Making Rumours by Ken Caillat

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

As for Whitney... I see no record of her appearing on "Silver Spoons." Her IMDB profile indicates that she appeared on "Gimme a Break" (RIP, Nell Carter ), but it was in 1984- two years prior to her breakthrough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVEXOmBAnmM

[aleuzzi]

And here's Michael McDonald with the Doobies on What's Happening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDuW2rgbsD4

[iamnotafraid]

Continuing with The Love Boat theme...

If someone out there in computerland has a
copy of the picture with Ken working his magic
at the mixing board while Jack Jones, Paul Williams,
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham look on -
please post it here. Some suggest that Buckingham
& Nicks sang backing vocals on the track, but
refused to be acknowledged.

For those old enough to remember the show, do you
think if they'd (FLMAC) appeared on the show that it
would have magically kept the real-life couples together?
Remember that ship was magical, there's no way that
crew would have let the Mac split apart. Even John
would have been happy with Isaac making sure everyone
was spirited.

While this is probably common knowledge the character
Tattoo, played by Herve' Villechaize on Fantasy Island
can thank Fleetwood Mac for their inspiration to use a
dwarf on the show. Aaron Spelling said in an interview
at the time that he had no intention to use a dwarf for
the character Tattoo, but he kept seeing one of his
children's copy of Fleetwood Mac's The White Album
lying around. And it was though a light bulb went off in
his head. I believe you all know the rest of the story.

How does all this tie-in with Ken Caillat you ask? If you
look closely at his mixing chair it's made of Corinthian Leather.

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by David

Does anyone remember the details of the story Stevie told in the early '80s about how she loved the Heartbreakers so much in 1978 that she practiced her Russian ballet to the You're Gonna Get It album? From there, she wangled a meeting with Jimmy Iovine for the first time backstage at a Fleetwood Mac concert at the L.A. Forum in 1979. Tom Petty brought Jimmy backstage, and she asked him at that meeting to produce her first solo album (which had no release date yet, but she had already signed with Modern).

Do I have this right or have I screwed it up?

Danny Goldberg says in his book that Stevie was demoing stuff with someone else (I think it was Tom Moncreiff) and that some bigwig came down, saw what they were doing - apparently not terribly good: Stevie singing off key and the collaborator not taking her to task for it - and said they had to get her a 'real' producer.

Goldberg and Paul Fishkin wanted Iovine, but Stevie wasn't keen on a 'New York' vibe. Somehow, though, they got Tom Petty into the studio where Stevie was working and he told her Iovine was great, so she agreed to meet him.

Then (and I love this bit), Jimmy came to her house as Marina del Rey, and Stevie took him for a walk on the beach, then came back and it had been decided that he was going to produce. Also, one week later, they were living together as well.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by iamnotafraid

Continuing with The Love Boat theme...

If someone out there in computerland has a
copy of the picture with Ken working his magic
at the mixing board while Jack Jones, Paul Williams,
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham look on -
please post it here. Some suggest that Buckingham
& Nicks sang backing vocals on the track, but
refused to be acknowledged.

For those old enough to remember the show, do you
think if they'd (FLMAC) appeared on the show that it
would have magically kept the real-life couples together?
Remember that ship was magical, there's no way that
crew would have let the Mac split apart. Even John
would have been happy with Isaac making sure everyone
was spirited.

While this is probably common knowledge the character
Tattoo, played by Herve' Villechaize on Fantasy Island
can thank Fleetwood Mac for their inspiration to use a
dwarf on the show. Aaron Spelling said in an interview
at the time that he had no intention to use a dwarf for
the character Tattoo, but he kept seeing one of his
children's copy of Fleetwood Mac's The White Album
lying around. And it was though a light bulb went off in
his head. I believe you all know the rest of the story.

How does all this tie-in with Ken Caillat you ask? If you
look closely at his mixing chair it's made of Corinthian Leather.

[jellyman10]

Also, I know I'm late to the whole Ken "drama", but I must say I took against him rather deeply when he said this in his Q&A right here on the Ledge ages and ages ago:

"A note to all you fans: Sometimes I think you fans think we're creating a religious experience -- it's just music and it is just a job for myself and for the band."

To which I'd just say, Ken, if you're reading:

"A note to all you journeyman producers who get rattled when it's brought home that people are only interested in you because of your association with someone else who is more beloved: Sometimes I think you journeymen producers think we fans only buy music because we already bought everything else we really 'need' and had some cash left over -- but it gives many of us joy, and meaning, and can inspire us in dark times. A bit like religion, in fact, complete with flocks of middle men who want to fleece the faithful for every last cent. Now, go away."

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by David

Does anyone remember the details of the story Stevie told in the early '80s about how she loved the Heartbreakers so much in 1978 that she practiced her Russian ballet to the You're Gonna Get It album? From there, she wangled a meeting with Jimmy Iovine for the first time backstage at a Fleetwood Mac concert at the L.A. Forum in 1979. Tom Petty brought Jimmy backstage, and she asked him at that meeting to produce her first solo album (which had no release date yet, but she had already signed with Modern).

Jimmy Iovine talks about how he came to produce Bella Donna and a little bit about Stevie and the recording of that record in the current issue of Rolling Stone. He also talks about recording Petty, Bruce and U2. It was all very interesting.

[Dodfather]

Jeez... I go away for a few days and miss all this! This interview does appear pretty damning but I'm going to have a good look through the thread before commenting much further. I will soon though, particularly in respect to how Ken just seems frustrated with the "drama" that so needlessly surrounds the band.

[Jondalar]

My book just came, I thought it was going to have more pics, but can't wait to start reading.

[darkcat]

mine came today as well. I just started reading it, interesting so far.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by darkcat

mine came today as well. I just started reading it, interesting so far.

Definitely keep us informed of your impressions. Feel free to start a thread dedicated to your book review if you'd like.

[Dodfather]

My book is on the way from Amazon.com (US) so it'll be here in about a week I'd say. I can't wait (I Can't Wait) to read it.

As regards this intereview from Ken, the overwhelming impression I get is that he's just frustrated at the behaviour of the band members in recent years, or at least the fact that they allow management to behave in what he perceives as an unprofessional manner. In a way it's the same gripes we've had on The Ledge, just expressed a little more colourfully!

On a side note.. it's nice to see louie back to posting a little more! Howe are you?

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

But, Leif Garrett was huge when he appeared on Family. The Doobie Brothers were in What's Happening. Whitney Houston was on Silver Spoons, Friends had a lot of music artists guest - the list is endless really. For as many washed up singers (and actors) there have been just as many popular artists who have made cameos on daytime soaps, hit sitcoms and nighttime dramas as a vehicle for promoting themselves and their current hit and getting their face out there.

I remember seeing that episode of What's Happening. The signiture line from a cast member was 'Which Doobie You Be? lol

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

My book is on the way from Amazon.com (US) so it'll be here in about a week I'd say. I can't wait (I Can't Wait) to read it.

As regards this intereview from Ken, the overwhelming impression I get is that he's just frustrated at the behaviour of the band members in recent years, or at least the fact that they allow management to behave in what he perceives as an unprofessional manner. In a way it's the same gripes we've had on The Ledge, just expressed a little more colourfully!

On a side note.. it's nice to see louie back to posting a little more! Howe are you?

I'm almost done with the book and it's an amazing read!!

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

I'm almost done with the book and it's an amazing read!!

Glad to hear that. I'm waiting for the book to show up in my mailbox.

I think the books written by people involved with Fleetwood Mac offer objective perspectives and more revealing realities/stories than any of the band members are capable of or willing to write.

The yearning of some fans for Stevie to write a book is somewhat laughable to me - the assumption that she's going to reveal things we don't already know. She lacks a scholarly intellect and would have to rely heavily on a ghostwriter if she wants to publish a book with any literal integrity. And, given Stevie's fuzzy memory and inclination for revising history, the content would be mannered and stilted. History is certainly somewhat manipulated in any tell-all book or autobiography. Yet, the unique perspectives of people who associated with the band, I believe, are far more accurate in terms of illuminating certain aspects of a band member's character profile.

Just like with Carol Ann Harris, some fans are quick to villify Ken if they read something that seems unsavory about the members -- anything that makes them seem too human, less than perfect, with faults, poor behaviors, bad intentions, etc... The battle cry seems to center around suspicions that the authors' are being deliberately salacious, stretching the truth solely for the purpose of selling more books, books that won't have universal Oprah appeal; it's a limited market, mostly consisting of the band's fanbase. Sure, as anyone would, the authors' would like to see a profit for their efforts. But that doesn't discredit them for telling their stories from their own personal viewpoint, warts and all.