Ken Caillat Seeks Input for Book

***ThePenguin*** · #1 06-15-2009, 10:24 PM

Hi Ledgies,

Ken Caillat has asked for our help on a book that he is writing. Perhaps you could lend an assist by posting questions, comments and info regarding the making of Rumours in this thread.

I know we've had new questions for Ken ever since SYW and In The Meantime were released, but right now, he needs feedback just focusing on the making of Rumours. Let's keep the feedback on that one subject here in this thread and then, if there are any further discussions that arise among us, about some of the questions posed here, then that should go in other threads, for conversation just among Ledgies.

Since Ken plans on contacting anyone he can find from that era, he is also seeking information about people who were employed by the band: crew, security, engineers, receptionists at all the other studios, or rock journalists who ever interviewed the band, etc.--or most recent contact information. So, if you have any leads, send them along. If you have contact or sensitive information that should not be on a public board, send that to caillatcomments[at sign]fleetwoodmac.net.

Otherwise, post all your feedback here. Here's a note from Ken:

Hello everyone, This is Ken Caillat and I need your help. I am writing a
book on the Making of Rumours. It's being published by Harper Collins. I
want this to be the most accurate account of what went in to making this
great album. I'll be contacting everyone I can find who was there for that
epic year of recording including the band and asking new questions. I
know you fans know stories that I may not be aware of or you might
want questions answered that you have about how or why things
happened they way they did.

Well, ask away! Also, I'm looking for lost photos shot during this
album, including studio shots outside the studio shots, etc. If we use your
question, you could be in my book.

Thank you,
Ken Caillat

Moz · #2 06-16-2009, 09:08 AM

(It's early, so forgive me if none of this makes sense..)

Cool! I have a question regarding Lindsey's shirt that's shown in the gatefold of the insert that came with the LP. It's the one where Mick is laying on the ground with a bottle of wine near his feet and everyone is sitting/standing behind him. Lindsey's shirt says "Milt" and I was told it was an inside joke regarding their drug dealer.

Also on the insert, near the top, there's a line of six pictures of Lindsey smoking something. It looks like he's wearing a shower cap!

Whose idea was it for Chris to play a chair in Second Hand News? What kind of chair was it?

Who designed the whispering penguins?

What were the easiest and hardest songs to record?

Why is Oh Daddy such an awesome song?

Was there a conscious attempt to make You Make Loving Fun sound sort of "disco"?

When making up his bass parts, did John do it all by himself or did someone else (let's take Lindsey for example) say, "let's play it like this"...? If that makes sense.

Did Lindsey or Stevie do any little 'piano things', or was it all done by Christine? Likewise, did Christine do any stuff on the guitar?

Is it true that Stevie had a cold during the recording Dreams (the take that would eventually make it on to the album. Sounds like she does.)?

Why was a pane of glass broken during the recording of Gold Dust Woman? Also, in the last minute or so of GDW, there's an eerie sort of wailing sound. There has been discussion about whether or not it's Stevie wailing or Lindsey messing around on his guitar.

Why does Lindsey whisper "fffff*ck" at the beginning of the Chain?

I have about a bazillion photos I could put up here, but I'm not sure what Ken's looking for!

What did the band do for fun?

What other songs were recorded during this time that never made it onto the album, aside from Silver Springs? I always figured The Dealer was from this time..

ETA: There are a few hours of outtakes/behind the scenes footage from the band's stop in Japan in December '77. It has been floating around for a few years, I imagine. Anyway, was this footage supposed to be used for some sort of documentary? It's quite amusing ("interviews" with Christine and Stevie, Lindsey noodling around on the guitar and piano and remarking how "at the end of this year we'll have played 98 shows. 98! I'M SICK OF PLAYING!") and there is an excellent version of Gold Dust Woman. While I don't have any information regarding other people employed by the band, roadies and other helpers are shown in this footage.

Moz · #3 06-16-2009, 09:14 AM

Okay, here are some Rumours era photos. Not sure if they're as "lost" as Ken would like, but I thought it would be fun.

.

There are two in this post. And here, and here.

shackin'up · #4 06-16-2009, 09:38 AM

Ok, Ken (Chicken Shack pun intended

), I admire your work on this epic album, but with all the respect in the world: in this year, 2009, we should
* talk about and
* write books about and
* reissue film- and audio from ....
the best album ever recorded. 30 years ago. TUSK. Why aren't we, and especially the band and all Tusk-coworkers, focussing on that?????????

Peestie · #5 06-16-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Why aren't we, and especially the band and all Tusk-coworkers, focussing on that?????????

Because publishers aren't interested in putting out a book about a "flop" album when they can put one out about Rumours?

I don't have any specific questions at the minute but I'm sure I'll be back with some. The closest I have to a question is a request that plenty of technical stuff goes in about how the album was produced and how the fantastic sound of that album was produced. What techniques etc. were used? I'll try come back with more specific questions but I'd just eat up any technical information, if it's available.

TeenageMac · #6 06-16-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Ok, Ken (Chicken Shack pun intended

), I admire your work on this epic album, but with all the respect in the world: in this year, 2009, we should
* talk about and
* write books about and
* reissue film- and audio from ....
the best album ever recorded. 30 years ago. TUSK. Why aren't we, and especially the band and all Tusk-coworkers, focussing on that?????????

Don't worry - A book about the making of Tusk is due out March 2010! http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/...?BookId=131532

shackin'up · #7 06-16-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peestie

Because publishers aren't interested in putting out a book about a "flop" album when they can put one out about Rumours?

.

But I'm talking to Ken here, Peestie, not to a publisher: Ken KNOWS that Tusk is a artistic masterpiece (and besides, one of the best-selling double-albums ever) with an amazingly important influence on todays new-folk-movement and the lo-fi singersongwriters-wave of the late nineties. That's what the world should be interested in.

JeannieKartis · #8 06-16-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

Hi Ledgies,

Ken Caillat has asked for our help on a book that he is writing. Perhaps you could lend an assist by posting questions, comments and info regarding the making of Rumours in this thread.

I know we've had new questions for Ken ever since SYW and In The Meantime were released, but right now, he needs feedback just focusing on the making of Rumours. Let's keep the feedback on that one subject here in this thread and then, if there are any further discussions that arise among us, about some of the questions posed here, then that should go in other threads, for conversation just among Ledgies.

Since Ken plans on contacting anyone he can find from that era, he is also seeking information about people who were employed by the band: crew, security, engineers, receptionists at all the other studios, or rock journalists who ever interviewed the band, etc.--or most recent contact information. So, if you have any leads, send them along. If you have contact or sensitive information that should not be on a public board, send that to caillatcomments[at sign]fleetwoodmac.net.

Otherwise, post all your feedback here. Here's a note from Ken:

Hello everyone, This is Ken Caillat and I need your help. I am writing a
book on the Making of Rumours. It's being published by Harper Collins. I
want this to be the most accurate account of what went in to making this
great album. I'll be contacting everyone I can find who was there for that
epic year of recording including the band and asking new questions. I
know you fans know stories that I may not be aware of or you might
want questions answered that you have about how or why things
happened they way they did.

Well, ask away! Also, I'm looking for lost photos shot during this
album, including studio shots outside the studio shots, etc. If we use your
question, you could be in my book.

Thank you,
Ken Caillat

I've got some stuff from the rumours era, I will have to dig it up and I'm sure I will come up with some questions...
btw, I did not realize Colbie Caillat was Ken's daughter, she was just here in vabeach for a show....

ShangriLaTroubl · #9 06-16-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeannieKartis

I've got some stuff from the rumours era, I will have to dig it up and I'm sure I will come up with some questions...
btw, I did not realize Colbie Caillat was Ken's daughter, she was just here in vabeach for a show....

You know I never knew that either! That's awesome! I saw her live, opening for John Mayer in Irvine last summer, she puts on a heck of a show!
ANYWAY!

Ken: We all know there was a lot of fuss about "Silver Springs" being cut from the record, because of space and "I Don't Want to Know" was put in its place.

Was there ever discussion about evenly splitting up the songs for the 3 songwriters or did it never get that anal?

While Stevie had "Dreams," "Gold Dust Woman," and dueted with Lindsey on "I Don't Want to Know" she had the least amount of LEAD VOCAL runtime on the album.

Was this ever a point of discussion after the news of dropping "Silver Springs" was out?

Erin · #10 06-16-2009, 06:30 PM

Ken,

Are any of the proceeds from this book going to help preserve the Sausalito plant where the album was recorded? Mick has taken an interest in preserving the building:http://www.oursausalito.com/2009/05/...sausalito.html

A little off topic but my librarian side wants to know...you brought up something I had been thinking about previously when you mentioned looking for old photographs, etc. Is there or has there been any thought about preservation of Fleetwood Mac memorabilia? Creating an archive/museum beyond what exists in various Hard Rock Cafes and the Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland? So much of music paraphernalia is ephemeral and subject to rapid deterioration. I hate to think of photographs, recordings, clothes, etc. sitting in various garages with no thought to their future existence. Maybe the Sausalito building could even house some of this stuff...sorry thinking out loud here. Thanks for asking for fan input!

Erin

Somajoseph · #11 06-16-2009, 07:07 PM

One question I wanted to ask. What did the band record in Miami at Criteria Studios? Was that in January 1976 before the Sausalito sessions? And is it true the entire band stayed in the same house while they were in Miami?

Thanks!

louielouie2000 · #12 06-16-2009, 09:46 PM

Mick has said there was a house up in the Sausalito hills that the boys rented, and "God help you what went on up there." Were you a resident? What really happened up there?

Stevie and Christine said they rented condos in Sausalito harbor. Were you ever a visitor down there? What were their places like if so?

Stevie says she hasn't driven since like 1976, how did she get around town, and home? Anyone have any memorable cars during that time?

What was daily life like with the band? What time did recording start and end? Did everyone ever go on outings together such as daytrips? Did everyone go out to eat and to bars together?

How did each band member and yourself change from 1976-1978?

bucklind17 · #13 06-16-2009, 10:17 PM

I remember reading/hearing that at some point in the recording process, the master tapes began to lose the high end. I'm not very knowledgeable about what exactly would cause something like this to happen outside of overuse but was curious what kind of process goes into restoring that. Did the tracks have to be entirely re-recorded or just the affected aspects? What songs, if not all, were affected by this and did any changes to the final tracks occur because the originals weren't usable?

Sorry if this is a boring question or something that's more well known to most than it is to me. I'm oddly curious about it!

Madness Fades · #14 06-17-2009, 05:38 AM

How much money did each of the 5 and members Make from Tusk, Rumours & Mirage?

Who blew the most on Drugs?

What did the Recording Studio in Sausilito smell like?

Who Caused the most arguments?

Tell me more about Lindsey phoning the Radio DJ that Played Go Your Own Way and said " Hmmm, I dont Know about that one".

Peestie · #15 06-17-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

But I'm talking to Ken here, Peestie, not to a publisher: Ken KNOWS that Tusk is a artistic masterpiece (and besides, one of the best-selling double-albums ever) with an amazingly important influence on todays new-folk-movement and the lo-fi singersongwriters-wave of the late nineties. That's what the world should be interested in.

I'd love it if the world had an interest in Tusk but even the band doesn't seem interested enough in it to do anything about it on its 30th anniversary