STEVIE NICKS IS GOING HER OWN WAY - Sunday Express Oct. 18, 2009

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by michelej1

So, I think she's talking about Carl the nebbish accountant who really loved her, but whom she just wasn't that into. Maybe she realizes that that's who could have brought her the most happiness. Not the heart-soaring highs and lows, rage and desire, but the day in and day out contentment. The nurturing, "normal" family life. He could have steadied out her rock star urges and with him and his horn-rimmed glasses she could have found peace and balance. But it was never to be.

Michele

Alas, Destiny does Rule.

Originally Posted by michelej1

I think Stevie liked her songs, but think that someone else could have done a better job with them. I mean, we all love Thrown Down, but I think she thinks it could have been better. Then, there are songs like Smile at You where many people say her demos were better. She probably thinks they were too.

I think she probably was unhappy with the album all along. I wouldn't say she looks proud as punch in Destiny Rules. In fact, I'd say that she probably heard what he did with her old songs, while she was on tour, didn't like it and that's why she wrote 4 new songs at breakneck speed. But even though Lindsey bears the brunt of all of her unhappiness with SYW, probably he's only really responsible for a part of it.

Since when does she think someone else could have done a better job with her songs? This part just baffles me. I mean, Petty says he thinks LB is her best producer...she was falling all over herself wanting LB to work with her again...so why does she feel this way about the SYW songs? I am having a hard time justifying this line of thinking. Are we saying that Lindsey's "lost his touch" - or just with her songs?

Am I the only person who likes SYW??

[Bryan]

Hmm,SYW. I loved it when it was out,for the time it was out and that was that. I can't even listen to it now,it's just a very odd sounding record.
So I can see where she's coming from with that comment..I suppose.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Alas, Destiny does Rule.




Since when does she think someone else could have done a better job with her songs? This part just baffles me. I mean, Petty says he thinks LB is her best producer...she was falling all over herself wanting LB to work with her again...so why does she feel this way about the SYW songs? I am having a hard time justifying this line of thinking. Are we saying that Lindsey's "lost his touch" - or just with her songs?

Stevie's solo career is mired in bad, cheesy production. In the past, Lindsey had mastered the pop form that Stevie aped in the 80s albums. Now, Lindsey's approach has evolved. I think that's a good thing (even if it has evolved in ways that I don't personally prefer). As SYW proves, that evolution in sound also benefits Stevie's tracks. Illume, EFO, DR, TD, SYW, RTTG are thrilling productions (even if they all start the same ) -- while the much-maligned GB, SAY, and Silver Girl could hardly have been better. GB is a beautiful closer to the album; its production serves the album -- and I admire the metronome! Also, SAY really isn't much of a song, though its dramatic situation is utterly compelling, but Lindsey turns it into a sonic adventure -- it's as great as it could be, really. I, too, would love to hear that song performed live, more "unleashed" -- but as a studio track, this is what they do. As a solo recording artist, she's never more raw, just cheesier. As for Silver Girl -- the only good thing about that is FM's participation (bye bye flute) and its contextualization on the album: SAY, RTTG, and Silver Girl forming a kind of trilogy of Stevie's maturation at the album's midpoint.

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Am I the only person who likes SYW??

I love SYW! I should start a poll...

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Stevie's solo career is mired in bad, cheesy production. In the past, Lindsey had mastered the pop form that Stevie aped in the 80s albums.

I don't know how you can say something like that without looking at all pop music in context. Face it: the 1980's was cheesy (especially 1984-onward). And in that vein, Rock a Little was an artifact of its time, whereas Wild Heart and Bella Donna were less so. And I don't know how you could possibly state that Stevie aped Lindsey when she was the first FM member to embrace that modern 80's sound in 1985. If anything, Lindsey was the one who aped Stevie with TITN in 1987. And TOSTM doesn't sound a thing like TITN- if anything in some ways it just picked up where RAL left off.

Now, Lindsey's approach has evolved. I think that's a good thing (even if it has evolved in ways that I don't personally prefer). As SYW proves, that evolution in sound also benefits Stevie's tracks.

Yes, Lindsey's approach has evolved... but in his case, I don't think evolution is necessarily a good thing. He has been on a musical journey, surely. But I think his style has become a bit too heavy-handed and forced. What I loved about albums like Rumours and Tusk was that they were rough yet effortlessly polished at the same time. And even when a song was very heavily produced, e.g., "Sara" or "You Make Loving Fun," there was something very warm and organic about it. In recent efforts, it seems like Lindsey was just digging through his electronic bag of tricks and trying to use every effect he can throw at a song. For me, the results are not "cutting edge" as much as they are cold and mechanical. Rather than complementing the songs, his production tends to overpower the songs. Yes, one could argue that perhaps the material on an album like SYW was so weak that it needed a lot of heavy-handed production. But on songs like "Smile at You," which was pretty great to begin with, I think he could have dialed back the vocoders and Pro Tools a notch and employed a simpler, sparser sonic field. Not to say that it was all bad- I think the production on "Destiny Rules" was perfect, as well as "Thrown Down." But two or three good songs out of ten (Stevie) songs is not a good batting average.

[Black_Moon]

I think the material on Say You Will is a lot better than what most people are giving it credit for. Sure, I disagree with some of the production approaches -- particularly on the likes of Smile at You and Silver Girl (the latter of which I hate anyway, but the production makes it worse).

I think Stevie had some amazing songs on the album though, the likes of Illume, Running Through The Garden, Destiny Rules, Thrown Down and Everybody Finds Out (which I also find slightly over-produced but still love).

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

But on songs like "Smile at You," which was pretty great to begin with, I think he could have dialed back the vocoders and Pro Tools a notch and employed a simpler, sparser sonic field. Not to say that it was all bad- I think the production on "Destiny Rules" was perfect, as well as "Thrown Down." But two or three good songs out of ten (Stevie) songs is not a good batting average.

agreed!

Originally Posted by Black_Moon

I think the material on Say You Will is a lot better than what most people are giving it credit for. Sure, I disagree with some of the production approaches -- particularly on the likes of Smile at You and Silver Girl (the latter of which I hate anyway, but the production makes it worse).

I think Stevie had some amazing songs on the album though, the likes of Illume, Running Through The Garden, Destiny Rules, Thrown Down and Everybody Finds Out (which I also find slightly over-produced but still love).

I love Silver Girl so much and it always kills me that so many hate it. oh well. otherwise, I totally agree with what you're saying.

with respect to the article, I decided a long time ago to read Stevie's interviews very lightly and not put too much stock into them. she seems to say things depending on her mood - you can't ever trust what she predicts will happen and her feelings totally change on everything from marriage to kids to songs to men, etc. it is what it is. you gotta kinda take each interview separate and apart. it sucks, but being that Stevie has never really lived in the real world (despite what she'd have us believe) she's totally out of touch and can't hear how stupid some of her comments are. at least she does give us fabulous zingers in each and every one!

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I don't know how you can say something like that without looking at all pop music in context. Face it: the 1980's was cheesy (especially 1984-onward). And in that vein, Rock a Little was an artifact of its time, whereas Wild Heart and Bella Donna were less so.

I could name 100s of non-cheesy 80s albums; I just don't know if Stevie heard any of them.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

And I don't know how you could possibly state that Stevie aped Lindsey when she was the first FM member to embrace that modern 80's sound in 1985. If anything, Lindsey was the one who aped Stevie with TITN in 1987. And TOSTM doesn't sound a thing like TITN- if anything in some ways it just picked up where RAL left off.

Yes, Stevie incorporated new technology for a more commercial sound; I just think that her approach to songcraft was meant to ape Lindsey's pop sheen on Rumours. THE RESULT: bland. IF Lindsey brought in 80s accoutrement for TITN in order to capitalize on expectations of Stevie's sound, then I would say: he did it better for her than anyone else had.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Yes, Lindsey's approach has evolved... but in his case, I don't think evolution is necessarily a good thing. He has been on a musical journey, surely. But I think his style has become a bit too heavy-handed and forced. What I loved about albums like Rumours and Tusk was that they were rough yet effortlessly polished at the same time. And even when a song was very heavily produced, e.g., "Sara" or "You Make Loving Fun," there was something very warm and organic about it. In recent efforts, it seems like Lindsey was just digging through his electronic bag of tricks and trying to use every effect he can throw at a song. For me, the results are not "cutting edge" as much as they are cold and mechanical. Rather than complementing the songs, his production tends to overpower the songs. Yes, one could argue that perhaps the material on an album like SYW was so weak that it needed a lot of heavy-handed production. But on songs like "Smile at You," which was pretty great to begin with, I think he could have dialed back the vocoders and Pro Tools a notch and employed a simpler, sparser sonic field. Not to say that it was all bad- I think the production on "Destiny Rules" was perfect, as well as "Thrown Down." But two or three good songs out of ten (Stevie) songs is not a good batting average.

I agree that Lindsey has lost his warmth in the Rumours sense and in the Tusk sense, too, -- there it's an experimental warmth! That was his peak, I agree, but his new approach is fascinating and impactful and beautiful (to me). And on Stevie's songs, all of which are good-to-great on SYW, I feel he makes them even greater; or, rather, allows them to achieve their full potential in ways she NEVER has as a solo artist.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

And on Stevie's songs, all of which are good-to-great on SYW, I feel he makes them even greater; or, rather, allows them to achieve their full potential in ways she NEVER has as a solo artist.

wow, really? really? idk.

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

wow, really? really? idk.

Well, with EO17 being the exception...

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

And on Stevie's songs, all of which are good-to-great on SYW, I feel he makes them even greater; or, rather, allows them to achieve their full potential in ways she NEVER has as a solo artist.

I have to disagree vehemently! I happen to think John Shanks, based on his work on TISL, was by far Stevie's best producer. Yes, his production style is also very heavy, but it is also very sympathetic to the material. Rather than having weird sound effects and gizmos popping up in random places, Shanks created an entirely otherworldly soundscape that was the perfect accompaniment to Stevie's otherworldly vocals and imagery. I think "Planets of the Universe" is a masterpiece in Shanks' hands, especially when you consider that skeletal little piano demo that Stevie recorded in waltz time; I don't think Lindsey would have even begun to know what to do with it. And I believe reading somewhere that "Fall From Grace" had been attempted as a Fleetwood Mac song, but neither Lindsey nor Sheryl were able to do anything with it. I'm not denying that Lindsey has been able to turn coal into diamonds, e.g., "Dreams," but I think his recent work on Stevie's songs were more about Lindsey putting his signature on her songs than about realizing the full potential of the song.

It would be interesting to see what a non-Lindsey-produced FM album would sound like, especially if it is produced by a younger producer who grew up listening to Rumours. It could either be disgustingly, superficially retro or it could be a deconstructed, potent distillation of everything we love about FM.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Since when does she think someone else could have done a better job with her songs? This part just baffles me. I mean, Petty says he thinks LB is her best producer...she was falling all over herself wanting LB to work with her again...so why does she feel this way about the SYW songs? I am having a hard time justifying this line of thinking. Are we saying that Lindsey's "lost his touch" - or just with her songs?

Am I the only person who likes SYW??

I made a mistake and left off an "s". I meant she thinks, not I think. I was just talking about Stevie's perception. I don't think that some other producer could have done a better job with her songs. I think they all sound great, except for Silver Girl and RTTG and I only really blame the production on RTTG. I think RTTG could have been better, tighter and differentiated. As it is, it's just one monotonous thing.

I think LB did as good of a job on Silver Girl as was possible. In fact, if I think an outside producer was needed on the album, I'd get one to lend an objective ear to Lindsey's songs, not Stevie's.

I am thrilled with the SYW album and love it as a whole, even when it fails in places.

Michele

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

I have to disagree vehemently! I happen to think John Shanks, based on his work on TISL, was by far Stevie's best producer. Yes, his production style is also very heavy, but it is also very sympathetic to the material. Rather than having weird sound effects and gizmos popping up in random places, Shanks created an entirely otherworldly soundscape that was the perfect accompaniment to Stevie's otherworldly vocals and imagery. I think "Planets of the Universe" is a masterpiece in Shanks' hands, especially when you consider that skeletal little piano demo that Stevie recorded in waltz time; I don't think Lindsey would have even begun to know what to do with it. And I believe reading somewhere that "Fall From Grace" had been attempted as a Fleetwood Mac song, but neither Lindsey nor Sheryl were able to do anything with it. I'm not denying that Lindsey has been able to turn coal into diamonds, e.g., "Dreams," but I think his recent work on Stevie's songs were more about Lindsey putting his signature on her songs than about realizing the full potential of the song.

I think TISL is, for the most part, hideous! Though POTU and FFG aren't bad (if not to my taste, exactly). Admittedly, I'd have to take a closer listen at what exactly John Shanks produced as opposed to Sheryl.

I don't know what you mean by sound effects and gizmos . . . The strings on EFO? The metronome on GB? The kid chorus on SYW? The sudden tempo shift and enveloping sound on SAY? The Lindsey whispers on RTTG? The drums on Illume? The radical clarity of the cascading guitars on DR and TD? These touches make the songs epic... and work emotionally, expressively in each case.

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

It would be interesting to see what a non-Lindsey-produced FM album would sound like, especially if it is produced by a younger producer who grew up listening to Rumours. It could either be disgustingly, superficially retro or it could be a deconstructed, potent distillation of everything we love about FM.

Well I think Chris Isaak should produce the next album. Mr. Lucky is the most gorgeous American album since. . .

[JeannieKartis]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

http://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/view/134777

Sunday October 18,2009

IN A frank interview, the Fleetwood Mac star tells CHARLOTTE HEATHCOTE about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll and how, despite being battered by all three, she's emerged stronger than ever.

Fleetwood Mac are as famed for their in-fighting, feuds and messy, almost incestuous inter-band romances as for Go Your Own Way, Don’t Stop, Everywhere, The Chain and countless other adult-oriented rock songs that have seen them shift more than 100million records.

Stevie Nicks, however, makes absolutely no attempt to put a shiny PR gloss on the legendary tensions.

“We did our first tour and we were p***** off with each other then. We made another record [Rumours] and we were all angry with each other afterwards. We did Tusk and that was 13 months of anger. We did an 18-month tour and by the time that was done everyone was really not speaking...”

She’s half-weary, half-wry. “It’s really nothing new. It’s been happening since time began but if this was a bland, boring band we’d definitely not still be together.”

Stevie and her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham brought a stability of sorts to the shape-shifting line-up of Fleetwood Mac in 1975, joining Mick Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie.

Christine left 11 years ago, ground down by relentless touring, and Stevie misses her ally “every day”.

The other four remain a unit, on the whole, which is especially miraculous when you consider that Stevie and Buckingham’s six-year relationship foundered during the recording of the drug-fuelled Rumours in 1976 (the McVies were splitting at the same time) and, shortly after the Rumours tour, Stevie fell for Fleetwood. They separated for the sake of the band.

By the time of Fleetwood Mac’s last tour, 2003’s Say You Will, Stevie’s relationship with Buckingham had become so fraught that, unless he treated her better this time around, she threatened to walk away “so fast that palm tree tops will fall on his head”.

Now, she says the underlying problem was how much she hated the Say You Will album.

“It was five years ago now so I can say I didn’t like it at all; I didn’t like making it, I didn’t like the songs, so that tour was very hard for me.”

On a Greatest Hits tour, however, there is no new material to quibble over.

“Doing all the very famous material is actually more fun,” insists this born entertainer. “It’s been a breath of fresh air for us to not have to worry about trying to sell [new] songs.”

With five platinum-selling solo records to her name, Stevie is easily the most successful member of Fleetwood Mac. Wasn’t she tempted to walk away during Say You Will?

“Well, I’m a peacemaker and I didn’t want us to break up because the music didn’t go my way. If I’ve learned nothing else in my 61 years it is that four years down the line you’re over it.” She sees the remaining foursome touring for another seven or eight years.

“I’m a performer and an entertainer, that’s what I live for. I would be dancing on tables in bars if I wasn’t in Fleetwood Mac, doing small shows all over the world, driving my van.”

Stevie’s passion for entertaining runs so deep, however, that she admits she has sacrificed all of her romantic relationships for the band but with no regrets.

“My love affair is with my work. I’ve had many wonderful relationships but I could never give up what I do for a relationship; in all of my relationships, at some point, that [prioritising] came up.

“Am I sad about the fact that I don’t have a relationship? No. I’m going to Europe to stay in the best hotels, to play huge shows, playing my music, to meet lots of interesting people. So I really don’t care.”

To Stevie’s amusement, her 81-year-old mother reckons she still hasn’t met Mr Right. She’s all too happy for her mother to be proved right but, to date, the love of her life is a member of the Eagles and not the one you’d expect.

After her split with Buckingham she spent 18 months with Don Henley but, of his bandmate Joe Walsh, she says: “He was the great love of my life. I fell in love with Joe in the same way that Lindsey fell in love with me.”

As their cocaine addiction spiralled out of control in the early Eighties, though, Walsh reluctantly left her for both of their sakes. Now she muses: “Maybe the people you can live best with aren’t the great love of your life; the men you love deeply, the calmer, more loving, more solid people but who you weren’t super passionately crazy in love with. The ones to marry aren’t the ones as crazy as you are.”

Her romance with Walsh was not the only fall-out of her drug addiction. Cocaine has left a hole in her septum, leaving her wishing her generation had not been told that cocaine was “safe, recreational and not a bigger deal than smoking pot or cigarettes”.

A bigger regret is that, after successful treatment for cocaine addiction, her friends persuaded her to see a psychiatrist, hoping this would ensure she avoided a relapse. The doctor prescribed the tranquilliser Klonopin.

“That took eight years out of my life,” she says.

“Those were my prime years, my 40s, when a lot of my heavy, creative activity was really happening. Klonopin grabbed hold of you and made you sit down on your couch and not get up.

“I just watched TV for eight years in a daze. I’m sorry I didn’t have a car crash on the way to seeing that doctor.”

So when Stevie finally got herself back on track, she needed to make up for lost time. “I made a decision a long time ago to follow my artistry. I decided that my mission here on this earth was to write songs for people and make them happy.”

● The UK leg of Fleetwood Mac’s Unleashed tour starts on Thursday and the double CD The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac is out tomorrow.

I honestly did not like Say You Will either......these interviews though are always about the same thing...I guess she has nothing else to talk about...

[holidayroad]

I really like Say You Will. Maybe it doesn't all fit well together, but it has amazing songs. I have to say that I wish everyone in Fleetwood Mac would learn to 'play well with others' (as they should have learned in first grade) and start treating all of this like what it is---their job!!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Well I think Chris Isaak should produce the next album. Mr. Lucky is the most gorgeous American album since. . .

I love Chris Isaak, but shudder! Mr. Lucky just does not do it for me. In fact, while he has songs that I consider masterpieces, I don't think consistent albums as a whole are his specialty. His Best Of though, putting all the good stuff together, that leaves me breathless. He's got a lost, dreamy touch made for crooning. Actually, to me, he might have been better for FM when you had Christine, Lindsey and Stevie together. He could do something with them.

Michele