1994-1996 What Happened?

[Tusky]

I was thinking about Stevie's appearance on "Rock Family Trees" in '94 when she seemed so angry with Fleetwood Mac.In the programme I think John said something about Stevie's attitude to FM was like 'they have only done bad things for me.'
I was then thinking that in '96 she collaborated with Lindsey for "Twisted" and then of course "The Dance" happened.
Apart from getting off Klophin( bad spelling!) has she even spoken of the moment she "made up" with the rest of The Mac and/or Lindsey during the 94-96 period?
If not,what do you guys think happened between them?

[MikeB]

I haven't heard of anything that might have been said about that period,but my guess is the whole Mick's book and the Silver Springs not-being-given-for-the-best-of had something to do with it her being so bitter about them.

And also I think it was a Lindsey related thing too.I believe I read that Stevie wouldn't rejoin Fleetwood Mac at the time unless Lindsey was included in the line-up,and Lindsey definitely wasn't going to do that at the time! So maybe Stevie was bitter at him 'cos of that? But by '95 when he started to patch things up with Mick,I guess that included Stevie too.

[DownOnRodeo]

I admire Stevie for being the kind of down-to-earth person who isn't too precious to 'not ever want to work with him again' or vice versa.

[Johnny Stew]

That's a really strange time-period, and certainly one of the oddest episodes in Fleetwood Mac's history.

I think a lot of Stevie's bitterness towards the band (though moreso towards Mick, rather than Chris or John), and towards Lindsey, was born out of the very miserable place she was in, in her life.
The Klonopin addiction (and the ruptured breast implants), left her unhealthy... and I think we all know from our own experiences, that when you're sick and don't feel well, it's not too easy to be happy and easy-going.

So I think little things that had happened over the years... feelings of insecurity about her worth in regards to the band, perceived (or real) slights from her bandmates over the years, etc.... suddenly became huge deals for her.

I'm sure that at times she had some very real and very valid complaints, but I think, more than anything, that she really began to obsess over things, and a lot of the "hurt" became even bigger than it ever would have normally.
The kinds of things that you can probably just let slide when you're feeling good and when you're happy about your life... but that become this major deal when you're miserable.

So once the breast implants were removed, and the Klonopin addiction was a thing of the past, Stevie was in a better place physically and emotionally, and was able to start looking at things more rationally, and with a sense of forgiveness.
In a 1997 interview with MTV, she said that she basically woke up one day, and realized, "I'm not mad at anyone anymore."

She's expressed guilt in several interviews about her behaviour then ("I fired a lot of people"), and I think she really regrets that period in her life.
It's interesting to note that during her 1995 meeting with Tom Petty, when she asked him to help her write a song, Tom apparently told her that she needed to stop beating herself up over things she said and did during "The Klonopin Years," and that she needn't worry, because no one was mad at her about it anymore... so she needed to get over the guilt, and start writing and living her life again.
Which, to her great credit, she did... in spades.

As Lindsey has said, "she's the girl I used to live with again."

[MikeVielhaber]

interesting...i never knew stevie had breast implants

[go6car]

Just a tidbit ---

She was pissed at Mick because she wanted to use Silver Springs for what ended up being (TimeSpace?) I think. He apparently owned the copyright or something like that, and Stevie's mother had the royalties for the song. It was an odd corporate structure as far as who-had-what regarding that particular song. Apparently, Mick was being "difficult" and not letting Stevie use Silver Springs on any of her solo work, which contributed to the strained relationship.

[desertangel]

Wow Johnny Stew, that was very eloquent and my guess is... right on target. I deal with chronic illness and know for a fact what you say is true. Stevie is so truly blessed (and so are we) she has found a way out of what was making her miserable.

Laura

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Tusky

If not,what do you guys think happened between them?

There are a few things.

1. If I were being cynical, and probably realistic, I'd say it was because their careers were collectively in the tank. Lindsey released a masterpiece that bombed, while the Mac and Stevie released albums that weren't masterpieces that also bombed. That had to crush Lindsey. At least Stevie and the Mac had the excuse of releasing bad albums. I mean, does anybody really think they would have gotten back together if those three albums were hits? They saw how the Eagles reunion boosted sagging careers, and wanted in on the cut.

2. Being cynical again, it was fashionable in 1994 to be a bitter woman. Can anybody say "Jagged Little Pill?"

3. Stevie and Mick got help to kick addictions and Lindsey finally quit being a communist, and were finally able to work with one another. Don't forget that Mick played on "Twisted" as well. For me, I knew there would be a "Rumours" reunion when those three were able to record together. I think the only reason John and Christine weren't on "Twisted" is because they wanted to make sure those three drama queens weren't going to be egotistical a$$h@les again, making what was going to be a HUGE media blitz a living hell. This is what they call healing. What you didn't see was Lindsey stacking onions on his cheeseburger the night they taped "Landslide" for "The Dance." Sure, it looked heart-warming, but if you could have smelled his breath... Of course, Christine ended up quitting after the tour, having had enough of John McVie's beer farts after thirty years. It was either quit or homicide, and Christine figured that an orange jumpsuit would 1) be extremely tacky and 2) make her butt look big.

I don't claim my information to be 100% accurate, but I have seen anything to suggest otherwise. I mean, people who get hit by trains and survive do less healing than these five. These days, John is my favorite. He just shuts up and plays.

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

There are a few things.

1. If I were being cynical, and probably realistic, I'd say it was because their careers were collectively in the tank. Lindsey released a masterpiece that bombed, while the Mac and Stevie released albums that weren't masterpieces that also bombed. That had to crush Lindsey. At least Stevie and the Mac had the excuse of releasing bad albums. I mean, does anybody really think they would have gotten back together if those three albums were hits? They saw how the Eagles reunion boosted sagging careers, and wanted in on the cut.

i actually thought the same thing when i first read this thread. they were in their 40's and their respective albums bombed, although i'm sure that Lindsey cared the least as he was enjoying his freedom from all the pressures of the "big machine".

addtionally though, i have to credit Johhny Stew for his insight as well.... Stevie was NOT in a mentally happy place and when that happens, everything just brings you down and, suddenly, the proverbial mole hills become mountains.

look at that period for stevie. she was in her mid 40s, overweight, not the cute, sultry, doe-eyed starling in the media's eyes anymore, her last album didn't even crack a million, and there was no FM to fall back on. Additionally, FM wasn't exactly writing home about anything either.

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

What you didn't see was Lindsey stacking onions on his cheeseburger the night they taped "Landslide" for "The Dance." Sure, it looked heart-warming, but if you could have smelled his breath...

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Of course, Christine ended up quitting after the tour, having had enough of John McVie's beer farts after thirty years.

[Cammie]

Oh, yes!!! TROUBLE in Mac Land!!!
Glad they ALL woke up on the Right Side!!! Sky

[EveryHour]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

2. Being cynical again, it was fashionable in 1994 to be a bitter woman. Can anybody say "Jagged Little Pill?"

Personally, I just cannot see that having been a factor when it comes to Stevie.

[Sorcerer386]

Originally Posted by EveryHour

Personally, I just cannot see that having been a factor when it comes to Stevie.

Stevie was disgruntled and bitter way before 1994. I am gonna go out on a limb and suppose that her management telling her that she needed to do a song by Jon Bon Jovi or else her career is over had something to do with being altogether bitter, but I can't speculate why she would be so bitter as to say that Fleetwood Mac has never done anything but bad things to her. The only thing is she wasn't taking lessons from herself..."the feeling remains even after the glitter fades." She was focusing on the glitter fading probably, and how SS wasn't put on Rumours and she basically tended to get fewer songs than the other two songwriters on albums (but please let's not go into this. We know she wasn't around a lot for Mirage or Tango and that she had more "time" than the other two on Tusk).

I did do a study for my Social Psych class a few years ago about why so many celebrities have "trouble in shangri-la," and the best conclusion I could come to was the pressure to maintain their status. So many people have made bad choices to maintain it, yet others when they are losing their status make even worse choices. Honestly, while I think the Klonopin didn't help anything, I think this is the reason for her craziness starting around 1989, although I obviously can't prove that.

[Nicks Fan]

I think that the whole 1994-96 period was one of great turmoil for all involved. Personally It was one of the worst periods I think for all involved. Thankfully they managed to get their act together and make new music.

Matt