Why in 1975?

[diamondsnake]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Christine is the one who pulled out after 40 Dance shows and moved back to England. Stevie hardly sabotaged the ability for FM to capitalize on the success of the Dance.
According to Stevie, the four of them hardly seriously entertained the thought of continuing on with FM without Christine until they played for Bill Clinton in 2000. She implies in several interviews that they were all sort or waiting, hoping Christine would change her mind. Should she have sat home, doing nothing, for a few years, hoping Christine would come back? Yes, they missed the boat when it came to capitalizing on the Dance but to blame Stevie is unfair.

Exactly. If she sat at home for five years until Fleetwood Mac called her then we wouldn't have that wonderful boxset or album, or two great tours for that matter.

[SteveMacD]

In terms of post-Dance to SYW, I tend to agree that it's not totally Stevie's fault for the long wait. She was doing what she had to do to get by. I don't think her solo tours helped the situation, but I don't really think the band knew what they were doing in terms of being Fleetwood Mac. THE biggest issue was Christine's status being in question. I think they were waiting to see if she would change her mind, which became obvious that she wasn't going to do so in January, 2001. By that time, work on TISL was almost done, so Stevie would have been a fool NOT to tour. At most, though, SYW would have only come out a year or so earlier. But then you have to factor in Lindsey's constant debate as to whether he'd release his work solo or as part of a Fleetwood Mac album. Lindsey seems to have a hard time making definate descisions. The one thing we can say for sure is that the length in time was not the fault of Mick or John.

[johnny4406]

Why did Lindsey not have a single from the White Album? I'm guessing "Blue Letter" was the choice that never came through?

[chiliD]

Well, both "Monday Morning" ("Say You Love Me") & "I'm So Afraid" ("Over My Head") WERE single B-sides; and those were the only two solely Lindsey penned tunes from the white album.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Well, both "Monday Morning" ("Say You Love Me") & "I'm So Afraid" ("Over My Head") WERE single B-sides; and those were the only two solely Lindsey penned tunes from the white album.

On the reissue if FM FM - wans't there a Blue Letter single version. Maybe it was the VBOFM. I think I remember seeing one, but I cannot check right now and could be mistaken.

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

On the reissue if FM FM - wans't there a Blue Letter single version.

Yup. The "single version" of Blue Letter is included on the White Album Reissue. I think it was a contender for release in the UK, but I dunno about the US.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by ontheEdgeof17

Yup. The "single version" of Blue Letter is included on the White Album Reissue. I think it was a contender for release in the UK, but I dunno about the US.

Thanks - I thought it was on FM FM the reissue!!!!!!!!!

[johnny4406]

Its weird that they didnt release a lindsey song as a single

[David]

Originally Posted by johnny4406

Its weird that they didnt release a lindsey song as a single

Christine used to say she was always surprised by the choice of "Over My Head" & even more so "Rhiannon" as the singles. She didn't think the former was anything more than a ditty, & the latter was regarded as just weird by the band.

[lagringader&r]

Originally Posted by David

Christine used to say she was always surprised by the choice of "Over My Head" & even more so "Rhiannon" as the singles. She didn't think the former was anything more than a ditty, & the latter was regarded as just weird by the band.

They're so modest. I really do love Christine! And, she's right. OMH is a ditty and Rhiannon is weird. That's why I love Stevie. She's not afraid to step into the weirdness zone and not sound like every other pop artist out there. If she did, I wouldn't be a fan today.

[The Tower]

Originally Posted by lagringader&r

I've never understood that either. Sometimes it seems that the Stones or the Eagles are almost looked at as *current* bands, but FM is not.

Sadly, I think that the public at large considers the Eagles and the Stones to be real (read: masculine) rock bands, whereas FM is perceived as a "chick band". I think that's a lame assessment, but I believe that perception has dogged them for a long time. The hard core "dudes" continue to follow the Stones and the Eagles- with the Stones continuing to pick up new fans (similar to Led Zep). I think FM's rock image got muddled by Rock A Little, TOSOTM and Lindsey's neurotic weirdness.

Even with that in mind, the Stones and the Eagles have not been singles chart toppers in a long, long time. The Stones new albums generally debut well and then drop from the top twenty fairly quickly. Both bands are all about touring these days anyways.

At least FM released a fresh album, instead of a reason to tour. I think Lindsey's track order killed the album.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by The Tower

. . . I think Lindsey's track order killed the album.

Yep - that and the fact that it was too long for most people and he, though I mostly love his work, think his production of La Nicks was somewhat lackluster even in the incorporation of her into his own songs. I can never seem to like that mech. voice he used for her in many of her songs and his. OY!

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Yep - that and the fact that it was too long for most people and he, though I mostly love his work, think his production of La Nicks was somewhat lackluster even in the incorporation of her into his own songs. I can never seem to like that mech. voice he used for her in many of her songs and his. OY!

Wayyyyy to much time on your hands, kills songs, IMO. If it's not broke, don't fix it. Leave it be without having to add 13 guitar overdubs on one track. SYW would have been a greater album than it was. Lyrically, it rocks my socks. Production wise, it's overdone.

As my high school teacher once said, "KISS! Keep It Simple Stupid."

[The Tower]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Yep - that and the fact that it was too long for most people and he, though I mostly love his work, think his production of La Nicks was somewhat lackluster even in the incorporation of her into his own songs. I can never seem to like that mech. voice he used for her in many of her songs and his. OY!

I think the length of the album would have been fine if more attractive songs were at the front. The attention span of today's Britney public can't wait for catchy material. "Murrow" in the #2 slot??!?! What was he thinking???


To address the topic of this thread (which I did not do), I don't think FM would have had the same level of success without Stevie and Lindsey. I have a feeling that Chris & John would have divorced and that would have been the end of it. I'm sure that Mick and John would have continued in some fashion, but it wouldn't have been successful.

[SteveMacD]

I tend to agree that SYW was too long. They could have EASILY cut it down to twelve songs, and it would have been much more cohesive album that one could listen to in one sitting. I think they forgot that sometimes less is more. On a purely pop basis, here are the songs I would have released, only because they're the kind of songs that stick in one's head after a couple of listenings, which is exactly what makes for a great pop album:

What's The World Coming To
Thrown Down
Miranda
Say You Will
Peacekeeper
Destiny Rules
Smile At You
Steal Your Heart Away
Running Through The Garden
Bleed To Love Her
Say Goodbye
Goodbye Baby

While I would personally miss a few songs (like "Come"), I think that the above is a much stronger album overall than what was released.