Entertainment Weekly celebrates the 40th anniversary of Rumours

[SisterNightroad]

40 years after Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours,’ Stevie Nicks is still one of rock’s biggest icons

The iconic 1977 Fleetwood Mac album “Rumours” turned 40 last week. This album has
meant a whole lot to me over the course of my life, and this anniversary has forced me to reflect on that more than ever.

As a female writing about music, I have a special appreciation for women in music, and Stevie Nicks is one of the best the world has seen. As she approaches 70, she remains one of the most incredible women in rock, releasing album “24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault,” in 2013. She is currently touring and recently added 20 tour dates for 2017, kicking off on Feb. 23, in Reno, Nevada, and wrapping up on April 6 in Uniondale, New York.

In the music industry as a whole, women are typically confined to the roles of solo performers or singer-songwriters. This is what makes Fleetwood Mac stand out — it’s a mixed-gendered rock band, and by far the most successful one to ever grace the industry. Of course, there was drama that came along with it, but from that drama emerged some of the greatest music of the 70s, specifically the album “Rumours.”

Nicks was involved in a tumultuous relationship with her bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, and their relationship came to an end while the band remained whole. Instead of conforming to the heartbroken damsel in distress stereotype that people may have expected, Nicks continued working with Buckingham and the rest of the band, and went on to write the song “Dreams,” which is the only Fleetwood Mac single to reach number one on the United States charts. The drama and heartbreak being felt by almost every member of the band produced their most successful era because of the fact both the male and female perspectives were on display. There is dialogue within and between the tracks of the album, and this is what makes it stand out among most albums in rock history.

Nicks is also notable in the sense that she chose her career over settling down and starting a family. Women are often expected to be tame and take their so-called “biological duty” more seriously than their career or passions. Nicks never conformed to that. From the age of 16, she has been a songwriter and musician, and has let nothing get in the way — whether it was her affairs and relationships, or the societal pressure of settling down to have a family. Nothing could stop her passion for her craft, and as a result she has led an incredibly successful career both with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.

At the age of 68, it is expected that her career as a rock star may be approaching its end, but that doesn’t signal the end of her relevance. She is more than just a rock star — she is an incredibly wise and knowledgeable woman who uses her art to convey her experiences to the world and offer solace to those that have had similar experiences. All the while, she has paved the way for women in rock, and has simultaneously been exemplary to women in general, with her good-naturedness and her ability to overcome all sorts of obstacles — while still finding incredible success. She uses this success as a platform to share what she has learned as a woman in the rock genre, and simply as a student of the universe.

In a 2015 issue of Mojo magazine, Nicks said, “I think every band should have a girl in it, because it’s always going to make for cooler stuff going on than if it’s just a bunch of guys.” The world, and music in general, can learn a lot from the success of Fleetwood Mac, and of Stevie Nicks in particular.

Jenny Bourque is a freshman English and textual studies major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. You can email her at jabourqu@syr.edu.



http://dailyorange.com/2017/02/40-ye...biggest-icons/

[SisterNightroad]

SEX AND DRUGS AND LIGHTING GUYS: THE FLEETWOOD MAC STORY

The 4th of February marked the fortieth anniversary of something great. This month in 1977, the album Rumours was released by Fleetwood Mac. Filled with memorable tracks, acerbic jabs and drug-fueled romantic angst, there is plenty for listeners of all ages and backgrounds to sink their auditory teeth into.

The Album’s Background

Rumours was designed first and foremost as an album that would contain no “filler” tracks; every track must be up to the standard of a single. Indeed, while this factor raised the bar and probably put an already high-pressure situation in a quality-analysis vice, it is undoubtedly instrumental to the album’s success. Every track is at a standard that it could be released and stand on its own two feet independently. Beyond this, the band retains its signature sound throughout, yet the trio of singers give each song a distinct and unique twist, preventing the album from stagnating or losing any magic upon repeated plays. However, beyond the acoustics and the standard of the tracks themselves is the story of the band’s turmoil, imprinted on the lyrics. The band consisted of five members, the on-again-off-again American couple Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, who were finally heading towards calling it off for good; and the Brits, the divorcing John and Christine McVie, and lastly Mick Fleetwood, who had just discovered his wife had been having an affair with his best friend.

The Creation Process

The emotional confusion and acrimony is incredibly prevalent in the lyrics of the album. ‘You Make Loving Fun’ is a feel-good song about finding the joy of being in a relationship with someone new, penned by Christine about the group’s lighting guy and with a bass line played by her ex-lover. She also claims her song ‘Oh Daddy’ is dedicated to drummer, Mick Fleetwood, but some members of the band believe this is actually a love song dedicated to someone else. Buckingham and Nicks, in turn, use the album as a cathartic method of digesting their own views on the breakdown of their relationship. ‘Go Your Own Way’, written by Buckingham, claims “shacking up’s all you want to do”, much to Nick’s chagrin, whilst her song ‘Dreams’ analyses the ephemeral nature of love through a series of metaphors, and a quiet awareness of the relationship’s end. The McVies didn’t talk between takes, and conversely recordings were the only time Nicks and Buckingham stopped screaming at each other. In addition, friction between the Brits and Americans in the group distanced all the members further. The recording sessions are a rumour-mill in and of themselves, with it being alleged the group didn’t see daylight for days; that John McVie was descending into serious alcoholism; Nicks tried to take cocaine anally and wrapped her head in a black scarf to record ‘Gold Dust Woman’, as well as the alleged affair between Fleetwood and Nicks.

The Album Title

The group has retrospectively confirmed, as well as all the rumours surrounding the recording, that the album was named Rumours because the tracks were the only way the band knew what was happening with the other members. This disjointed and, at times, abusive exchange of monologues was the only stream of communication between the members at such a dysfunctional time.

Where You May Have Heard The Tracks

The gravitas of these tracks is evident as they permeate day-to-day popular culture. Bill Clinton used ‘Don’t Stop’s distinctive hook “don’t stop thinking about tomorrow”, as his campaign song in his successful 1993 run for office, with the band even re-uniting to play it live. Though this perhaps overlooks the message of the song that heartbreak is eventually a memory. ‘The Chain’ and its distinctive bassline riff, the sole song that all five members have writing credits for, can be heard on the BBC’s coverage of Formula One. Several songs have been covered by the likes of Eva Cassidy (‘Songbird’) and The Corrs (‘Dreams’), and have featured in soundtracks of high profile media such as The Simpsons, Forrest Gump, Skins, Cuckoo and Guitar Hero World Tour. The album was also voted 25th out of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

The Hidden Gem

Even if you are familiar with the album, you may not know of the unreleased track that Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks had a copyright tug of war over, ‘Silver Spring’. Replaced on the album by the marginally peppier ‘I Don’t Want To Know’, Nicks’ lyrical and musical genius is sorely overlooked. The song was recently added to the line-up in album re-releases and focuses on the breakdown of her relationship with Buckingham, with the eponymous ‘Silver Spring’ being an idealised and romantic sense of perfection. It was named after the band drove through Colorado and Nicks commented to Fleetwood that it seemed like a perfect place. For those who appreciate discovering new tracks, iTunes has many demos you probably haven’t heard before from the super-deluxe version of the album. ‘Planets of the Universe’ is particularly haunting, with poignant piano and vocals and a very raw, stripped back power behind it.

The Legacy

Rumours still hits a raw nerve with a lot of people; beyond the catchy tunes, familiar riffs and powerful vocals, the group is exploring the very real pain of being unable to hold a relationship together in a time of emotional turmoil. The album receives a lot of praise, and is almost seen as pejoratively mainstream since it has sold so many copies. So, is it overhyped? To quote Murray from Flight of the Conchords; “Rumours? No, it’s all true.”



http://www.inquirelive.co.uk/enterta...ood-mac-story/

[BLY]

[QUOTE=

The Hidden Gem

Even if you are familiar with the album, you may not know of the unreleased track that Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks had a copyright tug of war over, ‘Silver Spring’. Replaced on the album by the marginally peppier ‘I Don’t Want To Know’, Nicks’ lyrical and musical genius is sorely overlooked. The song was recently added to the line-up in album re-releases and focuses on the breakdown of her relationship with Buckingham, with the eponymous ‘Silver Spring’ being an idealised and romantic sense of perfection. It was named after the band drove through Colorado and Nicks commented to Fleetwood that it seemed like a perfect place. For those who appreciate discovering new tracks, iTunes has many demos you probably haven’t heard before from the super-deluxe version of the album. ‘Planets of the Universe’ is particularly haunting, with poignant piano and vocals and a very raw, stripped back power behind it.


Wrong! That would be a drive through MARYLAND not Colorado.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by BLY

Wrong! That would be a drive through MARYLAND not Colorado.

Yes, they failed. Also it was the name of the place that Stevie said she liked, or may even have said it was perfect but not the city itself, if I remember well.
I just searched for images of Silver Spring for curiosity and it doesn't look like a "perfect" place, at least not for my tastes: https://www.google.it/search?q=silve...uPL-gjQacFMDOM:

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by BLY

Wrong! That would be a drive through MARYLAND not Colorado.

LOL, they got that story mixed up with the Colorado Landslide story.

[bombaysaffires]

[QUOTE=BLY;1201527][QUOTE=

The Hidden Gem

Even if you are familiar with the album, you may not know of the unreleased track that Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks had a copyright tug of war over, ‘Silver Spring’.

Replaced on the album by the marginally peppier ‘I Don’t Want To Know’,Nicks’ lyrical and musical genius is sorely overlooked. The song was recently added to the line-up in album re-releases and focuses on the breakdown of her relationship with Buckingham, with the eponymous ‘Silver Spring’ being an idealised and romantic sense of perfection. It was named after the band drove through Colorado and Nicks commented to Fleetwood that it seemed like a perfect place. For those who appreciate discovering new tracks, iTunes has many demos you probably haven’t heard before from the super-deluxe version of the album. ‘Planets of the Universe’ is particularly haunting, with poignant piano and vocals and a very raw, stripped back power behind it.


Wrong! That would be a drive through MARYLAND not Colorado.[/QUOTE]



and I would say I Don't Want to Know is actually a good deal peppier than Silver Springs. Silver Springs has a tremendous energy to be sure, but it's not exactly a song you be-bop down the highway to, which IDWK is.

[SisterNightroad]

Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is 40 years old
Chart feats and facts about the classic album, released in 1977.

This year marks 40 years since the release of Rumours, from Fleetwood Mac, one of the most revered and talked about albums ever.

From its iconic cover, to its songs, which you can still hear played regularly on the radio and all around you, Rumours fairly quickly established itself as a classic.

Almost as fascinating as the material itself was the backstory behind its production, with the band in love, at war and, shall we say, indulging in the full trappings of rockstar hedonism.

The album first entered the Official Albums Chart at 57 – it wasn't unusual for albums to start low and climb back then – but rocketed 50 places into the Top 10 the following week. Rumours would spend a (non-consecutive) 44 weeks in the Top 10 and while it did a little bit of pogo-ing up and down, it never went lower than 15 for almost a year.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Rumours only managed one week at Number 1, in January 1978, dispatching Bread off the top before being deposed themselves by Abba's The Album. View the Official Albums Chart the week Rumours went to Number 1

It also might shock you to know that the album's four singles weren't hugely successful. Lead single Go Your Own Way – which gained new fame years later when it was featured in a car advert – peaked at Number 38 in 1977, and while it has made a few reappearances in the Top 100 since downloads were counted toward the chart, it never bested that original high. Follow-up Don't Stop befell a similar fate, landing at 32, but the third single fared slightly better.

The Stevie Nicks-led classic Dreams – widely regarded and well-loved as a masterpiece today – managed Number 24, although it was to become the band's only US Number 1. The album's final single You Make Loving Fun stalled at 45, but the singles' relative under-performance didn't do Rumours any harm. Maybe record buyers loved the songs to much they were inspired to but the whole album, because it has sold a LOT.

Rumours is one of the Top 20 biggest selling albums of all time, with latest sales standing at 3.8 million. Thanks to the resurgence of the vinyl format – which, as any muso at a party will tell you if you ask (and even if you don't), Rumours was originally produced to sound best on – Rumours still sells pretty well. Rumours was the fifth top selling vinyl album of 2016, in fact.

It's spent 669 weeks in the Official Albums Chart Top 100, second only to Queen's Greatest Hits, which is the bestselling album of all time and has notched up 761, and a reissue in 2013 brought it back to the Top 3 for the first time in over 30 years. Rumours is still a regular fixture in the Top 100 today.

Fleetwood Mac in 1977, at the height of Rumours' success, and managing to stop killing each other long enough to pose for a photo (Daily Mail/REX)

Many artists have cited Rumours as a major influence, with Lorde calling it a "perfect album". Allof the songs have been covered. Of the notable ones, Dreams not only returned to the Top 40 twice, it only went and improved on its original chart position too! Ouch! The Corrs' cover of Dreams hit Number 6 in 1999, while a Deep Dish reimagining of the track, which featured fresh vocals from Stevie herself, reached Number 14. Songbird, originally sung by Christine McVie on the album, was covered by Eva Cassidy and became one of her signature songs and the name of her chart-topping album. The Chain has been used for decades as the theme tune for the BBC's coverage of Formula 1 motor racing.

Rumours' most downloaded song is Go Your Own Way, clocking up 290,000 sales, and it's the most streamed too – around 200,000 plays a week at the moment. Looking at the stats of all the stores reporting into the Official Chart, 1,600 of you have downloaded Rumours this year, with 8,400 physical copies also finding their way into your homes. And that is an actual fact, not a rumour.

Happy birthday Rumours!



http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-...rs-old__18313/

[SisterNightroad]

MUSIC Rumours in retrospect: Revisiting Fleetwood Mac’s seminal album on its 40th anniversary

Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours has just celebrated its 40th birthday and, even though there are probably thousands of articles dedicated to how special this album is already, I think it deserves at least one more. It’s an album that is strangely omnipresent even today, and has managed to become so universally loved that it’s almost uncool to not like it. When it was first released in 1977, Rumours rightly won every high profile music award around, continually beating the Eagles’ fantastic – but not quite Rumours-level fantastic – Hotel California into second place. It retains its relevance forty years on as it transforms the private heartbreak of five people into something universal, and utterly unforgettable.

It retains its relevance forty years on as it transforms the private heartbreak of five people into something universal, and utterly unforgettable

When trying to answer the question of what makes the Mac’s seminal album so durable, there are a lot of bases to cover. Created at a time when every single romantic relationship in the band was falling apart, it conveys emotional trauma with a rawness that is incredibly vulnerable. It’s been said before, Fleetwood Mac walked onto the scene with Rumours and pretty much owned the concept of breaking up. Through the course of recording the album, bassist John McVie and his wife, singer and pianist Christine, finalised their divorce, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham ended their six-year relationship, and Mick Fleetwood’s wife had an affair with his best friend. Christine also went on to have an affair with the band’s lighting director who then had to be let go. Add to this the studio’s ever-present ‘community bag’ of cocaine and it’s difficult to imagine how they ever got anything recorded at all. In fact, the band were so grateful to their drug dealer after they’d finished recording that they planned to thank him on the album credits. Unfortunately his dealer competitors murdered him before the release date.

The three songwriters, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks were all venting their pain through their music and consequently writing songs about each other. There was no such outlet for the non-writers in the band and poor John McVie could only suck it up and play bass on the Christine-penned ‘You Make Loving Fun’ – an upbeat pop-rock song dedicated to her new boyfriend. Apparently she told her ex-husband that it was written about her dog. I’m sure he bought that. But despite the emotional deluge that shaped its production, the California folk-rock of Rumours can often have a strangely calming effect since, not only is it about tragedy, but about the solace in acknowledging an overwhelming situation, finding your footing, and tentatively looking towards the future.

On the subject of moving on, the songs of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks emerge from completely different standpoints. Tension is palpable in the acoustic beginnings of Buckingham’s ‘Go Your Own Way’, whose tortured verses – ‘If I could / Baby I’d give you my world / How can I / When you won’t take it from me?’ – erupt into a harmonic chorus that translates frustration into anger. It’s no secret that this song was a direct attack on Stevie, who resented having to sing the line, ‘Packing up / Shacking up’s all you wanna do.’ She later told Rolling Stone, ‘He knew it wasn’t true. It was just an angry thing that he said. Every time those words would come onstage, I wanted to go over and kill him.’

By contrast, Stevie’s sweetly lilting ‘Dreams’ is infinitely gentler in its approach and speaks to finding forgiveness instead of bearing anger: ‘Women, they will come and they will go / When the rain washes you clean you’ll know.’ Christine McVie’s ‘Don’t Stop’ takes yet another approach to getting over someone, using its catchy riff to drive home the fact that dwelling on the past won’t get you anywhere. The lullaby ‘Songbird’, however, in which Christine alone accompanies herself on the piano, allows time for reflection, and the slightly creepy ‘Oh Daddy’ shows an awareness of greater forces holding the band members together despite the temptation of calling it quits.

The song that really epitomises this philosophical bent is ‘The Chain’; the result of piecing together parts of rejected songs from all three writers in the band. The song is anchored by McVie and Fleetwood’s bluesy rhythm section, over layered with a melody co-created by Christine and Lindsey, and finished with Stevie’s haunting lyrics, pulled from an earlier demo relating to her break up with Lindsey. (This demo can be found on YouTube and everybody should listen to it– it’s so beautiful and absolutely heart breaking.) Finally, the guitar riff in the outro to ‘The Chain’ is perhaps its most arresting part, imbuing the closing lyrics with a real urgency and desperation: ‘Chain – keep us to together.’

My personal favourite track, however, is the final one on the album: ‘Gold Dust Woman’. Sometimes referred to as the band’s ‘cocaine anthem’, Stevie’s lyrics are spookily prophetic as she sings ‘Take your silver spoon / Dig your grave’ and wonders whether wealth and fame are worth the personal consequences: ‘Rulers make bad lovers / You better put your kingdom up for sale.’ The final seconds of the track are filled with uninhibited wailing and sounds of shattering glass, rendering the final tone of the album dark and vaguely threatening. But it is also a beautifully self-aware note to close on. When Rumours stops spinning, emotional turmoil is still very much present, but evidence also lingers of a concerted effort, still applicable today, to ‘pick up the pieces and go home.’



http://oxfordstudent.com/2017/02/26/rumours/