Stevie still not on board for new album.

[secondhandchain]

Yeah they can wait 3 years...voice deepens.

[SteveMacD]

1. Stevie Nicks is still probably the biggest star of Fleetwood Mac. Could the band do it without her? Yeah, probably. The days of the hits are over (more a statement about the industry than the band), so it doesn’t really matter. Don’t think that they don’t all realize that at this point. But, I also think that they need to do at least one, probably two, more albums with that lineup. THAT’S Fleetwood Mac to most people, and to themselves. To NOT have another album with those five when they’re all active in the industry would be absurd. NONE of them want to be the hold-out, including Stevie.

2. I think Stevie WILL to do another Fleetwood Mac album, but she can’t exactly say that when she’s promoting her latest solo album (an album of demos most fans already had that was recorded in a couple of weeks) while also being on tour with Fleetwood Mac (i.e. NOT promoting the album as a solo artist). Management wants to please labels who invest in artists, even in today’s limited music buying market.

3. Mick couldn’t even shut up about Christine coming back. Not that he needed to. We all figured out it was actually going to happen by that point. But, you know they wanted to make the announcement on the Today show, not at a Mick Fleetwood Island Blues Band or whatever show in Hawaii, a couple of months before the official announcement.

4. Given THIS, of course Stevie’s not going to formally, or informally, commit to a Fleetwood Mac record while still promoting a solo album. How effing stupid would that be? Every word she speaks to the press right now has to come back somehow on her album THAT’S ACTUALLY out. That’s a simple management move that is completely understandable.

5. Am I the only one studying the chemistry between them? Stevie is CLEARLY happy being with those people. She probably agreed to do a solo album very early in last year’s tour, not expecting Christine would actually rejoin the band.

6. I’m not the biggest Stevie fan in the world (I wanted a Christine-Billy ONLY album, to be honest, because their voices sound amazing together), but I refuse to see drama where I seriously doubt it exists. Stevie’s being more than a team player in my eyes. Most in her position would at least make the band do a few songs from the new album that’s actually out right now. She hasn’t done that. She’s being a team player. She could have easily prevented this tour from happening, but didn’t, precisely because she wants this, a full “classic” Fleetwood Mac reunion, to happen as much as the rest of us.

[bethelblues]

Good point on Mick! They knew pretty early on. He had an entire tour booked. Couldn't spoil that with: "But Christine will be on the next one in a year's time!"

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

1. Stevie Nicks is still probably the biggest star of Fleetwood Mac. Could the band do it without her? Yeah, probably. The days of the hits are over (more a statement about the industry than the band), so it doesn’t really matter. Don’t think that they don’t all realize that at this point. But, I also think that they need to do at least one, probably two, more albums with that lineup. THAT’S Fleetwood Mac to most people, and to themselves. To NOT have another album with those five when they’re all active in the industry would be absurd. NONE of them want to be the hold-out, including Stevie.

2. I think Stevie WILL to do another Fleetwood Mac album, but she can’t exactly say that when she’s promoting her latest solo album (an album of demos most fans already had that was recorded in a couple of weeks) while also being on tour with Fleetwood Mac (i.e. NOT promoting the album as a solo artist). Management wants to please labels who invest in artists, even in today’s limited music buying market.

3. Mick couldn’t even shut up about Christine coming back. Not that he needed to. We all figured out it was actually going to happen by that point. But, you know they wanted to make the announcement on the Today show, not at a Mick Fleetwood Island Blues Band or whatever show in Hawaii, a couple of months before the official announcement.

4. Given THIS, of course Stevie’s not going to formally, or informally, commit to a Fleetwood Mac record while still promoting a solo album. How effing stupid would that be? Every word she speaks to the press right now has to come back somehow on her album THAT’S ACTUALLY out. That’s a simple management move that is completely understandable.

5. Am I the only one studying the chemistry between them? Stevie is CLEARLY happy being with those people. She probably agreed to do a solo album very early in last year’s tour, not expecting Christine would actually rejoin the band.

6. I’m not the biggest Stevie fan in the world (I wanted a Christine-Billy ONLY album, to be honest, because their voices sound amazing together), but I refuse to see drama where I seriously doubt it exists. Stevie’s being more than a team player in my eyes. Most in her position would at least make the band do a few songs from the new album that’s actually out right now. She hasn’t done that. She’s being a team player. She could have easily prevented this tour from happening, but didn’t, precisely because she wants this, a full “classic” Fleetwood Mac reunion, to happen as much as the rest of us.

I'm not getting why making a commitment to do a FM album has anything to do with her solo album. Her solo album is already done and out. You seem to emphasize this conflict and I just don't see it. Making such a commitment to the band doesn't interfere with her promotional efforts for the solo album in any way (which are minimal anyway) as any recording sessions and especially album release are a long long way off.

Also, Stevie made it clear that she decided to do a solo album when she realized she had a few months off earlier this year before tour rehearsals.

And just because she's gung ho for the tour doesn't mean she's game for doing an album. There hasn't been any indication that that's something she really wants to do. Touring and recording are completely different things.

It doesn't sound like something a team player would do when the other 4 people want an album and are already well underway on one and, whether she wants to or not, the band feels they still need to convince her to do it. Leaving them hanging like that is not team player behavior.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

2. I think Stevie WILL to do another Fleetwood Mac album, but she can’t exactly say that when she’s promoting her latest solo album (an album of demos most fans already had that was recorded in a couple of weeks) while also being on tour with Fleetwood Mac (i.e. NOT promoting the album as a solo artist). Management wants to please labels who invest in artists, even in today’s limited music buying market.

Saying she plans to do an FM album in the next year or two would have no bearing on 24 Karat Gold sales or promotion. First of all, the FM tour is helping her 24K publicity, so she's already talking about FM when she promotes her solo album anyway. It's not like a movie actor who is trying to promote a small indie film, but people keep asking him about the next blockbusters Avengers film he'll be in. Saying yes she plans on doing an FM album in the future, but hasn't recorded any tracks yet will in no way detract from 24K publicity.

And it's not like any fans are going to say, "What? She has an FM album coming out in 2016? Well, then I won't buy this solo album, today. I'll just wait for the FM album."

Michele

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by MikeVielhaber

I'm not getting why making a commitment to do a FM album has anything to do with her solo album or career. Her solo album is already done and out. You seem to emphasize this conflict and I just don't see it.

Because of where the focus needs to be right now. One doesn't talk about an album that might get made, or even HAS been made but not released, while promoting an album that's actually out. That's not fair to the label that has actually invested in the album that is actually out right now.

Also, Stevie made it clear that she decided to do a solo album when she realized she had a few months off earlier this year.

I read that as after John got a cancer diagnosis. I think she expected John to get better and that they'd make up canceled dates, and that she had some time to do a solo album. I think Christine rejoining expedited her solo project (and probably the band's return).

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Saying she plans to do an FM album in the next year or two would have no bearing on 24 Karat Gold sales or promotion. First of all, the FM tour is helping her 24K publicity, so she's already talking about FM when she promotes her solo album anyway. It's not like a movie actor who is trying to promote a small indie film, but people keep asking him about the next blockbusters Avengers film he'll be in. Saying yes she plans on doing an FM album in the future, but hasn't recorded any tracks yet will in no way detract from 24K publicity.

The minute she agrees to do a Fleetwood Mac album, every interview will be about that. Right now, at least she can talk about Christine being back and about her solo album that's actually out now (as opposed to an album that might possibly come out in the next few years).

She owes her label some type of exclusive promotion for that album. She's already not touring the record. Any talk about her album won't happen if she even hints at being ready to be completely on board for a new Fleetwood Mac album. Questions in interviews will immediately go to "So, how's new Fleetwood Mac album going" instead of focusing on her new album.

And it's not like any fans are going to say, "What? She has an FM album coming out in 2016? Well, then I won't buy this solo album, today. I'll just wait for the FM album."

Fans are a strawman. Fans will be there for whatever. They're trying to sell the album to anybody that will buy it. Fans either already have it or are planning on getting it. It's the super casual, not-even-a-Fleetwood-Mac-fan they're marketing to.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

The minute she agrees to do a Fleetwood Mac album, every interview will be about that.

It won't be about that when she hasn't worked on the album yet. There's nothing she can tell them about it, because it doesn't exist and won't exist for at least a year. So, it won't dominate the promotion at all. Frankly, the talk about Christine's return is of more interest to the media than a new FM album and so she does answer Christine questions when talking about 24k, but neither Christine or the FM tour discussion eclipses her efforts to promote 24K.

When she was doing the TISL promotion, the FM album was more concrete. She even SAID that she'd given Lindsey all of those demos to work on. No interviewers asked her, "What type of songs did you give him? Fast or slow? When will the album be finished? Did you give him demos from songs that fans may know already?"

I know what kind of conflict you're describing. It's like Robert Downey Jr. trying to promote The Judge, but having the press just keep asking him about Iron Man and Avengers II, so that no one pays attention to The Judge at all. That's the kind of conflict you're saying exists with Stevie and an FM album, but it really doesn't.

Michele

[MikeVielhaber]

Christine brings up the fact that they've worked on stuff already and NO ONE CARES. She seems to bring it up in every interview (unsolicited) with nary a follow up question. That's regarding stuff that's already happened that she could easily talk about. Stevie saying she'll be part of an album at some later date that everyone else already has committed to is a non-issue as far as the media is concerned.

[WatchChain]

Originally Posted by ryan4136

They recorded without Chris.

They certainly "could" record with out Stevie.

That's just not going to happen.

The problem with Lindsey and Stevie is that neither one of them wants to put their pride aside and admit how much the other one has played a role in their early success. Lindsey is a tortured genius who resents that it took an airy fairy spinning spoiled valley girl to make him a rock and roll superstar. Stevie is a great "Rough Draft" songwriter whose early compositions NEEDED Lindsey's arrangements to take them from "rough" to GREAT. Neither one would have become a rock superstar without the other! AND, it drives them nuts!

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

It won't be about that when she hasn't worked on the album yet. There's nothing she can tell them about it, because it doesn't exist and won't exist for at least a year. So, it won't dominate the promotion at all. Frankly, the talk about Christine's return is of more interest to the media than a new FM album and so she does answer Christine questions when talking about 24k, but neither Christine or the FM tour discussion eclipses her efforts to promote 24K.

All the more reason to NOT agree (yet) to a Fleetwood Mac album. It's hasn't gone there yet, no need to go there now. Talk about the new album that's out and about the tour that's currently going on. Don't muddy either up. Period.

When she was doing the TISL promotion, the FM album was more concrete. She even SAID that she'd given Lindsey all of those demos to work on. No interviewers asked her, "What type of songs did you give him? Fast or slow? When will the album be finished? Did you give him demos from songs that fans may know already?"

She actively toured to support TISL. It was easy to talk about a future Fleetwood Mac project, even in its abstract state, because she was ACTIVELY PROMOTING HER ALBUM BY DOING A PROMOTIONAL TOUR. That’s NOT the case with 24KG. There's a balancing act where Stevie has to be enthusiastic about the album and her photo exhibit, but also about Christine's return. There's not much time or ink space to talk much about anything else at this point.

That's the kind of conflict you're saying exists with Stevie and an FM album, but it really doesn't.

To us, yes. To the label, not so much, and Stevie owes the label something. Stevie owes the people who are working her album. Management and labels, tour or no tour, have to work albums, and it's always easier for them if the big project people are clamoring for is put on the back-burner until an album's cycle is complete. I know this from personal experience of having worked in the industry. If that means making Mick sweat bullets for a few months, so be it.

Do you honestly believe that there's a remote chance Stevie Nicks won't be on the next Fleetwood Mac album? Do you honestly believe that she did an album of previously leaked demos (most of which she found on YouTube) in less than a month (fastest album she's ever done) for any other reason than she wanted to fulfill a contract so that she could spend the foreseeable future with Fleetwood Mac?

[WatchChain]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

1. Stevie Nicks is still probably the biggest star of Fleetwood Mac. Could the band do it without her? Yeah, probably. The days of the hits are over (more a statement about the industry than the band), so it doesn’t really matter. Don’t think that they don’t all realize that at this point. But, I also think that they need to do at least one, probably two, more albums with that lineup. THAT’S Fleetwood Mac to most people, and to themselves. To NOT have another album with those five when they’re all active in the industry would be absurd. NONE of them want to be the hold-out, including Stevie.

2. I think Stevie WILL to do another Fleetwood Mac album, but she can’t exactly say that when she’s promoting her latest solo album (an album of demos most fans already had that was recorded in a couple of weeks) while also being on tour with Fleetwood Mac (i.e. NOT promoting the album as a solo artist). Management wants to please labels who invest in artists, even in today’s limited music buying market.

3. Mick couldn’t even shut up about Christine coming back. Not that he needed to. We all figured out it was actually going to happen by that point. But, you know they wanted to make the announcement on the Today show, not at a Mick Fleetwood Island Blues Band or whatever show in Hawaii, a couple of months before the official announcement.

4. Given THIS, of course Stevie’s not going to formally, or informally, commit to a Fleetwood Mac record while still promoting a solo album. How effing stupid would that be? Every word she speaks to the press right now has to come back somehow on her album THAT’S ACTUALLY out. That’s a simple management move that is completely understandable.

5. Am I the only one studying the chemistry between them? Stevie is CLEARLY happy being with those people. She probably agreed to do a solo album very early in last year’s tour, not expecting Christine would actually rejoin the band.

6. I’m not the biggest Stevie fan in the world (I wanted a Christine-Billy ONLY album, to be honest, because their voices sound amazing together), but I refuse to see drama where I seriously doubt it exists. Stevie’s being more than a team player in my eyes. Most in her position would at least make the band do a few songs from the new album that’s actually out right now. She hasn’t done that. She’s being a team player. She could have easily prevented this tour from happening, but didn’t, precisely because she wants this, a full “classic” Fleetwood Mac reunion, to happen as much as the rest of us.

Thank you for being the voice of reason. Fleetwood Mac will NEVER record an album without Stevie. It's simply outside of the realm of possibility. I would like to read the transcript or hear a recording of Mick saying she's "not on board". I suspect this was taken out of context. Mick is probably pissed off the she's releasing a solo record at all, right now. He resented "In Your Dreams" and actually stated in the media that she could be making more money with Fleetwood Mac. Mick is all about the cash grab.

Moreover, it would be SO EASY to get a new 12 track Fleetwood Mac album out. The Chris/Lindsey tracks are practically done. Hell, Stevie could phone in her songs at this point (think "Mirage" or "Tango"). If she wants Dave to produce them, just have him come into the studio for about 3 weeks to record 3 Stevie Nicks songs, and you're done. Have Stevie spend another 2 weeks laying down raspy background vocals on Chris and Lindsey's song, shake a tambourine on selected tracks, and PRESTO: YOU HAVE AN ALBUM. This is not rocket science and we're not curing cancer here. This band is FULL OF DRAMA QUEENS !!!!!!

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

All the more reason to NOT agree (yet) to a Fleetwood Mac album. It's hasn't gone there yet, no need to go there now. Talk about the new album that's out and about the tour that's currently going on. Don't muddy either up. Period.


She actively toured to support TISL. It was easy to talk about a future Fleetwood Mac project, even in its abstract state, because she was ACTIVELY PROMOTING HER ALBUM BY DOING A PROMOTIONAL TOUR. That’s NOT the case with 24KG. There's a balancing act where Stevie has to be enthusiastic about the album and her photo exhibit, but also about Christine's return. There's not much time or ink space to talk much about anything else at this point.


To us, yes. To the label, not so much, and Stevie owes the label something. Stevie owes the people who are working her album. Management and labels, tour or no tour, have to work albums, and it's always easier for them if the big project people are clamoring for is put on the back-burner until an album's cycle is complete. I know this from personal experience of having worked in the industry. If that means making Mick sweat bullets for a few months, so be it.

Do you honestly believe that there's a remote chance Stevie Nicks won't be on the next Fleetwood Mac album? Do you honestly believe that she did an album of previously leaked demos (most of which she found on YouTube) in less than a month (fastest album she's ever done) for any other reason than she wanted to fulfill a contract so that she could spend the foreseeable future with Fleetwood Mac?

Sounds to me like she wanted to do something solo following last year's FM tour, but then the Christine thing happened and her time was significantly cut short. So she called up Dave and asked how she could make a quick album. If this was a contractual obligation we'd have heard about it. Like when Weird Al put out his latest album and they mentioned in all the articles and interviews that it completed his recording contract. We've heard no such thing from anybody that suggests she was forced to do this and that she did it for any other reason other than she wanted to do it. Considering she went a whole ten years without making an album on the same contract I doubt her record label is all that demanding on the timing of her releases. And I seriously doubt her record label would be force her to release an album knowing she couldn't promote it. She's still under contract and she's still going to make albums in the future. This was her decision.

Again, she doesn't have to make a huge announcement. It would probably just come out at a meet and greet with Mick and quickly pass until the time comes that they're actually working on the album. You're making up issues that don't exist.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by MikeVielhaber

Sounds to me like she wanted to do something solo following last year's FM tour

Going by what she said at the time, she felt that Fleetwood Mac needed to tour, and then take three years off. I think this album came about when she thought Fleetwood Mac was going to take three years off.

but then the Christine thing happened and her time was significantly cut short. So she called up Dave and asked how she could make a quick album.

Yep. We're on the same page thus far....

If this was a contractual obligation we'd have heard about it.

Like when Lindsey said that reason Stevie wasn't in the studio with the others is because she had other commitments?

Like when Weird Al put out his latest album and they mentioned in all the articles and interviews that it completed his recording contract.

Because Weird Al is part of something bigger than himself, like Stevie is with Fleetwood Mac?

We've heard no such thing from anybody that suggests she was forced to do this and that she did it for any other reason other than she wanted to do it.

Sure. She totally wanted to do an album of songs that had previously been leaked in demo form on YouTube, THAT SHE FOUND ON YOUTUBE, do it faster than ANY album she's ever done in her 41 year recording career, all while the woman she offered $5 million to rejoin Fleetwood Mac to actually rejoined Fleetwood Mac. I guess you're right. Even by Fleetwood Mac's standards more ridiculous things have happened.

Considering she went a whole ten years without making an album on the same contract I doubt her record label is all that demanding on the timing of her releases.

Maybe she did it so that she didn't have to worry about the contract at all? You know, so she could focus the next however many years focusing on Fleetwood Mac and having that behind her.

And I seriously doubt her record label would be force her to release an album knowing she couldn't promote it. She's still under contract and she's still going to make albums in the future. This was her decision.

Maybe, but right now, she has an album she's promoting while also promoting the return of Christine McVie. I commend her for that juggling act, but she still at least owes the label the chance to have this album be her sole focus in terms of immediate releases. Muddying things up with potential future releases right now makes no sense. We might want it, but it makes no sense right now.

Again, she doesn't have to make a huge announcement. It would probably just come out at a meet and greet with Mick and quickly pass until the time comes that they're actually working on the album. You're making up issues that don't exist.

From experience of seeing things like this first hand, even something as innocuous as a roadie mentioning an album can quickly blow up on the internet. I know from having spent the last four years in the business, up close and about as personal as it gets.

[BlueDenimLamp]

Originally Posted by MikeVielhaber

Sounds to me like she wanted to do something solo following last year's FM tour, but then the Christine thing happened and her time was significantly cut short. So she called up Dave and asked how she could make a quick album. If this was a contractual obligation we'd have heard about it. Like when Weird Al put out his latest album and they mentioned in all the articles and interviews that it completed his recording contract. We've heard no such thing from anybody that suggests she was forced to do this and that she did it for any other reason other than she wanted to do it. Considering she went a whole ten years without making an album on the same contract I doubt her record label is all that demanding on the timing of her releases. And I seriously doubt her record label would be force her to release an album knowing she couldn't promote it. She's still under contract and she's still going to make albums in the future. This was her decision.

Again, she doesn't have to make a huge announcement. It would probably just come out at a meet and greet with Mick and quickly pass until the time comes that they're actually working on the album. You're making up issues that don't exist.

Would WB prefer her to be touring with FM and generating increased sales for the FM catalog or touring for a new Stevie album? Either way she's promoting something for WB.