Matthew Anderson on BN.net board

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by David

There is some confusion, too, about what it means to be a chiffonhead. A chiffonhead isn't synonymous with a Stevie lover. "Chiffonhead" is a sarcastic derivative of "Machead," & it was originally used to denote a type of Stevie fan who continually & inappropriately invoked the trappings of Stevie's image (the faeries, the unicorns, the stars, the fog, the magick, the pouty looks, the long white gowns, the New Age crystals) in their own lives & interactions with other fans. Chiffonheads were (are?) the people who talked to you -- with a straight face -- about the spirits speaking to them & who signed their letters & e-mail to you with "Much love" or "Magick unto ye" or "blessed be" or any number of silly phrases from Stevie's brand of Wicca & who addressed one another as "Angel" & who liberally peppered their conversation (such as it is) with lines from Stevie Nicks songs & interviews & who often turned into werewolves at the slightest artistic or musical criticism of Stevie herself. Such people did exist, regardless of whether you choose to believe it, & it was my experience that they existed in large numbers, & I don't need anybody telling me that I exaggerate it or concoct it or see it in a bad dream. Some of those people were extremely nasty (there's one in Kentucky who has alienated virtually the entire fan world for numerous reasons, & another one actually prevented a song from being included on a Stevie Nicks album after he stole it).

When I speak scornfully of "chiffonheads," those are the people I'm referring to -- not just anyone who happens to love Stevie.

Thank you, David. This is the first time I've ever read a detailed explanation for the contempt many older Mac fans seem to have for Stevie's particular faction of fans. A contempt that I had always been left to assume encompassed the whole of her fan community.

I caught on pretty early in my online interactions that "Chiffonhead" was not a term of endearment... but without knowing the full story, the sarcasm behind it always seemed unjustifiably malicious to me.
I've certainly seen hints towards the reasons, but I've never known the full explanation.

I'd still venture to say that some of the rancor directed at Stevie's fans is heavy-handed at times... I see what seems to be a lot (but, admittedly, much of it could be a matter of my own perception) of "guilt by association."
We're not all greedy and opportunistic, or vapid head-cases who need to be talked to like a slow-learning child. Not to mention how often Stevie's fans are treated like mindless lemmings who are oblivious to Stevie's faults (which several people are then so kind enough to point out as often as possible), while fans of other members in the band often exhibit equally passionate views of their faves with little-to-none of the same derisive treatment. Certainly those fans definitely exist, but Stevie doesn't have a monopoly on them... so I never understood the double-standard.

I should say, David, that you're one of the people who've always seemed most inclined to treat people as individuals, rather than as a collective stereotype... which is yet another thing I've always respected about you.

Anyway, I'm glad that I now know exactly WHY many of Stevie's fans are viewed with a jaded eye, and, in the case of those who've burned a lot of bridges with inexcusable behaviour, I can see how it's completely justified.
It makes perfect sense now, in context.