If anyone had told me...

[pattyfan]

It wasn't so long ago that Fleetwood Mac cancelled tour dates because of John's health, which could have been much worse than it actually turned out to be. If anyone had told me, at that point, that John would be fine, that Christine would come out of retirement, rejoin Fleetwood Mac for a long tour, then jump in the studio to make music, presumably for a new Fleetwood Mac CD, while at the same time Stevie would jump back in a different studio, and start recording, presumably for a solo CD and/or to lay down tracks for the Fleetwood Mac CD, well, I wouldn't have believed them!!

I'm just saying that this is a really cool time to be a Fleetwood Mac fan!!

Kevin

[DashingDan]

I like your half-full attitude. Wish more people felt the same way.

[pattyfan]

Thanks :) But it's not half full. It's 100% full, except for a tiny sip ('cause I don't really Stevie's solo stuff w/ Dave, but still, it's new Stevie, and if she's happy and likes it, then it's cool).

:)

Kevin

[MikeInNV]

It wasn't so long ago that Fleetwood Mac cancelled tour dates because of John's health, which could have been much worse than it actually turned out to be. If anyone had told me, at that point, that John would be fine, that Christine would come out of retirement, rejoin Fleetwood Mac for a long tour, then jump in the studio to make music, presumably for a new Fleetwood Mac CD, while at the same time Stevie would jump back in a different studio, and start recording, presumably for a solo CD and/or to lay down tracks for the Fleetwood Mac CD, well, I wouldn't have believed them!!

I hope your optimism is correct. When John was able to return to the stage in December after the Australia cancellation, I was hopeful that it wasn't too serious. But we've since learned that he has undergone surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. I'm a little nervous that he needed all three. He may still make a full recovery, but in light of all that, I wouldn't mind another status update.

[pattyfan]

I didn't know that he has had to have all three. I really hope he makes a full recovery.

Kevin

[AnthonyMI]

It feels like 1978 again. Except. I was not born yet.... BUT I imagine this is how it felt

[vivfox]

It feels like 1978 again. Except. I was not born yet.... BUT I imagine this is how it felt

Naw, it doesn't feel like 1978. It feels like 2014 and it feels fabulous!!!

[michelej1]

I hope your optimism is correct. When John was able to return to the stage in December after the Australia cancellation, I was hopeful that it wasn't too serious. But we've since learned that he has undergone surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Hmm. I don't know how common the whole trio is and if that should sound alarms. I remember that my mother had surgery and chemo, but not radiation too. He did look very weak. But I assume the tour was planned for a time when he would have been finished with chemo for a sufficient amount of months to regain his strength.

BUT even before the last tour ended, to me they all looked pretty happy. Just from their demeanor, I didn't think they had a dour prognosis from John at all. I know that saying they caught the cancer early is a statement that they've all agreed to make. It's the party line, but I also believe it, just because of their demeanor.

Michele

[sorcerer999]

I was just about to post a similar thread but you beat me to it! :nod: I completely agree, wholeheartedly!

A year ago, after I passed on seeing the last Fleetwood Mac tour (which I knew would be more of the same) and hearing the lackluster "Extended Play", I pretty much figured we'd never get a new record out of the band ever. I also figured Christine's future participation was a lost cause.

2014/2015 are giving us a reunion tour, a new Fleetwood Mac album AND a new Stevie record (which I thought would never happen so soon after her last).

Like you, Kevin, I'm also completely stoked and happy! However long it takes them to garner the final results, and whatever avenues they take to achieve their goals, however similar or different in regards to previous efforts, I am overjoyed that IT IS GOING TO COME TO FRUITION...and I "believe in the five" once again! :]

[WayOfTheDragon]

This is how I feel! Excited! Going on facebook and seeing photos of Chris & Lindsey and Stevie & Dave in the studio... on the same day! A year ago, I would have had no inkling that 2014 would be such a big year!

[pattyfan]

Yaay. I"m glad I'm not the only one. I think we should start a Fireflies club. What do you ya'll think? :) :)

Kevin

[dontlookdown]

This is all good news.
A lot of people forget, or don't realize - that the bulk of every Fleetwood Mac album with Stevie Nicks on board, has been made with her absent.
There's a lot to do before and after her vocals and backing vocals are recorded.
She doesn't really contribute as much (musically) as Chris and Lindsey, so I don't really think any of the recent news is cause for concern.
For me it's the opposite.
I don't think there has been a time since the early 80's that this band has been this active.

[sasja]

This is all good news.

I don't think there has been a time since the early 80's that this band has been this active.

I have this notion that they all realize time's nearly up and that it is now or never again.

[MikeVielhaber]

This is all good news.
A lot of people forget, or don't realize - that the bulk of every Fleetwood Mac album with Stevie Nicks on board, has been made with her absent.
There's a lot to do before and after her vocals and backing vocals are recorded.
She doesn't really contribute as much (musically) as Chris and Lindsey, so I don't really think any of the recent news is cause for concern.
For me it's the opposite.
I don't think there has been a time since the early 80's that this band has been this active.

This is rationalizing because this is not the same as the other times. It's not just that she's not there it's that she hasn't committed to anything. This isn't simply a scheduling issue. If she wanted to be there she'd be there and they'd work on her songs. Lindsey and Christine are working on their stuff because Stevie is not involved. They don't have the option to work on Stevie's songs even in her absence. It's not simply a matter of Stevie waiting for the call to come in and lay down vocals. If it were up to them she'd be there.

[secret love]

This is rationalizing because this is not the same as the other times. It's not just that she's not there it's that she hasn't committed to anything. This isn't simply a scheduling issue. If she wanted to be there she'd be there and they'd work on her songs. Lindsey and Christine are working on their stuff because Stevie is not involved. They don't have the option to work on Stevie's songs. It's not simply a matter of Stevie waiting for the call to come in and lay down vocals. If it were up to them she'd be there.

I think that's it is rude of Stevie Nicks to not be in studio deliberately when she has committed to going on the road with Fleetwood Mac this year. In a Fleetwood Mac fan's ideal world; all five members of Fleetwood Mac would be in the studio at the same time, working together well and making great music.

I would prefer that any forthcoming Fleetwood Mac studio album feature some new Stevie Nicks songs. That said, if it's a choice between a new Fleetwood Mac album without Stevie Nicks OR no album at all - then I'd choose the former.

-Secret Love.

[Dreamz19]

So true OP. I became a Mac fan in 2003 and this is the most active I have ever seen them. I never thought I would ever witness all five of them together again or see Christine involved in a studio album. That Lindsey and Christine studio picture really did make me happy. So this truly is a cool time to be a Mac fan.

[missundercover]

I am onboard with the happy train as well... :o

I'm so happy at the chance to see all of Fleetwood Mac on stage together. Sigh. Well... hopefully they do a European tour. :shocked:

I have no input on the current studio situation.

On one hand: I hope that there will be at least some Stevie input, because a Mac album without her would not be the same for me.
On the other hand: I do think maybe it is for the best: avoiding conflict. I suspect Stevie and Lindsey do have severe different approaches and tastes and I would hate if these differences would lead to new battles meaning: no collaborations at all.

If avoiding recording together means at least a tour together: I'm OK with that.

[sodascouts]

I'm on board the positivity train as well. I believe we will have a Fleetwood Mac studio album with all five of the Rumours line-up for the first time in over a quarter of a century, that it will have a nice mix of all five, and that we will get a Stevie solo album to boot.

Heck, perhaps Lindsey will be inspired to do another solo album if he's got leftovers from the Mac sessions and some time. Christine could be a guest on it.

All of this angst, anger, and acrimony will turn out to have been completely unnecessary. Let's hope for the best and be glad!

Forgive me for echoing a recent post in another thread, but it seems the negative posters are so much more prolific than the positive ones that they are setting the tone around here despite their relatively few numbers. I hope to boost up the numbers on the positive side a bit. Positive posters should not abandon the Ledge and then complain about its tone; they've surrendered the field.

ETA: I realize I hardly post on a consistent basis myself, but as an old-timer who stills finds it worthwhile to pop in, I hope I still have some credibility around here.

[elle]

I am onboard with the happy train as well... :o

I'm so happy at the chance to see all of Fleetwood Mac on stage together. Sigh. Well... hopefully they do a European tour. :shocked:

I have no input on the current studio situation.

On one hand: I hope that there will be at least some Stevie input, because a Mac album without her would not be the same for me.
On the other hand: I do think maybe it is for the best: avoiding conflict. I suspect Stevie and Lindsey do have severe different approaches and tastes and I would hate if these differences would lead to new battles meaning: no collaborations at all.

If avoiding recording together means at least a tour together: I'm OK with that.

i like your view (and your input on the studio vs touring situation). :thumbsup:

[sorcerer999]

I think that's it is rude of Stevie Nicks to not be in studio deliberately when she has committed to going on the road with Fleetwood Mac this year.

But again, what if Dave Stewart and Stevie had planned to do this solo gig a long time ago, way before Christine rejoined and a F. Mac reunion tour was planned? Nobody on this forum really knows the order of events, how things have been planned, how schedules were arranged, etc. This is all conjecture.

It would have been "rude" of Stevie to backpedal on Dave, Waddy, Blackbird Studios, et al if this was all planned last year before the big "Mac announcement/reunion" and she decided to go with Fleetwood Mac instead.

In my opinion, she's just doing what she has always done ~ juggling Fleetwood Mac with her own projects, honoring her commitments and (to use a TOSOTM quote) doing the best that she can. I have no doubt that after her vocals have been recorded for this solo record, and she does all that she can do, she will hand the reigns to Dave and then focus her energies toward the new Fleetwood Mac project.