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Why in 1975?
Okay, over on the Stevie board, there was the classic discussion as to whether or not the band could exist without Stevie and Lindsey. Some say yes, some say no. But some seem to think that the band wasn't going anywere until Stevie and Lindsey came along, as if they magically appeared and suddenly turned Fleetwood Mac into a hit machine. In any event, I posted something there that I think debunks that myth. Knowing that many Mac/Chris/LB fans avoid the Stevie board like the plague (Homer), I thought I'd post it here to read other MAC fans take on this.
1. Would the "Rumours" band have made albums that were as good as the ones that were released if they had to do five albums in three and a half years? Would Lindsey have been able to work in a situation where an outside manager was dictating the band's recording and touring schedule? 2. Who in the industry did Lindsey and Stevie know? Who did Mick, John, and Christine know? And, by "know" I mean that they could actually call said person on the phone and hit up a conversation. 3. Who had been on television by 1975? 4. Who had the record contract in 1975? 5. Who had a greatest hits package out in 1971? 6. Who had songs that were actually played on the radio in 1974? 7. Who had the road crew/touring machine and the contacts with major concert promoters to go with it? 8. Who had articles written about them in Rolling Stone prior to 1975? 9. Who had the steady following, which guaranteed people would go out to the shows? 10. Who advocated on behalf of Fleetwood Mac with Warners? 11. Who had the break-out single? Were the voices of Stevie and Lindsey even present on the song? Since this was THE break out song, couldn't it be argued that the band's big break COULD have happened without Stevie and Lindsey? Also, I forgot to mention in that post that in all reality, the white Fleetwood Mac album was really the first time the band ever recorded on its own terms. Prior to that Cliff Davis was calling the shots, with the exception of "Heroes," which was an album they had to make for their own survival. I'm sure, given the choice, they would have done things differently. In the end, I think the band had been developing momentum for about three or so years in the USA and were ripe for success, and with the addition of Stevie and Lindsey, they had five people who believed the band could be a huge success. To which they worked very hard to attain.
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins Last edited by SteveMacD; 05-27-2005 at 07:19 PM.. |
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#2
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Yeah, but the said discussion WAS on the Stevie board...I guess I should have clarified that they were talking about the band existing as a viable commodity in the USA.
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins Last edited by SteveMacD; 05-27-2005 at 08:18 PM.. |
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Wow, Brian was right, you can't just let this go, can you?
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"Time cast a spell on you..." "My songs don't get recorded unless I know they're really going to be good and I'm really going to like them ...so....but they are, you know, ultimately, slightly looney." -Stevie Nicks |
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins Last edited by SteveMacD; 05-27-2005 at 08:50 PM.. |
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I think their catchy songs on AM radio, along with their touring every part of the country -- where people could see their five very attractive personalities onstage -- are what made them break. Coincidentally, those are essentially the same qualities that break bands today!! |
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Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. No one will ever know. No one will also ever know exactly why they became the biggest band in the world. There are dozens of reasons that are all probably responsible in various degrees, but there's no way of quantifying any of them. It's akin to arguing over how many angels fit on the head of a Sennheiser microphone.
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moviekinks.blogspot.com |
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I am absolutely convinced that BN, or even Lindsey and Stevie as individual solo performers would have become commercially successful. As evidenced on those few BN live tracks that surfaced last year, they put on a powerful live show that received critical praise. Stevie especially was just a little firecracker; it was just a matter of time before they would hit the big time. Quote:
Lindsey and Stevie, on the other hand, weren't just drop-dead gorgeous kids, but they seriously rocked. And Stevie especially had that "it factor" going for her that's tough to describe. She had that powerful voice and that whole Bohemian hippy dippy witchy thing about her that both men and women found enigmatic and alluring. The Rumours era FM was great because you had the best of both worlds- the blokes in the band along with the drama queen. Quote:
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Among God's creations, two, the dog and the guitar, have taken all the sizes and all the shapes in order not to be separated from the man.---Andres Segovia |
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins Last edited by SteveMacD; 05-28-2005 at 02:29 AM.. |
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Put on your headphones and listen to the echoing "over my head," that follows anytime Christine sings the words, "I'm over my head." Stevie's definitely singing there with Chris (though I admit her backing vocals aren't as distinctive as on other songs). I'm very surprised you can't hear her on "Say You Love Me" though. Again, put on those headphones, dude. To my ears, she's VERY obvious in the choruses.
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"Although the arrogance of fame lingers like a thick cloud around the famous, the sun always seems to shine for Stevie." -- Richard Dashut, 2014 |
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins |
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I can certainly hear her and Lindsey on "Say You Love Me" quite clearly. That's why I basically gushed over that song, saying earlier in that paragraph that "Say You Love Me" was THE song that shows why this particular group of folks were so powerful together. Why? It's catchy as hell, it's autobiographical, there's a lot of interesting instrumental orchestrations, and it has the beautiful McVie-Nicks-Buckingham harmonies. And, it's the type of song that sticks in your head. It's quite possibly the perfect example of a Fleetwood Mac song from this era. "Over My Head" wasn't too terribly different from the Welch-era stuff. "Say You Love Me" almost defines the classic, no legendary, Fleetwood Mac sound. If "Say You Love Me" had been the first single off that album, then I could almost buy the statement that Stevie and Lindsey were the biggest factor in Fleetwood Mac's success. Because THAT type of harmony just didn't exist on the earlier albums. But that wasn't the case.
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins Last edited by SteveMacD; 05-28-2005 at 03:17 AM.. |
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Seriously, it's all apples and oranges to me. I'm just thrilled the band had the success that they had, therefore paving the way for me to be exposed to their music and becoming the fan I am today. Why they hit it big and who (or what) is responsible for that success, is of little consequence to me in those terms. We fight so much over our favorite members and their contributions as individuals, but, at the end of the day, the Mac is a team. And I'm a big sentimental goof who truly roots for them all to succeed.
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"Although the arrogance of fame lingers like a thick cloud around the famous, the sun always seems to shine for Stevie." -- Richard Dashut, 2014 |
#15
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My argument isn't that Stevie and Lindsey weren't a major part of Fleetwood Mac's success. I'm arguing against the notion that success couldn't have happened without them. It could have, as is demonstrated with "Over My Head," a song where they weren't real major factors in the overall sound, not like they were on "Say You Love Me," being the break-out single. Now, I don't see them being able to have the continuity of success or the level of success without Stevie and Lindsey. But, still, they could have been a success. Quote:
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On and on it will always be, the rhythm, rhyme, and harmony. THE Stephen Hopkins |
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