything but I'm not pushing sort of vibe, but now that Chris is on board to do an album, and they've enjoyed working together in the studio, you've got 3 people who want to do an album (Mick, Lindsey, Chris, though Mick could flip-flop), one who'd probably be fine touring forever (John), and Stevie, who still seems to want no part of it.

I also think that this is probably a source of real tension among the band, if only because of the press that everyone is doing. And I get it -- Stevie has 100% control of the situation. And this has been the situation for FM albums going back to when she put out Bella Donna and became a huge solo star.

I don't think it would work for them to release the everyone-but-Stevie stuff if they're going to hold themselves out as a five-piece for the long, lucrative tours (that have, for the past decade, largely banked on the Stevie-Lindsey reconciliation, though the Chris comeback has changed that a bit).

That Say You Will ended up being a negative situation for Stevie, subjectively, is huge here. Did they ever say what the big sequencing fight was at the end? Clearly it was big, since she gave a lot of interviews after the fact that she was unhappy, and Lindsey alluded to it during his Under the Skin solo jaunt. I always suspected it was about Lindsey's songs ("Come" in particular), and how they were sequenced in the album. And I just think that, given that she has an outlet for her solo work, is fine with its quality, and it probably sells the same or maybe even more than a new FM album would, given her iconic status (and FM's demographic and poor album sales generally), she just can't be bothered to give up any songs for a new album.

But this band, and its politics, are a moving target, so we'll see. They will likely tour through a good part of next year, so I wouldn't expect that album anytime soon.

Great points and I believe you are correct about the sequencing fight. I don't know that it's ever been clarified. Mick mentioned it, I believe, and Lindsey definitely did. The only sort of reconciliation after that time I can remember is Stevie telling Lindsey something along the lines of she makes a better friend than an enemy or something along those lines. Anyone remember more specifically? Whatever that "talk" was, there seemed to be a bit of peace for a while. Of course any peace with those two is always tentative at best.

[anusha]

I'll add a couple of other thoughts. It seemed that, as of last year, Lindsey was pretty much prepared to take whatever Stevie was willing to give in terms of participation on studio efforts. He was happy with the EP, did "Without You" as her songwriting contribution, and said things to the effect that the other stuff he had done with Mick and John would find their place somewhere (and didn't seem too concerned with whether that somewhere would have a Fleetwood Mac label on it).

But, you add Chris into the mix, and it's a totally different situation, so now it's understandable that Lindsey is more keen to do a Fleetwood Mac album than last year, and now Chris and Mick agree. So, Stevie's got more pressure on her, which she resents and characterizes as "Lindsey doesn't want me to do anything but FM." I'd guess that comment probably comes out of some expression of frustration from the band and/or Lindsey that she went and did the 24 Karat Gold sessions in Nashville while Chris/Lindsey/Mick/John were in the studio. That can't have sat well with the others, regardless of what they say now.

But, at least they're getting along well enough (or making enough money) to keep touring. I think that the album may happen though, because there is a lot of momentum towards it. But I also think that Stevie will delay and possibly try to put more of her favorite demos out on another album, and give Fleetwood Mac new and/or less precious songs.

[KenB]

It just occurred to me that Stevie has never had a song as a FM album's opening track, and very rarely had a song in the #2 spot. Wonder if this could be a bone of contention for her?

And although I do like "Come" as a song, I have to admit that it doesn't fit at all well on SYW. And because of that, it sticks out as having been placed there very deliberately by Lindsey.

[Newzchspy]

Originally Posted by KenB

It just occurred to me that Stevie has never had a song as a FM album's opening track, and very rarely had a song in the #2 spot. Wonder if this could be a bone of contention for her?

And although I do like "Come" as a song, I have to admit that it doesn't fit at all well on SYW. And because of that, it sticks out as having been placed there very deliberately by Lindsey.

Seems like her biggest hits were penned BY or for someone else.........

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by KenB

It just occurred to me that Stevie has never had a song as a FM album's opening track, and very rarely had a song in the #2 spot. Wonder if this could be a bone of contention for her?

And although I do like "Come" as a song, I have to admit that it doesn't fit at all well on SYW. And because of that, it sticks out as having been placed there very deliberately by Lindsey.

Stevie has had as many or more #2 slots than the others have. She had 2 of that eras 5 albums. Seems odd that she would have a problem not having an opener at the very same time that you realized she'd never had one. Plus she'd have to actually record something for that to be an issue anyway.

[anusha]

I think they're all kind of obsessed with sequencing, which seems less and less important and time goes on (certainly a lot less important now than in 2003 when SYW came out). I'd guess that having an uptempo song in the #1 position is important to them, and Stevie's songs, often, though not always, are more mid-tempo, which was probably the issue.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by reebokandlace

I highly doubt that. If Stevie insists on Dave producing her songs I don't believe Lindsey and Mick would stand for such a terrible producer to put his sound on an FM album. The other four members are far too talented to be charmed by that snake oil salesman. Dave sees himself as some sort of ringleader, I see him as a talentless ego maniac. Stevie may be enchanted by him but I think Lindsey is far too talented a producer to allow Dave's bubble gum crap sound to cross his threshold. Even her die hard fans are complaining about the crappy production and mixing of her latest cd.

I say they shouldn't give into her. It will be interesting to see and hear the sound of just the four members. Remember Mick, Christine and John only wanted just Lindsey to join the band, Stevie just came as excess baggage. Yes, it was the most amazing lineup and yes they all got very rich from it....but they have come a long way since then and have made enough money that they can tell Stevie to go pound sand.....the show can and will go on without her.

Interesting opinion, but just that, an opinion. Stewart couldn't be nearly the hack producer you're claiming here and have In Your Dreams and 24 Karat Gold getting positive reviews. You, personally, don't like it, but objectively there's no evidence he's the "terrible producer" you think.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by anusha

And I just think that, given that she has an outlet for her solo work, is fine with its quality, and it probably sells the same or maybe even more than a new FM album would, given her iconic status (and FM's demographic and poor album sales generally), she just can't be bothered to give up any songs for a new album.

Well, except this has only been true during the Tusk/Bella Donna era. Bella Donna did outsell Tusk, but since then Mac albums have tended to sell more than Nicks' albums have: Trouble in Shangri-La moved nearly 700,000 while Say You Will did nearly 900,000, I believe. A Mac album has a good chance to go Gold while it's a bit of an uphill battle for Nicks to do so anymore.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

Seems like her biggest hits were penned BY or for someone else.........

Solo career wise, this is true, but she's still had quite a number of solid hits she's penned.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by KenB

It just occurred to me that Stevie has never had a song as a FM album's opening track, and very rarely had a song in the #2 spot. Wonder if this could be a bone of contention for her?

I doubt it, because Nicks is usually the person who has sequenced Mac albums.

I think with SYW it boiled down to she didn't want "Come" on the album, she didn't like how Lindsey produced "Smile At You," and they had that argument over who was going to mix the album (the scene where John asks how much it will cost and Lindsey gives him an estimate and he's like "I can't afford that!" is priceless).

[KenB]

Originally Posted by tabruns

I doubt it, because Nicks is usually the person who has sequenced Mac albums.

Really? I didn't know that, and it's really fascinating if true. Do we have a source for this info?

I always thought Tango was perfectly sequenced. If Stevie did that, then major props to her.