Enough Already

[SufferYourLove]

I am so fed up with Stephanie for wasting album space with songs written by other people and co written with other people. Enough already!! How can a great songwriter do such a thing??? There are tons of song in the vault to choose from. She has a big enough catalog to release 10 plus albums. I know she is 63 but come on!!!! I wish I was in charge of her career. It would have been a lot different.

Also, all this covering songs at concerts has to stop!! I don't care about Crash, Circle Dance, etc. Sing some of your own songs girl. Even duds like Whole Lotta Trouble, Rooms On Fire, etc are better since she has written them.

Does anyone agree with me or what????:wavey:

[Spoinny]

Calm down :) You have to accept the fact that the artist has a reason they don't want to perform or record certain songs and just be happy they still record quality music! Although I DO agree that Stevie certainly does NOT need to do any cover songs in her set! She has plenty of her own material that can fill up a 1.5 - 2 hour show.

[Josh2003]

Disagree.

She is writing these songs...I think that working with Dave has fueled her creativity in a way that NOBODY ever has. She's taking a new approach to songwriting, and it sounds like we're getting some really interesting stuff out of it.

The process she's used with Dave sounds much more natural and organic than her typical co-writing approach, wherein she puts her lyrics over someone else's music. So while this is co-writing that she is doing with Dave, it sounds like it's much more similar to Stevie sitting down and writing a song on her own...she just has another creative force there along side her.

And yes, she has tons of vault songs...but I know that I would be terribly disappointed if a new release consisted more than 50% of songs written 20 years ago. I would read it as a sign that she has given up on ever being creative again.

[CADreaming]

I agree she's got a plethera of her own songs that I would prefer to hear over a cover but I think she does those songs for one reason: She just wants to...

[HejiraNYC]

Somebody seriously didn't get a good night's sleep. The way I see it, Stevie has always done collaborations- some that were fruitful (e.g., Tom Petty, Rick Nowels) and some that were not (e.g., Mike Campbell :eek: ). If anything, we are about to get an album that contains 100% songs written or co-written by Stevie. That's unprecedented.

Regarding covers, I think you would be hard-pressed to find any band (other than Fleetwood Mac!) that doesn't do covers in their live shows. It's fun and usually goes down well with the audience, especially if the audience is not intimately familiar with the band's catalog (which is especially the case with opening acts). I'm not crazy about "Rock and Roll" as a cover, but that's only because she's been doing it for too many years. She really doesn't do a bad version at all.

[Dowie100]

You must hate when Paul McCartney plays songs he co-wrote with John Lennon :P couldn't disagree more with the co-written songs thing.

[bluefox4000]

I love covers in concerts. Keep things fun. As long as this doesn't produce cover ALBUMS, I'm good. I HATE when an artist does a cover album. covers in concerts are fine with me:cool:

Mick

[KarmaContestant]

I agree regarding live shows - I disagree regarding album releases. I don't mind Stevie recording a cover, or co-writing; but I am bothered by her increasing use of cover songs in her setlists. She isn't even performing the covers she released on her own albums, which is a source of further annoyance.

Stevie has had more than 110 songs released on Fleetwood Mac and her own solo albums; it's absurd that she has chosen from the same pool of 25ish songs for the past decade+ of touring.

[GarboSpeaks!]

Agree.
As for her albums, I'm just grateful she keeps releasing new music, old gems or new things. It's still "new."
As for her covering other people's songs in concert, it is kind of frustrating, but I gave up a long time ago on hearing SOTM, or stuff like that. The last time I was BEYOND OMG, was during the Enchanted tour when she did some rare gems. I see no reason why she couldn't continue some of those selections, but she doesn't.
It is frustrating when you go see another performer w/ just as large a back catalog and see them night after night (like I do w/ SN/FM) and they do an entirely different set vs. SN/FM who do a fully scripted show nightly. But then, I come back to the fact that I'm blessed at all to be seeing SN or FM, so take what I can get!

[wheart]

Somebody seriously didn't get a good night's sleep. The way I see it, Stevie has always done collaborations- some that were fruitful (e.g., Tom Petty, Rick Nowels) and some that were not (e.g., Mike Campbell :eek: ). If anything, we are about to get an album that contains 100% songs written or co-written by Stevie. That's unprecedented.

I thought "Cheaper than Free" was a Dave Stewart creation..no?

[seekerj]

I am so fed up with Stephanie for wasting album space with songs written by other people and co written with other people. Enough already!! How can a great songwriter do such a thing??? There are tons of song in the vault to choose from. She has a big enough catalog to release 10 plus albums. I know she is 63 but come on!!!! I wish I was in charge of her career. It would have been a lot different.

Also, all this covering songs at concerts has to stop!! I don't care about Crash, Circle Dance, etc. Sing some of your own songs girl. Even duds like Whole Lotta Trouble, Rooms On Fire, etc are better since she has written them.

Does anyone agree with me or what????:wavey:

YES. I agree with you more than I could ever express.

I would only add that about all the current co-writing with Dave, based on everything I've read and seen, this current album situation is more like a "band" situation, not a solo artist thing. They should have just formed a band and given it a name ("The Traveling Stewartburys") and put it out as the band's album.

[seekerj]

You must hate when Paul McCartney plays songs he co-wrote with John Lennon :P couldn't disagree more with the co-written songs thing.

But that's the whole point. This is not that type of situation. Lennon-McCartney was always Lennon-McCartney. They were a songwriting team. Right from the start. The writer Stevie Nicks that I fell for thirty years ago was not Nicks-Stewart.

I am specifically talking about Stevie Nicks here, and not about artists whose normal practice is to write with others. I can see cowriting with other people, but 80% of the album written with the same cowriter? That's a bit much. Especially since it isn't just a "given" that Stevie fans are Dave fans. Some of us are not, and are quite the opposite of Dave (or even Eurythmics) fans. As a side note, I swear I am so sick of looking at pictures of Dave Stewart.

[Christopher]

I am so fed up with Stephanie for wasting album space with songs written by other people and co written with other people. Enough already!! How can a great songwriter do such a thing??? There are tons of song in the vault to choose from. She has a big enough catalog to release 10 plus albums. I know she is 63 but come on!!!! I wish I was in charge of her career. It would have been a lot different.

Also, all this covering songs at concerts has to stop!! I don't care about Crash, Circle Dance, etc. Sing some of your own songs girl. Even duds like Whole Lotta Trouble, Rooms On Fire, etc are better since she has written them.

Does anyone agree with me or what????:wavey:

I whole heartedly disagree. And being a dyed in the wool Stevie fan for a very long time, I got over all the co-writing/cover controversy after Rock A Little was released. Sure, Stevie has many good to great self penned songs in the vault, But it's simply more complex than that. It takes the right producer/arranger and Stevie's trust in them, in addition to her passion to bring them to fruition. Plus a whole lot of intricacies that we are not even privy to!:cool: I also just posted a reply in the thread: Stevie the Enigma, that addresses this exact subject, in relation to current state of songwriting for popular artists.

[KarmaContestant]

But that's the whole point. This is not that type of situation. Lennon-McCartney was always Lennon-McCartney. They were a songwriting team. Right from the start. The writer Stevie Nicks that I fell for thirty years ago was not Nicks-Stewart.

I am specifically talking about Stevie Nicks here, and not about artists whose normal practice is to write with others. I can see cowriting with other people, but 80% of the album written with the same cowriter? That's a bit much. Especially since it isn't just a "given" that Stevie fans are Dave fans. Some of us are not, and are quite the opposite of Dave (or even Eurythmics) fans. As a side note, I swear I am so sick of looking at pictures of Dave Stewart.

:laugh: Me too.

But that other guy in Stevie's sizzle reel? The one standing by the stairs with the bloodshot eyes and tired expression? For some reason, I can't stop myself from pausing the clip and wondering what his story is.

[chiliD]

("The Traveling Stewartburys").

I think "Eurnicksmics" would be more appropriate.

Ok, so she did "Gold" with John Stewart, she wrote songs in Sly Stone (real name Sylvester Stewart)'s room at the Record Plant in Sausalito, recorded her new album with Dave Stewart, is on tour with Rod Stewart...does she sit at home and watch Jimmy Stewart movies? Is she going to trade housekeeping secrets with Martha Stewart]?? Does she want Kristen Stewart to play her in the movie? Did she like Boo Boo Stewart in The Twilight Saga?? Did she watch Star Trek: The Next Generation with Patrick Stewart??? Is she planning on going on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart? Was she a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers when they had Kordell Stewart as their QB?? Was she a golf fan when Payne Stewart was still golfing?? Is she going to do a new duet with Al Stewart on a remake of "Year Of The Cat"?? Is she going to get Stewart Copeland as her drummer?

What's with the "Stewart" fetish, there Ms. Nicks?? :shrug:

[gldstwmn]

If she'd never performed Face The Promise I might never have heard Bob Seger's version which I love, love, love. Back in their heyday that song would have been a huge hit IMO.

[Annabell Lee]

:laugh: Me too.

But that other guy in Stevie's sizzle reel? The one standing by the stairs with the bloodshot eyes and tired expression? For some reason, I can't stop myself from pausing the clip and wondering what his story is.

Omg, i did the same thing ! He's got an interesting face, eyes, etc. He looks very " classical poet " to me. I am positive Stevie saw that also ! I'd like to know who he is ! :nod:

[KarmaContestant]

Omg, i did the same thing ! He's got an interesting face, eyes, etc. He looks very " classical poet " to me. I am positive Stevie saw that also ! I'd like to know who he is ! :nod:

Yes - exactly!

[Silver Springs]

Plent of artists sing cover songs, because they can appreciate the greatness of said song. I don't know about anybody else, but I love to know about and be exposed to the kind of music that influences them. Lindsey, for example. His constant prattling about The Beach Boys have ignited a deep seated love for the band :) I have everything they've recorded on vinyl now, thanks to him :)

[equeen102289]

Why don't you just wait until you hear the new album before you start b*tching about who she's writing with? If the songs end up sounding great, I don't think it matters much who wrote them.

Yes, she has an amazing vault of material, but I'm honestly not too keen on hearing her current voice attempt "Christian," for instance. I like the fact that she's writing new songs, and if it took Dave Stewart to get them to a finished product, so be it.

[markolas]

Does anyone agree with me or what????:wavey:

Not really.

Stevie is primarily a lyric writer. She doesn't really play any instruments, nor does she have a great deal of musical knowledge (as she admitted recently, she only knows four chords or something like that). Frankly, she needs someone like Dave Stewart (or Sheryl Crow, or Lindsey Buckingham). An entire album of Stevie pounding on a keyboard and rambling is just not an appealing prospect to me.

Also, an awful lot of those demos/outtakes didn't make it onto her albums for a reason. Many others would be great, but only with some elbow grease (and perhaps even a co-writer!).

Stevie is the artist here, and she obviously loved working with Dave (and seriously, how can anyone not be a Eurythmics fan?) and loved what he did with her lyrics. When it comes down to it, these are her decisions to make. As far as her recording songs entirely written by others...they're evidently songs she loved and felt fit the theme of the album; again, that's her prerogative as an artist. She's had co-writers on every one of her solo albums, so I'm not sure why it's such an issue now. And to suggest that she's only doing it because she's...old and can't write her own songs anymore...is just really bizarre.

I agree about the cover songs in concert, partly because I'd rather hear some of her songs that she never does, and partly b/c I don't usually like her choices of covers. Circle Dance is a touching song, but too maudlin to sit through in concert. Also, I do not like Bob Seger or Led Zeppelin.

[markolas]

And yes, she has tons of vault songs...but I know that I would be terribly disappointed if a new release consisted more than 50% of songs written 20 years ago. I would read it as a sign that she has given up on ever being creative again.

Agree with all of your post except for this part. While many of those vault songs didn't make her albums for very good reasons, a lot of them are very good, and I'd love to see them polished up, re-recorded, and put on an album. It would never occur to me to think that it was a sign of her having given up on writing new songs.

[Annabell Lee]

I don't see this as never being creative again either. I just think it was a fresh new way of doing things for her. If anything this WAS a creative alternative. She has said she never writes w/ anyone and she DID let Dave into her world for this. I am sure that was a brave thing for her to do. If the end product is as good as i suspect it will be, then it was the right way for her to make the album. I do wish she would throughly search the vaults and find some more of her little gems. I think we all would love that but, if this is what's comfortable for her then so be it.

[Josh2003]

Agree with all of your post except for this part. While many of those vault songs didn't make her albums for very good reasons, a lot of them are very good, and I'd love to see them polished up, re-recorded, and put on an album. It would never occur to me to think that it was a sign of her having given up on writing new songs.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like to hear her polish off and finally release some of her demos...in fact, I LOVE that she does that. But if it got to the point where the majority of her "new" albums are just redoing old demos, I would be a bit disappointed.

[windbecame]

Why don't you just wait until you hear the new album before you start b*tching about who she's writing with? If the songs end up sounding great, I don't think it matters much who wrote them.

Yes, she has an amazing vault of material, but I'm honestly not too keen on hearing her current voice attempt "Christian," for instance. I like the fact that she's writing new songs, and if it took Dave Stewart to get them to a finished product, so be it.

Omg RIGHT?? when i think about her current voice singing Frustrated Love!!:eek: that vocal with just the piano makes the song for me! but then again..i don't really like hardly ANY of her later demos VOCALS?:shrug: she just seems to not really put passion into the raw demos anymore...it's like she's just sayin "here's where i will sing when we record" it's one of the reasons i was initially afraid of "Thrown Down" and "Not Make Believe"have been kinda scared of "Anabel Lee" ..does that make any sense??

[markolas]

I'm not saying I wouldn't like to hear her polish off and finally release some of her demos...in fact, I LOVE that she does that. But if it got to the point where the majority of her "new" albums are just redoing old demos, I would be a bit disappointed.

I don't see her ever doing that. I'd love for her to do one album of those redone old songs, but I doubt she'll even do that much. So, one or two (or even three or four) old songs per solo album seems like peanuts to me.

[KarmaContestant]

I don't see her ever doing that. I'd love for her to do one album of those redone old songs, but I doubt she'll even do that much. So, one or two (or even three or four) old songs per solo album seems like peanuts to me.

That would be great - and entire album of vault songs - stuff she knows the fans have heard. Some people might be devastated at the changes made to their favorite demos. :laugh:

What would also be great is an anthology of sorts, where Stevie goes through her demo collection and draws a line in the sand...just because, and says "I am not ever going to use these demos." and then releases a two or three CD set of demos, in their original form - along with outtakes or almost-but-not-quite finished versions of songs such as the RAL version of Lady From The Mountina, or the sax outtake of Thousand Days.

[Annabell Lee]

That would be great - and entire album of vault songs - stuff she knows the fans have heard. Some people might be devastated at the changes made to their favorite demos. :laugh:

What would also be great is an anthology of sorts, where Stevie goes through her demo collection and draws a line in the sand...just because, and says "I am not ever going to use these demos." and then releases a two or three CD set of demos, in their original form - along with outtakes or almost-but-not-quite finished versions of songs such as the RAL version of Lady From The Mountina, or the sax outtake of Thousand Days.

" Dream on you silly dreamer " LOL GREAT idea but it's a long shot that this will happen. But, you never know ! ;)

[markolas]

That would be great - and entire album of vault songs - stuff she knows the fans have heard. Some people might be devastated at the changes made to their favorite demos. :laugh:

I know some hate it when she deviates too much from the demo, but I really look at demos as just rough sketches - I would be very interested in hearing what she'd do with some of them in fully-recorded form, and yes, even with the voice she has now.

What would also be great is an anthology of sorts, where Stevie goes through her demo collection and draws a line in the sand...just because, and says "I am not ever going to use these demos." and then releases a two or three CD set of demos, in their original form - along with outtakes or almost-but-not-quite finished versions of songs such as the RAL version of Lady From The Mountina, or the sax outtake of Thousand Days.

I like that idea, too, but I wonder if that boat wasn't missed with Enchanted. I still don't understand why Gold or Whenever I Call You Friend were included. I love that she put It's Late, Sweet Girl, and the piano version of Rhiannon on there, but I would love to have high-quality versions of China Doll and Forest of the Black Roses on there instead of the John Stewart & Kenny Loggins duets.

[KarmaContestant]

" Dream on you silly dreamer " LOL GREAT idea but it's a long shot that this will happen. But, you never know ! ;)

I know, right? :p

I like that idea, too, but I wonder if that boat wasn't missed with Enchanted. I still don't understand why Gold or Whenever I Call You Friend were included. I love that she put It's Late, Sweet Girl, and the piano version of Rhiannon on there, but I would love to have high-quality versions of China Doll and Forest of the Black Roses on there instead of the John Stewart & Kenny Loggins duets.

Agreed! She at least could have replaced them with the B-sides Mirror Mirror and Real Tears, if not other demos.

[TheSorcerer]

I like that idea, too, but I wonder if that boat wasn't missed with Enchanted. I still don't understand why Gold or Whenever I Call You Friend were included. I love that she put It's Late, Sweet Girl, and the piano version of Rhiannon on there, but I would love to have high-quality versions of China Doll and Forest of the Black Roses on there instead of the John Stewart & Kenny Loggins duets.

I kinda get why she included "Whenever I Call You Friend" since it's a duet, but "Gold" she's doing nothing more than providing backing vocals. Great song though. It would have been awesome to have had "Mirror Mirror" included on the boxset. Still, disc 3 is full of great tracks and made the purchase totally worth it.

I'm not a fan of the Bonnie Raitt original, but I'm glad she covered "The Circle Dance" since it's such a beautiful version. I listen to it quite a lot.

[starshine]

That would be great - and entire album of vault songs - stuff she knows the fans have heard. Some people might be devastated at the changes made to their favorite demos. :laugh:

What would also be great is an anthology of sorts, where Stevie goes through her demo collection and draws a line in the sand...just because, and says "I am not ever going to use these demos." and then releases a two or three CD set of demos, in their original form - along with outtakes or almost-but-not-quite finished versions of songs such as the RAL version of Lady From The Mountina, or the sax outtake of Thousand Days.I agree with you but really all the 'vault' songs or extended version or outtakes could be a 'box' set of its own. Personally, besides us as fans that 'miss the boat' with having great versions of these songs, I think Stevie misses out as well cause well you know someone at some point will make some $$ off of them so why shouldn't it be Stevie now. Give us better copies of these songs and some rare UN released songs that we've not ever heard of , if of course this vault of songs really is that big?? Sometimes I do wonder really since well, it could just be the stuff of legend now. Stevie does like to embellish stories alot (well at least to me she does) and she doesn't know her dates too well either at times. Of course this box set could include rare photo shoots we've not ever seen. So much could be done but it all sits in some box or 'vault' someplace . Kinda sad if you think about it really. Anyway, just some thoughts. :shrug::)
ps: I'd also love the extended versions of RAL (UK),The Nightmare vocal version,the 'full' One More Big Time R & Roll Star (on Enchanted its cut at the end!!), many others I'm sure besides all the demo's and outtakes etc. its endless or so I hope so??:shrug:

[michelej1]

Also, all this covering songs at concerts has to stop!! I don't care about Crash, Circle Dance, etc. Sing some of your own songs girl. Even duds like Whole Lotta Trouble, Rooms On Fire, etc are better since she has written them.

Does anyone agree with me or what????:wavey:

I don't mind co-writing. But I do have something against performing someone else's song in concert.

I honestly think Rock and Roll makes my blood pressure rise -- and not in a good way. One tour is fine. But as time goes on, I resent the wasted selection and my ire rises the longer it stays in the setlist.

Michele

[Heartboy]

I am so fed up with Stephanie for wasting album space with songs written by other people and co written with other people. Enough already!



You say 'Stephanie' like you know her & are 'bout to send her to her room! :lol:

I wonder what Stevie would think or does think when she see's comments like these?

[bombaysaffires]

Gold and Whenever I Call You Friend were BIG hits in their day that's why they were included in a set that is a retrospective look at all her hits. She was the IT girl back then and EVERYONE wanted to record with her. There's just something about having her magical vocals on a song that made them hits even songs outside of Fleetwood Mac. Once she started doing her solo albums she stopped doing so many outside duets.