Going Their Own Way (Sunday Times, 24th May)

[nicole21290]

I am bracing myself for the comments this will cause.... They caught someone on a bad day, lol.

Thanks for the full article, Neil. http://fleetwoodmac-uk.com/wp/going-their-own-way-the-sunday-times/

Going their own way | The Sunday Times

Dan Cairns
Published: 24 May 2015

Reunited for a mammoth tour, Fleetwood Mac are now planning an album. But for all their attempts to put on a show, they are still riven by backstage tensions

Return of the Mac: from left, John and Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood (Al Pereira )

Forty years after the line-up that conquered the world with Rumours first came together, Fleetwood Mac are still having problems agreeing on anything much. The return to the fold 16 months ago of Christine McVie, after an absence of 16 years, is one development they all speak positively about, with none of the usual caveats and festering agendas.

“There’s Stevie on one side of the spectrum,” says Lindsey Buckingham, the band’s coiled, restless, 65-year-old musical director and, what seems like a lifetime ago, Stevie Nicks’s boyfriend, “and me kind of on the other, in terms of sensibilities. Christine sort of bridges that gap.”

Where Buckingham talks in the clinical manner of a scientist, Nicks dives right in. “Christine’s coming back was like the return of my best friend after years away. It’s much more fun now. We were always a force to be reckoned with, and that’s happened again.”

For McVie, 71, having emerged from what she describes as years of isolation in a remote Kent farmhouse, years of “mud, and grey days, where your life is dark, your heart is dark, your brain is dark”, rejoining the band “feels like a resurrection. I feel confident again, self-assured, I know I can put my fingers on a piano and play, I can write again, I can sing.”

And Mick Fleetwood, aged 67, gentle giant, drummer, court jester and the band’s unofficial manager and cajoler-in-chief, is characteristically gung-ho.

“It’s been an enormous benefit. I turn round every night during the shows, when Stevie’s doing her Gypsy intro, which sometimes goes on a little long, and there’s John and Christine chatting away, sitting on an amp. And I sit there and think, ‘How cool is that?’ I’ve asked them, ‘What are you talking about?’ and they say, ‘Oh, you know, we’re just catching up on stuff.’ It’s the sweetest thing.”

The band, whose European tour begins in London on Wednesday, have just completed an 81-date run around North America, and there are signs of wear and tear. Holding court at various locations in Santa Monica, the Mac — save for Christine’s ex-husband, the bass player John McVie, 69, who is currently in remission from cancer and rarely grants an interview at the best of times — accentuate the positives, but cannot quite eliminate the negatives. This is the latest stage in a journey, or saga, that has always been as riveting for its off-stage shenanigans as it has been for the music that has soundtracked the lives of successive generations.

Nicks, sitting in her vast apartment, its wraparound, floor-to-ceiling windows making you feel as if you are suspended above the ocean, seems the most conflicted and ambivalent. Buckingham, by telephone, exudes a serenity you sense is hard won and, by all accounts, paper-thin. McVie talks like a lovable, slightly dotty aunt, words tumbling over themselves, candour suddenly rearing up and slapping you in the face.

Then there’s Fleetwood, resplendent in various shades of aquamarine, charms, chains and bangles rattling from wrist and neck, who goes back down memory lane to early-1960s Notting Hill, hanging out as a teen in coffee bars and flirting with the girl who would become his first wife; and, later, fights tears while talking about the recent death of his mother, and his plans to walk Hadrian’s Wall in her memory.

“I was telling Lindsey about that the other day,” he says, “and he went, ‘Oh, you and your rose-tinted spectacles.’ I said, ‘Well, look where they’ve got all of us. You should trying wearing them yourself some time.’”

If the two McVies are now friends again, and Fleetwood still adept at playing the role of peacemaker, the relationship between Buckingham and Nicks seems as dysfunctional as ever. Most bands, with a tour raking it in and a new album in the planning stages, would, you feel, have a fairly clear idea of how the near future was going to pan out. Yet that mooted album — their first in the classic line-up since Tango in the Night in 1987; Buckingham and Christine McVie have collaborated on seven songs — already sounds fraught with some of the same old problems.

“Chris’s return has been a huge help for some of the things that Stevie and Lindsey continue to go through,” says Fleetwood, with a hint of exasperation, “in terms of … well, it’s a form of button-pushing, about which Christine would say, ‘This should long since have been over.’”

Buckingham sounds wary when the album comes up. “We had planned on reconvening at the start of next year, but, again, there is the politics. Stevie has not involved herself in it, and has not committed to involving herself in it either, so that’s something we’re working on.”

Nicks, 67 on Tuesday, doesn’t even try to hide her fatigue. “Tomorrow will be show 79, and then we come to you, and then we go to Australia. Three solid years of Fleetwood Mac. When that’s done, I’m done. I’m done. I’m taking a long vacation. I’ve bought a little house on the other side of Malibu, I’ve owned it since March last year and I have three chairs in the living room, and that’s it. I’ve spent five days there in a year. People keep saying, ‘How’s the new house?’ I don’t know, I haven’t been there. I need a break.

“Maybe I shouldn’t be saying this in an interview, but I don’t really care. I have done my best, every single night, to go out there and be my best, and not be upset about the fact that we are doing 80 shows instead of 60, and then going straight to Europe and doing 27 shows instead of 17.”

Isn’t she keen, though, to have her own material represented on the new album? “I don’t know how I really feel about that. I’m not in a good place right now to make decisions. We are on the road, and in my opinion we should not be thinking past that. We’re a strange band of bandits and gypsies, travelling as part of this huge machine. This tour would never have happened if Chris hadn’t come back.”

Christine McVie admits to some bemusement about the continuing discord between the band’s Californian contingent. She describes the appeal of returning to the band as one of “chemistry, simple chemistry. I’m drawn to these four people. How can you not love Mick? He’s bold, eccentric, arrogant, pompous, vulnerable, warm and sweet. Lindsey is another type of character altogether. He has the darkest, most caustic sense of humour ever. He really makes me laugh, but he can also be so twitchy and edgy; you know, ‘Keep away.’ He’s always crossing his arms, his legs. And you just think, ‘Relax.’ He and Stevie don’t get on. On stage, they act. Privately, no.

“John and I genuinely have a friendship, I love Mick, and I love both of them. But it’s like putting a wet hand in a plug socket, it’s an electric shock every time. Who knows how long it will last? The idea is to try to finish the album, and then tour it. But Stevie says: ‘You’ve just had 16 years off. Now it’s my turn.’”

For McVie, her return was worth it, no matter the bickering that continues to coexist with some sublime live performances (for all that, the one I watched in Los Angeles was pretty lacklustre and flat). Anything’s better than that Kent fastness, she says.

“I was living in this sprawling wasteland, in the middle of 50 acres of farmland. It’s a lovely place, but it’s too isolated, and I think that’s what drove me into this slow decline; the dogs and the wellington boots and the Land Rover, the idea that you’re going to bake cookies in the Aga. And you don’t. You just get depressed. I tried writing songs again, and nothing came, nothing. I was there, in the middle of acres of greenery and sheep, and totally alone.”

Nicks, clearly ready for that (long) vacation, says she still finds herself having to talk about the band’s 1970s heyday, the busted relationships, the drink and the drugs, the wounds that, in some cases, never quite seem to heal. “And I don’t enjoy going back to that time, because it’s not who I wish that I had been. I wish that I’d been less f*****-up and less drugged-out. Done a little bit less coke, drunk a little less, smoked a little less pot. I don’t feel romantic about it at all. People like hearing about it, but it wasn’t their journey, it was mine. I was young and beautiful and just so super-unattractive.”

Of the Buckingham-Nicks relationship, Fleetwood speculates: “On some level they must be addicted to it, to something — to love, probably. It’s strange when you’re a friend to both parties, and I do sometimes get drawn in, but you don’t want to be like the messenger in El Cid, bringing in the head. I want them to be sitting on an amp, like John and Chris. I don’t think it will ever happen, but I don’t know that for sure.” He pauses, to relocate a more positive thread.

“Look, this is one hell of a thing, not all of it is ever going to be 100% happy, but it’s one hell of a weird, wonderful thing. And if it were a book, you’d want it to end like this.”

Key songs on Rumours
You Make Loving Fun
Go Your Own Way
Don’t stop
Dreams
Songbird

Fleetwood Mac’s tour begins on Wednesday at the O2, London SE10

[elle]

Buckingham sounds wary when the album comes up. “We had planned on reconvening at the start of next year, but, again, there is the politics. Stevie has not involved herself in it, and has not committed to involving herself in it either, so that’s something we’re working on.”

there you go. he couldn't have said it more clear, for all the people who were trying to keep closing their eyes to this reality and read something into his previous quotes that wasn't there.

[Macfan4life]

Good article.
Stevie is being a bit bad. I could never EVER see Stevie not recording the new album. She has stayed with the Mac when Lindsey left, when Christine left, etc. One last album would be so strange without her.
That insane road tour is finally wearing on them. When they are finally done in a few months, they can relax and work on the album at their leisure.
Stevie and Lindsey not getting along? What else is new? In Miami during her Gypsy intro that did run long, Stevie was talking how she was on the road with CCR and the car broke down. Lindsey made his guitar sound like a car horn. Stevie stopped, looked over and Lindsey and said VERY seriously......"did you just do that? What did you do that? I guess I am boring all of you."
That night in Miami Stevie did not come out to give her speech :eek:

[nodmod]

I am bracing myself for the comments this will cause.... They caught someone on a bad day, lol.

Thanks for the full article, Neil. http://fleetwoodmac-uk.com/wp/going-their-own-way-the-sunday-times/

Pleasure, glad we can all read this interview :nod:

[shackin'up]

She will bow in, in time. Lindsey has apart from the seven songs with Chris, at least three quarters of a soloalbum ready, he can work that in between.

[elle]

She will bow in, in time. Lindsey has apart from the seven songs with Chris, at least three quarters of a soloalbum ready, he can work that in between.

I really hope he does - put solo album out next year and tour it, while sn is taking her time off, resting from fm and making up her mind about participating in fm album the rest of them have been working on.

[nicepace]

Oh, please. This is so easy to solve. The four of them just need to go in the studio and say to Stevie: "we're recording the album now, come along if you'd like, but if you don't feel up to it we'll finish it up without you."

She'll think they're bluffing. But then the four of them release two songs as a "preview" of the album. When she sees they're actually recording and making concrete plans to release the album without her, she'll be in the studio with her tail between her legs spouting some sort of face-saving nonsense about the stars aligning.

[Frankenstein]

Reading this article I couldn't help but picture Stevie as some kind of Scooby-Doo villain... "And I would have gotten my vacation, if it weren't for Christine and her meddling comeback!" :lol:

[FuzzyPlum]

Sounds like nothing has changed in the last 6 months; she isn't a happy bunny.
A very honest interview- things must be a bit strained to be so open.

I feel resigned to the older material now being on a Lindsey Buckingham solo album- but it would be an opportunity missed. In some respects that would be good as he could start afresh preparing new songs for the band in the knowledge both Stevie (hopefully) and Christine would be involved at a later time.

[jkmaletic]

Reading this article I couldn't help but picture Stevie as some kind of Scooby-Doo villain... "And I would have gotten my vacation, if it weren't for Christine and her meddling comeback!" :lol:

She said the tour wouldn't have happened if Chris hadn't come back, not a missed vacation.
She likely would have toured solo for 24k if not for Chris' return. Stevie's gotten pretty outspoken lately, and I'm ok with that. I just wish she'd make a decision once and for all.

Jamie

[HomerMcvie]

Oh, please. This is so easy to solve. The four of them just need to go in the studio and say to Stevie: "we're recording the album now, come along if you'd like, but if you don't feel up to it we'll finish it up without you."

She'll think they're bluffing. But then the four of them release two songs as a "preview" of the album. When she sees they're actually recording and making concrete plans to release the album without her, she'll be in the studio with her tail between her legs spouting some sort of face-saving nonsense about the stars aligning.

Who the hell is she to hold them hostage(which she's trying to do!)?

To hell with her. They should go in without her. Either she shows up, or she doesn't. I'd prefer the latter.

[jkmaletic]

Who the hell is she to hold them hostage(which she's trying to do!)?

To hell with her. They should go in without her. Either she shows up, or she doesn't. I'd prefer the latter.

Me too.

#FreeStevie

[secondhandchain]

F U Stevie for not wanting to make the album after finally getting Chris back.
FU Lindsey for not trying to maybe be a little nicer to her.
FU Mick for (yes Ill blame him) adding those 40 some odd shows. Did you really need to?

This was just a cash grab tour and I'm done with them. Of course the whole Stevie and Lindsey drama (we are getting along now, no we aren't) is an act to draw us in to by more tickets to the tour.
Most unhappy with Stevie (used to love her, don't even like her anymore) but Mick and Lindsey deserve some of my anger too. I'M DONE!!!!

[michelej1]

there you go. he couldn't have said it more clear, for all the people who were trying to keep closing their eyes to this reality and read something into his previous quotes that wasn't there.

Oh, no, Elle. Even though Stevie said it too. It's all a big charade to sell more albums.

Michele

[michelej1]

I'm not sure what walking Hadrian's Wall has to do with rose-colored glasses, but anyway, don't do it Mick. The wall is not stable.

Michele

[michelej1]

Oh, please. This is so easy to solve. The four of them just need to go in the studio and say to Stevie: "we're recording the album now, come along if you'd like, but if you don't feel up to it we'll finish it up without you."



Or let them record as a foursome. Then, they can record again when she has had time to have a life, enjoy her new house, enjoy her solo career and feels reinvigorated about FM. That can be their LAST album a few years from now and they can give us THIS album today.

I don't understand why they are so opposed against doing this. She hasn't left the band. She wants a rest. So, give us an album while she rests. I'd like to hear from Christine again. I've waited long enough.

Michele

[michelej1]

F U Stevie for not wanting to make the album after finally getting Chris back.
FU Lindsey for not trying to maybe be a little nicer to her.


I think he was being nicer to her, on stage and off, the whole time he was trying to cajole her into doing the album -- which started before Christine returned. That's why he never bluntly said she wouldn't commit to doing it until this interview. Now, he's over it.

Michele

[SteveMacD]

The only thing I'll point out is that this was conducted right before the last show of the previous leg. I wonder If Stevie's attitude has changed now that the've had over a month off. Maybe not, but asking someone about their future plans right before the end of a leg of a tour probably won't yeild a reliable answer.

[gldstwmn]

Me too.

#FreeStevie

Right? Then she could tour for 24k and not have to re live the 70's and 80's drama which really seems to be grating on her.
I love Mick's idea to walk Hadrian's Wall. It looks like one of those spectacular once in a lifetime, bucket list things to do. http://www.visithadrianswall.co.uk/things-to-do/walking

[SteveMacD]

I don't understand why they are so opposed against doing this. She hasn't left the band. She wants a rest. So, give us an album while she rests. I'd like to hear from Christine again. I've waited long enough.
1. They already tried the half member thing, and it didn't work. "You're either all in or you're out" was established as a result.

2. The problem with doing an album without her is that Stevie's hesitatation has more to do with touring at this point, and they are not going to release a new album without touring.

[michelej1]

Right? Then she could tour for 24k and not have to re live the 70's and 80's drama which really seems to be grating on her.

It's amusing to me that she has never said it bothered her to talk about it before. Now, she has always said she doesn't like to relive those Klonopin years, but never said she didn't like talking about, say, 75-86 before. That was a new one.

I mean, I know when she looks at old interview clips on Youtube and can tell that she was high back then, I know she doesn't like it, but they haven't said that they get tired of rehashing the drama, which I would have expected them to say (and wish they WOULD have said) 30 years ago.

About this tour, it was ill-advised. Maybe it was good for Christine to get back on the horse and I certainly cherished seeing them all together. I also know that they only did the tour now, because Stevie wouldn't agree to doing an album first. But without an album, the timing of the tour, right after the last one, was atrocius and Stevie's complaints about that are valid.

Michele

[elle]

Oh, no, Elle. Even though Stevie said it too. It's all a big charade to sell more albums.

Michele

Exactly. :lol:

[michelej1]

1. They already tried the half member thing, and it didn't work. "You're either all in or you're out" was established as a result.

2. The problem with doing an album without her is that Stevie's hesitatation has more to do with touring at this point, and they are not going to release a new album without touring.

But resign themselves to the fact that it's going to be low key and they aren't going to tour on it (like Christine didn't tour on Meantime) and just do it for the love. Then, plan a big album and tour with Stevie for 2018 or something. And Christine and Lindsey can do new songs for that along with songs from Stevie. Just shelving the songs Christine and Lindsey have now, is so ridiculous to me and makes them look like -- well, not like artists, not like creative people with something new to say. Old, old-fashioned, scared. They don't want to do it without Stevie or without Warner Bros. or without arena tours, when doing so at this point wouldn't hurt their pocketbooks or their legacy going forward.

They have nothing to lose, but, seemingly, also have nothing to give.

Kills me.

Yes, Lindsey will probably do a solo tour, but that's not what I want.

Michele

[bombaysaffires]

Oh, no, Elle. Even though Stevie said it too. It's all a big charade to sell more albums.


part of me agrees with this, because sometimes it seems like everything with this band is some shade of a charade... but then, she's pushing SEVENTY for cripes' sakes. Her mother died. I do think she has legitimately had some personal reflection about mortality, and life getting short, and decline and all that. She has become, seemingly, much more aware that the clock is ticking and her days of being able (and perhaps also willing) to do this on this scale are dwindling. It may be in part the grind of the tour taking its toll, and with proper rest she will relent. I also think part of it's the ongoing power struggle with Lindsey over who gets to call the shots.

Seems like she feels doing this tour was a huge compromise for her, that it's taken several years away from her doing her own thing, and she's just not happy about it (which takes us full circle back to the notion that there's not so much time left and she knows it). I think in typical Mac fashion it's turning into a whole "thing", but I get the sense that the kernel at the heart of it all is true... she's not happy and thus not willing to give anything more to them for the forseeable future post-tour. How long that turns out to be, :shrug: But I agree totally with Chris et al, this power **** should have come to a far better resolution between S&L by now for F's sake. :mad:

[nicepace]

I'm in complete agreement with those who are saying the Four should just record without Stevie. To my thinking that would make a better album, anyway. A normal group of musicians would just go ahead and make the album (jumping on the opportunity that Chris' return gives them), and think that there might be a chance to make another album in a couple of years when Stevie is ready. Too bad this group of individuals is so compelled to make high drama out of everything.

[editme2]

I love me some Stevie, I really do....But I have to say that I'm getting so tired of the drama and discontent.

It's amazing to me how bad things seem to have gotten between Stevie and Lindsey again. What about the wonderful days they spent at Lindsey's house recording Extended Play? What about the long talk Stevie had with Lindsey? What about their commitment to once again being the "power couple"? What changed in the past two years?

At this point, I think the band should sit down with Stevie and just say to her in the nicest way possible, "We understand that you're tired; we understand that this tour became bigger than we expected; we realize this took you away from other projects. Clearly you're frustrated and unhappy and unclear about your future with this band. We want to make it easy for you, so all four of us have made the decision to move ahead with a new album once this tour is done. We're excited about the material and don't want it to go to waste sitting in some vault somewhere. We don't want you to participate, and we're not asking you to contribute. We're also freeing you up from any touring obligations that may follow. Enjoy your house, enjoy your vacation. You've been a major part of this band, but we're moving forward without you."

Let her go. Get into the studio and work your magic!

Can The Mac survive without Stevie? I say yes. Will a new album without her sell well? Do albums sell well anymore, anyway? Will they be able to sell out Madison Square Garden without Stevie? Probably not, but they could fill large theaters. To be honest, Stevie has added nothing new to their live shows in years. She sings the same songs every tour. I like Christine and I like Lindsey. If their creative spark and partnership has been reignited, I don't think they should be held back by Stevie's bad attitude.

It's sad that for so long Stevie bemoaned the fact that she didn't have Christine by her side anymore, yet now that she's back and excited and wanting to contribute something meaningful, Stevie is unwilling to commit. What a spoiled child.

[elle]

I'm in complete agreement with those who are saying the Four should just record without Stevie. To my thinking that would make a better album, anyway. A normal group of musicians would just go ahead and make the album (jumping on the opportunity that Chris' return gives them), and think that there might be a chance to make another album in a couple of years when Stevie is ready. Too bad this group of individuals is so compelled to make high drama out of everything.

why are we talking in future tense? :confused:

they already did. they have album recorded and they just need to wrap it up and release it. they don't even need to go to the studio anymore, probably, if they would be willing to put the album out without Stevie.

there are just a few reasons i can think of why they are not:
1) greed
2) some kind of contractual obligation

these reasons are somewhat coming through in Mick's this is the last incarnation of FM, the 5. he's closing the door to the 4 there (or any possible replacements or reincarnations).

[MikeVielhaber]

why are we talking in future tense? :confused:

they already did. they have album recorded and they just need to wrap it up and release it. they don't even need to go to the studio anymore, probably, if they would be willing to put the album out without Stevie.

there are just a few reasons i can think of why they are not:
1) greed
2) some kind of contractual obligation

these reasons are somewhat coming through in Mick's this is the last incarnation of FM, the 5. he's closing the door to the 4 there (or any possible replacements or reincarnations).
They haven't finished the songs they worked on together. There is still work to be done on them to bring them to completion. I think Christine said there were just rough vocals on them.

[elle]

They haven't finished the songs they worked on together. There is still work to be done on them to bring them to completion. I think Christine said there were just rough vocals on them.

lol yeah first they were finished back in mid 2014, then as SN not overcoming her reluctance any time soon became more and more clear, the songs became less and less finished with each interview. #regressing

[Macfan4life]

Stevie touring with 24 Carat Gold would get her probably 1/25 of the revenue she is getting for On With The Show.
In defense of her though, the Mac toured like dogs in 2013 thinking it would be their last tour for awhile. Then out of the blue they tour 2014 and 2015 like its Rumours all over again. Being tired after a long tour in 2013 to tour the insane On With The Show tour will have its breaking point. They have toured the world for 2 years in a row. There is going to be wear and tear for sure.
But I am sure she will come around and want to be part of the Mac's last album. If not, more songs for Christine is not a bad thing ;)

[sodascouts]

This article makes me sad. I saw them at Little Rock, and this article has actually tainted that experience somewhat. I was having a great time, but now it seems Stevie resented being there. I guess it shouldn't matter that she was faking her pleasure at being there, as long as I had a good time... I guess I'm just being silly, but still...

I want a new Fleetwood Mac album badly and I am desperate enough to be very reluctantly OK with not having Stevie on it - I bought Time, after all, and that was missing both my faves - but I wonder if WB would even accept a Fleetwood Mac album without Stevie.

I pray that a rest will help her gather herself and look at recording with Fleetwood Mac more kindly. I would much rather have new Mac than new solo.

[Vanessa]

I feel like their building up to something on Tuesday since its Stevie's birthday. I'm not sure whats gonna happen I just have a feeling their gonna announce/do something for her birthday.

[James89]

The only thing I'll point out is that this was conducted right before the last show of the previous leg. I wonder If Stevie's attitude has changed now that the've had over a month off. Maybe not, but asking someone about their future plans right before the end of a leg of a tour probably won't yeild a reliable answer.

Yeah, I agree. She was just tired out at the time of the interview and she'll come round eventually. I wouldn't worry people.

[MikeVielhaber]

Stevie touring with 24 Carat Gold would get her probably 1/25 of the revenue she is getting for On With The Show.
In defense of her though, the Mac toured like dogs in 2013 thinking it would be their last tour for awhile. Then out of the blue they tour 2014 and 2015 like its Rumours all over again. Being tired after a long tour in 2013 to tour the insane On With The Show tour will have its breaking point. They have toured the world for 2 years in a row. There is going to be wear and tear for sure.
But I am sure she will come around and want to be part of the Mac's last album. If not, more songs for Christine is not a bad thing ;)

As far as being tired of touring....I think all of us here predicted that, so certainly they could've too. That's a lack of forsight on their part.

[MikeVielhaber]

I want a new Fleetwood Mac album badly and I am desperate enough to be very reluctantly OK with not having Stevie on it - I bought Time, after all, and that was missing both my faves - but I wonder if WB would even accept a Fleetwood Mac album without Stevie.


They aren't signed to WB so it doesn't matter if they would or wouldn't. They certainly can find a label that would be interested.

[MikeVielhaber]

Yeah, I agree. She was just tired out at the time of the interview and she'll come round eventually. I wouldn't worry people.

It's funny that people have said this all along the way when at no point has Stevie shown any interest in recording with the band. Even before she was burned out from touring and resentful of Christine. Before they'd even started rehearsals people were saying essentially that same thing "I wouldn't worry". It's blind optimism to take in every time someone has implied or explicity expressed Stevie's lack of interest and cooperation and assume she's going to get on board eventually just because it seems ridiculous that she wouldn't. She still may, but am I confident that she will? No, not at all.

[sleepless child]

I too am sad after reading this article. What the hell is wrong with Stevie and Lindsey? She says they are great friends and hashed all the past out. They act all lovey dovey on stage and then Chris says it's all an act? And Lindsey tell Dan Rather in The Big Interview that there are still issues with them? What is the problem? You guys are too old for this. If you don't get along, don't be in each others lives! If you want to still be in Fleetwood Mac, then you are in Fleetwood Mac and you commit to the record. I love Stevie, but it frustrates me when she is quoted saying those things.

[BLY]

There will not be a Fleetwood Mac album release without Stevie Nicks on it. If they have to release only a 12 disc with the band and release the rest of the tracks on a Buckingham solo release after that so be it.

[AliceLover]

Perfect word: sad. It's just sad. It really is. Christine is back and Stevie is just bringing the whole excitement down. It's not like she's doing anything different on the road....it's the same 8 bloody songs. No different from the last three tours I spent $1,000s to see. She sounds like a whiny brat in this interview. Yes, I hope Lindsey's songs turn into solo efforts. 24 KARAT BLEW, was horrendous. She needs to spend some quality time with DS and come up with something as amazing as IYD.

I know in a week she'll be all smiles in London, but this interview was brutal.

[AliceLover]

After reading this a second time through, it's not so bad. This was obviously done before the last leg ended and they WERE EXHAUSTED. We all have days like this. I'm sure she'll kick herself later for some of these comments.

[MikeVielhaber]

After reading this a second time through, it's not so bad. This was obviously done before the last leg ended and they WERE EXHAUSTED. We all have days like this. I'm sure she'll kick herself later for some of these comments.

Again, her position didn't change from any previous time she commented when she wouldn't commit to it or even express any interest in it. She was just a little more pissy about it in this particular interview, but the overall sentiment hasn't changed.

[AliceLover]

Again, her position didn't change from any previous time she commented when she wouldn't commit to it or even express any interest in it. She was just a little more pissy about it in this particular interview, but the overall sentiment hasn't changed.

I'm not saying her position has changed, she just sounds really ridiculous.

[michelej1]

Again, her position didn't change from any previous time she commented when she wouldn't commit to it or even express any interest in it. She was just a little more pissy about it in this particular interview, but the overall sentiment hasn't changed.

Yeah, I don't think she'll regret it. I think she'll be rather pleased with herself when she rereads the interview. Which is not to say I don't think she'll eventually do an album, but I think she is very happy to go on record as being the reluctant one, pushing for a life of her own outside of FM, when all the others are content to do the same thing they've always done, because they don't know how to do anything else. I mean she said that in an interview a few months back -- that they just stay with the band because they don't know how to do otherwise.

Anyway, we've got that Mojo interview coming up too. Steel yourself people, we may be in for some more jolts.

I'm just amusing myself, because I think that's what the mother of the Dionne quintuplets said when she had to tell the other four that one of the sisters had died. "Brace yourself little girls!"

Then, of course, there's Bette Davis' famous, "fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

[secondhandchain]

Ya could have said NO to those extra shows. Stop your whining.

[michelej1]

And my feeling is, if someone really doesn't want to be there, do you WANT them there.

It's like John said about Christine in the SYW program. He said that she was so miserable during the Dance tour that it was good she left. She shouldn't be there if in her heart she didn't want to be.

I want an album with all five of them, but knowing that Stevie is against it makes me think nothing good will come of it. We may get a couple of good songs from her, but if she was there under duress, all we will get is a lot of bad vibes and complaints about the process of making those songs. And I don't want to do this at this stage of everyone's life -- including mine.

So, without accusing her or saying she should just grin and bear it, I say let her go. She'll come back when she's ready. But if you force it, it's only going to lead to more hostility. I want them to stop talking about her reluctance as a barrier to them not moving forward and just go on with what they have.

And it's not just that Christine has returned. John had cancer too. Doesn't that make anyone want to do something differently? If you were too scared to put out an album without a big label before, the knowledge of mortality should have changed that. If you didn't want to make an album without Stevie for commercial reasons, isn't THIS the time to say, "What have we got to lose if we do?" And also ditch the feeling that it's the end of the band if Stevie doesn't record with you. She can record in the future. This doesn't have to be the end of anything. Michele

Michele

[MikeInNV]

Ya could have said NO to those extra shows. Stop your whining.

If she really wanted to make a power move and/or hold the band hostage as people here are fond of saying (I can't tell you how much I hate those words), that would have been the thing to do. If they had skipped the second leg of US shows, they could have finished Europe and Australia by now. As it is, FM spent 2013 on the road without Christine. On With The Show will end up being nearly a year and a half long. After finishing this album, who knows what kind of tour they would want to launch to support it. This is adding up to be several years of work, most of it on the road. I'm pretty much a die-hard, but even I think that's too much Fleetwood Mac!

[PenguinHead]

Who the hell is she to hold them hostage(which she's trying to do!)?

To hell with her. They should go in without her. Either she shows up, or she doesn't. I'd prefer the latter.

Stevie sounds like a spoiled child - poor little rich girl! But I can't fault her for being a little peeved that this long tour has gone on longer than expected, due to demand, as well as greed. I worried the demands of this epic world tour were going to burn them out, and they apparently have.

Her comments are raw and candid. She seems really pissed off. Mick's comments about wishing that Lindsey and Stevie could get along, similar to Christine and John. I wish that too! Unfortunately, the two uppity Americans in the group can't get beyond their past and their egos. Though Lindsey can be exacting in manner, he seems much more amiable than Stevie. I understand her frustrations, but why does she always portay the band as her nemesis?

She mentions how tiresome it is to relive the past over and over. Yet she is entirely guilty of incessantly pandering to it. She spends more time in the past than the present or the future. That choice is hers. She is the only one in the band that doesn't play an instrument, thus she is absolved of the demands the rest of the band face when recording an album. To honor the band (as well as the fans), the least she could do is give them three or four songs to work on, spend a few days in the studio cutting the solos and backgrounds, and be on her way.

This is near the end of the road for Fleetwood Mac. Stevie, show some respect and consideration for the band and the fans. A little sympathy? You need a little sympathy. I hate the prospect that she might end her rein in Fleetwood Mac on such caustic terms. I'd rather have her on the album than not. But if not, I hope that won't stop Lindsey and Christine from finishing and releasing a Stevie Free album. Surely it will be a super fine Buckingham McVie album.

[Andy Man]

I think the underlying issue that really comes through with the article is that Fleetwood Mac is in a position that very, very few bands have ever been in. Let me explain...

There is no question that, on the surface, Fleetwood Mac has been a "nostalgia" act for the last 6-7 years or so (the 2009 tour through to now). However, unlike The Stones, or other "classic" bands that continue to blast out the hits to essentially the same crowd, Fleetwood Mac has actually been gaining popularity and respect all through the last decade. I think that this is something quite unique considering the last time a studio record with all 5 was released was in 1987. Yet, despite the time frame, a massive new audience of indie rock artists and fans have been driven to the band because of their body of work (which, compared to most "big bands" is relatively small). So while the set lists have pretty much been the same (except, of course, now with Christine's material back in the fold) the demand for tickets has skyrocketed due to a huge influx in fans; I can't think of another band in FM's rock category that has gained the amount of relevance with such a distance between their most creative time period.

Because of this sudden resurgence of interest in the band, the question is how to best deal with a new round of fame? It seems as if the bands management (and members) are in a "go-go-go" frame of mind; run this new interest in the band to the ground, doing all that can be done to maintain it. Lindsey and Christine seem to have been given artistic inspiration from the band's current status and I truly do believe each of them when they state that they are making great music and are excited about releasing it. And while I'm sure Mick has a vested interest in new music, I think his approach to the band's current status has been to "sell-sell-sell" out arenas worldwide. In retrospect, I think the extension of this tour (while it did allow me to see them!) will be viewed as a mistake (it has taken a toll on their energy for sure).

Stevie seems uncertain about what to make of this new relevancy. She's a very smart individual who knows the music business in a way that none of us on this board will ever know. I'm sure she realizes that if she gives into the band with everything they are wanting of her, the FM train could go on and on and on. As a fan, I want her to be a part of whatever the band is doing. However, I can see her point about needing to get away; If you're tired, you're tired. Knowing that there is a massive audience available to the band now has probably created much debate within the band: how to deal with this 'event'? For Stevie, it seems she wants to acknowledge all the new interest in FM but at the same time to be able to keep her sanity. Whatever you think of the band, one thing is certain: the chaos and turmoil they have always spoken of is real. This is a band of individuals who even until now, when most bands would be basking in the success FM has been having recently, seem to have fundamental differences on how they view life and their creative output.

[PenguinHead]

After finishing this album, who knows what kind of tour they would want to launch to support it. This is adding up to be several years of work, most of it on the road. I'm pretty much a die-hard, but even I think that's too much Fleetwood Mac!

It may sound crazy, but I don't want to see them embark on another tour, especially if Stevie isn't on board. They don't need the money, and the physical demands become more demanding at their age. The tours are just cash grabbers.

I hope they schedule just a few key shows, featuring a good portion of their new songs, and broadcast a filmed show much like The Dance. Find other promotional tactics, like a webcast, and other creative ways to market the album and connect with their fans. Their tours sell nostalgia, not new music. Tours have a shelf life. Albums live forever. At this point it shouldn't be about selling out shows or chart success, it's about putting the exclamation mark on their creativity and musical legacy.

[PenguinHead]

I think the underlying issue that really comes through with the article is that Fleetwood Mac is in a position that very, very few bands have ever been in. Let me explain...
Stevie seems uncertain about what to make of this new relevancy.

Fantastic post Andy Man!:thumbsup:
A great read, full of deep insight and thoughtful perspective.
The Andy Man can! (in my head I'm hearing the song The Candy Man).

[sue]

24 Karat Gold was recorded in 3 weeks, she doesn't have to spend months in the studio.....providing she has some new material. (if not rob the vault)
However, she has a valid point, she sounds exhausted and deserves a long break...
Go to Malibu, have fun furnishing your house.
Don't see or even speak to any of FM, then in 6 months time come back and do your 3 weeks in the studio...
I agree with other contributors, she sounds totally pissed off with the whole FM thing ....the girl needs a break.

[aleuzzi]

None of their positions surprise me. What surprises me is how openly they admitted their frustrations. Christine sounds largely positive but she HAS had 16 years of rest and regret to make her come running back with open arms. Mick, Lindsey, and Stevie sound fed up with one another.

Yes, the tour should have been much shorter (around 40 American dates, period.) Then they should have continued work on the album.

I'm sure that Stevie will eventually hand in a few songs and dutifully perform but I'm sensing all of this seems so remote to her because right now she doesn't have a single song in her. She's worn out. She has not recorded new material for the band since 2003. David Stewart coaxed the old self out but that is a different Stevie. The Mac Stevie might never come back. There's a good chance the songs she contributes to the new album will sound like parodies of the woman who wrote Landslide.

[SpyNote]

Before pointing fingers, should any of this be surprising? The only album session where they didn't fight was during the making of the White Album (as far as we know). Extroverts and introverts often work well together. But Stevie (extrovert) and Lindsey (introvert) just irritate each other to no end. It's admirable that they are still recording together, but, really, they should not be together in a band.

[KenshiMaster16]

I mean, is there even a reason to call this "pointing fingers" anymore? We all know who wants an album and who doesn't. They know and they pretty much all just admitted it, even Stevie herself. Sure, they can change their minds, they have a million times before in the past. But at this present time, this is what we're faced with as a fan base and it's clear where the blame lies.

At this rate I'd wager Stevie was simply talking out of her ass about wanting Christine back in the band at this point, given I think she was just about ready to call it a day and now suddenly she can't without looking like the wicked witch of the west who put an abrupt end to the Holy Five-Piece reunion. She just simply never, ever thought it would happen where Christine would change her mind. Now things are different. The band is fully whole again and she's now faced with more demand for the Mac than ever, something that can't sit well with her so the band was faced with; A) Pocket off the sudden demand for the Rumours era of the Mac or B) Take an extended hiatus from tour exhaustion and watch the demand slowly fade away. With the momentum they received upon Christine's return, they would've been extremely foolish to not make their move then and there with how fickle the industry is in times like these.

Sure, there has always been this kind of diva/childish/holier-than-thou behavior from at least somebody in the band but given the circumstances; Christine's return, their ages, John's cancer, you'd think they'd have (excuse my language) grown the **** up and just get on with it before someone drops dead from natural or unnatural causes. Let's face it; nobody wants to see a fragile Mick, Lindsey or wheelchair bound Stevie barely keeping rhythm and holding notes anymore for 2 and a half hours. They need to keep trucking until the sun sets because let's face it, it's setting pretty fast at this rate and they're simply running out of time. They are not youngsters anymore who can spend a decade toying about with solo projects while treating each other like pieces of crap and bickering back and forth about the future of the band. They need to work out the finality of this band before it's too late. However, if they want to go out looking like idiots who can't get along for more than 2 months to finish a studio album and would rather 'play pretend' on stage for the rest of their lives, that's on them. They should at least have the dignity of going out like a class act instead of a bunch of emotionally fragile individuals.

Rant over. Just sick of this drama. What was once entertaining has grown very tiresome and annoying.

[BlueLight]

The article actually gives me a twinge of nostalgia, as it very easily could have been written in 1982 or 1987. Each band member is playing the same role they've been playing for over 30 years. They're nothing if not consistent. :rolleyes:

All that said, they sound exhausted. The extended tour may be profitable, but it also apparently comes at a high cost, on many fronts.

[nicepace]

At this point, I think the band should sit down with Stevie and just say to her in the nicest way possible [snip] "We want to make it easy for you, so all four of us have made the decision to move ahead with a new album once this tour is done. We're excited about the material and don't want it to go to waste sitting in some vault somewhere. We don't want you to participate, and we're not asking you to contribute. We're also freeing you up from any touring obligations that may follow. "

This is an even better approach than my suggestion. My suggestion was basically an effort to bluff Stevie into making the album. Sometimes I try too hard to placate the strong pro-Stevie element on this board. Give her a graceful exit from this next project, while leaving the door open to more FM projects for her in the future.

The Four have a bunch of songs partially done. It really doesn't need to take a long time for them to finish them up. I want to hear those songs, and I am not in the slightest bit interested in hearing songs from Stevie when she's in a bad mood and feeling like she's being forced to do something she doesn't want to do.

[vivfox]

I want an album with all five of them, but knowing that Stevie is against it makes me think nothing good will come of it. We may get a couple of good songs from her, but if she was there under duress, all we will get is a lot of bad vibes and complaints about the process of making those songs.

This would be a good time to remake I Don't Want to Know. Then we'd be able to hear it in concert.

[gldstwmn]

Stevie touring with 24 Carat Gold would get her probably 1/25 of the revenue she is getting for On With The Show.
In defense of her though, the Mac toured like dogs in 2013 thinking it would be their last tour for awhile. Then out of the blue they tour 2014 and 2015 like its Rumours all over again. Being tired after a long tour in 2013 to tour the insane On With The Show tour will have its breaking point. They have toured the world for 2 years in a row. There is going to be wear and tear for sure.
But I am sure she will come around and want to be part of the Mac's last album. If not, more songs for Christine is not a bad thing ;)

I think of it this way: The five of them have not toured extensively like this together since Tusk! Think about that for a minute.

[gldstwmn]

I too am sad after reading this article. What the hell is wrong with Stevie and Lindsey? She says they are great friends and hashed all the past out. They act all lovey dovey on stage and then Chris says it's all an act? And Lindsey tell Dan Rather in The Big Interview that there are still issues with them? What is the problem? You guys are too old for this. If you don't get along, don't be in each others lives! If you want to still be in Fleetwood Mac, then you are in Fleetwood Mac and you commit to the record. I love Stevie, but it frustrates me when she is quoted saying those things.

This is the nature of their relationship. It always has been and always will be. Now imagine having to go to work with that person from your past that you loved so much, had a horrible break up with. Not to mention the livelihood of others depended on that work. You'd leave the band, have a breakdown, do too many drugs, drink too much, etc. It makes perfect sense to me at nearly 67 Stevie is over it.

[gldstwmn]

However, unlike The Stones, or other "classic" bands that continue to blast out the hits to essentially the same crowd, Fleetwood Mac has actually been gaining popularity and respect all through the last decade.
The Stones have a much larger catalogue. They tweak the arrangements and are known for their massive stage set up. They also will go out and play small venues. And like Fleetwood Mac, they still sound good. So that is the draw with the Stones.

[WildHearted]

To be honest, I really think they should have waited to do this tour. I guess all they saw were dollar signs when Christine decided to return and figured they would milk it for all it was worth from the get-go.... but I think a smarter long-term plan would have been to use 2014 to record the album, tour 2015 to promote it [along with the return of Chris], and then decide where to go (if anywhere) from there. By doing the back to back tours it wore everyone out and now they're all sick of each other (or at least Stevie and Lindsey are, and Mick sick of them being sick of each other). I just feel like they would have had a better shot to actually get some new music out if they'd have gone that route instead.

I know Stevie was reluctant to record to begin with, but I think there was a better shot at getting her to do it in 2014 then there's going to be in 2016 or whatever they're trying to do.

[gldstwmn]

Sure, there has always been this kind of diva/childish/holier-than-thou behavior from at least somebody in the band but given the circumstances; Christine's return, their ages, John's cancer, you'd think they'd have (excuse my language) grown the **** up and just get on with it before someone drops dead from natural or unnatural causes. Let's face it; nobody wants to see a fragile Mick, Lindsey or wheelchair bound Stevie barely keeping rhythm and holding notes anymore for 2 and a half hours. They need to keep trucking until the sun sets because let's face it, it's setting pretty fast at this rate and they're simply running out of time. They are not youngsters anymore who can spend a decade toying about with solo projects while treating each other like pieces of crap and bickering back and forth about the future of the band. They need to work out the finality of this band before it's too late. However, if they want to go out looking like idiots who can't get along for more than 2 months to finish a studio album and would rather 'play pretend' on stage for the rest of their lives, that's on them. They should at least have the dignity of going out like a class act instead of a bunch of emotionally fragile individuals.



Dude, this is way too much planning for Fleetwood Mac. :lol:

[elle]

I know Stevie was reluctant to record to begin with, but I think there was a better shot at getting her to do it in 2014 then there's going to be in 2016 or whatever they're trying to do.

except they tried getting her to record in 2014. she said no.

it almost seems like they were trying to bluff her into recording in the first 6 months of 2014 by setting up the tour in the fall and saying "gotta do it now, cause we'll tour later and there will be no time". didn't work.

and remember, last year before they had UK dates set Christine was talking about maybe trying to finish and get that album out before the European leg of the tour.

so it looks like at several points they had either the option of finishing the album (basically Stevie to say yes and participate) or adding more tour dates. seems that given these 2 options Stevie chose the tour over the album every time... the option she's complaining about now.

[michelej1]

Before pointing fingers, should any of this be surprising? The only album session where they didn't fight was during the making of the White Album (as far as we know).

They did fight with each other during the White album and Stevie said they were threatening that they didn't want to be in the band with each other anymore. But she says she didn't even participate that time, because she still felt like her position was tenuous. She just observed them all fighting.

Michele

[vivfox]

They did fight with each other during the White album and Stevie said they were threatening that they didn't want to be in the band with each other anymore. But she says she didn't even participate that time, because she still felt like her position was tenuous. She just observed them all fighting.


I never heard any of this before. I agree with SpyNote.

[AncientQueen]

Right now I don't see the relevance of a new album. Who cares about a FM album, aside from some fans and some people who needs gifts for people who have everything.

I get touring, but the creative output of the band has been minimal for decades now, with (imho) no member being particulary successful in a solo effort, neither creativly nor finanicially. So Stevie knows better than everyone else how good her material is right now, how Lindsey will produce her stuff, what conflicts they will have over it, she knows how the marketing will work, how good the album will sell. The EP wasn't exactly a success. Stevie knows the game, she is playing it for decades. Maybe she is right with "it isn't worth it".

[lilyfee]

It seems like Stevie has always sort of done what people told her to do. Unlike with say, Lindsey, who follows his creative muse wherever that takes him, Stevie grapples with the plight of being hugely successful, feeling like she has to do the same hit songs over and over again at every show ever, with FM or in her solo work... And her solo work is always second to Fleetwood Mac. She dutifully comes through with an album when she has to fulfill a quota for her record company, she tours extensively with FM even though she wants a break...

I imagine the Christine thing isn't her faking it and dragging her feet for publicity. She's probably really conflicted because she feels pressure to do the album for all the reasons we've said -- they're all getting older, Christine's back, fans would like it, etc. -- but also she's tired... Yeah, she's getting older, so shouldn't she use this time to do what she wants to do for once? She's always talking about all these projects she wants to do, such as a Rhiannon movie, or a one-woman show of all the songs we don't usually see, yet she doesn't have any time to do them because FM always interferes!

I would love to see another album with all five members, but I would want them to be happy and engaged. If that happens with four members, I'd still like to hear what they come out with.

But then again, my interest is in the music and not the money. If they would rock the songs they've never, or only rarely, performed in concert, but want to play, I would pay to see that, even if the hits were dropped. Same with Stevie's solo career.

In fact, I think you can tell when Stevie's really into what she's doing. She's been very into it lately performing tributes to other artists and interacting with other groups and people... But I can see why she might be going through the motions a little with FM at this point. I saw them this year and they were so amazing, so it pains me to think she was not feeling it so much. In a perfect world they'd all be happy to be there. Give her the break, and reconvene organically so the dates and obligations don't get in the way!

[bombaysaffires]

Right now I don't see the relevance of a new album. Who cares about a FM album, aside from some fans and some people who needs gifts for people who have everything.

I get touring, but the creative output of the band has been minimal for decades now, with (imho) no member being particulary successful in a solo effort, neither creativly nor finanicially. So Stevie knows better than everyone else how good her material is right now, how Lindsey will produce her stuff, what conflicts they will have over it, she knows how the marketing will work, how good the album will sell. The EP wasn't exactly a success. Stevie knows the game, she is playing it for decades. Maybe she is right with "it isn't worth it".

interesting thought....

I watched the recent interview with Ken Caillat on some local Santa Barbara chat show that someone posted in another thread... and he told a story of how it was Stevie who, as they were going in to make Rumours, said basically, listen we're having all this success and our next album could be really successful so let's not fight and break up let's continue and be even more successful. And I stumbled across and interview with the late John Stewart online and in it he recounted how, during the making of his Bombs Away Dream Babies album she was encouraging him in making a commercially-viable album saying (according to him) 'we've all made the other kind of album (artistic but not commercially successful) and having a hit album is so much more fun' We've always known she's the most image-conscious and is totally into selling as many copies of her albums as she can. (As Christine noted, 'she's a brand' and she's very savvy about it). So I'm sure she's thought about the sales figures.

But even she's got to know by now that NO ONE is selling vast numbers of albums anymore. That's in the past. Not even her solo stuff will sell big.

The question is, if she doesn't want to work with FM, what *does* she want to do next? She really hasn't said--we assume another solo LP, but we don't know. Yes she's mentioned at times she might like to do another Vault-type album, but she's been very quiet in any interviews about what exactly her next work goal is... she just seems to talk a lot about going off to her Malibu trailer or whatever. :shrug:

[louielouie2000]

Right now I don't see the relevance of a new album. Who cares about a FM album, aside from some fans and some people who needs gifts for people who have everything.

I get touring, but the creative output of the band has been minimal for decades now, with (imho) no member being particulary successful in a solo effort, neither creativly nor finanicially. So Stevie knows better than everyone else how good her material is right now, how Lindsey will produce her stuff, what conflicts they will have over it, she knows how the marketing will work, how good the album will sell. The EP wasn't exactly a success. Stevie knows the game, she is playing it for decades. Maybe she is right with "it isn't worth it".

Nobody cared about the EP because 1) the music was poor 2) it wasn't the full Rumours lineup 3) the EP was digital download only (not exactly the core FM fanbase medium of choice) 4) it wasn't a full album.

I disagree about nobody caring about a new album, though. Look how well the Eagles last album sold. FM needs one last studio album with the Rumours 5 to tie up there legacy. And it needs to be a great one. If they do that, they can truly go out on top all while having something vital and creative to say. It could be a great critical coup for the band.

[bombaysaffires]

It seems like Stevie has always sort of done what people told her to do. Unlike with say, Lindsey, who follows his creative muse wherever that takes him, Stevie grapples with the pAnd her solo work is always second to Fleetwood Mac. She dutifully comes through with an album when she has to fulfill a quota for her record company, she tours extensively with FM even though she wants a break...

She's always talking about all these projects she wants to do, such as a Rhiannon movie, or a one-woman show of all the songs we don't usually see, yet she doesn't have any time to do them because FM always interferes!



I actually think it's Lindsey who's dropped his solo work for FM way more than Stevie over the years. That may be in part because he sells more, or his music get to "more ears" with FM than on a solo album, but nevertheless... I don't recall any aborted Stevie solo LPs due to FM....shortened tours maybe...

And Stevie frankly had a fair bit of time, especially late 80s and into the 90s for all the projects that piled up over the years... blame her drug use and other life choices for a lot of that work not getting done. Or her unwillingness to block out time and say no to other stuff. I mean, sure it's fun to take off and follow the Heartbreakers around on tour (more than once) but that comes at the expense of other stuff.... didn't she say her manager told her the last time she went off with Tom that that time on the road with him was all her vacation time for the year??

Yes FM has been a leash that pulls her back, but her need to party and have fun and socialize versus buckling down sometimes has also wasted huge chunks of time over the years.

[WildHearted]

except they tried getting her to record in 2014. she said no.

it almost seems like they were trying to bluff her into recording in the first 6 months of 2014 by setting up the tour in the fall and saying "gotta do it now, cause we'll tour later and there will be no time". didn't work.

Right - and at that point she knew she was about to have to go back on tour with them and wanted some time for herself to do the 24KG stuff.

If they had postponed touring until after the album was finished, PERIOD, then she would have had time to do 24KG and take a vacation and potentially be ready then to tackle recording with them.

Again, I'm not saying that it WOULD have worked out - I just think they would have had a better shot of eventually getting her to do something on the album if they didn't try to tour for like 3 years straight and then do an album directly after.

[lilyfee]

Good point about Lindsey... Was more referring to how he seems to have more creative control over his work, but you're right, that has come at the expense of often having to merge solo projects with Fleetwood Mac.

I think not having obligations is what Stevie wants. She seemed like she was really enjoying herself onstage with the Heartbreakers, and I don't think she looks back and sees that as wasted time. I mean she's 67 years old! Most people retire around that age, and it's about time she learned to choose what projects were more important to her.

As far as selling future albums or staying relevant goes, FM is not fading into irrelevance, as some may think. Stevie is right to go on TV shows like American Horror Story to appeal to a wider audience. I'm in college, and I watch AHS with a regular group every week when it's on, and since her episodes aired, I've lent a bunch of people CDs of both FM and her solo work. Also helped with her image, I think... For people of my generation who have definitely heard of her but don't know all the details of her career and personal life, she comes off very godmotherly, like her "white witch" image in AHS.

With the right kind of publicity, i.e. getting your (new) music on a popular TV show or movie, especially one with an already great soundtrack, you can definitely actually sell albums, because otherwise how would consumers even know new music is out there? The average young person is definitely not watching a morning or daytime talk show... That tactic is trying to appeal to the mainstream but kinda missing the target audience IMHO.

There's a reason Rumours-era FM is still so popular today, and it's because it's good music. People like and will buy good music, it's just a matter of getting it on the radio or on Pandora, or on TV or social media, or panels at a con... some medium that people are already watching. Look at Cher, who keeps herself in the news just by tweeting!

Wow, that was a huge tangent. But I think in part the lack of effort to reach out holds Fleetwood Mac back. Lindsey visiting USC and Stevie showing up on AHS and Glee probably made at least 20% of those audiences go on Youtube and look up the band just because their interest was piqued. I wish they weren't so removed from social media in some ways, because then they could see the effect their music still has on people and maybe be inspired to make more, even if not in a conventional way. Just getting one new song on the radio would be a jumping off point for the entire band to sell a new album (and old albums) well.

[Angie1980]

Well that article sure took off some of the excitement about spending tons of money on flying to London from Sweden on Wednesday to see the show Thursday😔

[krrrby]

Some of you here have some real damn issues with these 5 living up to your individual-specific expectations. I think Stevie spelled it out perfectly here.

They've been touring 3 years solid. She wants a break and as far as I'm concerned it is well deserved of her to take time off as she damn well pleases.

Stevie and Lindsey don't get along, what's new?

Did you all really expect FM to pull an album out of their ass just like that and then giving Stevie all the hate because she wants to take some time off?

I think some of you in here should be ashamed of your comments. New music or not we should be lucky they are still around doing what they do, and politics aside, we should be savoring these moments of music that they are delivering despite how old the songs are, how often they play them, and how tired they are.

It is NOT for anyone here to be judging how this group wants to create an album, and some of you need to take it down a notch.

In my opinion, I would rather have a great sounding Fleetwood Mac record from 5 well-rested individuals who want to love to make music and take the time to make a great record, not being shoved, forced, or coerced into a record because we have to have it right this second without care of the feelings of certain people in this band.

Geezaloo people. Get a grip.

[elle]

Well that article sure took off some of the excitement about spending tons of money on flying to London from Sweden on Wednesday to see the show Thursday��

don't think that way, go and enjoy, i'm sure it will be an amazing show!!

Christine, Lindsey, John and Mick are having the time of their lives up there and it radiates from that stage. and yes Stevie sometimes does too, and sometimes just goes through the motions but if you don't sit on her sidestage from where that's the most visible you won't even notice. i guess it depends on the day, what aches she has or how tired she is - so here's hoping you catch her on the good day!

[MikeVielhaber]

Some of you here have some real damn issues with these 5 living up to your individual-specific expectations. I think Stevie spelled it out perfectly here.

They've been touring 3 years solid. She wants a break and as far as I'm concerned it is well deserved of her to take time off as she damn well pleases.

Stevie and Lindsey don't get along, what's new?

Did you all really expect FM to pull an album out of their ass just like that and then giving Stevie all the hate because she wants to take some time off?

I think some of you in here should be ashamed of your comments. New music or not we should be lucky they are still around doing what they do, and politics aside, we should be savoring these moments of music that they are delivering despite how old the songs are, how often they play them, and how tired they are.

It is NOT for anyone here to be judging how this group wants to create an album, and some of you need to take it down a notch.

In my opinion, I would rather have a great sounding Fleetwood Mac record from 5 well-rested individuals who want to love to make music and take the time to make a great record, not being shoved, forced, or coerced into a record because we have to have it right this second without care of the feelings of certain people in this band.

Geezaloo people. Get a grip.

I think you're ignoring the nuances of the situation. First of all, Stevie is partially to blame for the situation she's in. She has a say in what the band does and does not do and yet she seems to hold resentment in having to do this tour. Second I don't think people are complaining so much that There isn't an album being released imminently, so much as Stevie shows no interest in doing an album or writing songs for the band. She didn't last year before the tour when the rest were in the studio and she hasn't at any point since. She didn't say and has not expressed or implied at any point that she would be interested in doing a Fleetwood Mac album after she takes a break (Lindsey basically confirms this....she's not committed to doing a studio album at all). She's the reason there hasn't been an album since 2003 and she barely contributed to the 2013 EP and even with the return of Christine her stance on the subject still has not changed. So this isn't all about her situation right at this moment and that "she's tired and she needs some rest" because this has been going on for a long time. The rest of the band understands this and they all want to do it now. The fact that Christine's return didn't motivate Stevie one bit to get back in the studio with the band should be a concern. It may never happen with Stevie on board.

But all that aside they don't have all the time in the world. Time catches up to everyone.

[michelej1]

I never heard any of this before. I agree with SpyNote.

Well, then you don't listen to Stevie -- which is to be advised.

Michele

[gldstwmn]

Well that article sure took off some of the excitement about spending tons of money on flying to London from Sweden on Wednesday to see the show Thursday😔

They'll all be rested and in a better frame of mind. I'm sure the show will be great.

[gldstwmn]

Some of you here have some real damn issues with these 5 living up to your individual-specific expectations. I think Stevie spelled it out perfectly here.

They've been touring 3 years solid. She wants a break and as far as I'm concerned it is well deserved of her to take time off as she damn well pleases.

Stevie and Lindsey don't get along, what's new?

Did you all really expect FM to pull an album out of their ass just like that and then giving Stevie all the hate because she wants to take some time off?

I think some of you in here should be ashamed of your comments. New music or not we should be lucky they are still around doing what they do, and politics aside, we should be savoring these moments of music that they are delivering despite how old the songs are, how often they play them, and how tired they are.

It is NOT for anyone here to be judging how this group wants to create an album, and some of you need to take it down a notch.

In my opinion, I would rather have a great sounding Fleetwood Mac record from 5 well-rested individuals who want to love to make music and take the time to make a great record, not being shoved, forced, or coerced into a record because we have to have it right this second without care of the feelings of certain people in this band.

Geezaloo people. Get a grip.

Well said. Applause!

[BigAl84]

While I keep reminding myself of the playboy interview Mick did and what a shock that was, I'd like to take the attitude of this too shall pass...but that was Mick we're talking about. Stevie is entirely different and when she is not happy, she is really not happy and it takes years to fix her kind of unhappiness it seems like....but years is something that this band doesn't necessarily have.

This whole situation baffles me and saddens me. Lindsey and Stevie are nearly 70 years old and as Mick said - they will probably never be able to sit on the amp and enjoy each others company. Nobody will ever know the true extent of the issues between them, but I hope when I'm at that age I will be able to make peace with whatever issues or demons I may have. I don't know what shocks me more, being at that age and not being able to make peace or being that age after a lifetime of spending time with people who are like family, making beautiful music, traveling the world, surviving all of the crap that has happened and STILL not be able to.

I'm not going to dig into Stevie because there is something very "off" about these recent remarks in this interview and now Mojo. I think it's something larger than the usual Lindsey/Stevie friction going on. I think there is an overall unhappiness coming from something/somewhere else she is struggling with, but I don't know what it is. Is it something related to the passing of her mother or possible disappointment with 24K...I don't know. Something is very off, she's dropping four letter words and is about as resentful and bitter as it gets. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but there always seemed to be that anger that come from a loving place...but I'm not seeing that anywhere from Stevie. That's why I say, there is something else at the core of all of this anger.

[bombaysaffires]

well Lindsey sort of says something similar in his interview in Mojo, that "I think Stevie's a little torn. It has a lot to do with her life in general and trying to figure out what means something to her." :(

[BigAl84]

right! and I think he's onto something..

[elle]

Nobody will ever know the true extent of the issues between them, but I hope when I'm at that age I will be able to make peace with whatever issues or demons I may have. I don't know what shocks me more, being at that age and not being able to make peace or being that age after a lifetime of spending time with people who are like family, making beautiful music, traveling the world, surviving all of the crap that has happened and STILL not be able to.
yes, that's what Lindsey seems to baffled with too. he said many times he feels like FM are a family in a sense. and also this:
I think it's something larger than the usual Lindsey/Stevie friction going on. I think there is an overall unhappiness coming from something/somewhere else she is struggling with, but I don't know what it is. Is it something related to the passing of her mother or possible disappointment with 24K...I don't know. Something is very off, she's dropping four letter words and is about as resentful and bitter as it gets. Maybe I'm reading into it too much, but there always seemed to be that anger that come from a loving place...but I'm not seeing that anywhere from Stevie. That's why I say, there is something else at the core of all of this anger.
so who knows, you may be right. although she may be just purely annoyed by someone in the band who rubs her the wrong way (and maybe even all of them), it may be something else entirely.

[michelej1]

While I keep reminding myself of the playboy interview Mick did and what a shock that was, I'd like to take the attitude of this too shall pass...but that was Mick we're talking about. Stevie is entirely different and when she is not happy, she is really not happy and it takes years to fix her kind of unhappiness it seems like....but years is something that this band doesn't necessarily have.



It reminds me of Lindsey's explanation of his song, Under the Skin. He eventually conceded it was about Stevie and said it was about someone who was having trouble getting from point A to point B.

I know it's hard, being so hard to find. Your passion swallows you whole, deaf dumb, and blind ... Lay your head down. No one will see. Cry me a river of new dreams; float yourself free.

I'm also reminded of her telling Jim Ladd in 1979:

I love to be miserable. I love to walk around in the passion of the throes of miserability. I made that word up years ago: miserabilty. I don't like to suffer. I hate pain. But I do like to suffer to the point where I can get to my typewriter and write down my wonderful philosophy on why I'm suffering. I love that part of it.

Michele

[aleuzzi]

Some of you here have some real damn issues with these 5 living up to your individual-specific expectations. I think Stevie spelled it out perfectly here.

They've been touring 3 years solid. She wants a break and as far as I'm concerned it is well deserved of her to take time off as she damn well pleases.

Stevie and Lindsey don't get along, what's new?

Did you all really expect FM to pull an album out of their ass just like that and then giving Stevie all the hate because she wants to take some time off?

I think some of you in here should be ashamed of your comments. New music or not we should be lucky they are still around doing what they do, and politics aside, we should be savoring these moments of music that they are delivering despite how old the songs are, how often they play them, and how tired they are.

It is NOT for anyone here to be judging how this group wants to create an album, and some of you need to take it down a notch.

In my opinion, I would rather have a great sounding Fleetwood Mac record from 5 well-rested individuals who want to love to make music and take the time to make a great record, not being shoved, forced, or coerced into a record because we have to have it right this second without care of the feelings of certain people in this band.

Geezaloo people. Get a grip.


I get what you're saying and there's a lot of sense there. However, the "individual-specific expectations" so many of us have are really the result of having devoted so much of our lives--for many of us decades--to this band and, now, when the possibility of this line-up's first studio album in 25 years is about to happen, to see the rug yanked out from under us--well, that FEELS cruel, just plain cruel. Is Stevie the scapegoat for a lot of this anger? Yes, right now she is. But Lindsey once was, too. I was devastated when Christine left the band in 1998. And angry at the remaining four for not allowing her to make a studio release with them.

I guess what I'm saying is, at one point or another, these five people have driven each other AND their hardcore fans right up the wall. As much as it seems silly to type this, I realize that this band and their music have been such an important part of me for most of my life. I take their business VERY seriously. And so, rationally or otherwise, I take the news of a "mooted," contentious and therefore delayed studio album as serious as I would something proportionally more "important."

[michelej1]

Anyway, this is not the case of fans wanting instant gratification. Their last album came out in 2003. No one is unreasonably expecting anything. Michele

[aleuzzi]

Anyway, this is not the case of fans wanting instant gratification. Their last album came out in 2003. No one is unreasonably expecting anything. Michele

Agreed. We're not being consumer sluts. We've waited a looooooong time.

[johnnystorms]

had a few glasses of wine though, so here goes.
It is unsettling to me to see where these interviews are casting Stevie. Now it could be publicity, just building up the tension for a big announcement of her participation.
BUT if she is truly in the place she seems to be, I can't blame her.
the band members (sans Chris) seem to minimize her, if not infantilize her. The 2013 interview where Mick is making "loon" motions with his hands as she speaks, Lindsey saying he has to craft her songs for them to be any good!
She has had great success with AND without him. To still be saying "no one" can make her songs successful but him probably pisses her off. Watching IYD dvd, she has clearly become much more attuned to song-craft than she was as a 20-30 yo woman. She knows how she wants to sound. And she's done quite well on her own and with FM since Lindsey's departure.. I would even argue the TITN songs (other than 7 wonders) were not as good as what she did on BTM.. those were Lindsey productions.
Add to that the pressure of being nearly 70, and still having to work to support Lori, Sharon, Karen, Jess and Chris (since no one else is clamoring for his "art - direction" ) has to be tiring and difficult.
I honestly miss the free-flow of ideas this site used to be.. Now it seems like everyone is polarized into camps.
From the recent interviews, it seems Stevie is troubled... but I can't blame her. I paint.. if I had a friend who said "you should change that color" and I told him why I chose that color, he'd say "ok"... but when Stevie explained her verb-tense choice to Lindsey, he STILL felt the need to get t he last word..
Either it's all for show, or they really are hopelessly at logger-heads... ( I said "logger-heads" )
thanks to anyone who read this and doesn't flame me for it.
JS

[jbrownsjr]

well Lindsey sort of says something similar in his interview in Mojo, that "I think Stevie's a little torn. It has a lot to do with her life in general and trying to figure out what means something to her." :(

To me, this refers to writing new material. I could be wrong, but we write about things that are important to us. Perhaps, the well run dry from writing about her past relationship. Or, she doesn't want to write about LB, anymore.

[gssmith]

They should take a vacation after the tour. They will probably take 6 months off. People including band members that were talking about releasing the album in 2016 were so unrealistic. 2017 is more likely. I still think we will see an album in 2017.

[sue]

They should take a vacation after the tour. They will probably take 6 months off. People including band members that were talking about releasing the album in 2016 were so unrealistic. 2017 is more likely. I still think we will see an album in 2017.

Agree, they need 6 months away from each other. Go and spend some of the millions they've earned, spend some time with their friends and families..
Anything but see each other and think about ---getting into the studio---.

[MikeVielhaber]

Agree, they need 6 months away from each other. Go and spend some of the millions they've earned, spend some time with their friends and families..
Anything but see each other and think about ---getting into the studio---.

But it would be a forced vacation for 4 of them. Only one of them is claiming to be tired and in need of a break.

[tabruns]

What comes through to me in this is just utter exhaustion from most of them, but particularly Nicks. Given some time off and rest I think the perspective could be different, maybe. I also think that whatever went down on Say You Will has apparently turned off Nicks from working under Buckingham-produced Mac for a long time.

In a way, from the way she sounds - and again, its clear she's really just very tired of the touring right now - I could see Nicks actually quitting Fleetwood Mac after this tour. She sounds that exhausted, Christine back or no. And if Mick is being honest about no Mac if not this Mac then what a shame, they'd be done.

Hopefully they'll finish the tour, take time off, let Nicks recuperate, and then pull it together for one great last double album.

[elle]

But it would be a forced vacation for 4 of them. Only one of them is claiming to be tired and in need of a break.

exactly.

i'm amused how so many people keep reading the article with interviews from 5 people are extrapolating how they are all tired and exhausted even though 4 of them appear reinvigorated and want to forge on.

perhaps SN being tired of 4 of them has led to her giving a green light they can all talk about what is actually going on?

[turquoise5]

This article/interview just makes me sad....I understand Stevie wanting a break after a mammoth tour. But the prospect of her not being part of a new album, or being minimally involved like she was with Tango, just depresses my spirit. Why did the Mac stretch out their tour so long? In the U.S. they covered many cities twice...seems unnecessary and that it was done for the almighty dollar.

I wish they had recorded a new album before they started the tour, but of course, "yesterday's gone....."

[sue]

But it would be a forced vacation for 4 of them. Only one of them is claiming to be tired and in need of a break.

I agree, Stevie is the only one who sounds to be exhausted, but I still think they need a break from each other........haven't these people got homes to go to?

[snroxman]

I think you're ignoring the nuances of the situation. First of all, Stevie is partially to blame for the situation she's in. She has a say in what the band does and does not do and yet she seems to hold resentment in having to do this tour. Second I don't think people are complaining so much that There isn't an album being released imminently, so much as Stevie shows no interest in doing an album or writing songs for the band. She didn't last year before the tour when the rest were in the studio and she hasn't at any point since. She didn't say and has not expressed or implied at any point that she would be interested in doing a Fleetwood Mac album after she takes a break (Lindsey basically confirms this....she's not committed to doing a studio album at all). She's the reason there hasn't been an album since 2003 and she barely contributed to the 2013 EP and even with the return of Christine her stance on the subject still has not changed. So this isn't all about her situation right at this moment and that "she's tired and she needs some rest" because this has been going on for a long time. The rest of the band understands this and they all want to do it now. The fact that Christine's return didn't motivate Stevie one bit to get back in the studio with the band should be a concern. It may never happen with Stevie on board.

But all that aside they don't have all the time in the world. Time catches up to everyone.

Well stated!

She is partly responsible for this situation. She used the "Christine's not here" line for awhile, something no one dreamed would ever happen.

But then, Poof!!! The FMac machine worked its magic and Christine returned. One would think Stevie would have been thrilled. Reality - not so much. She might have been better off choosing something else with a lower chance of happening.

Now, if I'd only have bought lottery tickets when the whole subject of Christine returning came up. :)

[michelej1]

But then, Poof!!! The FMac machine worked its magic and Christine returned. One would think Stevie would have been thrilled. Reality - not so much. She might have been better off choosing something else with a lower chance of happening.


I think, "when pigs fly" still works.:laugh:

Michele

[SteveMacD]

Mick-New album and tour
John-Whatevet Mick wants
Christine-New album and tour
Lindsey-New album and tour
Stevie-I'm tired

Questions?

[wheart]

Mick-New album and tour
John-Whatevet Mick wants
Christine-New album and tour
Lindsey-New album and tour
Stevie-I'm tired

Questions?

Love this! So I think Stevie's been "tired" of Fleetwood Mac since the whole Say You Will album and tour unpleasantness went down. But it was a once every three year commitment so she dealt with it. In her mind she'll participate in the 2013 tour then bye bye FM for another three or four years, while she can do what she really wants to do: make another record with Dave Stewart and do some touring. But then Christine came back. This wasn't in Stevie's plans and I think she still trying to wrap her head around it. I don't think she's quite as overjoyed as she claims to be at Chris' return. I think she now feels trapped by this never ending tour and potential album, neither of which were part of her three year plan. I think what she's experiencing now is the clashing of two very strong forces: her loyalty to Fleetwood Mac (& Christine) and her desire to do what she truly wants to do. I believe she had the final years of her career very well planned out and then everything got completely and totally screwed up.

[sorcerer999]

"He and Stevie don’t get on. On stage, they act. Privately, no."

I think Lindsey is just as much to blame for Stevie's lack of interest in participating. He doesn't make the recording process enjoyable for her. It's "his way"..."his vision"...a fact that was painfully pointed out in the "Destiny Rules" Doc, and then again on in her own "In Your Dreams" Doc.

I don't want another Fleetwood Mac album that houses tension a la "Rumours". It's been done. If they are going to do one last record to bring everything "full circle", I'd much prefer happiness, harmony and fun in the same vein as the White 1975 self titled album.

If this isn't possible because of Stevie and Lindsey acting like spoiled children, then it's better Fleetwood Mac go on as a "foursome" and let Stevie go on with her own solo thing.

One can only hope this "sham" and "act" those two have been giving their audiences night after night will finally someday translate into a real life situation of mutual love and respect when they realize their shared history, success, and music is much more important than any petty "power plays" or "my ways!"

Just my opinion.

[lilyfee]

Love this! So I think Stevie's been "tired" of Fleetwood Mac since the whole Say You Will album and tour unpleasantness went down. But it was a once every three year commitment so she dealt with it. In her mind she'll participate in the 2013 tour then bye bye FM for another three or four years, while she can do what she really wants to do: make another record with Dave Stewart and do some touring. But then Christine came back. This wasn't in Stevie's plans and I think she still trying to wrap her head around it. I don't think she's quite as overjoyed as she claims to be at Chris' return. I think she now feels trapped by this never ending tour and potential album, neither of which were part of her three year plan. I think what she's experiencing now is the clashing of two very strong forces: her loyalty to Fleetwood Mac (& Christine) and her desire to do what she truly wants to do. I believe she had the final years of her career very well planned out and then everything got completely and totally screwed up.

Well said.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Well, it couldn't possibly be Lindsey creating drama for publicity. No, he'd never do that. :lol:

[MikeVielhaber]

Well, it couldn't possibly be Lindsey creating drama for publicity. No, he'd never do that. :lol:

People always say things like this. Is there some famous example of them playing up drama when in fact there was none?

[UndoingTheLaces]

People always say things like this. Is there some famous example of them playing up drama when in fact there was none?

He said in the Destiny Rules documentary that he intentionally plays up the Lindsey/Stevie romance and drama for the audience when they're on stage. I'd really rather see a good performance than see someone pretend to show feelings for someone they really don't like. And if he'd go that far I wouldn't be surprised if he played up internal drama to sell concert tickets or drum up interest in an album project.

[MikeVielhaber]

Love this! So I think Stevie's been "tired" of Fleetwood Mac since the whole Say You Will album and tour unpleasantness went down. But it was a once every three year commitment so she dealt with it. In her mind she'll participate in the 2013 tour then bye bye FM for another three or four years, while she can do what she really wants to do: make another record with Dave Stewart and do some touring. But then Christine came back. This wasn't in Stevie's plans and I think she still trying to wrap her head around it. I don't think she's quite as overjoyed as she claims to be at Chris' return. I think she now feels trapped by this never ending tour and potential album, neither of which were part of her three year plan. I think what she's experiencing now is the clashing of two very strong forces: her loyalty to Fleetwood Mac (& Christine) and her desire to do what she truly wants to do. I believe she had the final years of her career very well planned out and then everything got completely and totally screwed up.

It's this 3 year thing that is partially why we haven't had an album. Every time she comes back she just wants to tour. Each time Lindsey is like may be we can go in the studio afterward? And she's like nah. So then they go their own way and when they return to the band they go on another tour and the cycle continues. At some point an album and tour have to go together.

[elle]

He doesn't make the recording process enjoyable for her.
i'm confused. Lindsey's role is writing songs, playing guitar, arranging, singing, and producing, but how is it his or anybody's job when working on new album to "make it enjoyable" for a specific person?

Mick-New album and tour
John-Whatever Mick wants
Christine-New album and tour
Lindsey-New album and tour
Stevie-I'm tired

Questions?
love it - clear and succinct!

[michelej1]

He said in the Destiny Rules documentary that he intentionally plays up the Lindsey/Stevie romance and drama for the audience when they're on stage.

Where in the documentary does he say this?

Lindsey has said that it's staged, but he didn't say he was the one doing it and I don't think he talked about it in the DR documentary.

Michele

[michelej1]

It's "his way"..."his vision"...a fact that was painfully pointed out in the "Destiny Rules" Doc, and then again on in her own "In Your Dreams" Doc.



Aside from the "you wouldn't say that to Bob Dylan" shtick, it wasn't pointed out at all from what I saw. I didn't see Lindsey doing anything in the DR documentary that hampered Stevie's enjoyment of anything. I mean, there's a lot that didn't make it into that video that I'm sure went on behind the scenes. But based on what we did see, he wasn't insisting on having anything his way. He was working with her on sound and everything else (double album or single album, etc.) and they compromised. He didn't get his way. They came to contretemps regarding the engineer, but in the end, he didn't make the choice about CLA.

Michele

[michelej1]

i'm confused. Lindsey's role is writing songs, playing guitar, arranging, singing, and producing, but how is it his or anybody's job when working on new album to "make it enjoyable" for a specific person?


love it - clear and succinct!

There's this expectation that people not only have to be professional with Stevie, but they have to bow down to her and enjoy her celebrity or else the palm trees (or the wrath of millions) will smack them in the head. I mean, you can't just treat her like a person. You have to treat her like a deity -- or else you're the devil. Stevie talks like that and has for decades, until she's created a perception that that's how it should be, when actually her expectations are juvenile. I think she's not happy unless she's catered to, rather than just treated like one of the band.

It's like when she said Lindsey treated her like one of his daughters and she really liked that. It reminded me of Lindsey looking out the window at his kid during an interview and saying, "Oooh, look at Lee Lee on the trampoline." Stevie would love it if Lindsey would look at her -- twirling a baton and start cooing and clapping and praising her. But I think he thinks that would be idiotic. Hence, their problems.

And of course, I'm not talking about the past when they were yelling and hostile, because no one wants to work under those conditions. I'm talking about now, when I think there's mostly civility, but that's not enough. There needs to be adoration or else Stevie is miserable.

Michele

[BlueLight]

Love this! So I think Stevie's been "tired" of Fleetwood Mac since the whole Say You Will album and tour unpleasantness went down. But it was a once every three year commitment so she dealt with it. In her mind she'll participate in the 2013 tour then bye bye FM for another three or four years, while she can do what she really wants to do: make another record with Dave Stewart and do some touring. But then Christine came back. This wasn't in Stevie's plans and I think she still trying to wrap her head around it. I don't think she's quite as overjoyed as she claims to be at Chris' return. I think she now feels trapped by this never ending tour and potential album, neither of which were part of her three year plan. I think what she's experiencing now is the clashing of two very strong forces: her loyalty to Fleetwood Mac (& Christine) and her desire to do what she truly wants to do. I believe she had the final years of her career very well planned out and then everything got completely and totally screwed up.

Perfectly, and (in my view) accurately stated. :thumbsup:

[secondhandchain]

She JUST doesn't want to do another album. I think she has writers block or is afraid she will be outshined by Lindsey and Christine. Her last couple of albums were either co written or old songs. It's not that tiring for her to be involved. She gives them the songs and let's the musicians play it. She adds the vocals. They do most of the work and whenever she is there she can have people attend to her every need. It's a big lie, just like their fake hold handing on stage. I'm tired of the ever changing story about how they are getting along, which BTW comes from Stevie. Just shut up and quit already Stevie. I could care less anymore.

[APerfectLie]

Can you seriously blame Stevie? Fleetwood Mac was itching to go out on tour again right after Unleashed and gave her hell for taking time to promote IYD. She caved and did the 2013 tour with then only to be blind sided by the return of Christine and a mammoth two year tour with Fleetwood Mac again. She even rushed 24 Karat Gold and did very little promotion for that album so she could go out with the Mac again. But now, after spending three of the last five years touring with FM, Stevie is being bashed? If I remember correctly, Christine took 16 years off. Lindsey left Say You Will and said, "give me five years for my solo career" and now Stevie just wants to take a break before deciding to rush into the studio and that is selfish? I don't blame Stevie for being tired and wanting to tend to her solo career and herself for a while. Don't worry, Stevie will record with them eventually and all will be well in the world.

[louielouie2000]

Can you seriously blame Stevie? Fleetwood Mac was itching to go out on tour again right after Unleashed and gave her hell for taking time to promote IYD. She caved and did the 2013 tour with then only to be blind sided by the return of Christine and a mammoth two year tour with Fleetwood Mac again. She even rushed 24 Karat Gold and did very little promotion for that album so she could go out with the Mac again. But now, after spending three of the last five years touring with FM, Stevie is being bashed? If I remember correctly, Christine took 16 years off. Lindsey left Say You Will and said, "give me five years for my solo career" and now Stevie just wants to take a break before deciding to rush into the studio and that is selfish? I don't blame Stevie for being tired and wanting to tend to her solo career and herself for a while. Don't worry, Stevie will record with them eventually and all will be well in the world.

Yes, but because of Lindsey's quarantining himself from the band for 5 years, Stevie also got a 5 year break from FM. What did she do with it? Tour with Tom Petty unpaid, tour solo ceaselessly, and trot out an increasing procession of irrelevant cover songs. No Rhiannon movie, no goldfish & ladybug cartoon, none of her stale list of things she's always whining FM prevents her from doing. I don't get why it's such a hardship for Stevie to tour 3 years with FM, but her glut of 21st century solo oldies tours wasn't. She's talking out both sides of her mouth, and nobody is really buying it anymore.

[MikeVielhaber]

Can you seriously blame Stevie? Fleetwood Mac was itching to go out on tour again right after Unleashed and gave her hell for taking time to promote IYD. She caved and did the 2013 tour with then only to be blind sided by the return of Christine and a mammoth two year tour with Fleetwood Mac again. She even rushed 24 Karat Gold and did very little promotion for that album so she could go out with the Mac again. But now, after spending three of the last five years touring with FM, Stevie is being bashed? If I remember correctly, Christine took 16 years off. Lindsey left Say You Will and said, "give me five years for my solo career" and now Stevie just wants to take a break before deciding to rush into the studio and that is selfish? I don't blame Stevie for being tired and wanting to tend to her solo career and herself for a while. Don't worry, Stevie will record with them eventually and all will be well in the world.

She caved in 2013 after 4 years since the previous tour? That exceeds her self imposed 3 year rule. Her solo album was done to fill time between tours while the others were in the studio. She didn't have to do it. It fulfilled a contractual obligation, but that obligation didn't have a time limit. She didn't have to do it then. Plus, she did that particular project because it could be done quickly.

Lindsey asked for ,I think, 3 years to put out 2 albums and tour behind them, which he did in 2006 and 2008. He also asked for those years following a Fleetwood Mac album and tour and, in fact, if I recall correctly he only did that when it became apparent (because of Stevie) they weren't going to do another Fleetwood Mac album after SYW, which is what he would've preferred. If Stevie were asking for the same under the same conditions I don't think anyone would have a problem with it because it means we would've already gotten an album. Lindsey's 3rd album was only done because of Stevie's unwillingness to do a Fleetwood Mac album following the 2009 tour. And what did Stevie do during those 3 years Lindsey asked for? Tour maybe? She certainly didn't record any music. Let's not act like Lindsey's request held the band back from making an album. Stevie would've done that plenty if she had the chance.

It's been 12 years already. I don't get why people are so nonchalant about her "eventually" cooperating when she's been firmly against it for 12 years. It might happen, but certainly it's no sure thing. Plus at everyone's collective age, it's harder now to say "let's take 3 years off" when there's something very special and important that still needs to be done before the band is over. They don't have all the time in the world to do this thing.

[APerfectLie]

Yes, but because of Lindsey's quarantining himself from the band for 5 years, Stevie also got a 5 year break from FM. What did she do with it? Tour with Tom Petty unpaid, tour solo ceaselessly, and trot out an increasing procession of irrelevant cover songs. No Rhiannon movie, no goldfish & ladybug cartoon, none of her stale list of things she's always whining FM prevents her from doing. I don't get why it's such a hardship for Stevie to tour 3 years with FM, but her glut of 21st century solo oldies tours wasn't. She's talking out both sides of her mouth, and nobody is really buying it anymore.

Just because she got a break then doesn't mean she can't request one now. Like it or not, other than John and Mick, Stevie has been the most committed member of Fleetwood Mac and if she wants a break I don't see any point in vilifying her for it. The reason her solo tours aren't such a hardship for her is because they are smaller, the sets are ahorter, and she runs them. She doesn't have to worry about her solo tour running across the world over the next two years. If she were to say yes to Fleetwood Mac she would be signing herself up to make a record for the next year, releasing it in 2016 and touring with them again thru 2017, which ends up being five straight years of Fleetwood Mac, which is clearly not what Stevie wants and I don't see why anyone would blame her.

[MikeVielhaber]

Just because she got a break then doesn't mean she can't request one now. Like it or not, other than John and Mick, Stevie has been the most committed member of Fleetwood Mac and if she wants a break I don't see any point in vilifying her for it. The reason her solo tours aren't such a hardship for her is because they are smaller, the sets are ahorter, and she runs them. She doesn't have to worry about her solo tour running across the world over the next two years. If she were to say yes to Fleetwood Mac she would be signing herself up to make a record for the next year, releasing it in 2016 and touring with them again thru 2017, which ends up being five straight years of Fleetwood Mac, which is clearly not what Stevie wants and I don't see why anyone would blame her.

Simply not quitting the band does not equal commitment. She's actively held the band back several times from recording an album and she will again, most likely. She's not committed to this band.

[APerfectLie]

Simply not quitting the band does not equal commitment. She's actively held the band back several times from recording an album and she will again, most likely. She's not committed to this band.

Several times? Other than now and when she was in the middle of a solo project, when has she actively held them back?

Also, not quitting the band is more commitment than quitting the band.

[MikeVielhaber]

Several times? Other than now and when she was in the middle of a solo project, when has she actively held them back?

Also, not quitting the band is more commitment than quitting the band.

As I posted, Lindsey wanted to go in after SYW to do another album....she understandably wanted a break. Ok. Then after 2009 tour Lindsey wanted to do another album. He mentioned throughout the tour that's what he was hoping to do. Stevie said no. Then in 2012 Lindsey wanted to do an album. Stevie said no. The rest of the band recorded music without her and she ended up agreeing to add background vocals to 2 of Lindsey's songs, spending a total of a few days on it, and provided a recent recording of a 40 year old Buckingham Nicks song as her contribution to their now EP. She didn't sing a single lead vocal. She did the bare minimum. And then, of course, their current situation with a reunited lineup and the others raring to go. Stevie says no.

There are levels of commitment. The line between quitting and not quitting could be considered one. But it seems to be a begrudging commitment at that and she won't record any music with them. Quitting is the more admirable option, to be honest.

[michelej1]

Just because she got a break then doesn't mean she can't request one now. Like it or not, other than John and Mick, Stevie has been the most committed member of Fleetwood Mac and if she wants a break I don't see any point in vilifying her for it.

Stevie has had nothing but breaks. It was after SYW that Stevie said she would never record with FM again unless Christine returned to the band. That is why Lindsey said he'd take 3 (not 5) years for a solo album. Well, Christine HAS returned to the band and she still does not want to record. It's not like the woman has been working ceaselessly with FM for the last decade and now deserves a little time to catch her breath. They wanted to record with her before she ever thought of being tired. Tired is just her latest excuse.

I'm not vilifying her. I don't think she's worth the time. If she doesn't want to be on the album, I don't think she should be and Lindsey should shut up about wanting to produce her stuff. I'm more mad at the other four for thinking they can't record without her than I am with her for not recording with them. With her current mindset, I don't think her contributions to a Mac album would be gratifying. She'd hate the process and she'd say she hated it and the result until all of them die and that's not what I want. I don't see any reason to force or shame her into the recording studio, but I also don't understand the "Oh, she just needs a rest. She's been working so hard" excuse.

There may be an album some day, but there won't be an album in due time, because due time was years ago.

Michele

[SteveMacD]

Can you seriously blame Stevie?
Yes. Yes I can.

Fleetwood Mac was itching to go out on tour again right after Unleashed and gave her hell for taking time to promote IYD.
Yeah, how weird that the guys actually wanted to be a band, again.

She caved and did the 2013 tour
She's such a martyr.

only to be blind sided by the return of Christine
The VERY thing she offered $5 million to make happen.

and a mammoth two year tour with Fleetwood Mac again.
We already established she's a martyr. A martyr who gets ridiculous sums of cash to stay at extravagant hotels and play to adoring crowds (though I suspect the real problem is they're adoring someone else, now).

She even rushed 24 Karat Gold
Bless her heart. It's not like there was a hard time line on that album. It could have waited until the Mac was over, but bless her heart for putting that first. That Stevie WILL NOT give in to Lindsey and Christine's peer pressure. Good for her to have that strength.

and did very little promotion for that album so she could go out with the Mac again.
It was her choice. I still think she wanted an easy contractual obligation record.

But now, after spending three of the last five years touring with FM, Stevie is being bashed?
Her last two albums tanked. Her solo career is a joke. Fleetwood Mac has Christine back and are selling out arenas. Point being, Stevie's only real career today is with Fleetwood Mac


If I remember correctly, Christine took 16 years off.
Retirement as normal people call it.

Lindsey left Say You Will and said, "give me five years for my solo career"
After Stevie Nicks made it clear she wasn't recording with Fleetwood Mac again if Christine wasn't involved. <<<<-------THIS IS WHERE WE CAN BLAME STEVIE!!!

[gssmith]

But it would be a forced vacation for 4 of them. Only one of them is claiming to be tired and in need of a break.

John just had cancer. I'm pretty sure he needs a break too. 2017 is more realistic. It's not that far away. We've waited since 1997 or 1987 depending on how you look at it. One more year won't kill us

[gssmith]

Yes. Yes I can.


Yeah, how weird that the guys actually wanted to be a band, again.


She's such a martyr.


The VERY thing she offered $5 million to make happen.


We already established she's a martyr. A martyr who gets ridiculous sums of cash to stay at extravagant hotels and play to adoring crowds (though I suspect the real problem is they're adoring someone else, now).


Bless her heart. It's not like there was a hard time line on that album. It could have waited until the Mac was over, but bless her heart for putting that first. That Stevie WILL NOT give in to Lindsey and Christine's peer pressure. Good for her to have that strength.


It was her choice. I still think she wanted an easy contractual obligation record.


Her last two albums tanked. Her solo career is a joke. Fleetwood Mac has Christine back and are selling out arenas. Point being, Stevie's only real career today is with Fleetwood Mac



Retirement as normal people call it.


After Stevie Nicks made it clear she wasn't recording with Fleetwood Mac again if Christine wasn't involved. <<<<-------THIS IS WHERE WE CAN BLAME STEVIE!!!

You made a few decent points until you said her solo career was a joke. Now your a joke. Her last two albums actually did well compared to other classic rock artist. 24 KG had almost no publicity too. The only reason the band had been going since 1997 is because of Stevie. I'm sure they can carry on with out her on a smaller scale now that Chris is back

[MikeVielhaber]

John just had cancer. I'm pretty sure he needs a break too. 2017 is more realistic. It's not that far away. We've waited since 1997 or 1987 depending on how you look at it. One more year won't kill us

His interview seems to imply the opposite. He seems to have a sense of urgency about things. I'm Sure you're not one to tell him what he does and does not need. Secondly, the timing isn't the problem. Who's saying 2017? It's not Stevie. They've had 12 years. It didn't just become a problem right now because of an inexplicably long tour. It's not about timing. It's about Stevie committing herself to write and record with the band. She hasn't done that. She hasn't said she will after a break either and the band is not under the impression that she will.

[johnnystorms]

I've been thinking on this and I've decided it's all down to two words... Liz Rosenberg.
this is to stoke fan passions. I've never understood how at the height of their supposed estrangement in the mid- 90s.. Lindsey produced her Twister song, then showed up at the AHI benefits...There has been no new recordings because they have no record company. Tours make them a pile of cash, and the bottom line is, they are in this game to make money.
If she was truly so miserable on the SYW tour, why did she do Unleashed? If she was sour about not having Chris during UL, why did she do the 2013 tour?
If she hated what Lindsey did to her songs on SYW, why did she bring him in on IYD for Soldier's Angel?
They keep milking the drama to keep the die-hards following, I think they are on the cusp of over-doing it now, but this is all for the press.
Stevie is not going to do a 100,000 seller when she can be part of something bigger with the five of them.. She likes being a star and a brand and an image.
Let's face it , it's a ploy.. we're all intrigued as the thread shows.

[pauls90]

I've been thinking on this and I've decided it's all down to two words... Liz Rosenberg.
this is to stoke fan passions. I've never understood how at the height of their supposed estrangement in the mid- 90s.. Lindsey produced her Twister song, then showed up at the AHI benefits...There has been no new recordings because they have no record company. Tours make them a pile of cash, and the bottom line is, they are in this game to make money.
If she was truly so miserable on the SYW tour, why did she do Unleashed? If she was sour about not having Chris during UL, why did she do the 2013 tour?
If she hated what Lindsey did to her songs on SYW, why did she bring him in on IYD for Soldier's Angel?
They keep milking the drama to keep the die-hards following, I think they are on the cusp of over-doing it now, but this is all for the press.
Stevie is not going to do a 100,000 seller when she can be part of something bigger with the five of them.. She likes being a star and a brand and an image.
Let's face it , it's a ploy.. we're all intrigued as the thread shows.

It's definitely plausible to some degree. I feel like it's a mix of a few things. I'm sure she's definitely unhappy about something (especially to be that candid in an interview), but if this is the "last act" - what better way to drum up attention to it? "The ever volatile Fleetwood Mac, on the brink of breaking up yet again, battle to to forge on, and in a last minute effort, convince their rock goddess Stevie Nicks to return and unite the band for one last, glorious swan song - the final page of the epic saga of Fleetwood Mac." Seems like just enough of a dramatic setup to ensure big hype and provide enough acclaim to cement the legacy on a positive note.

[MikeVielhaber]

I've been thinking on this and I've decided it's all down to two words... Liz Rosenberg.
this is to stoke fan passions. I've never understood how at the height of their supposed estrangement in the mid- 90s.. Lindsey produced her Twister song, then showed up at the AHI benefits...There has been no new recordings because they have no record company. Tours make them a pile of cash, and the bottom line is, they are in this game to make money.
If she was truly so miserable on the SYW tour, why did she do Unleashed? If she was sour about not having Chris during UL, why did she do the 2013 tour?
If she hated what Lindsey did to her songs on SYW, why did she bring him in on IYD for Soldier's Angel?
They keep milking the drama to keep the die-hards following, I think they are on the cusp of over-doing it now, but this is all for the press.
Stevie is not going to do a 100,000 seller when she can be part of something bigger with the five of them.. She likes being a star and a brand and an image.
Let's face it , it's a ploy.. we're all intrigued as the thread shows.

But you're ignoring the fact that Lindsey Mick and, by default, John have wanted to record many times and even got around to actually doing it despite Stevie's a sense at one point. The reason they have no new recordings is because of Stevie. There's no other way to see it really. Everyone else wants a knew album and has for a long time. I think people over do it with the conspiracy theories.

[michelej1]

I've been thinking on this and I've decided it's all down to two words... Liz Rosenberg.
this is to stoke fan passions.

The thing is, dissension has never stoked fan passions. It's just the opposite. What the band does to stoke passion is to pretend to get along, not the reverse. So, this myth that always circulates that they are just pretending to argue is rather puzzling. When Stevie and Lindsey embrace during Sara, the audience erupts. When they connect during Landslide the same thing happens. People like the personal displays of affection, the mushiness. No one cares if they're arguing about whether or not to do another album. That doesn't stoke fan passion. It stokes ire here, but no one really cares about us. If Liz is making a play for someone, it's the general public, not diehards.

Also, they weren't estranged anymore when Lindsey did AHI. By then, they already knew that they were going to work together more as Fleetwood Mac.

Michele

[pauls90]

Does anyone else just find this whole interview fishy?

When is the last time Stevie has talked this openly and candidly about her dealings with the band. It always seems like PR fluff and and very politically correct answers. Here is seems like she just doesn't give a sh*t and is just saying what she wants. It almost just doesn't seem like her....

Why would she randomly open up this much to this publication?

[louielouie2000]

Does anyone else just find this whole interview fishy?

When is the last time Stevie has talked this openly and candidly about her dealings with the band. It always seems like PR fluff and and very politically correct answers. Here is seems like she just doesn't give a sh*t and is just saying what she wants. It almost just doesn't seem like her....

Why would she randomly open up this much to this publication?

Being completely unfiltered & combative has pretty much been Stevie's standard operating mode since her Mother passed. She just seems to no longer care if what she says impacts anyone or anything. She's suddenly started talking completely openly about formerly hands off subjects- the termination of her pregnancy with Don Henley, specific affairs with married men (even naming names!), stuff like that. I think her Mother was the last person that kept Stevie in check. And since her passing, Stevie finds no reason to filter her actions any longer.

[louielouie2000]

Yes. Yes I can.


Yeah, how weird that the guys actually wanted to be a band, again.


She's such a martyr.


The VERY thing she offered $5 million to make happen.


We already established she's a martyr. A martyr who gets ridiculous sums of cash to stay at extravagant hotels and play to adoring crowds (though I suspect the real problem is they're adoring someone else, now).


Bless her heart. It's not like there was a hard time line on that album. It could have waited until the Mac was over, but bless her heart for putting that first. That Stevie WILL NOT give in to Lindsey and Christine's peer pressure. Good for her to have that strength.


It was her choice. I still think she wanted an easy contractual obligation record.


Her last two albums tanked. Her solo career is a joke. Fleetwood Mac has Christine back and are selling out arenas. Point being, Stevie's only real career today is with Fleetwood Mac



Retirement as normal people call it.


After Stevie Nicks made it clear she wasn't recording with Fleetwood Mac again if Christine wasn't involved. <<<<-------THIS IS WHERE WE CAN BLAME STEVIE!!!

I almost wonder if she's lashing out against FM because her solo career is effectively over. The last time she toured amphitheaters they were between 1/3 to 1/2 full- hence the opening for Rod Stewart. Each album of hers sells less than half of it's predecessor. Neither of her last 2 albums got any sort of award nominations, either. I believe her solo career has reached a tipping point where it is no longer viable in the scale she is accustomed to. Which undoubtedly frustrates her that she no longer has her solo career to run away to when sh*t gets too real within FM. Her anger is because she's cornered and she knows it. FM is her last shot of prestige, and she's not the main event- especially with Christine's return. She's not going to give up on FM, but she's sure as hell going to try to be the one in control of it. It's the only power card she has left.

[michelej1]

I almost wonder if she's lashing out against FM because her solo career is effectively over. The last time she toured amphitheaters they were between 1/3 to 1/2 full- hence the opening for Rod Stewart.

If she does do a short solo tour once FM is on a break, I wonder what that would look like and what venues she would play.

I would like her to hook up with a comparable act and not Rod Stewart. I thought Chris Isaak was a good combo, but I'm not sure how that would do financially if they played more dates together. What she could do is just go the places where they know her shows will sell out. Do 10 STRONG dates, rather than hopping all across the country.

Also do a few corporate gigs, to make a little dough. And do a few nights in Vegas if one of the big casinos has an opening. It's not what her fans would want, but I think it's what she could still do that would be profitable for her on a solo basis.

She has Sharon and Lori on tour with FM with her, but I wonder about Waddy and how the extended unemployment is impacting him.

Michele

[bombaysaffires]

Does anyone else just find this whole interview fishy?

When is the last time Stevie has talked this openly and candidly about her dealings with the band. It always seems like PR fluff and and very politically correct answers. Here is seems like she just doesn't give a sh*t and is just saying what she wants. It almost just doesn't seem like her....

Why would she randomly open up this much to this publication?

oh, she's become a lot more direct in recent interviews about what she wants and doesn't want. Anyone remember "no one has the balls to tell me what to do?"

[SteveMacD]

You made a few decent points until you said her solo career was a joke. Now your a joke. Her last two albums actually did well compared to other classic rock artist. 24 KG had almost no publicity too. The only reason the band had been going since 1997 is because of Stevie. I'm sure they can carry on with out her on a smaller scale now that Chris is back
Keep telling yourself that.

[BigAl84]

I almost wonder if she's lashing out against FM because her solo career is effectively over. The last time she toured amphitheaters they were between 1/3 to 1/2 full- hence the opening for Rod Stewart. Each album of hers sells less than half of it's predecessor. Neither of her last 2 albums got any sort of award nominations, either. I believe her solo career has reached a tipping point where it is no longer viable in the scale she is accustomed to. Which undoubtedly frustrates her that she no longer has her solo career to run away to when sh*t gets too real within FM. Her anger is because she's cornered and she knows it. FM is her last shot of prestige, and she's not the main event- especially with Christine's return. She's not going to give up on FM, but she's sure as hell going to try to be the one in control of it. It's the only power card she has left.

Agh! Yes, so swell said. I almost said in my post the other day...It's almost as if she knows they are into their final years and the big decision will be, does she spend more of it with Fleetwood Mac or Solo. She knows if she splits for a few years for solo work, by the time FM gets back together they will all be 75 years old and at that point there will be definite limitations to touring etc. She doesn't have time to do her usual 2 years with fleetwood mac, followed by maybe a year off and then 2 years spent on solo things. They don't have the actual years to spend as buffer between each other anymore. There may be resentment in feeling like she has to choose what that last act may be and who it's with.

[BigAl84]

It's a shame that they can't all just get into the studio under no specific set of expectations. Let's just work on stuff and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. No harm, no foul. Maybe that's what they did when Lindsey, Mick, John and Christine went into the studio...but I get the feeling Stevie doesn't work like that. Either it's an album or no album, no trial and error phase. Her time is probably so diligently contracted by a team of lawyers, there is no kind of informal involvement.

[bombaysaffires]

You know after all this chatter I went home last night and rewatched Destiny Rules. Things that stood out:

Stevie: "No matter what happens, if Lindsey and I blow up into a mass of exploding timbers the fact is the record will be done, and that if we're dead, people will at least have the record to enjoy and the music will live on and that's really I guess what's most important." Seems like putting up with the process to get the music out isn't as appealing to her these days.

And what they didn't show at ALL in that doc, only referring to it after the fact, was the HUGE blow up about the track listing etc that seems to have gotten particularly nasty on all sides ("I hear angry words/flying across the ocean/like some seabirds/I feel my blood racing/can't believe what you are saying")

Mick: there was "an aggressive fight" that led to a "rethinking of some things", and "indeed all of the joy of looking forward to ever making another album had pretty much gone out the window" Seems like for Stevie it never really came back.

Lindsey: "The only reason that I was willing to eat the kind of money that would have made the double album possible in terms of bringing the price down, I had to contemplate a scenario which would have been to do much more touring, to do another album, and to do more touring after that. Now if there's any chance even that Stevie were to have pulled out after 40 dates, I couldn't take the chance and do that because you know I've got a family, I've got a new house to pay for so...ah, it was really my call to pull it back into being a single album"

Well, really, it wasn't his call, because she knew he needed the bigger tour on SYW to recoup the money he would lose in royalties and she played her trump card and threatened not to do the longer tour if she didn't get what she wanted in terms of track listing on the SYW album. So he caved (he didn't have much choice) and they made the album shorter and she did the full tour including extra dates. Doing another album at that point was wrapped in the need to make back money lost on SYW... once SYW was shortened, and the tour lengthened, maybe she felt that another album was no longer a given. Maybe she agreed to the longer tour to get in return him to agree to the shorter album and to not have to make any promises about another album...:shrug:

At the end when the credits roll it says "Fleetwood Mac is: Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood." Things like credits don't just happen, they are negotiated by managers etc. It's all the "politics" that LB talks about... like "I get the Presidential suite because I demand it". Oy.

[SteveMacD]

The fact that the answer isn't obvious to Stevie is disturbing. She has only a fraction of the star power as a solo artist that she has with Fleetwood Mac, especially with Christine back. If it would make her happy, just add Waddy to the mini-Mac.

[FuzzyPlum]

Agh! Yes, so swell said. I almost said in my post the other day...It's almost as if she knows they are into their final years and the big decision will be, does she spend more of it with Fleetwood Mac or Solo. She knows if she splits for a few years for solo work, by the time FM gets back together they will all be 75 years old and at that point there will be definite limitations to touring etc. She doesn't have time to do her usual 2 years with fleetwood mac, followed by maybe a year off and then 2 years spent on solo things. They don't have the actual years to spend as buffer between each other anymore. There may be resentment in feeling like she has to choose what that last act may be and who it's with.

Absolutely.

I'll refer back to a post I made on another (almost exactly the same) thread a while back; the last chapter of Mick's book almost seems to be alluding to this. I always thought it was an odd way to end the book (prior to the 'conclusion');

'One thing I do know is whenever this band ends, no matter what, that won't be the end for Stevie. I believe she will perform until her very last breath, much like Edith Piaf, whom she reminded me of the first time I heard her sing. The first gift I ever gave Stevie was a boxed set of albums by Edith Piaf, because those two are one and the same in many ways. Edith was on stage only twenty hours before she dropped dead and I think Stevie will go in much the same way, because as much as she claims she'd love time off, the girl never stops. I picture Stevie in her eighties, writing gorgeous romantic novels and finally telling her incredible life story. Like Edith's, Stevie's fans will be there because they are devoted and they will follow their Gypsy, wherever she goes. And me, perhaps I'll be the same.'

Basically Mick is begging Stevie. He's trying to persuade her to choose Fleetwood Mac as she has so much time left as a successful solo artist afterwards. If she doesn't continue with FM at this stage and contribute to a new album he knows they'll soon be too old. Unfortunately Stevie really wants solo time now but is finding it hard to let go.

[aleuzzi]

With all this bull, I'd have much preferred Christine to go on her own and do another solo album. At least then we'd get new songs from her. She's the real reason I am excited for the new Mac album.

Couldn't Lindsey produce her solo album? With Mick and John as the rhythm section?

Or, as many on this board have already said time and again, couldn't the band simply do a Lindsey-Christine album with the Mac name?

[jbrownsjr]

With all this bull, I'd have much preferred Christine to go on her own and do another solo album. At least then we'd get new songs from her. She's the real reason I am excited for the new Mac album.

Couldn't Lindsey produce her solo album? With Mick and John as the rhythm section?

Or, as many on this board have already said time and again, couldn't the band simply do a Lindsey-Christine album with the Mac name?

Crosby, Stills, and Nash have duel solo albums. So why not?

[teedeerocks]

Being completely unfiltered & combative has pretty much been Stevie's standard operating mode since her Mother passed. She just seems to no longer care if what she says impacts anyone or anything. She's suddenly started talking completely openly about formerly hands off subjects- the termination of her pregnancy with Don Henley, specific affairs with married men (even naming names!), stuff like that. I think her Mother was the last person that kept Stevie in check. And since her passing, Stevie finds no reason to filter her actions any longer.

Yes.I said the same thing about Stevie on a post sometime/somewhere long ago.A real change in her personality since her Mom died noted in her interviews shortly thereafter.She's talked about alot of things she never mentioned and is swearing alot,which doesn't offend me but it's not like her (in public anyway).In a nutshell,she doesn't have her reputation to keep up,doesn't give a f***,and is just saying"I Don't Care".

[MikeVielhaber]

Crosby, Stills, and Nash have duel solo albums. So why not?

What to call their albums is a lot easier to figure out since it's just the name of whoever is involved, be it Crosby and Nash, Stills and Young, Crosby Stills and Nash, or Crosby Stills Nash and Young.The comment you replied to was saying that they should release it as Fleetwood Mac. And they should. They did it without Christine and they did it without Lindsey and they did it without Stevie And Lindsey together. Shouldn't be a problem.

[jbrownsjr]

What to call their albums is a lot easier to figure out since it's just the name of whoever is involved, be it Crosby and Nash, Stills and Young, Crosby Stills and Nash, or Crosby Stills Nash and Young.The comment you replied to was saying that they should release it as Fleetwood Mac. And they should. They did it without Christine and they did it without Lindsey and they did it without Stevie And Lindsey together. Shouldn't be a problem.

I just want to hear the music. I get your point, and I get Elle's point. (without prejudice, mind you.) But, I really am dying to hear the music.

[aleuzzi]

I just want to hear the music. I get your point, and I get Elle's point. (without prejudice, mind you.) But, I really am dying to hear the music.

Amen. That's the bottom line. Where's the music? Enough bs--it's been a looooooooong time.

[jbrownsjr]

Amen. That's the bottom line. Where's the music? Enough bs--it's been a looooooooong time.

...makes weird Mick Fleetwood noises..... shahshshsahshsahshahshshsaahsshsah

[gssmith]

Ok, here is the deal because I have inside info.... Lindsey and Chris keep talking about how their new collaboration is so great. What else would they say? Well Stevie listened to it and thought it sucked my 7.5 cut (circumsized) d!€£. She told them the last hurrah (besides the cash grab tour) should be The Dance. She is right. The Dance is brilliant!

[KenshiMaster16]

You made a few decent points until you said her solo career was a joke. Now your a joke. Her last two albums actually did well compared to other classic rock artist. 24 KG had almost no publicity too. The only reason the band had been going since 1997 is because of Stevie. I'm sure they can carry on with out her on a smaller scale now that Chris is back

Stevie and the Mac are ever-present now not because of her and only her but because retro is currently 'in' in the music world. Look at whats going on; vinyls are making it big again, a Marvin Gaye remix is getting good spins and selling quite well, Meghan Trainor has blown up with retro-sounding music, Bruno Mars and his Motown-ish style.... classic rock bands just happen to be trendy again and making a lot of leeway with casual audiences and the younger generation. That's why Glee did a tribute to them, that's why American Horror Story used their music and had the only witchy personality show up on set......because it's marketable again. If they weren't, I'd bet everything I own the networks would've sh*t-canned those ideas before they got past the scripting phase. I mean, look at the wonders Glee did for bringing Rumours into the eyes of the youth and how well it sold on iTunes after that episode aired; that certainly wasn't because Stevie Nicks pimped it out in the press, it's because others made it cool to like Fleetwood Mac.

If anything, every member of this band is stuck in a teeny-tiny bubble as to how they manage their publicity and their careers. They've hardly changed a thing since the 70's and are so obviously stubborn and set in their ways its frustrating. Honestly, when they released an online only EP I thought I was in some weird alternate dimension where they actually made smart creative decisions for once instead of milking the cows dry with the same lies and publicity spun bullsh*t they've been spinning for decades. Honestly, it'd probably get them more headlines and sell more albums if Stevie and Lindsey just outright admitted they want to murder each other in cold blood and duke it on in a deathmatch ring. At least that'd be more interesting of a read than "Oh, it's the ever eternal forbidden love affair of a long gone era....." blah blah blah, spare me the nonsense babble.

[Danigirl]

I hadn't read this... Shocker. I see a long standing pattern with Stevie since BD; tour with FM, want rest, buy a home (relocate, fresh scenery, etc) then through interviews and such, (or we hear after the fact in her songs) she misses the "love" of FM. She begins bringing up how no one leaves, no one breaks The Chain, and that she is destined to be an old woman up on that stage. The only difference now Stevie.... Y'all old!!!! Jeez I love her, cause I'm just as indecisive and yes, selfish... Yet I also want to shake her cause there may not ever be a next time and I'm almost certain she will have reconsidered if only she took a step back and saw that this situation is beautiful.

I'm also very convinced that Stevie and Lindsey love hate thing is most certainly palpable. The fact that even Chris mentions it, is a real shocker, she has always been the peace maker, the mother figure now she along with Mick concur that they probabaly will NEVER GET ALONG.

[SteveMacD]

Ok, here is the deal because I have inside info.... Lindsey and Chris keep talking about how their new collaboration is so great. What else would they say? Well Stevie listened to it and thought it sucked my 7.5 cut (circumsized) d!€£. She told them the last hurrah (besides the cash grab tour) should be The Dance. She is right. The Dance is brilliant!
"inside info" and rooster size :rolleyes:

I'm betting Stevie's reluctance has more to do with the Epstein-Barr Syndrome than anything to do with creativity. She sounds like she really needs a rest more than anything else.

[tabruns]

I think it has to do with her solo career more than anything. My guess is that Nicks is really hesitant on doing an FM album because she wants to re-release 24 Karat Gold with additional tracks and to do a tour/media appearances to support it.