Stevie Nicks is the first woman be inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice

[David]

I'm only familiar with Benatar's radio and video stuff from the eighties, and none of it appeals to me. It always struck me as emblematic of what everybody used to call "corporate rock." At my high school (1979–1982), Stevie and Benatar were both big, with maybe the popularity edge going to Benatar. By the early eighties, Nicks had a reputation among some kids of being wimpy and bland—a musher. Punk and new wave were popular, after all, and Chrissie Hynde, Benatar, Joan Jett, and Lita Ford probably felt more contemporaneous and real as role models to young women in high school.

[lovethemac1]

Originally Posted by David

I'm only familiar with Benatar's radio and video stuff from the eighties, and none of it appeals to me. It always struck me as emblematic of what everybody used to call "corporate rock." At my high school (1979–1982), Stevie and Benatar were both big, with maybe the popularity edge going to Benatar. By the early eighties, Nicks had a reputation among some kids of being wimpy and bland—a musher. Punk and new wave were popular, after all, and Chrissie Hynde, Benatar, Joan Jett, and Lita Ford probably felt more contemporaneous and real as role models to young women in high school.

Pat was HUGE in my high school years, 78-81, full on rockers that we were!!!! Stevie, not really until a bit later, but Pat was always the "cool rocker chick," and Stevie was the FM solo artist. At that time, if a vote was given, I'm betting that Pat would have won hands down in popularity. We all loved her music, the big stadium rock sound.

[TheWildHeart67]

In my high school in southern California, Stevie Nicks won best female rocker in the yearbook vote. Olivia Newton-John won sexiest female. 1982

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

No I did not miss your point. I never said Stevie did not work hard. But your definition of Stevie working hard and examples are almost laughable. Because she stayed up late at night all coked out taking photos of herself in the bathroom? WTF
Each worked really hard. But Stevie definitely had it easier than Pat and that is something even Stevie alludes to her in her RAL interview when the interviewer brings up Pat. Stevie walked right into a successful band. Christine was there and that made it easier for Stevie. Once she became famous, she could pick any successful producer to make her music. Stevie knows she was lucky.
Pat on the other hand had to fight sexism all the way. Record company execs told her that no one was coming to hear her sing. Stevie admitted that no one ever told her that. Stevie was very insulated or as she calls it the "baby sister." Pat had to fight her way. Big difference and no comparison.

Once again, totally missing the point.

You are hung up on a literal interpretation of 'working hard'. And your fixation that I am somehow dissing Pat.

For the last attempt at clarity, I am saying that Stevie has made her career her singular focus, to the point of sacrificing other areas of her life. Pat has chosen to live a more well-rounded life and have a family, etc. Often show business rewards those who take what I would consider the less healthy path of having nothing else in their lives but their careers.

If you still fail to understand, which I expect you will, so be it.

[BombaySapphire3]

There is picture of a still unknown Pat Benatar in Stevie's entourage at Cal Jam in 1978..kind of an All About Eve moment IMO.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Once again, totally missing the point.

You are hung up on a literal interpretation of 'working hard'. And your fixation that I am somehow dissing Pat.

For the last attempt at clarity, I am saying that Stevie has made her career her singular focus, to the point of sacrificing other areas of her life. Pat has chosen to live a more well-rounded life and have a family, etc. Often show business rewards those who take what I would consider the less healthy path of having nothing else in their lives but their careers.

If you still fail to understand, which I expect you will, so be it.

Again, you are misinterpreting things and repeat false statements. This is my last post on this thread. To allege Pat did not make her career a singular focus is so far from reality its silly to even respond to. Yes, well into the mid to late 80's Pat did slow down to have a family. In the mid 90's Stevie disappeared and it had nothing to do with a family. During Pat's early career and to the apex of her career, she put out an album and toured every year.
You are too Stevie obsessed in claiming because Stevie wore capes and took photos of herself that some how puts her ahead in the work ethic department. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Stevie took years off between albums her drug habit took hold and was so far from reality that she could not even finish an album over 2 years time. They had to bring songs to Stevie to sing for the first time in her career. Stevie was more interested in the party than her music. That was never the case for Pat.
You are entitled to your opinion and worship Stevie but to minimalize others and present false statements and your opinions as facts is just wrong. I recognize the work, sacrifice, and contributions Pat made to rock. I never saw her in concert. I never bought any of her music during her mainstream career, and I personally did not like her because she always took the awards I wanted Stevie to get. Having said that, everything I have posted in this thread is not opinion, I stated facts. You just keep stating your opinion which you have every right to do. But when someone presents their opinion as false fact, they need to be corrected. To allege Pat Benatar did not make her career a singular focus is laughable but its also a false statement. Even Stevie slowed down after 1991 and disappeared in the mid 90s. It appears you don't know much about the barriers Pat over came during her early years and into her career. I would suggest maybe watching a Behind the Music or Wikipedia to educate yourself. But I doubt you will do that. Your idol worship wont let you. You keep finding self imposed ways to convince yourself somehow Stevie worked harder. Pat having a family does not diminish her career in the slightest(but you keep repeating that over and over). Stevie's drug addiction did not diminish her career but it sure impacted the quality of music to say the least. Its YOUR OPINION that Pat did not focus fully on her career like Stevie. Thanks for sharing Facts state otherwise.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

In the mid 90's Stevie disappeared and it had nothing to do with a family.

Not to get too deep into the Pat vs. Stevie debate, since Pat isn’t remotely close to Stevie in terms of cultural significance, but Stevie toured in 90, 91, 94, 97, and 98. Five tours in a decade is pretty respectable. I’ll grant you her output of new material was fairly anemic.

When Stevie took years off between albums her drug habit took hold and was so far from reality that she could not even finish an album over 2 years time.

Stevie was either on tour or in the studio pretty consistently from 1975-95. Even when she slowed down after 1991, she was still active, especially compared to the genius,

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I recognize the work, sacrifice, and contributions Pat made to rock. I never saw her in concert. I never bought any of her music during her mainstream career, and I personally did not like her because she always took the awards I wanted Stevie to get.

Exactly how I always felt.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Again, you are misinterpreting things and repeat false statements. This is my last post on this thread. To allege Pat did not make her career a singular focus is so far from reality its silly to even respond to. Yes, well into the mid to late 80's Pat did slow down to have a family. In the mid 90's Stevie disappeared and it had nothing to do with a family. During Pat's early career and to the apex of her career, she put out an album and toured every year.
You are too Stevie obsessed in claiming because Stevie wore capes and took photos of herself that some how puts her ahead in the work ethic department. Nothing could be further from the truth. When Stevie took years off between albums her drug habit took hold and was so far from reality that she could not even finish an album over 2 years time. They had to bring songs to Stevie to sing for the first time in her career. Stevie was more interested in the party than her music. That was never the case for Pat.
You are entitled to your opinion and worship Stevie but to minimalize others and present false statements and your opinions as facts is just wrong. I recognize the work, sacrifice, and contributions Pat made to rock. I never saw her in concert. I never bought any of her music during her mainstream career, and I personally did not like her because she always took the awards I wanted Stevie to get. Having said that, everything I have posted in this thread is not opinion, I stated facts. You just keep stating your opinion which you have every right to do. But when someone presents their opinion as false fact, they need to be corrected. To allege Pat Benatar did not make her career a singular focus is laughable but its also a false statement. Even Stevie slowed down after 1991 and disappeared in the mid 90s. It appears you don't know much about the barriers Pat over came during her early years and into her career. I would suggest maybe watching a Behind the Music or Wikipedia to educate yourself. But I doubt you will do that. Your idol worship wont let you. You keep finding self imposed ways to convince yourself somehow Stevie worked harder. Pat having a family does not diminish her career in the slightest(but you keep repeating that over and over). Stevie's drug addiction did not diminish her career but it sure impacted the quality of music to say the least. Its YOUR OPINION that Pat did not focus fully on her career like Stevie. Thanks for sharing Facts state otherwise.

Wow. Just wow. I give up. You are so not hearing a word I said. I love that you think I'm a Stevie worshipper, because elsewhere I've been accused of hating her.

Wit and sarcasm are clearly not your forte, so I will let you stew in your pot of indignation at supposed insults to Pat that were never there.

But thanks for the lecture.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by BombaySapphire3

There is picture of a still unknown Pat Benatar in Stevie's entourage at Cal Jam in 1978..kind of an All About Eve moment IMO.

I remember this rumor, but it's not true. That is not Pat Benatar.

[TheWildHeart67]

I love Benatar. I bought all her albums. Great in concert. After "Tropico," or starting with, her music got softer and sales plummeted

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Wow. Just wow. I give up. You are so not hearing a word I said. I love that you think I'm a Stevie worshipper, because elsewhere I've been accused of hating her.

Wit and sarcasm are clearly not your forte, so I will let you stew in your pot of indignation at supposed insults to Pat that were never there.

But thanks for the lecture.

I never insulted anyone. However, to make my point clearer, I can use your logic and antics. Maybe, just maybe stooping to your level will let you understand yourself.

While Stevie was coked out in her bathroom and up all night there for several years, Pat Benatar was recording and touring with quality music. Pat clearly took her career much more serious than Stevie. Stevie sort of withdrew while Pat worked hard.

Nuff said.

[cbBen]

I'm not vouching for the quality of her work in the second half of this timeframe (after Wild Heart), but Stevie toured and made albums (FM or solo) constantly from 1975-89. She slowed down after cocaine.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I never insulted anyone. However, to make my point clearer, I can use your logic and antics. Maybe, just maybe stooping to your level will let you understand yourself.

While Stevie was coked out in her bathroom and up all night there for several years, Pat Benatar was recording and touring with quality music. Pat clearly took her career much more serious than Stevie. Stevie sort of withdrew while Pat worked hard.

Nuff said.

Pat's first two albums were pretty good for the genre...after that it was hit or miss . Her 1985 album Seven the Hard Way released within days of Rock a Little was a flop the likes of which Stevie would not see until Street Angel nine years later. The only good song that I recall on it was one called Le Bel Age.

[TheWildHeart67]

I never insulted anyone. However, to make my point clearer, I can use your logic and antics. Maybe, just maybe stooping to your level will let you understand yourself.

While Stevie was coked out in her bathroom and up all night there for several years, Pat Benatar was recording and touring with quality music. Pat clearly took her career much more serious than Stevie. Stevie sort of withdrew while Pat worked hard.

Nuff said.
________

As a die-hard fan of both Pat and Stevie, that is not entirely true.
Both had their commercial peaks at the same time as solo artists. Both women worked really hard.
In Benatar's case, she was over-worked.
In her Biography, she said that her label, Chrysalis Music, had a very stern contract with her.
Her contract was one new album per year, along with a tour.
she makes it clear that she wasn't very happy with the way the label treated her and worked her so hard.
Her debut album, "In the heat of the night," debuted in 1979.
Followed by "Crimes of passion," 1980.
"Precious Time," 1981.
"Get nervous," 1982.
"Live from earth(A live album featuring the new studio song, "Love is a battlefield)" 1983.
"Tropico," 1984.
All 6 albums reached platinum.
2 went multi platinum("crimes of passion," and "Precious Time").
but "Tropico" was her first album to not make the top ten, even though "We Belong," was a top 10 single.
It also was her first album that didn't have multiple hit songs from it.
By this time, she wanted to change her image, stating this publicly, and wanted to do some more mellow sounding pop songs.
"Tropico," was recorded during her first pregnancy, and the first album in shifting her style of music.
By this time in her career, she detested her own hit song, "Hit me with your best shot," and refused to play it in her newer concerts. It didn't come back to her set list until the 1990's.
Her "Seven the hard way," in 1985 stalled at #26 and only went Gold.
Her contract now allowed more space between albums.
"Wide awake in Dreamland," 1988 stalled at #28 and only reached Gold.
After a 3 year hiatus, she released an all blues album in 1991, "True love."
It stalled at #37 and never reached gold status.In 1993, she released "Gravity's Rainbow," which stalled at #85.
her contract with Chrysalis Music ended.
After a long hiatus, she returned in 1997 with "Innamorata," which peaked at #171.
In 2003, she released her final studio album "GO," which never charted.
According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album had sold approximately 30,000 copies, before it went out of print in 2010.
Benatar has not released a new studio album since 2003.
During her peak, Stevie was just as active as Pat, releasing and touring solo albums, as well as a couple FM albums.
Pat's decline began right after she had her first child. Stevie's "Street Angel" flopped in 1994, but she came back with FM and "The Dance."
Her solo albums continued to hit the top ten as well.
I love Pat Benatar, but I've always felt that her music changed too much after 1985.
I lost interest right around the same time her sales declined. Her change in musical style wasn't what I liked about her.
Pat had a hell of a run though. And I still love her first 5 albums very much.