Interview: Fleetwood Mac (Scotland on Sunday October 11, 2009)

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

It was on the first leg of the 'Say You Will Tour', near the end of the concert, and Lindsey went to rest his head on Stevie's back, and she mouthed 'I don't think so' to the audience about 3 times so we'd know for sure what she was saying, and stepped aside. I'm pretty sure it was the 2nd night of 2 that they played in Worcester, Mass. Her expression was world-weary and bemused, but she also seemed to mean it: "I don't think so. Don't you dare try to do that resting your head on my back bit"

Could've just been 'cause Lindsey was sweaty.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

Could've just been 'cause Lindsey was sweaty.

Yeah, I don't think she minds that.

Michele

[Nikolaj]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yeah, I don't think she minds that.

Michele

She minded it that night, Miss Michele, big time. Pointedly.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

She minded it that night, Miss Michele, big time. Pointedly.

She didn't want Lindsey to touch her, but I doubt that it had anything to do with sweat.

Michele

[Nikolaj]

Ahh, thanks, Michele, I understand what you meant, now. Accept my apology, please, I was a tad ( + or -) snarky there, I'm sorry.
I wonder if there's any merit in the theory I touched on in the prior message that SN knows that LB can out-perform her on stage, now, and it makes her feel a bit inadequate. She's wonderful. But she's so limited now, in what she's willing to attempt. LB seems fearless, in comparison.
LB has the innate ability to play guitar brilliantly and, imo, has become the 'better' performer of the two, on the last 2 tours. I like SN more, but I recognize LB works a zillion times harder and displays more talent than SN is willing to even attempt to display now. I prefer her voice to his, but he's improving and she's coasting. His 'NGBA' at the Mohegan Sun this year was wonderfully sung, and mostly I haven't liked LB's voice live, until recently.
During 'The Mirage Tour', the first time I saw the band live, as good as LB was, he just couldn't touch SN in terms of vocal power, presence, and overall 'star quality', with all the good and bad the term implies. In '82, he sang hard on 'The Chain' - she sang back harder, and 10 times better, --again, imo. She stole the show with SOTM -- her backup vocals on GYOW, again, in my opinion, wiped him off the stage. She can't, or won't, do that now. So many reviews note how 'noble' it is she "lets" Lindsey have the spotlight now, I think she's afraid to exert herself for fear her talent is not what it once was. I believe LB believes his talent is what it always was.
It may just be her own disappointment in herself stagnating and LB being willing to still create- and perform- new music that caused pangs between them, on the SYW tour. They made a ton of money, the tour had four 'legs', 2 in the US, then 1 Euro tour, then another US leg-- and they're doing it again right now, so how bad could it have been for her? Maybe she feels the '70s eras conflicts have been so played out for so long that she embellishes whatever drama there was on the 'SYW' tour of '03. They all must know, secretly, how lucky they are to be earning the zillions of dollars they're earning with this rehash tour. No 'real drama' there, I don't think. Just making the best of their earning possibilities, and if SN can't do what she once did on the rock and roll stage, LB seems to be able, so why not?

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

I wonder if there's any merit in the theory I touched on in the prior message that SN knows that LB can out-perform her on stage, now, and it makes her feel a bit inadequate. She's wonderful. But she's so limited now, in what she's willing to attempt. LB seems fearless, in comparison.

I do think this was a factor for Stevie during the SYW tour. I think reading the reviews they got, which mostly slanted towards Lindsey during that tour, was difficult. It's not that everyone loves Lindsey. Many people think he's too much. People resent the Lindsey show and that's not new, even reviewers who saw them in 1975 thought his antics were excessive. But, I would say that 80% of the SYW media reviews I read marvelled over his explosive energy and the crowds were responsive to him. I think this was hard for Stevie, mainly because, for many years she herself was known for her physical abandon on stage.

Today, she concentrates on her voice and the precision of her movements and gestures, which fans love. We don't see physical limitations when we look at her, but she lives with them. Perhaps her mind inflates them. Maybe she feels the absence of those Rhiannon exorcisms more than we do and it makes an FM tour feel inhibiting for her, in a way that tours weren't in the seventies and eighties. I don't think the problem is Lindsey or lack of Christine's presence, as much as it comes from within.

Michele

[daniellaaarisen]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I do think this was a factor for Stevie during the SYW tour. I think reading the reviews they got, which mostly slanted towards Lindsey during that tour, was difficult. It's not that everyone loves Lindsey. Many people think he's too much. People resent the Lindsey show and that's not new, even reviewers who saw them in 1975 thought his antics were excessive. But, I would say that 80% of the SYW media reviews I read marvelled over his explosive energy and the crowds were responsive to him. I think this was hard for Stevie, mainly because, for many years she herself was known for her physical abandon on stage.

Today, she concentrates on her voice and the precision of her movements and gestures, which fans love. We don't see physical limitations when we look at her, but she lives with them. Perhaps her mind inflates them. Maybe she feels the absence of those Rhiannon exorcisms more than we do and it makes an FM tour feel inhibiting for her, in a way that tours weren't in the seventies and eighties. I don't think the problem is Lindsey or lack of Christine's presence, as much as it comes from within.

Michele

I have actually thought the same thing for quite some time now and it makes me really sad for her.