Stevie and Rod Interview in Rolling Stone

[kak125]

Rod Stewart hadn't seen Stevie Nicks since the mid-1980s, when both of them were recording in the same L.A. studio. Until last month, that is, when the pair, who are gearing up for a 16-date co-headlining tour‚ were reunited to perform on Ellen. "I tiptoed up behind him and put my arms around his waist from the back," Nicks tells Rolling Stone. Adds Stewart, "I'd know those hands anywhere."

Photos: Rod Stewart

The pair have never worked together before, but they've crossed paths over the years. Nicks recalls attending a New Year's party in the Seventies at Stewart's L.A. home. Nicks remembers Stewart, afraid she was drunk and might damage his collection of Tiffany lamps, asking, "Can I have that glass of wine before you walk in?' I was horrified." Stewart says, "Oh, the bitch I am sometimes. I probably wanted more wine for myself."

This article appears in the February 17, 2011 issue of Rolling Stone. The issue will be available on newsstands and in the online archive February 4th.

The idea for the shows (which kick off in March) came last year from Stewart's daughters Ruby and Kimberly. "They love Stevie," he says. "She's just ultra-cool – she has a cult." Nicks will open the three-plus-hour show with solo tunes and Fleetwood Mac classics, followed by a Stewart set that will likely mix deep tracks and hits.

100 Greatest Singers of All Time: Stevie Nicks

They're still working out the pacing, but there will be a portion of the shows where they sing together. "We won't let people down on that score," Stewart says, adding he hopes to tackle Nicks and Don Henley's 1981 duet, "Leather and Lace." Nicks wants to join Stewart on "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "Reason to Believe." "That'd be a wonderful one," he says. "We're both sort of sopranos, so it'll sound great."

At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band while Stewart showed up and banged out “Hot Legs” once. “He walks in, expects the band to be fantastic, and then it's, ‘Let’s go and I’m out of here,’” says Nicks.

“In the Faces, we never rehearsed,” Stewart says. “I always like there to be the element of risk in any show. When things go wrong, I love it. We’ll have to meet in the middle.”

Outside of the tour, Stewart is planning an LP with former bandmate Jeff Beck‚ their first full album together since they were in the Jeff Beck Group in the late Sixties. One proposed album title: Unfinished Business. Stewart is also in talks to extend his recent stand at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace to multiple residencies over the next two years, and he's considering a stint at Carnegie Hall performing only American Songbook material. "I'm proud of those records," he says.

Photos: The Who, Jeff Beck, Debbie Harry and More From the Concert for Killing Cancer

Meanwhile, Nicks is readying her first studio album in a decade. In Your Dreams, due May 3rd, is co-produced by an old friend, Eurythmics' Dave Stewart. Together, they wrote seven of the LP's 13 tracks, including "Everybody Loves You," inspired by their experiences of being in bands with lovers (Nicks with Lindsey Buckingham, Stewart with Annie Lennox). "We know what it's like to be in love with the person and be in love with what the person does," she says. "It's different from just being in a band."

Nicks praises the producer for adding a Sixties pop vibe. "I have never written a song with anybody sitting in the room, not even Lindsey," she says. "I suddenly realized why John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote together. I haven't had this much fun since Lindsey and I were working in the beginning."

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/stevie-nicks-rod-stewart-discuss-touring-together-for-the-first-time-20110202

[Somajoseph]

Thanks for posting! I love it that Rod's daughters love Stevie. I am not sure about Leather & Lace, but it would be great to hear Stevie on Reason To Believe-which I love.
I am excited for this to start!

[Pyewacket]

What does "I'd know those hands anywhere" mean? Who says that?

[Christopher]

Meanwhile, Nicks is readying her first studio album in a decade. In Your Dreams, due May 3rd, is co-produced by an old friend, Eurythmics' Dave Stewart. Together, they wrote seven of the LP's 13 tracks, including "Everybody Loves You," inspired by their experiences of being in bands with lovers (Nicks with Lindsey Buckingham, Stewart with Annie Lennox). "We know what it's like to be in love with the person and be in love with what the person does," she says. "It's different from just being in a band."

Nicks praises the producer for adding a Sixties pop vibe. "I have never written a song with anybody sitting in the room, not even Lindsey," she says. "I suddenly realized why John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote together. I haven't had this much fun since Lindsey and I were working in the beginning."
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/stevie-nicks-rod-stewart-discuss-touring-together-for-the-first-time-20110202

Cool. Looks like were getting 13 tracks.

[Pyewacket]

I have to admit that vocally, Rod has a gravitas that could sound fine on "Leather and Lace." It's just that it's such a low-key, real song and he seems like such a silly, sex-chasing lothario...

I can't wait to hear "First Cut" and especially "Reason To Believe" with Stevie on them, though. Good choices.

[HejiraNYC]

What does "I'd know those hands anywhere" mean? Who says that?

http://www.abledata.com/product_images/images/00A0207.jpg :shrug:

[HejiraNYC]

"We're both sort of sopranos, so it'll sound great."



:shocked: :shocked:

[jwd]

What does "I'd know those hands anywhere" mean? Who says that?

Given the circumstances of their encounter, it's not so much how they looked, but how they felt. It's just a little sexual innuendo and humor from Rod.

[APerfectLie]

Cool. Looks like were getting 13 tracks.

But FM77 said there were 14. I think Stevie may be wrong. ;)

[HejiraNYC]

But FM77 said there were 14. I think Stevie may be wrong. ;)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_h8saEeyY8z8/SbkU3Y88unI/AAAAAAAABDs/6avvvjHjCLU/s320/high-five.png

[MacMan]

But FM77 said there were 14. I think Stevie may be wrong. ;)

There could be a track left off the CD for a bonus track.

[Josh2003]

But FM77 said there were 14. I think Stevie may be wrong. ;)

FM77 has said he heard 14 tracks...sounds like one got cut for the final version.

[sodascouts]

I'm not so sure about Leather and Lace, but hey, if Don Henley can work Gold Dust Woman, maybe Rod Stewart can work L&L.

[FM77]

FM77 has said he heard 14 tracks...sounds like one got cut for the final version.

You are right. I heard 14 in Dec. Maybe instead of cutting 2 for 2 bonus tracks, there is only one bonus track.

[soul_drifter333]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.
And it still sounded bad. :nod:

[Jondalar]

But FM77 said there were 14. I think Stevie may be wrong. ;)

Yeah. Bahhhhhhhh FM rules. LOL

[DestinyRules]

I was afraid Stevie would be the opening act in this "co-headlining" bull**** parade. :rolleyes:

[10kRedSolids]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.
And it still sounded bad. :nod:

Seriously. What exactly was she rehearsing for two hours? her hand motions?:confused: She did forget the words though at a certain point during her performance, and right afterward, I saw her look down at the floor (teleprompter?). I honestly can't believe that she actually forgot the words to SB, but I think it's more of a case of boredom of having to sing the same stuff over and over and the mind naturally drifting elsewhere (aka - not performing "in the moment").

I really hope Stevie steps out her comfort zone this tour with Rod and her upcoming solo tour this summer. She must be so bored with singing the same songs over and over and over. I never saw her more alive and into it as when she performed with Don during the TV tour in '05. I really hope she brings out that same enthusiasm on Rod's songs in his set and (hopefully) whatever new/different songs she might potentially bring out in her own set.

[louielouie2000]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.
And it still sounded bad. :nod:

Indeed... it was so bad I had to turn it off :distress:. She needs to put that song out to pasture.

[Nikolaj]

The 2 hours spent is possible, though I doubt she was singing the entire time- Likely SN and her handlers spoke with the lighting people and decided on the lighting and then consulted with the director for camera angles, that can take an hour, easily, especially if SN vetoed certain standard shots the director normally uses, for either a more flattering angle or for a try at something experimental. I'd guess they ran through 'Stand Back' and the song was shortened up- one of the musical interludes near the middle was briefer, and there was no 'false ending'/high kick to it, and they probably worked at getting it to be a 3:30 performance or whatever it was- SN also had more 'business' than usual with her hands, so may have worked with a coach or choreographer, well not a choreographer- someone with staging directions- notice the camera was right on her hands when she did her little 'drum solo' bit- the performance looked extremely rehearsed to me. Yet, as many said, she didn't sound her best- so I think the 2 hours was spent going over the look of it, the camera angles, and scaling the song down to perhaps the briefest version she has performed of it on television, ever. At the most, I think she sang the song through 3 times before filming it with the audience. Those 2 hours flew, and didn't necessarily help the song, but they had it all looking and fitting into the show the way they wanted. My hunch.

[Meowi]

1. CUT STANDBACK, CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU ARE WAY MORE FAMOUS FOR.

2. People are telling me they have got tickets to see ROD and STEVIE live. If you ask me, wouldnt you want to wait for the IYD tour instead? :shrug:

[vivfox]

1. CUT STANDBACK, CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU ARE WAY MORE FAMOUS FOR.

2. People are telling me they have got tickets to see ROD and STEVIE live. If you ask me, wouldnt you want to wait for the IYD tour instead? :shrug:


No, I want to see both Tours.

[DestinyRules]

I guess quality is in the eye of the beholder...

I liked Stevie's energy doing "Stand Back" on Ellen. Personally, it's a song I never get tired of hearing performed live because there's usually something different each tour, and sometimes, each time it's performed.

As for some of her other songs she's performed forever, it's time to send "Dreams" on its way. And someone tie up "Landslide", blindfold it and put the firing squad in front of it. Ugh!

[DavidMn]

Ok, so it's in writing that there will only be 16 shows. That means no more added. But they could be wrong or have incomplete information.

[jellyman10]

Feck a monkey, I'm actually quite excited about the Stevie & Rod thing now. :confused:

I mean, it could be great. The each have a unique voice, their combined repertoire contains some absolutely brilliant songs, and I really liked what Rod said about preferring to leave things a little under-rehearsed, because if he's the 'senior partner' in this collaboration, then he might de facto bring out the best in SN by making her leave the comfort zone.

And he could sing 'You Wear It Well'. Which would make me happy.

Or they could sing it together. Which would make me die. From happiness.*



*But only if someone films it and puts it on YouTube, because I won't risk a trip to NYC in case they are, in fact, gash.

[olive]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.
And it still sounded bad. :nod:

She probably had a big production number rehearsed.. but at the last minute decided she hated it

[greendaze5]

"I have never written a song with anybody sitting in the room, not even Lindsey,"


Ah, excuse me - Sandy Stewart?! (their collaboration on 'Nightbird' together). :confused:

[DashingDan]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.
And it still sounded bad. :nod:

Well, now we know why it sounded bad.

[OooMissionary]

I'm actually liking the sound of this tour. I think it will give Stevie another breath of fresh air, prompting her to have an awesome solo tour for 'In Your Dreams'... If Dave tours with her, maybe she will drag along 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around' and 'Leather and Lace' as 2 of the hit songs in the set. The songs mentioned with her and Rod seem like awesome duets to me!

[Christopher]

I'm actually liking the sound of this tour. I think it will give Stevie another breath of fresh air, prompting her to have an awesome solo tour for 'In Your Dreams'... If Dave tours with her, maybe she will drag along 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around' and 'Leather and Lace' as 2 of the hit songs in the set. The songs mentioned with her and Rod seem like awesome duets to me!

Yeah, me too. I'm thinking Stevie may give some memorable performances like she did on the Don Henley/Two Voices tour. I may need to fly to a show stop after all, looks like they are not coming to Denver, and I would love to see Stevie and Rod perform First Cut Is The Deepest & Reason To Believe. Stevie usually shines brightest when she does duets as we know mama loves to harmony sing.

[TrueFaith77]

What does "I'd know those hands anywhere" mean? Who says that?

If you've ever felt Stevie's hands... they are unforgettable.

[kak125]

http://www.abledata.com/product_images/images/00A0207.jpg :shrug:

ha i read that and was like woah!! what was that about? ha ha

[cliffdweller]

"At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band."


I'm still trying to make sense of this. Two hours rehearsing a song that she has performed over 25 years and has done thousands of times before. WOW.

Exactly. Why must EVERY move and note be so painstakingly choreographed and planned? I like Rod's approach. Just get up there and do the song (you've done 20 millions times) with no safety net. Let it be dangerous spontaneous, energetic and fun. That's rock and roll.

[CADreaming]

Exactly. Why must EVERY move and note be so painstakingly choreographed and planned? I like Rod's approach. Just get up there and do the song (you've done 20 millions times) with no safety net. Let it be dangerous spontaneous, energetic and fun. That's rock and roll.

I always thought Lindsey was the rehearsal slave driver but during the Unleashed promo interviews Stevie said she told him she was nervous, worried they didn't have enough rehearsal time and he told her,"Stevie, we know these songs, we've been doing them for 30 years..."

[baboles]

At the Ellen rehearsal, Nicks spent two hours running through “Stand Back” with her band while Stewart showed up and banged out “Hot Legs” once.


Wow. Hopefully they weren't actually runnning through the song for that long. Who knows? :shrug: Stevie needs to loosen up and try to have a little fun. I never cared for Rod Stewart, but he has a great sense of humor. He's growing on me. Maybe he will help bring Stevie out of her shell and it will make her more spontaneous.

[jellyman10]

I always thought Lindsey was the rehearsal slave driver but during the Unleashed promo interviews Stevie said she told him she was nervous, worried they didn't have enough rehearsal time and he told her,"Stevie, we know these songs, we've been doing them for 30 years..."

That's interesting. I must admit I've sometimes thought SN was BSing a bit on the old stage fright thing, but maybe it really is as bad as she says.

I know that, as an actor, I've worked with people who would rehearse every blessed minute they had, regardless of how well they knew their lines, and regardless of how dead they're making it for everyone else.

I think the professional thing is to strike a balance between having respect for their process and making sure you find a good place to hide.

[michelej1]

I always thought Lindsey was the rehearsal slave driver but during the Unleashed promo interviews Stevie said she told him she was nervous, worried they didn't have enough rehearsal time and he told her,"Stevie, we know these songs, we've been doing them for 30 years..."

Reminds me of Christine saying they could do Don't Stop with their hands tied behind their backs.

Michele

[Meowi]

I am also liking the sound of this tour,
And although I am not a huge Rod Stewart fan, I still like the idea.

I still think, that this isnt a fan base tour, but a tour marketed for people who just listened to the radio in the 1970's - 1980's.

[Dodfather]

Can't believe I never even thought about Reason To Believe. This is the one track I could really hear working with Stevie! It could be great.

[RockAlot]

Can't believe I never even thought about Reason To Believe. This is the one track I could really hear working with Stevie! It could be great.

Agree, this could be a stellar duet!?

[caterwench]

Yeah, me too. I'm thinking Stevie may give some memorable performances like she did on the Don Henley/Two Voices tour. I may need to fly to a show stop after all, looks like they are not coming to Denver, and I would love to see Stevie and Rod perform First Cut Is The Deepest & Reason To Believe. Stevie usually shines brightest when she does duets as we know mama loves to harmony sing.


I like Rod's "Cut Across Shorty", "Every Picture Tells a Story", and Mandolin Wind"

To this day I have a hard time not envisioning Rod in spandex pants :laugh:

[GoldDustOrphan]

Rehearsals are also about lighting cues, entrance cues, working out choreography (not of the dancing kind) with musicians, etc. There was some buzz that they might be sharing a band, so Stevie might not have her usual set of players and she running through songs with some newcomers. Sharing a band would prevent a number of problems, including all the problems that arise during a changeover, etc.

And when Stevie says she's never written a song with someone in the same room, I think she means it. I believe she typically wrote lyrics to musical tracks given to her.

[CADreaming]

Reminds me of Christine saying they could do Don't Stop with their hands tied behind their backs.

Michele

LOL! I'd pay to see that!

[mitzo]

I bet Stevie has stage fright she has said so herself, and it is probably a reason for her drug abuse in the past. Now that she is clean, with no drugs to make her lose inhibitions, she needs to rehearse and fret about performing in public a lot, probably.

[gldstwmn]

2. People are telling me they have got tickets to see ROD and STEVIE live. If you ask me, wouldnt you want to wait for the IYD tour instead? :shrug:

I was thinking the same thing. I'd rather wait and see her perform new original songs.

[SuiteShangriLa]

wasn't Stevie on a soundstage just last weekend singing 'Magnet and Steel'???

[APerfectLie]

wasn't Stevie on a soundstage just last weekend singing 'Magnet and Steel'???

LOL WUT? :shrug:

[skcin]

They're still working out the pacing, but there will be a portion of the shows where they sing together. "We won't let people down on that score," Stewart says, adding he hopes to tackle Nicks and Don Henley's 1981 duet, "Leather and Lace." Nicks wants to join Stewart on "The First Cut Is the Deepest" and "Reason to Believe." "That'd be a wonderful one," he says. "We're both sort of sopranos, so it'll sound great."

I stand corrected. :thumbsup: