The Other Side of the Mirror turns 30

[petep9000]

Originally Posted by David

To my ears, the album "sounds" like shoulder pads and puffy satin sleeves. It's kind of a turnoff to me.

It sure does. Whenever I hear it those are really the first things that come to mind. Such an odd period for her, both musically and visually.

[michelej1]

When I hear shoulder pads and puffy satin things, I immediately think of Dynasty. I don't recall Linda Evans dancing to OSOTM

[greendaze5]

Some random thoughts:

- Love: 'Rooms On Fire' (great track with a great video), 'Two Kinds of Love', 'Ooh My Love' (cool percussion intro, this version is way better than the one with the plagiarized Tom Petty 'Runaway Trains' musical track).

- The vocal on 'Juliet' on the 'Tango' deluxe box set is plain awful. It's hilarious when you hear her say how good it is at the end.

- Dislike: 'Cry Wolf'. A boring forgettable song which she didn't even write. Should have been replaced with her own 'Real Tears'.

- Not my favorite album, but better in my opinion than 'Rock A Little' and 'Street Angel'.

- Hate her awkward talk-singing in 'Juliet': 'Turn to the blue crystal mirror...' and then 'Let the crisis become a bridge...'

- Very nice tour book with great pictures. They really went downhill after the 'Street Angel' one when Christopher Nicks completely took over.

- There were some cool promo items: a kaleidoscope and a hologram. A small hologram came free in the UK releases of the album, and there was a bigger framed one too that you can buy a special light fixture for.

- Interesting that the album, thanks to 'Rooms On Fire' was a hit in Europe. Stevie even got to tour the UK , France, and I think the Netherlands and Germany too.

- As the OSOTM tour was the first time I saw Stevie solo (at the Great Woods Amphitheater in Mansfield, MA, and then in Saratoga Springs, NY), it was a big thrill. Quite a number of gals dressed up, looking like Sisters of the Moon, and holding up signs like 'Forest of the Black Roses'. But in retrospect, the shows were pretty terrible. Stevie was so zonked out on klonopin, and made no interaction with the audiences. She basically stood there, sang with a dead look on her face, walked out, changed clothes, came out again, and did the same all over again. She would be a little more alive as the show went out, like when she did 'Stand Back' and 'Whole Lotta Trouble'.

- I hate her stage style at this time - the big whitish hair, the giant shoulder pads, the bustiers, the little wedding hats, the large crosses....

- There was a very interesting demo of 'Two Kinds of Love' circulated among fans (I still have it on an old cassette somewhere). The music was the same, but it was sung by Rupert Hine, and some of the lyrics were different. From what I can recall, the words were something like:

'Ooh, mistaken as she was
The pain has ended
You wanted this to happen here
Understand it
Well, it's just another test...'

The rest is the same, except from what I remember, at the end of the chorus, Rupert sings the line, 'You can keep your heart-shaped diamond'.

- In the pre-internet world of 1989, the latest Stevie/FM news was from mail order fanzines. Anyone here remember those?! There were 'Dreams' and 'Rumours'. Then later ones like 'Frozen Love', 'Affairs of the Heart', 'Belle Fleur'/'Mirror Mirror', 'Crystal', and 'Silver Springs'.

- Sadly, when 'Two Kinds of Love' and 'Whole Lotta of Trouble' failed to chart, it marked the beginning of a slump in Stevie's career. Things didn't get better until 'The Dance' reunion.

[greendaze5]

Some random thoughts:

- Love: 'Rooms On Fire' (great track with a great video), 'Two Kinds of Love', 'Ooh My Love' (cool percussion intro, this version is way better than the one with the plagiarized Tom Petty 'Runaway Trains' musical track).

- The vocal on 'Juliet' on the 'Tango' deluxe box set is plain awful. It's hilarious when you hear her say how good it is at the end.

- Dislike: 'Cry Wolf'. A boring forgettable song which she didn't even write. Should have been replaced with her own 'Real Tears'.

- Not my favorite album, but better in my opinion than 'Rock A Little' and 'Street Angel'.

- Hate her awkward talk-singing in 'Juliet': 'Turn to the blue crystal mirror...' and then 'Let the crisis become a bridge...'

- Very nice tour book with great pictures. They really went downhill after the 'Street Angel' one when Christopher Nicks completely took over.

- There were some cool promo items: a kaleidoscope and a hologram. A small hologram came free in the UK releases of the album, and there was a bigger framed one too that you can buy a special light fixture for.

- Interesting that the album, thanks to 'Rooms On Fire' was a hit in Europe. Stevie even got to tour the UK , France, and I think the Netherlands and Germany too.

- As the OSOTM tour was the first time I saw Stevie solo (at the Great Woods Amphitheater in Mansfield, MA, and then in Saratoga Springs, NY), it was a big thrill. Quite a number of gals dressed up, looking like Sisters of the Moon, and holding up signs like 'Forest of the Black Roses'. But in retrospect, the shows were pretty terrible. Stevie was so zonked out on klonopin, and made no interaction with the audiences. She basically stood there, sang with a dead look on her face, walked out, changed clothes, came out again, and did the same all over again. She would be a little more alive as the show went out, like when she did 'Stand Back' and 'Whole Lotta Trouble'.

- I hate her stage style at this time - the big whitish hair, the giant shoulder pads, the bustiers, the little wedding hats, the large crosses....

- There was a very interesting demo of 'Two Kinds of Love' circulated among fans (I still have it on an old cassette somewhere). The music was the same, but it was sung by Rupert Hine, and some of the lyrics were different. From what I can recall, the words were something like:

'Ooh, mistaken as she was
The pain has ended
You wanted this to happen here
Understand it
Well, it's just another test...'

The rest is the same, except from what I remember, at the end of the chorus, Rupert sings the line, 'You can keep your heart-shaped diamond'.

- In the pre-internet world of 1989, the latest Stevie/FM news was from mail order fanzines. Anyone here remember those?! There were 'Dreams' and 'Rumours'. Then later ones like 'Frozen Love', 'Affairs of the Heart', 'Belle Fleur'/'Mirror Mirror', 'Crystal', and 'Silver Springs'.

- Sadly, when 'Two Kinds of Love' and 'Whole Lotta of Trouble' failed to chart, it marked the beginning of a slump in Stevie's career. Things didn't get better until 'The Dance' reunion.

[David]

Originally Posted by michelej1

When I hear shoulder pads and puffy satin things, I immediately think of Dynasty. I don't recall Linda Evans dancing to OSOTM

Those were the days. Those were the styles.

Shoulder pads.



Satin dancing.



But I think that whole Rooms on Fire thing just went too far.

[SaraRhiannon]

Originally Posted by David

It's a good collection of songs but I don't like the way any of them are rendered. To my ears, the album "sounds" like shoulder pads and puffy satin sleeves. It's kind of a turnoff to me.

Wow, yes, you nailed that. I feel the same way about RAL...sounds like black lace fingerless gloves and Aqua Net.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by greendaze5

- Dislike: 'Cry Wolf'. A boring forgettable song which she didn't even write. Should have been replaced with her own 'Real Tears'.

-

Agreed. I don’t like it when a song she didn’t write takes up the place of one of hers, but if it has to happen, let it be with Some Become Strangers, not something the low caliber Cry Wolf.

[Macfan4life]

People seem to flame her about the shoulder pads and big hair but in 1989 if she did not have big hair and shoulder pads, people would have laughed at her because she would have been so out of style. In 1989 and Tango 1987/88 tour the pads were just sprouting. On her 1991 tour, she practically had a curtain rod going from one shoulder to the other. Then she added gloves which I could not stand. IMHO real rock stars don't wear full gloves on stage. However, her 1991 tour had my favorite backing band. She added another guitarist which really made the band rock. Stevie finally put If Anyone Falls back into the set after not performing it for 2 tours. But nothing was as tacky that it is laughable coolness to add explosions during the beginning of Edge of 17
IMHO the 1989 tour had her the most zonked out because its when klonopin took over and turned the lights out. I think her body adjusted to being lifeless later on. She just stood there in 1989 and even the newspaper the next day asked why she never moved. She had more life the next year when I saw her with the Mac in 1990 dancing a lot on stage. In 1991, she was really out of it but still having fun on stage.

[greendaze5]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

People seem to flame her about the shoulder pads and big hair but in 1989 if she did not have big hair and shoulder pads, people would have laughed at her because she would have been so out of style. In 1989 and Tango 1987/88 tour the pads were just sprouting.

Very true! Look at Ann and Nancy Wilson in the mid to late 80's too!

I remember seeing the 2nd leg of the 'Behind the Mask' tour (in Mansfield, MA). Stevie had slimmed down a bit and was proudly wearing a mini-skirt.

I saw the 1991 solo tour too (in Toronto, Canada), and yes, it was a thrill that she brought back 'If Anyone Falls'. No 'Sometimes It's A Bitch' or 'Hard Game to Play' as she toured right before 'TimeSpace' came out.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by greendaze5

Very true! Look at Ann and Nancy Wilson in the mid to late 80's too!

I remember seeing the 2nd leg of the 'Behind the Mask' tour (in Mansfield, MA). Stevie had slimmed down a bit and was proudly wearing a mini-skirt.

I saw the 1991 solo tour too (in Toronto, Canada), and yes, it was a thrill that she brought back 'If Anyone Falls'. No 'Sometimes It's A Bitch' or 'Hard Game to Play' as she toured right before 'TimeSpace' came out.

Yes both Stevie and Chris wore mini skirts on the BTM and Farewell tour. I do remember as you that she slimmed down some and seemed more alive than 1989.

[He's So Unusual]

Rooms on Fire
Ooh My Love
Long Way to Go
Doing the Best I Can
Cry Wolf
Whole Lotta Trouble

I love these tracks. I don't care for the rest of the album. I Still Miss Someone is one of the worst songs Stevie has recorded. Two Kinds of Love had the potential to be a great song (the chorus is lovely), but the naff lyrics in the verses and the awful saxophone (screw you, Kenny G!) ruin it.

Mirror, Mirror should have been included on the album. It boggles the mind why Stevie continued to overlook this gem for so long.

[cbBen]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Yes both Stevie and Chris wore mini skirts on the BTM and Farewell tour. I do remember as you that she slimmed down some and seemed more alive than 1989.

What is the "Farewell" tour?

[jmn3]

Originally Posted by cbBen

What is the "Farewell" tour?

Pretty sure it refers to what a lot of people would call the second and final leg of the Behind the Mask shows in 1990. If memory serves correctly, they took a break when Chris's father died and then the last leg of shows took place after both Chris and Stevie announced they would no longer be touring with Fleetwood Mac.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by jmn3

Pretty sure it refers to what a lot of people would call the second and final leg of the Behind the Mask shows in 1990. If memory serves correctly, they took a break when Chris's father died and then the last leg of shows took place after both Chris and Stevie announced they would no longer be touring with Fleetwood Mac.

Yes exactly. After the tour got postponed in July 1990 due to Christine's father's passing, the band regrouped and made up the dates starting in early October 1990. The tour was no longer called Behind the Mask but officially the "Farewell tour." I believe it was even printed on the tour shirts. It was an end of an era. The band worked so hard on a studio album that many considered a flop with no big hits and even with the marketing of "Farewell" the tour was not putting up huge numbers. Stevie was leaving and Chris was not going to tour anymore. Oddly enough, these were incredible shows. The Farewell tour was when Stevie put Landslide back into the set after 10 years! I saw them in December 1990 and it was one of my favorite Mac concerts ever.

Back to OSOTM. Just thought of another song that could have really perked up the album. Starshine. It would have sounded great to have the Heartbreakers on the album and its a great song.

[greendaze5]

I don't remember if it was the 1st or 2nd leg of this tour, but it interestingly began with 'In the Back of My Mind'.

The was a huge curtain in front of the stage, and song began playing with the weird sound effects and all, as it is on the album. Then as the band got into place onstage, the curtain was suddenly and dramatically lifted, and they started singing, "Well I try and I try... you can't forget her...'

At the Toronto show, Stevie and Rick Vito actually did 'Love is Dangerous'.