Unpopular FM Opinions

[welcomechris]

1. Time is way better then Kiln House
2. Say You Will was mixed horribly
3. Behind the Mask wasn't that bad. When It Comes to Love and the Second Time sucked though.
4. I Got It In For You is a terrible song
5. Although the songs on Extended Play we're good Lindsey's high pitched solo album voice came through and it just sucked. High pitched voice from Lindsey....No. That was a commercial disappointment.... One week on the Billboard 200? Greatest Hits as been on the hot 200 since like last November. #48 is no better then his solo album. "It Takes Time" belongs on a solo album not on the only Fleetwood Mac recording in ten years.

[SisterNightroad]

I have just a single huge one: Fleetwood Mac (1975) is better than Tusk.

[jbrownsjr]

I have just a single huge one: Fleetwood Mac (1975) is better than Tusk.

Brave soul!!!

I would agree on some days. It's a band recording. It has more successful hits. They recorded it quickly. Stevie's voice is smoother. More cohesive in my opinion. Instrumentally better.

[welcomechris]

I have just a single huge one: Fleetwood Mac (1975) is better than Tusk.

I agree!!!!!!!!

[jbrownsjr]

I Don't Want To Know is a better fit for Rumours than Silver Springs.

[brad975]

* Live versions of "Rhiannon" and "Dreams" since the '70s fall kinda flat since Stevie can't hit the notes that originally gave the songs melodic interest.
* "Monday Morning" is irritating.
* Rumours really needed the uptempo "I Don't Want to Know." But "Silver Springs" still should have shoved aside "Oh Daddy."
* Lindsey should have saved some of his most grating solo material on "Tusk" for a solo album and made room for more Stevie and Christine songs.
* "Mirage" is hugely underrated.
* I like "Empire State."
* I don't really care much for any of the singles from "Tango in the Night."

[wheart]

1. I think The Second Time is one of the best song Stevie has written

2. I much prefer the Dance version of Silver Springs to the original

3. I enjoyed the 2013 Tour more than 2014...even without Christine. I hate to put this in writing but it's true. I am happy Chris is back but after 16 years, I honestly feel it was a little too late. They learned how to survive and even prosper without her. Had she returned sometime after SYW when the band had more years ahead of them and perhaps more motivation to work together, it may have felt different. I still think they should have gone right into the studio and put out a new album THEN toured.

[brad975]

Thunder often happens when it's not raining

[elle]

Say You Will is one of 3 "classic-era" Mac top albums, containing some of the best and most interesting FM songs.

majority of EP songs, and particularly Sad Angel and It Takes Time are great, making the whole EP very interesting and vetting my appetite to hear the rest of the 2012 recorded songs, in one way or another. Sad Angel is perfect amalgam of "fleetwood mac-y" sound with some of LB's more recent solo directions (think punkish That's The Way Love Goes).

warning - being judgmental here: FM fans dismiss EP because of Stevie's lackluster presence there, not because EP is objectively bad.

[jbrownsjr]

Thunder often happens when it's not raining

Hahaha!! Players can NOT love you when they are playing..

[louielouie2000]

1. I think the 1975 'white album' is middle of the road and boring.
2. Rhiannon should have been pulled from the set 30 years ago- post Betty Ford Stevie can't do the song justice.
3. I'd rather the band not tour again, but instead focus their remaining years on recording new albums.
4. I think some of Stevie's Say You Will songs like Illume and Destiny Rules rank among the best she's ever recorded. I easily put them along side with Gold Dust, Gypsy, etc.
5. Only Over You and Mystified rank among my favorite Christine songs.
6. The quality of material on the EP is an abomination.
7. I tend to think there is more truth to Carol Ann Harris' book than fiction.
8. I find albums like Penguin & Heroes Are Hard to be delightful; their warts only make them more interesting to me.
9. Some of Christine's best songwriting is outside of the presence of Buckingham Nicks- her pre 1975 Mac albums and In The Meantime contain some incredibly revealing lyrics.
10. Bare Trees makes me want to gouge my ears out. It's so incredibly derivative and behind the musical times of that era.
11. I find Bob Welch to be a more interesting musician than Peter Green.
12. I think the original Silver Springs sounds unfinished, and would have been a poor fit for Rumours.
13. The material Lindsey released on his 21st century solo albums is better than most anything he ever did with Fleetwood Mac.
14. Songs like When I See You Again and the Second Time are some of the most revealing of Stevie's career. They truly impart how far she'd fallen, and their shocking audio quality really enforces the subject of the songs.
15. I love the hell out of FM cover songs, they fascinate me endlessly. Hearing how new artists interpret these old songs really sets my mind afoot. I especially love the Just Tell Me That You Love Me tribute album from a few years ago.

[wheart]

1. I think The Second Time is one of the best song Stevie has written

2. I much prefer the Dance version of Silver Springs to the original

3. I enjoyed the 2013 Tour more than 2014...even without Christine. I hate to put this in writing but it's true. I am happy Chris is back but after 16 years, I honestly feel it was a little too late. They learned how to survive and even prosper without her. Had she returned sometime after SYW when the band had more years ahead of them and perhaps more motivation to work together, it may have felt different. I still think they should have gone right into the studio and put out a new album THEN toured.

I forgot one:

4. I've always loved Silver Girl. Not only a great song but Lindsey's production is top notch.

[SisterNightroad]

"Mirage" is hugely underrated.
I totally agree.

[Frankenstein]

I actually like the EP.

Gold Dust Woman live during the last 2 tours is the best it's ever been.

If I never heard Landslide again, that would be just fine.

I prefer to watch Lindsey perform more than Stevie these days. If he's tired of doing his songs for the millionth time, it never shows.

Only Over You and Temporary One are two of my favorite Christine songs.

[WildHeart97]

I like Empire State and Family Man. This may not be unpopular, but Stevie hasn't had a consistent set of songs on a Mac album since Tusk.

[becca]

My unpopular opinion is that Fleetwood Mac has always needed a dedicated accordion player!!!

Especially on Gypsy.

Paging Flaco Jimenez...

[elle]

1. I think the 1975 'white album' is middle of the road and boring.
2. Rhiannon should have been pulled from the set 30 years ago- post Betty Ford Stevie can't do the song justice.
7. I tend to think there is more truth to Carol Ann Harris' book than fiction.
13. The material Lindsey released on his 21st century solo albums is better than most anything he ever did with Fleetwood Mac.


agree with all these. :nod:

ahhhhh let's face it, most of my FM-related opinions are unpopular! :laugh:

[TheWILDheart]

1. Tango is my least favourite of the big-5 line up albums
2. Similarly, Behind The Mask is far better than Tango. At least is sounds like a BAND made that album together.
3. Having said that, "Isn't It Midnight" was Christine's finest moment
4. Ignoring Christine's return, which has been fantastic, the band sounded way better on the 2013 tour than on the current tour - Lindsey's voice is pretty much dead and has anyone else noticed Mick's druming is getting slower?
5. I love "The Second Time", "No Questions Asked" and "Paper Doll"
6. Lindsey was damn hot in the Mirage tour video, but not particularly hot at any other time
7. Mick's drum solo's and Lindsey's ridiculous "cycles" and "changes" speach make me cringe
8. "Gold Dust Woman" is the one song that Stevie has consistently nailed. Everything else has been hit and miss since about 1982.
9. I'm a much bigger fan of Stevie's first 3 solo albums, plus TISL, than I am of ANY Fleetwood Mac album
10. "Over My Head" is so dull and was an AWFUL choice of lead single
11. I do not have any interest in Peter Green at all. Fleetwood Mac didn't get interesting until "Future Games"
12. If I hear the studio version of "Landslide" ever again, I might rip my own ears off just to have something to throw at the speakers, and yet I could listen to "The Dance" version forever
13. "Mirage" is better than the white album
14. "Silver Springs" BELONGS on Rumours. It first perfectly in place on the 2002 remaster. I hate that it was tacked on at the end after GDW on the 2013 reissue
15. Christine wrote her best songs between 86 and 93. Her offerings on Tango, BTM and The Chain boxsett are all flawless, with the exception of "Mystified"
16. "Only Over You" and "Wish You Were Here" are THE SAME SONG.
17. I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Lindsey left Fleetwood Mac.

[jbrownsjr]

I like Welcome to the Room Sara. There I said it.

[michelej1]

I like Welcome to the Room Sara. There I said it.

Wow, this changes everything.

Michele

[michelej1]

5. Only Over You and Mystified rank among my favorite Christine songs.


I agree with this.

Michele

[dino]

Fleetwood Mac got a whole lot less interesting first after Bare Trees and then after Heroes Are Hard To Find, and anything post Tusk can be safely overlooked.

[jbrownsjr]

Wow, this changes everything.

Michele

You already disowned me because of the TV show "The Affair". I had nothing to lose. :laugh:

[KenB]

1. On some days, "Mirage" is my favorite Mac album -- even above my usual favorite, "Tusk."
2. I enjoy at most 4 songs from the self-titled 1975 album. It's my least favorite of the classic lineup.
3. I like "You and I," the last song on the Tango album, better than "You and I" the B-Side which most people seem to prefer.
4. I've never seen Mac live, and don't care to -- even though they've been my favorite band for over 25 years. And I generally LOVE live music.
5. "Sara," "Rhiannon," and "Sisters of the Moon" all bore me to death.

[AncientQueen]

5. Dreams is a boring song, Stevie should not sing it live anymore.
4. TITN is crap.
3. Mystified is one of the worst songs ever recorded by any artist or group.
2. Bob Welch was a better frontman then Lindsey Buckingham.
1. FM made better music on drugs.

[michelej1]

You already disowned me because of the TV show "The Affair". I had nothing to lose. :laugh:

There's a new S2 trailer out and I'm already depressed.

Michele

[Macfanforever]

All the time wasted in the studio over the years.
I rather have Dave S in the studio to get the job done.:eek:

[mitzo]

Behind the Mask was a great album.
Lindsey is a brilliant producer and I adore the studio trickery.
Lindsey should stick to producing and not try to write or record his own songs.

[redbird]

I genuinely like:
Lindsey's songs on Mirage. Even "Oh Diane" :)
"Sugar Daddy" from the white album.
some of Stevie's and Chris' songs on Behind the Mask/that era.

[Montclare]

I don't like TITN.

I love Empire State.

I like the kids' singing in SYW.

I don't think the Gypsy video is all that special. Maybe for its time, but it doesn't wow me in any way.

[johnnystorms]

I don't like TITN.

I love Empire State.

I like the kids' singing in SYW.

I don't think the Gypsy video is all that special. Maybe for its time, but it doesn't wow me in any way.

i like the kid singing too on SYW. shoulda' been the first single (since it was the closest song to the "Mac" sound) with a big budget video with the band "morphing" into the singing kids at the end!

[aleuzzi]

I Don't Want To Know is a better fit for Rumours than Silver Springs.

Yes! I too have always felt this. Apparently, so did 4/5 of the band...

[aleuzzi]

1. Sugar Daddy is one of the band's best songs from any era.

2. Some of the Billy/Bekka duets on Time rank with the band's catchiest music.

3. The alternate take of Second Hand News is better because of the beautiful bass part.

4. Come a Little Bit Closer is a beautiful song that is destroyed by its arrangement.

5. One of LB's Tusk songs needed to be dropped in favor of one more Christine tune...

[michelej1]

I don't think the Gypsy video is all that special. Maybe for its time, but it doesn't wow me in any way.

I like the Hold Me video much more. I guess Gypsy coincided with the rising popularity of MTV and that made it have such a memorable impact.

Michele

[welcomechris]

1. Sugar Daddy is one of the band's best songs from any era.

2. Some of the Billy/Bekka duets on Time rank with the band's catchiest music.

3. The alternate take of Second Hand News is better because of the beautiful bass part.

4. Come a Little Bit Closer is a beautiful song that is destroyed by its arrangement.

5. One of LB's Tusk songs needed to be dropped in favor of one more Christine tune...

Agreed!

Talkin' To My Heart is really catchie

HAHTF needs to be remastered

One More Night!!!! Get rid of "That's All For Everyone"

[bsavi4]

1. Bob Welch blows Lindsey away in the songwriting department

2. Bob Weston deserves more credit for his work on Mystery to Me

3. Tango is overrated and there isn't one song on it that I really love

4. 'The Derelict' is a great track, especially in its gritty, unfinished form

and last but not least...

5. Bare Trees and Heroes are Hard to Find are better than Tusk

[He's So Unusual]

1. Family Man is one of Lindsey's best songs
2. Penguin is better than Kiln House
3. The live version of Silver Springs is much better than the studio version
4. Lindsey has too many songs on Tusk, I don't care how short some of them are.
5. Say You Will is better than Mirage.
6. Illume is better than Rhiannon

[AncientQueen]

1. Sugar Daddy is one of the band's best songs from any era.
That is the truth!

[ViscountViktor]

1. Chris' songwriting declined after 1979.
2. Behind the Mask is better than TITN.
3. Mystery to Me is the best Mac album.
4. You and I part 1 is better than part 2.

[David A]

1. LB is the main reason FM ever had the success they did, sorry SN
2. They missed the ball big time by stalling after the dance, what 1997 and then quiet until 2003, or 06 ? big mistake
3. I like Mirage very much, dont care for the White Album
4. Behind The Mask album isnt so bad, I like a few tunes
5. Carols book is the truth, for better or worse
6. This is the last tour for FM period, they will never make this kind of $$$ money again, I doubted the success of this tour but was quite wrong
7. Out Of The Cradle is right up there with Rumours, it is a perfect album
8. Sucks the way FM treats former people associated with them, its like they just forget them, really dis loyal
9. FM are better on STAGE than the Eagles
. Off topic, Stallone's movie CREED looks like could be a sleeper, KEY WORD, sleeper hit, he may have something there, people either laugh at the Rocky character and or the character is real to people, like music, Rocky has meant so much to so many people and has helped people realize their dreams and to never give up, sound corny? sure, but music has the same effect, bottom line Rocky movies and music of the Eagles and FM will still be watched and heard long after I die, so I guess thats timeless

[michelej1]

9. FM are better on STAGE than the Eagles


There's nothing unpopular about that opinion among FM fans. I mean ... even people who love Eagles' music don't think they can't be beat as live performers.

Michele

[Macfanforever]

Nice going guys.Get it off your minds.


I forgot to add.

Very very poor tour timing for this last tour.Effing winter tours.They suck.
I saw to many snow covered hills on this tour last winter.

Put off the the start of tour to 2015 .They ALL should record last summer or fall and release the album early this year and start the tour in late April or May the early summer months here in the states with less dates and hit Europe with less dates and Aussie/NZ as scheduled and its done at Christmas 2015.

Give Stevie and Lindsey 2016 to do their thing

In 2017 they can do their 40th Rumours Anni tour and throw in the towel or continue for years to come.

[Montclare]

I like the Hold Me video much more. I guess Gypsy coincided with the rising popularity of MTV and that made it have such a memorable impact.

Michele

I like the Hold Me video better too. I think my main issue with Gypsy is that Stevie is the focus 80% of the time, whereas Hold Me portrays the band a bit more equally. Plus I like the surrealism/Magritte feeling in Hold Me.

[Macfanforever]

Another gripe.Speaking of Hold Me.Why was it not in the setlist.

[AncientQueen]

Why don't they play "Oh Well" during the european leg of this tour? Great song, builds the bridge to the original FM and is a showcase for Lindsey. "Never going back again" is not such a crowd pleaser anyway.

[aleuzzi]

1. Chris' songwriting declined after 1979.

I felt this way about her 1984 solo album, but when I started to work out the songs on a piano I realized they were as well-structured and conceived as her earlier work. What differed was the production. And the attack. After 1979, The band (including, obviously Christine herself) used Christine's songs as vehicles for album sales. It was much more calculated. In doing so, they sometimes went for "radio-friendly generic pop"--especially on the Behind the Mask songs, but also with Everywhere.

Little Lies, Nights in Estoril, Hollywood, Love in Store, Temporary One...all of these Mac songs are really strong, IMO.

And her skills in In the Meantime are really in sharp focus, despite the blandness of the lyrics.

[redbird]

How are "The studio version of 'Silver Springs' is better than the live version" and "The live version of 'Silver Springs' is better than the studio version" both unpopular opinions? :shrug:

[michelej1]

"Never going back again" is not such a crowd pleaser anyway.

The audience responds when he does ... whatever he thinks he is doing on NGBA. When he pauses they clap and go "oooh" or something. I'm not sure he knows it's not a crowd pleaser. Michele

[GypsySorcerer]

1) It was the right decision to include I Don't Want to Know on Rumours rather than Silver Springs.
2) Since at least 2003, Lindsey has been a far more interesting songwriter than Stevie.
3) Christine's Tusk songs are underrated.
4) Behind the Mask is better than given credit for.
5) I love "Temporary One."
6) Stevie is terrible on the Live in Boston recording. Beautiful Child being the exception.
7) I like Over My Head better than Say You Love Me.
8) Caroline is unfairly maligned.

[Montclare]

3) Christine's Tusk songs are underrated.


Agree. If I had to pick my favorite album of Christine's songs, it would be Tusk.


5) I love "Temporary One."

Also agreed. Although I like to pretend it was about the band getting back together, rather than her relationship with Eddie.

[KenB]

Agree. If I had to pick my favorite album of Christine's songs, it would be Tusk.



Also agreed. Although I like to pretend it was about the band getting back together, rather than her relationship with Eddie.

Mark me in agreement with Christine's Tusk songs, too. Although she comes close on Mirage, thanks to Hold Me and Love In Store.

[FuzzyPlum]

I'd welcome Stand Back's return to the live show.
Welcome to the Room...Sara is great.
You and I Part 2 is much better than You and I Part 1.
Crystal is just dull.
Never been especially interested in The Dance...probably only ever played it a dozen or so times.
Wish You Were Here is epic- the best song on Mirage.
The video for In the Back of My Mind is good.

[dawn_amanda]

I know this is an unpopular opinion but I prefer old performances of Landslide - including the studio version - because I like the high notes she used to hit. Having said that, I do think the old live versions (1975) are ruined by the keyboard solo, it just doesn't really go IMO.

[welcomechris]

I think Chris' 1984 solo album is underrated. As was her 2004 one. ITM didn't chart in the U.S. at all.

I really like "Sweet Girl" and "Not Make Believe"

Stevie will join FM in the studio after the tour

The Dance version of "Landslide" is the best

With the exception of "Angel" and "Bermuda Triangle", I didn't like Bob Welch's songs on HAHTF

Time is not that bad (Except for "I Got It In For You")

[crystalline_]

This is my first post ever on here! My name is Katherine by the way, but you can call me Kate, or anything really. Nice to meet you all! :) This is so exciting. Okay here I go with my unpopular opinions (as I try to fit in on here with people who've been on here since probably before I was born in the 90s...)

1. Keep Me There is one of my favourite Chris songs, I'm consistently confused as to why most people don't love it from the reviews. I do, I really really love it.
2. I really like almost all of SYW.
3. I think jumping into a huge tour like this was not very well thought out and the effects are starting to show (is this unpopular? My apologies if its not).
4. Caroline and TITN are my favourite Lindsey songs off TITN, I'm not crazy about Big Love at all.
5. World Turning is one of my favourite songs and it makes me optimistic for what Lindsey and Chris may do in the future.
6. I love the accordion, I wish it was incorporated into more songs.
7. I think that if all 5 don't do another album/tour, then there's no point. At this time, so much material has been released under different lineups that unless all 5 of them sign on, it seems like there's no point.
8. I love every single song on the White Album. Yes, every single song I love and they all hold a strong place in my heart. The entire thing. So there. :lol:

That's all! I hope I made sense, as this is my first post. Talk to some of you soon hopefully! :D

[welcomechris]

This is my first post ever on here! My name is Katherine by the way, but you can call me Kate, or anything really. Nice to meet you all! :) This is so exciting. Okay here I go with my unpopular opinions (as I try to fit in on here with people who've been on here since probably before I was born in the 90s...)

1. Keep Me There is one of my favourite Chris songs, I'm consistently confused as to why most people don't love it from the reviews. I do, I really really love it.
2. I really like almost all of SYW.
3. I think jumping into a huge tour like this was not very well thought out and the effects are starting to show (is this unpopular? My apologies if its not).
4. Caroline and TITN are my favourite Lindsey songs off TITN, I'm not crazy about Big Love at all.
5. World Turning is one of my favourite songs and it makes me optimistic for what Lindsey and Chris may do in the future.
6. I love the accordion, I wish it was incorporated into more songs.
7. I think that if all 5 don't do another album/tour, then there's no point. At this time, so much material has been released under different lineups that unless all 5 of them sign on, it seems like there's no point.
8. I love every single song on the White Album. Yes, every single song I love and they all hold a strong place in my heart. The entire thing. So there. :lol:

That's all! I hope I made sense, as this is my first post. Talk to some of you soon hopefully! :D

Agreed! :o:o

[FuzzyPlum]

This is my first post ever on here! My name is Katherine by the way, but you can call me Kate, or anything really. Nice to meet you all! :) This is so exciting. Okay here I go with my unpopular opinions (as I try to fit in on here with people who've been on here since probably before I was born in the 90s...)

1. Keep Me There is one of my favourite Chris songs, I'm consistently confused as to why most people don't love it from the reviews. I do, I really really love it.
2. I really like almost all of SYW.
3. I think jumping into a huge tour like this was not very well thought out and the effects are starting to show (is this unpopular? My apologies if its not).
4. Caroline and TITN are my favourite Lindsey songs off TITN, I'm not crazy about Big Love at all.
5. World Turning is one of my favourite songs and it makes me optimistic for what Lindsey and Chris may do in the future.
6. I love the accordion, I wish it was incorporated into more songs.
7. I think that if all 5 don't do another album/tour, then there's no point. At this time, so much material has been released under different lineups that unless all 5 of them sign on, it seems like there's no point.
8. I love every single song on the White Album. Yes, every single song I love and they all hold a strong place in my heart. The entire thing. So there. :lol:

That's all! I hope I made sense, as this is my first post. Talk to some of you soon hopefully! :D

Hi Kate,
Keep Me There???? I don't think I've ever heard anyone be critical of that. I agree its terrific.

[Macfanforever]

I have no issues with Chris's tunes but I'm still burned up over why "Hold Me" was left out of this tour setlist.

Does anybody have the reasons why she axed the great hit tune from the setlist.

[crystalline_]

Hi Kate,
Keep Me There???? I don't think I've ever heard anyone be critical of that. I agree its terrific.

Yeah! Before I got the super deluxe 4CD Rumours, I was looking at the reviews for it, the reviews where they review every single song is what I landed on (normally I don't read those) but anyway I did. All of the ones for Keep Me There were mostly negative, like "nothing special" or "glad this didn't make it onto the album" or "definitely not required a listen". I love it!

[michelej1]

Also agreed. Although I like to pretend it was about the band getting back together, rather than her relationship with Eddie.

I put part of those lyrics on the back of my father's funeral program:

The river goes on and on, and the
Sea that divides us is a
Temporary one, and the
Bridge will bring us back together

[SteveMacD]

1. Stevie hasn't given a collection of consistently good songs for an album -Mac or solo- since "The Wild Heart."

2. Christine coming back was a brilliant move for her legacy, because her "Time" songs were no way to sign off (most were unnecessarily long).

3. Lindsey's songs, with some exceptions, are kind of wimpy. Good, but wimpy.

4. It was great that Peter Green made a "comeback" in 1996, but he's nowhere near the player he once was. (That said, I'd need a change of pants if he ever joined them on stage for a rousing rendition of "Oh Well.")

5. Most of Bob Welch's solo albums kinda suck. The moments of brilliance are often buried in predictable, cliche shlock that sound like they were forced on him by labels or management.

6. The most interesting (not necessarily the best) solo album by any of the Mac was "The Visitor."

7. "Out Of The Cradle" proved that Lindsey needed Mick and John as much as they needed him.

8. The band should have tried to keep going with Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette. They were on the verge of something good. All they needed to do was part ways with Dave Mason.

9. "Future Games" is the most underrated Fleetwood Mac album.

10. Danny Kirwan was the most important member of Fleetwood Mac because he was able to move them from being a blues-rock band to being a pop-rock band.

[johnnystorms]

I have no issues with Chris's tunes but I'm still burned up over why "Hold Me" was left out of this tour setlist.

Does anybody have the reasons why she axed the great hit tune from the setlist.

I think the chorus is impossibly high-pitched for the three of them to even attempt!

[johnnystorms]

1. Stevie hasn't given a collection of consistently good songs for an album -Mac or solo- since "The Wild Heart."

2. Christine coming back was a brilliant move for her legacy, because her "Time" songs were no way to sign off (most were unnecessarily long).

3. Lindsey's songs, with some exceptions, are kind of wimpy. Good, but wimpy.

4. It was great that Peter Green made a "comeback" in 1996, but he's nowhere near the player he once was. (That said, I'd need a change of pants if he ever joined them on stage for a rousing rendition of "Oh Well.")

5. Most of Bob Welch's solo albums kinda suck. The moments of brilliance are often buried in predictable, cliche shlock that sound like they were forced on him by labels or management.

6. The most interesting (not necessarily the best) solo album by any of the Mac was "The Visitor."

7. "Out Of The Cradle" proved that Lindsey needed Mick and John as much as they needed him.

8. The band should have tried to keep going with Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette. They were on the verge of something good. All they needed to do was part ways with Dave Mason.

9. "Future Games" is the most underrated Fleetwood Mac album.

10. Danny Kirwan was the most important member of Fleetwood Mac because he was able to move them from being a blues-rock band to being a pop-rock band.

1. NONE of them have written a consistently good set of songs ever!

[MikeVielhaber]

1. NONE of them have written a consistently good set of songs ever!

Yes, I suppose that WOULD be an unpopular opinion on a FM forum.

[MikeVielhaber]

7. "Out Of The Cradle" proved that Lindsey needed Mick and John as much as they needed him.



I think in the sense that Lindsey is a songwriter and Mick and John are not, they need him more than he needs them.

[johnnystorms]

Yes, I suppose that WOULD be an unpopular opinion on a FM forum.

I think the closest would be Stevie's 5 songs on Tusk

[David]

4. 'The Derelict' is a great track, especially in its gritty, unfinished form
I've loved that one for years, and still like it. During a TV commercial, I sometimes run across the room to my digital piano to play and sing "Derelict." It comes out of me unbidden, like a little burp. What unfinished form? Is there a demo of it floating around?

1. Last month of 1980 tour—best month of the band's stage career since B&N joined.
2. When Stevie lyricizes in her typically vague, vapid way—stealing phrases from various oddball sources (including pop-cultural references) and adding her common stock of pseudomystic catchwords ("dreams," "moon," "candles," "wind," "cried," "shadow," "heartache," "sorrow," "silence," "mirror")—she's banal and trite, a poetaster. On the other hand, when she writes straightforwardly, she's more honest and thus more believable and finally a better wordsmith.
3. Even before B&N, Fleetwood Mac benefited from its youthfulness. On the back cover of Rumours, the band is at its most hip. The hipness waned within a few years, despite the big sales later on with "Tusk" and "Mirage."
4. Mick was the greatest shuffle player among every drummer in rock. I still can't figure out how he did it. I think it had something to do with his lanky height. I use the past tense here because he can't do it anymore.
5. "The Chain" has been an old log bobbing around in the water since the 1980 and 1982 tours. It lacks its old pantherish momentum, its stalking power. It used to build anxiously and inexorably and then explode. These days, it's just a turd.

[bombaysaffires]

2. When Stevie lyricizes in her typically vague, vapid way—stealing phrases from various oddball sources (including pop-cultural references) and adding her common stock of pseudomystic catchwords ("dreams," "moon," "candles," "wind," "cried," "shadow," "heartache," "sorrow," "silence," "mirror")—she's banal and trite, a poetaster. On the other hand, when she writes straightforwardly, she's more honest and thus more believable and finally a better wordsmith.


which songs would you classify as the latter rather than the former? I don't necessarily disagree with you, but am curious where the line is for you.

[sanders8323]

Most of us here would say Stevie's performances of "Rhiannon" in the 70s were powerful, but IMO, once the latter half of the Rumours tour rolled around she started dodging the high notes and just sort of rambled all over the place non-sensically during the climax. In other words, she hasn't given a great performance of the song since about '78.

"Love Shines" is a pretty lackluster song, and "Heart of Stone" beats it in every aspect by miles.

[aleuzzi]

I think the chorus is impossibly high-pitched for the three of them to even attempt!

Interestingly, this is not a fault of the song as it was originally written. The "Hold Me" demo with Christine on the piano features a straightforward, mid-range, catchy chorus that was replaced in arrangements for the record.

[aleuzzi]

I've loved that one for years, and still like it. During a TV commercial, I sometimes run across the room to my digital piano to play and sing "Derelict." It comes out of me unbidden, like a little burp. What unfinished form? Is there a demo of it floating around?

1. Last month of 1980 tour—best month of the band's stage career since B&N joined.
2. When Stevie lyricizes in her typically vague, vapid way—stealing phrases from various oddball sources (including pop-cultural references) and adding her common stock of pseudomystic catchwords ("dreams," "moon," "candles," "wind," "cried," "shadow," "heartache," "sorrow," "silence," "mirror")—she's banal and trite, a poetaster. On the other hand, when she writes straightforwardly, she's more honest and thus more believable and finally a better wordsmith.
3. Even before B&N, Fleetwood Mac benefited from its youthfulness. On the back cover of Rumours, the band is at its most hip. The hipness waned within a few years, despite the big sales later on with "Tusk" and "Mirage."
4. Mick was the greatest shuffle player among every drummer in rock. I still can't figure out how he did it. I think it had something to do with his lanky height. I use the past tense here because he can't do it anymore.
5. "The Chain" has been an old log bobbing around in the water since the 1980 and 1982 tours. It lacks its old pantherish momentum, its stalking power. It used to build anxiously and inexorably and then explode. These days, it's just a turd.

#2 is right on! "I Don't Want to Know," "Landslide," "That's Alright," "Leather and Lace," "Silver Springs," "After the Glitter Fades," and "Frozen Love" are all (notably early) examples of her very effective, direct, reflective lyrical style. She is writing songs for this earth and for everyday people. And all of them are emotionally powerful.

Later examples of a straightforward, cliche-free Stevie are "Blue Denim," "Destiny Rules," "Everybody Finds Out," and (to a lesser extent) "I Sing for the Things." These songs actually MEAN something and are powerful in part because they do not embrace an incoherent, pseudo-mystical mythology...

[SteveMacD]

I think in the sense that Lindsey is a songwriter and Mick and John are not, they need him more than he needs them.
Yet, he didn't make a very compelling record without them. Lindsey's talent only go so far. He needs a great rhythm section behind him, and they have the name for which he'll always be affiliated.

[He's So Unusual]

5) I love "Temporary One."


Me too. I think it's better than Over My Head, You Make Loving Fun, Hold Me and Everywhere. The best song Christine has recorded with Fleetwood Mac is Isn't It Midnight. Brown Eyes and Honey Hi are better than anything she recorded for Fleetwood Mac '75 and Rumours.

[Kubrick2788]

The demo with the original (I guess?) chorus is so good. That version could be performed tomorrow and it would still be fun. The arrangement for the record wrecked it. It lost a little bit of that funk. Unpopular opinion...I blame Lindsey for it all! Hahaha

[haleyd]

Rumours would have been completely flawless had Silver Springs been on it instead of that horrendous snoozefest Oh Daddy. (this may or may not have already been said. I haven't read through all the posts yet! But it can always bare repeating!!)

[He's So Unusual]

The "classic" 1982 performance of Sisters of the Moon is vastly overrated. I think Stevie sounds awful. I hate it when she whimpers like she's in pain.

[MikeVielhaber]

The "classic" 1982 performance of Sisters of the Moon is vastly overrated. I think Stevie sounds awful. I hate it when she whimpers like she's in pain.

IMO, the one from the Tusk video is a lot better all around.

[Artemis]

I love the Tusk version of Sisters, it's Stevie in all her "witchy" glory - you almost believe she can shoot lightning out of her hands.

My unpopular opinion is... I don't really care for Lindsey as a singer. As a producer, he's amazing and knows exactly how to elevate Stevie AND Christine's songs (I also think that while people are very quick to say Stevie is only good with Lindsey, they overlook how much he pushes Christine) but as a singer... I can count on one hand the number of his songs I really adore - I'm So Afraid, Secondhand News, GYOW, Tusk and Miranda. But that doesn't mean I don't acknowledge that Fleetwood Mac is nothing without him.

[redbird]

My unpopular opinion is... I don't really care for Lindsey as a singer. As a producer, he's amazing and knows exactly how to elevate Stevie AND Christine's songs (I also think that while people are very quick to say Stevie is only good with Lindsey, they overlook how much he pushes Christine) but as a singer... I can count on one hand the number of his songs I really adore - I'm So Afraid, Secondhand News, GYOW, Tusk and Miranda. But that doesn't mean I don't acknowledge that Fleetwood Mac is nothing without him.
For me, it's more Lindsey's songwriting than his voice, I think his voice is good (although when it comes down to it I like Chris' and Stevie's better). Christine's lyrics aren't always revolutionary but they're very solid and, I don't know how to explain it, sit very well and fill up the music she's written for it and they leave me satisfied with what she's trying to do, also I admire her musicality. I do give Lindsey points for being ambitious as he clearly is, but it doesn't always come together in the final product for me. But like you I wouldn't want to imagine Fleetwood Mac without him, he's been very integral no matter who's song it is. I don't know if anyone else is as integral to everyone else's songs as he is. I mean, Stevie is important because of her own songs, but she's usually icing on the cake when it comes to others'. Lindsey is far more integral to some of her songs than vice versa.

[jbrownsjr]

I liked CM and SN's songs on Tusk better than LB's.

[FuzzyPlum]

I liked CM and SN's songs on Tusk better than LB's.

I have a feeling that wont be the most unpopular opinion.
I second that, though Tusk itself is one of the very best LB songs.

[jbrownsjr]

I have a feeling that wont be the most unpopular opinion.
I second that, though Tusk itself is one of the very best LB songs.

I give him an A+ on producing credit. And let's be honest, Ken and Richard engineered it.. LB produced it.

What he did with the girls' tunes in incredible.

[SteveMacD]

Fleetwood Mac would have been better off with Dave Mason joining in 1987 as the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter. Billy and Rick were great (and probably better than Dave, all things being equal), but Dave had the name and could've handled being the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter.

[cascade13]

How about this one (with a few thoughts)?

Brett and maybe Neale should have been made full members of FM when Christine departed after the Dance tour.

1) It would have upset the gender balance on the front line, potentially ticking off SN, but limiting the front line to SN and LB made FM's future dependent on their working relationship...not the most stable foundation of all time!

2) FM has historically thrived on having a variety of singers/songwriters/players with different styles and voices in the band. SN and LB are set in their ways and obviously come from the same basic musical background, so there's not much *really* new ground to cover there.

3) We already see and hear both of them in the live shows anyway (in Brett's case, even with Christine's return), and have for going on 20 years, so it's not like they're strangers.

[mitzo]

Fleetwood Mac have become boring. Same stale story, no new music for many years.

[FuzzyPlum]

Fleetwood Mac have become boring. Same stale story, no new music for many years.

2 years technically.

[jbrownsjr]

Fleetwood Mac have become boring. Same stale story, no new music for many years.

They recorded new music. Only to do a set list that makes me want to jump off a bridge.

[jbrownsjr]

Fleetwood Mac would have been better off with Dave Mason joining in 1987 as the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter. Billy and Rick were great (and probably better than Dave, all things being equal), but Dave had the name and could've handled being the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter.

You're high. lol The chemistry clash alone would have blown it all up and you know it. :nod:

[HomerMcvie]

You're high. lol The chemistry clash alone would have blown it all up and you know it. :nod:

Christine would've bitch slapped him off the stage.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Gold Dust Woman is a tired song, performed live too many times over the years..........

[FuzzyPlum]

Fleetwood Mac would have been better off with Dave Mason joining in 1987 as the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter. Billy and Rick were great (and probably better than Dave, all things being equal), but Dave had the name and could've handled being the lone guitarist/male singer/songwriter.


Sorry, in advance- no offence intended...
...but that's a sh!t idea.
:sorry:

[jbrownsjr]

Gold Dust Woman is a tired song, performed live too many times over the years..........

Her range has suffered so much. This is the one song she can do.

[GypsySorcerer]

Gold Dust Woman is a tired song, performed live too many times over the years..........

I'd have to disagree. The performance with Dave Grohl for the Sound City concert was perhaps her best live performance in recent years. "Dreams" and "Rhiannon" are tired, IMO.

[jbrownsjr]

I'd have to disagree. The performance with Dave Grohl for the Sound City concert was perhaps her best live performance in recent years. "Dreams" and "Rhiannon" are tired, IMO.

Agree 100%. Her LA Forum performance was amazing. Dreams and Rhiannon... meh...

[~*BellaDonna*~]

I'd have to disagree. The performance with Dave Grohl for the Sound City concert was perhaps her best live performance in recent years. "Dreams" and "Rhiannon" are tired, IMO.
I dunno, GDW just doesn't do it for me anymore. I can only take Dreams in small amounts now. Whenever I give Rumours a spin I always skip it.

[On Ice]

I dunno, GDW just doesn't do it for me anymore. I can only take Dreams in small amounts now. Whenever I give Rumours a spin I always skip it.

For me, Gold Dust Woman, Silver Springs and I Don't Want to Know have stood up the best of the songs from this era. Honestly though, I think the reason they sound so stale is that there really hasn't been much in the way of new material since SYW to take its place, and for some odd/strange reason they avoid that record like the plague which I think is a shame. If there had been new, really good songs after the classic years, these would potentially bump the tired Dreams and Rhiannon, both of which she seems so bored and going through the motions.

As for unpopular opinions, I think Danny Kirwan (short tenure aside) is by far the most important figure in Mac history and single-handedly established the band's core sound that stayed true with Lindsey and Stevie's arrival. He is so tragically overlooked and forgotten by the band and fans alike, but there's nobody before or since, even Green, can match this man's talent. A musical great whose candle burned out far too soon. I hope he's found peace.

[wondergirl9847]

As for unpopular opinions, I think Danny Kirwan (short tenure aside) is by far the most important figure in Mac history and single-handedly established the band's core sound that stayed true with Lindsey and Stevie's arrival. He is so tragically overlooked and forgotten by the band and fans alike, but there's nobody before or since, even Green, can match this man's talent. A musical great whose candle burned out far too soon. I hope he's found peace.

I agree. Danny is severely overlooked and that's unfortunate, because not only are his FM songs awesome, his solo stuff is wonderful as well. I adore his work. This band has had such a mystical root that has stuck around thanks to Peter, Danny, Bob Welch and Stevie.

I mean, Peter Green is the Godfather of the band, but for me....Danny was the heart and soul during that era.

[redbird]

I agree. Danny is severely overlooked and that's unfortunate, because not only are his FM songs awesome, his solo stuff is wonderful as well. I adore his work. This band has had such a mystical root that has stuck around thanks to Peter, Danny, Bob Welch and Stevie.

I mean, Peter Green is the Godfather of the band, but for me....Danny was the heart and soul during that era.I very much agree and the bolded part in particular makes me happy to read because I've thought the same thing.

[SteveMacD]

Stevie's tambourines were taped shut after Bob Welch's Cal Jams '78 set.

[SteveMacD]

Billy and Rick (or Bekka for that matter) weren't necessarily the problem after 1987.

[SteveMacD]

If Stevie really left Fleetwood Mac in 1991 because Mick wouldn't let her have "Silver Springs" for her comp, she got terrible counsel and should be suing the **** out of somebody.

[SteveMacD]

Peter Green shouldn't have done that whole Splinter Group thing. Glad I saw it, but Rick Vito did it better.

[HomerMcvie]

Stevie Nicks was the worst thing that ever happened to FM.

[justcrazylove]

Stevie Nicks was the worst thing that ever happened to FM.

Ohhhh this is gonna be good....:D ...grabs popcorn...

[TheWILDheart]

'Behind The Mask' is a better album than 'Tango In The Night' and all of Lindsey's solo albums, give or take a few songs, suck.

[Macfan4life]

'Behind The Mask' is a better album than 'Tango In The Night' and all of Lindsey's solo albums, give or take a few songs, suck.
I would probably agree with you on the first part. Funny because I only love half of each album. Tango was a Lindsey solo album with extremely little Mac sound. It was pure 80's synth pop. In addition Stevie's songs were flown in rushed demos recorded and thrown on the album. Behind the Mask is a pure group effort. Less pop, more rock. Some great songs but it also has horrible songs like Hard Feelings, Second Time Around, Affairs of the Heart, and Stand on the Rock. The rest of the album is pure magic.
I could not disagree more on Lindsey's solo work but great call on the first part and I agree with you.

[TheWILDheart]

I would probably agree with you on the first part. Funny because I only love half of each album. Tango was a Lindsey solo album with extremely little Mac sound. It was pure 80's synth pop. In addition Stevie's songs were flown in rushed demos recorded and thrown on the album. Behind the Mask is a pure group effort. Less pop, more rock. Some great songs but it also has horrible songs like Hard Feelings, Second Time Around, Affairs of the Heart, and Stand on the Rock. The rest of the album is pure magic.
I could not disagree more on Lindsey's solo work but great call on the first part and I agree with you.

I really love "The Second Time", "Affairs Of The Heart" and don't mine "Hard Feelings". SOTR is pretty naff though

[Aussie W/Heart]

If it wasn't for Stevie joining the band and her popularity throughout the years, Fleetwood Mac would of fizzled out a long time ago..

I always skip Christine's songs, except for Brown Eyes i really love this one.

Ducking for cover :p

[Macfanforever]

Hahahaha.Good topic .I can see the hate and the mud slinging worse in this thread then the Election 2016 thread.I always think back in 1981 maybe Stevie and Lindsey should told Mac to go their own way or sing Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job And Shove It" to them and go full time solo.Meantime FM will peter out and die with no top hits like "Dream" being number one on the the charts and other hits from them .

[FuzzyPlum]

It's great having two threads on the go at the same time about the same topic.
:shrug:

[~*BellaDonna*~]

I think TOSOTM is not a great album and LB has not aged gracefully.... I'm probably gonna get shot now. Oh well.

[jbrownsjr]

I think TOSOTM is not a great album and LB has not aged gracefully.... I'm probably gonna get shot now. Oh well.

Shame!!! ding... Shame!!! ding... Shame!!! ding....


(it's from Game of Thrones. )

[SpyNote]

I would probably agree with you on the first part. Funny because I only love half of each album. Tango was a Lindsey solo album with extremely little Mac sound. It was pure 80's synth pop. In addition Stevie's songs were flown in rushed demos recorded and thrown on the album. Behind the Mask is a pure group effort. Less pop, more rock. Some great songs but it also has horrible songs like Hard Feelings, Second Time Around, Affairs of the Heart, and Stand on the Rock. The rest of the album is pure magic.

Those are my thoughts about Behind the Mask too. I loved that everyone was singing/writing together. It was great to see the band chemistry that formed between Billy/Christine and Rick/Stevie.

[SpyNote]

I think TOSOTM is not a great album and LB has not aged gracefully.... I'm probably gonna get shot now. Oh well.

I'm not sure if either of those opinions is necessarily unpopular. :laugh: TOSOTM was kind of a polarizing album for Stevie Nicks fans and male rock stars, in general, don't age very gracefully.

[Macfan4life]

Those are my thoughts about Behind the Mask too. I loved that everyone was singing/writing together. It was great to see the band chemistry that formed between Billy/Christine and Rick/Stevie.
Yes, I love the harmonies on the super peppy Skies the limit. I love how Nicks has a rocking duet with Rick Vito with Love is Dangerous. Their voices are so good together. I love Stevie and Billy singing side by side on In the Back of my mind with Christine even taking part in the bridge. I LOVE DO YOU KNOW with Billy and Chris. Its so from the heart. The band sounded very much like Fleetwood Mac with Christine demonstrating keyboard playing again. On Tango, so much was pre-programmed that her playing was lost entirely. If you could drop the Affairs of the Heart, Hard Feelings, Stand on the Rock, and Second Time and add Isn't it Midnight, Tango in the Night, Mystified, Everywhere and Little Lies......that would be the best album ever!!!

[Macfan4life]

I think TOSOTM is not a great album and LB has not aged gracefully.... I'm probably gonna get shot now. Oh well.
Put me down for The Other Side of the Mirror being one of Stevie's best albums. Lindsey Buckingham and Jimmy Iovine were key to making Stevie's songs terrific. I would also add Rupert Hine. I LOVE most of the songs and the writing was her best since Bella Donna. Cry Wolf, Fire Burning and Blue Eyes are the exception. Those are bad. Rooms on Fire is so magical. Long Way to Go so powerful. Two Kinds of Love so romantic and Stevie getting a bit sexual with her description of the meaning of the song. Ooh my love- terrific, Ghosts really good and fantastic lyrics, Whole Lotta trouble is pretty good. Juliet good too. Doing the best that I can is amazing. Rupert Hine did an amazing job. The song is mesmerizing, entrancing....just captured the feeling of the song perfectly. Those lyrics would be impossible to put music and a song to. But Rupert Hine did it. Its such a magic album.

[TheWILDheart]

I think TOSOTM is not a great album and LB has not aged gracefully.... I'm probably gonna get shot now. Oh well.

I agree entirely. TOSOTM is a poorly produced album with average vocal performances and a fair few stinkers.

And Lindsey's face has gone south whilst his hairline has gone north.

[TheWILDheart]

I LOVE most of the songs and the writing was her best since Bella Donna. Cry Wolf, Fire Burning and Blue Eyes are the exception. Those are bad.

Funny you should point those songs out - 2 of those Stevie didn't even write. "Cry Wolf" and "I Still Miss Someone" are covers.

[mitzo]

Linds should have stayed away after Tango and the new lineup would have been so much better.... look at BTM and the new tracks on Greatest Hits!

Linds ruined every Mac endeavour since Rumours, with the exception of his production work on the girls's songs.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Shame!!! ding... Shame!!! ding... Shame!!! ding....


(it's from Game of Thrones. )
At least you didn't drag me out into the street and kill me....... yet.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

I'm not sure if either of those opinions is necessarily unpopular. :laugh: TOSOTM was kind of a polarizing album for Stevie Nicks fans and male rock stars, in general, don't age very gracefully.
I know rock stars age badly. Keith Richard's is proof of that.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

I agree entirely. TOSOTM is a poorly produced album with average vocal performances and a fair few stinkers.

And Lindsey's face has gone south whilst his hairline has gone north.
Holy crap! Someone agreed with me! :shocked:

[DauphineMarie]

I've never listened to a Lindsey solo album, and I never plan on it either. (not) :sorry:

[Newzchspy]

I agree entirely. TOSOTM is a poorly produced album with average vocal performances and a fair few stinkers.

And Lindsey's face has gone south whilst his hairline has gone north.

That may be so, BUT he can still rock the guitar!!

As to what Daniel @spynote stated about aged male rock stars, the female ones don't age so well either. Look at Cher at age 70...................yikes!! Stevie, however, IMHO, till looks great!! Even he Heart Chicks (Ann and Nancy) have held up decently well............

[~*BellaDonna*~]

That may be so, BUT he can still rock the guitar!!

As to what Daniel @spynote stated about aged male rock stars, the female ones don't age so well either. Look at Cher at age 70...................yikes!! Stevie, however, IMHO, till looks great!! Even he Heart Chicks (Ann and Nancy) have held up decently well............
Steven Tyler has aged horribly. He looks a horror movie monster.

[Newzchspy]

Steven Tyler has aged horribly. He looks a horror movie monster.

Like the Skittles commercial??? Hep C doesnt help

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Like the Skittles commercial??? Hep C doesnt help
Honestly, what bothers me most is his choice of clothing. Yikes!

[elle]

Lindsey's solo output is way better than his FM output.

(maybe that doesn't qualify as unpopular since most people don't even know he has a solo output or have never heard it if they do? :shrug: and critics usually rate his solo stuff really high. so it's not unpopular FM opinion with critics, just with the average FM fan and public.)


oh, and Sara is a boring dirge. :distress:

(that other thread just reminded me just how unpopular that opinion is among FM fans!)

[jmn3]

* I can count on my left hand the number of Lindsey solo songs I can even tolerate
* Fleetwood Mac was not better before 1975
* Outside of the band context (and sometimes within), all three of the current singers in the band can write and perform some painfully cheesy things
* The soap opera crap that the fans buy into with the band is as painful as anything the band does to encourage it - when I saw teenagers squealing at the site of L&S hugging in 2014 it made me want to barf. These two are bordering on 70 and have played their stupid 40-year old broken relationship up so much over the years....that ANYONE gives a rat's behind anymore is just beyond me.
* Dreams charting higher than any other post 1975 single honestly befuddles me

[jbrownsjr]

* I can count on my left hand the number of Lindsey solo songs I can even tolerate
* Fleetwood Mac was not better before 1975
* Outside of the band context (and sometimes within), all three of the current singers in the band can write and perform some painfully cheesy things
* The soap opera crap that the fans buy into with the band is as painful as anything the band does to encourage it - when I saw teenagers squealing at the site of L&S hugging in 2014 it made me want to barf. These two are bordering on 70 and have played their stupid 40-year old broken relationship up so much over the years....that ANYONE gives a rat's behind anymore is just beyond me.
* Dreams charting higher than any other post 1975 single honestly befuddles me

omg I love you..

[shackin'up]

oh, and Sara is a boring dirge. :distress:

(that other thread just reminded me just how unpopular that opinion is among FM fans!)

I totally don't understand that opinion. Sara is a work of art. By the whole band. Every detail is beautiful.

[shackin'up]

In hindsight, Gypsy is the last real good song Stevie ever contributed to this band. 1982.

[jbrownsjr]

In hindsight, Gypsy is the last real good song Stevie ever contributed to this band. 1982.

I'm not crazy about her solo work post 1990, either.

[Macfanforever]

Hahahahahahaa.Alot of opinions .Mind as will change the thread title.Lets Trash FM and its members .LOL..


I'll add.Worldturning can get boring after seen it live on the same tour 5 plus times also include some non Stevie tunes too .:shocked:
But it was great to hear and see Chris back live with them again.

[Macfanforever]

Steven Tyler has aged horribly. He looks a horror movie monster.

He looks like an old lady.LOL................

[Macfanforever]

I agree entirely. TOSOTM is a poorly produced album with average vocal performances and a fair few stinkers.

And Lindsey's face has gone south whilst his hairline has gone north.


Some of us including yours truly is in the same boat as Lindsey is.

[Macfanforever]

It's great having two threads on the go at the same time about the same topic.
:shrug:


Now we have it in Stereo.LOL..............................Just being funny.

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Blue Lamp is highly overrated, in my opinion. :sorry:

[Macfanforever]

Print the tix 7:30 pm start time for fans can get in on time .Stop the 8:20 BS and come out on time at 8pm .

[macpai]

The one song I can't seem to handle live is "Gypsy."

[On Ice]

The soap opera crap that the fans buy into with the band is as painful as anything the band does to encourage it - when I saw teenagers squealing at the site of L&S hugging in 2014 it made me want to barf. These two are bordering on 70 and have played their stupid 40-year old broken relationship up so much over the years....that ANYONE gives a rat's behind anymore is just beyond me.

I agree it's so cringeworthy (not to mention kind of creepy) to still be talking about relationships that ended 40 years ago as if it were yesterday. What it should be is a tiny footnote in what made Rumours great, but it really has no bearing on anything happening today, to folks approaching 70 years old. To me, it is a very cheesey and cynical marketing ploy, for a band that wanted to go in a direction so far away from Rumours in 1979, it has spent the last 40 years capitalizing on something that happened within about a 2year time frame. So much life has happened since, move on already :sorry:

[Macfan4life]

Blue Lamp is highly overrated, in my opinion. :sorry:
There is a large group headed your way with pitch forks. Duck and run :eek:

:)

[~*BellaDonna*~]

There is a large group headed your way with pitch forks. Duck and run :eek:

:)
I thought that might happen.

[guillamene]

Great thread!
Says a lot that John's name is mentioned so infrequently in thes posts..................

[jbrownsjr]

There is a large group headed your way with pitch forks. Duck and run :eek:

:)

What's worse? The revenge of the shippers or Chiffon heads??

Don't get the crazy people all riled up... :lol:

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Dreams is tired to the point of being bad. Played far too many times live... Stevie just kinda goes through the motions when she sings it now. They really should retire it. I can't take hearing it anymore... :sorry:

[~*BellaDonna*~]

What's worse? The revenge of the shippers or Chiffon heads??

Don't get the crazy people all riled up... :lol:
I'm not hiding. I'm not scared. :p

[aleuzzi]

1. As good--no, great--as some of Stevie's solo songs are, she has never produced an entirely satisfying album that I can enjoy from start to finish. Maybe it's the nature of the act--I can take her in smaller doses interspersed with songs from Lindsey and Christine. This may be true of all of the current Mac frontline; but both Lindsey and Christine have solo albums I can listen to from front to back (Out of the Cradle and In the Meantime).

2. Oh Daddy is one of the strongest songs on Rumours.

[sarafield]

They should forget about a new album. They haven't written anything "new" in 30 years, and that includes solo albums.

[jbrownsjr]

1. As good--no, great--as some of Stevie's solo songs are, she has never produced an entirely satisfying album that I can enjoy from start to finish. Maybe it's the nature of the act--I can take her in smaller doses interspersed with songs from Lindsey and Christine. This may be true of all of the current Mac frontline; but both Lindsey and Christine have solo albums I can listen to from front to back (Out of the Cradle and In the Meantime).

2. Oh Daddy is one of the strongest songs on Rumours.

Agree so much on both points!

[The Highwayman]

1. As good--no, great--as some of Stevie's solo songs are, she has never produced an entirely satisfying album that I can enjoy from start to finish. Maybe it's the nature of the act--I can take her in smaller doses interspersed with songs from Lindsey and Christine. This may be true of all of the current Mac frontline; but both Lindsey and Christine have solo albums I can listen to from front to back (Out of the Cradle and In the Meantime).

Ah, differing opinions make the world go 'round. I have yet to really listen to Christine's solo stuff, but I'm with you on OOTC; totally flawless, an insult to even think of skipping a track. BUT the album that I personally feel is 100% perfect top to bottom, an album that immediately improves my mood every time I listen to it, is Bella Donna. For my part I think it's the best FM-related album in existence, an album I love more than Stevie's other solo efforts, more than even Lindsey's incredible solo output, even more than every Fleetwood Mac album. Crazy? Maybe. Crazy in love with Stevie and her incredible songwriting.

2. Oh Daddy is one of the strongest songs on Rumours.

All 12 tracks on Rumours are the strongest tracks on the album. Like Bella Donna and Out of the Cradle (and Tusk), Rumours is perfection.

[WalkAThinLine.]

1) Say You Will is better than Buckingham/McVie (both are still enjoyable listens)

2) Buckingham's Mirage songs are better than Nicks' and only slightly better than McVie's (despite the inclusion of "Oh Diane")

3) With the exception of "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace", and "Stop Dragging My Heart Around", Bella Donna is rather generic and boring

4) The music of Fleetwood Mac is more interesting than the personal drama

5) Christine's voice on the pre-Penguin material is relatively difficult to listen to (although the songs themselves are fine)

6) I love Mick Fleetwood's vest solo

[HomerMcvie]

1) Say You Will is better than Buckingham/McVie (both are still enjoyable listens)

2) Buckingham's Mirage songs are better than Nicks' and only slightly better than McVie's (despite the inclusion of "Oh Diane")

3) With the exception of "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace", and "Stop Dragging My Heart Around", Bella Donna is rather generic and boring

4) The music of Fleetwood Mac is more interesting than the personal drama

5) Christine's voice on the pre-Penguin material is relatively difficult to listen to (although the songs themselves are fine)

6) I love Mick Fleetwood's vest solo
You're only correct on #4. As far as the rest, you're cray cray.

[Villavic]

Interesting points. My thoughts:


1) Say You Will is better than Buckingham/McVie (both are still enjoyable listens)
Well I choice B/M as better than SYW, just from a "what do I enjoy the most" point of view (I mean I'm not a music pro just a mortal die hard fan)

2) Buckingham's Mirage songs are better than Nicks' and only slightly better than McVie's (despite the inclusion of "Oh Diane")
I'd say it's a tie.

3) With the exception of "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace", and "Stop Dragging My Heart Around", Bella Donna is rather generic and boring.
Can't comment cause I'm not enough fan of any solo work of FM members, so I don't usually listen whole solo albums. The only entire album I do enjoy is Out of the Craddle (and sometimes In the Meantime).

4) The music of Fleetwood Mac is more interesting than the personal drama
Of course! far more interesting, enjoyable, etc.! Though I agree when I read Stevie and Mick destroyed the band, the legacy, the farewell etc etc, I'm so tired of reading insults and sarcasms to those two. But I'm never saturated of listening the music of Fleetwood Mac.

5) Christine's voice on the pre-Penguin material is relatively difficult to listen to (although the songs themselves are fine).
I usually listen Rumours lineup albums so I've to review her previous songs

6) I love Mick Fleetwood's vest solo.
I liked his Tango tour performance but it's the only one I've seen, and just in video.

[Macfan4life]

I love this thread. I went back and I had a few comments but I never gave a list. I love when people stick to the intent of the thread. Many pages back people started giving their favorite stuff. Many unpopular opinions really were not unpopular. I am sticking to the script and here is my list. Get your tomatoes and tambourines ready to throw at me:


Say You Will is a great album

Stevie's Mirage songs are the best she has contributed other than Rumours
(notice 2 of them have no chorus just like the brilliant Sara)

Tusk and The Ledge are the worst songs on Tusk but Tusk still is a fine album

BTM has one of the best album covers in Fleetwood Mac history

The 1990 Farewell concert was better than the Dance

Street Angel and OSOTM are good albums

1991 Timespace versions of Rhiannon and Landslide are some of the best ever

Tango In The Night has the worst album cover in Fleetwood Mac history

Big Love is the worst single Fleetwood Mac ever released and is the only cheezy single they ever released.

Nights In Estoril made Time worth it and is one of Chris's best Fleetwood Mac songs

Stevie's backing vocals on Say You Love me and Go Your Own Way on the 1980 live album ruin both songs.

Oh Daddy is the best musical track the band created

Bella Donna is almost as good as Rumours

The Highwayman and Jane are fantastic songs and great album closers

Mystery To Me and Heroes Are Hard To Find are just as good as the White Album and Rumours

Lindsey is a really good singer

RAL is the worst album of any solo careers or group recordings

Only Over You is a fantastic song and one of the better songs on Mirage

World Turning is a great song but loses all of its magic in concert

Chris backing Lindsey on I'm So Afraid is better than Stevie

The 1980 Live album is one of the band's best releases

Lindsey's Oh Well is the best version of the song ever including Green

Bob Welch is responsible for making the band an American super group

[DownOnRodeo]

2) Buckingham's Mirage songs are better than Nicks' and only slightly better than McVie's (despite the inclusion of "Oh Diane")

I like how you drew a line at poor old "Oh Diane" :laugh:

[jbrownsjr]

I love this thread. I went back and I had a few comments but I never gave a list. I love when people stick to the intent of the thread. Many pages back people started giving their favorite stuff. Many unpopular opinions really were not unpopular. I am sticking to the script and here is my list. Get your tomatoes and tambourines ready to throw at me:


Say You Will is a great album

Stevie's Mirage songs are the best she has contributed other than Rumours
(notice 2 of them have no chorus just like the brilliant Sara)

Tusk and The Ledge are the worst songs on Tusk but Tusk still is a fine album

BTM has one of the best album covers in Fleetwood Mac history

The 1990 Farewell concert was better than the Dance

Street Angel and OSOTM are good albums

1991 Timespace versions of Rhiannon and Landslide are some of the best ever

Tango In The Night has the worst album cover in Fleetwood Mac history

Big Love is the worst single Fleetwood Mac ever released and is the only cheezy single they ever released.

Nights In Estoril made Time worth it and is one of Chris's best Fleetwood Mac songs

Stevie's backing vocals on Say You Love me and Go Your Own Way on the 1980 live album ruin both songs.

Oh Daddy is the best musical track the band created

Bella Donna is almost as good as Rumours

The Highwayman and Jane are fantastic songs and great album closers

Mystery To Me and Heroes Are Hard To Find are just as good as the White Album and Rumours

Lindsey is a really good singer

RAL is the worst album of any solo careers or group recordings

Only Over You is a fantastic song and one of the better songs on Mirage

World Turning is a great song but loses all of its magic in concert

Chris backing Lindsey on I'm So Afraid is better than Stevie

The 1980 Live album is one of the band's best releases

Lindsey's Oh Well is the best version of the song ever including Green

Bob Welch is responsible for making the band an American super group

We agree on so much! I love Big love (why it was first single was a big mis step). SYW has grown on me but still not a great "Album". Love OSOTM and RAL, don't care for Street Angel. Christine's solo show WT was fantastic with Hawkins. Chili and I would disagree about LB's Oh Well. (I love it too) I don't really like NIghts in Estoril. And yes, on BWelch! He was a Welch Witch.

[Macfan4life]

We agree on so much! I love Big love (why it was first single was a big mis step). SYW has grown on me but still not a great "Album". Love OSOTM and RAL, don't care for Street Angel. Christine's solo show WT was fantastic with Hawkins. Chili and I would disagree about LB's Oh Well. (I love it too) I don't really like NIghts in Estoril. And yes, on BWelch! He was a Welch Witch.
We are the Boppsy twins.
:)

I wonder what Greta would say..

[mitzo]

1) Say You Will is better than Buckingham/McVie (both are still enjoyable listens)

2) Buckingham's Mirage songs are better than Nicks' and only slightly better than McVie's (despite the inclusion of "Oh Diane")

3) With the exception of "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace", and "Stop Dragging My Heart Around", Bella Donna is rather generic and boring

4) The music of Fleetwood Mac is more interesting than the personal drama

5) Christine's voice on the pre-Penguin material is relatively difficult to listen to (although the songs themselves are fine)

6) I love Mick Fleetwood's vest solo

Agree on #1 and #3. BD is so boring!

[jbrownsjr]

Agree on #1 and #3. BD is so boring!

You guys are crazy! Bella Donna is extraordinary.

[HomerMcvie]

You guys are crazy! Bella Donna is extraordinary.

Bella Donna is a MASTERPIECE. The pinnacle of her career. Anyone who doesn't like it lacks musical taste, and I would guess embraces the synth pop fluff years, because they don't understand REAL MUSICIANS playing. "Ew, I can't dance to that!"

That said, it's amazing that this dolt pulled off a masterpiece. So I lay this all at Jimmy's feet. She should have WELDED her rusted bumper to his trailer hitch, and hung on for dear life, for the rest of her life.

[jbrownsjr]

Bella Donna is a MASTERPIECE. The pinnacle of her career. Anyone who doesn't like it lacks musical taste, and I would guess embraces the synth pop fluff years, because they don't understand REAL MUSICIANS playing. "Ew, I can't dance to that!"

That said, it's amazing that this dolt pulled off a masterpiece. So I lay this all at Jimmy's feet. She should have WELDED her rusted bumper to his trailer hitch, and hung on for dear life, for the rest of her life.

While I'm glad we agree on Bella Donna, I'm gonna give Stevie a little more credit. Lyrically and vocally it's beautiful too. Start to finish, she shines.

[HomerMcvie]

While I'm glad we agree on Bella Donna, I'm gonna give Stevie a little more credit. Lyrically and vocally it's beautiful too. Start to finish, she shines.

The production is what makes the album great. Yeah, she spewed some words out, and Jimmy turned them into PLATINUM.

That's what you meant to say, right? There, I fixed it for ya!:p

[jbrownsjr]

The production is what makes the album great. Yeah, she spewed some words out, and Jimmy turned them into PLATINUM.

That's what you meant to say, right? There, I fixed it for ya!:p

Go grow some more tomatoes and leave me alone! I'm a Nightbird in the wind. You can't catch me.

[UnwindedDreams]

Agree on #1 and #3. BD is so boring!
Do you like any of Lindsey’s songs on SYW?

SYW’s 9 tracks are Stevie’s best solo album.

[Villavic]

Tango In The Night has the worst album cover in Fleetwood Mac history


Worse than Heroes are hard to find??? If that is true I need therapy. :lol:

[WalkAThinLine.]

I love this thread. I went back and I had a few comments but I never gave a list. I love when people stick to the intent of the thread. Many pages back people started giving their favorite stuff. Many unpopular opinions really were not unpopular. I am sticking to the script and here is my list. Get your tomatoes and tambourines ready to throw at me:


Say You Will is a great album

Stevie's Mirage songs are the best she has contributed other than Rumours
(notice 2 of them have no chorus just like the brilliant Sara)

Tusk and The Ledge are the worst songs on Tusk but Tusk still is a fine album

BTM has one of the best album covers in Fleetwood Mac history

The 1990 Farewell concert was better than the Dance

Street Angel and OSOTM are good albums

1991 Timespace versions of Rhiannon and Landslide are some of the best ever

Tango In The Night has the worst album cover in Fleetwood Mac history

Big Love is the worst single Fleetwood Mac ever released and is the only cheezy single they ever released.

Nights In Estoril made Time worth it and is one of Chris's best Fleetwood Mac songs

Stevie's backing vocals on Say You Love me and Go Your Own Way on the 1980 live album ruin both songs.

Oh Daddy is the best musical track the band created

Bella Donna is almost as good as Rumours

The Highwayman and Jane are fantastic songs and great album closers

Mystery To Me and Heroes Are Hard To Find are just as good as the White Album and Rumours

Lindsey is a really good singer

RAL is the worst album of any solo careers or group recordings

Only Over You is a fantastic song and one of the better songs on Mirage

World Turning is a great song but loses all of its magic in concert

Chris backing Lindsey on I'm So Afraid is better than Stevie

The 1980 Live album is one of the band's best releases

Lindsey's Oh Well is the best version of the song ever including Green

Bob Welch is responsible for making the band an American super group

Some of these are certainly hot takes, so I'll go through some of them. Gypsy is the only song of Stevie's Mirage material that I really enjoy. The country tinge to "That's Alright" is off-putting and "Straight Back" is a limper "Sisters of the Moon", the latter of which is one of Fleetwood Mac's best songs of all time. Tango in the Night happens to be one of my favorite album covers, so go figure. I don't strongly dislike the Behind the Mask cover art, although I wish it was more mask oriented, something along the lines of the single art found on "Save Me".

"Big Love" was an interesting choice as a first single, but there weren't really any clear candidates of his that would have worked (although I enjoy all of his songs on that album). "Nights in Estoril" seems to be largely adored by most people here and I also agree with that sentiment. As for the Live album, their performance of "Say You Love Me" in general doesn't translate super well. Buckingham's guitar is overly distorted and not in time during certain sections of the song and Nicks also doesn't blend super well. I don't have many problems with "Go Your Own Way". The instrumental recording of "Oh Daddy" is very good and features some of McVie's most tasteful keyboard playing. It's difficult to directly compare Mystery to Me & Heroes are Hard to Find to Fleetwood Mac and Rumours, although Mystery to Me is better than Fleetwood Mac at the very least. Mick Fleetwood's I'm Not Me is probably worse that Stevie's Rock a Little, although "I Want You Back" is still fantastic.

[jbrownsjr]

Worse than Heroes are hard to find??? If that is true I need therapy. :lol:

I love the Heroes concept and photos! :lol:

[HomerMcvie]

Go grow some more tomatoes and leave me alone! I'm a Nightbird in the wind. You can't catch me.

I just ate one!

You're doing something in the wind...:laugh:

[David]

My truly unpopular opinions:

Street Angel is Stevie’s best overall solo album, but Shangri La has the highest high points. Still, I can find something on all the albums to love.

I greatly prefer Lindsey’s singing voice before he hit about age 35. So many people say they prefer his deeper middle-age voice, but not me, bucko.

The band hasn’t been terribly interesting (to me) or innovative as a live act since the 1980 shows. Up till that time, they had the same funky energy as the Talking Heads and were a truly great live act. After that, I was more interested in their studio work than their concerts.

Fleetwood Mac has this reputation for great harmonizing, but after Rumours, did they even harmonize that much? Or well?

Individually, the instrumentalists in the band from 1975 to 1997 (or 2015) were never virtuosos. Their individual technique on their respective instruments was hampered by being less than technically gifted. (Even Lindsey’s Travis picking is usually sloppy and stumbling.) Their style, however, is what made them fascinating. They were all such batsh*t, idiosyncratic players that the tension between their technical shortcomings and their personal voice is what made them legendary and what made them more enduring than the conventional hotshots in music. Think of Dylan: terrible singer in conventional terms but a vocal personality that is so “right” it’s legendary. Sometimes the oddballs feel up the yin and the yang of the music a million times better than the Eddie Van Halens and Keith Emersons.

Despite his songs — many of which are quite cool — onstage Bob Welch was charmless — sort of pushy and geeky. (Offstage, however, he was a good conversationalist in interviews.)

I wish Dave Walker had written more music for Fleetwood Mac. “The Derelict” is the only song I really love.

I’ve always hated the site design on the Penguin, and I vastly preferred the Matt Wright script on the very first Ledge. The current, longtime message board design frustrates me to no end, and I take it out on loved ones.

[Macfan4life]

I am shocked to see someone else liking Street Angel. Its not her best but its a good album or at least half of it is very solid. Its a return to a guitar orientated country rock vibe that suits her well. Vocally its her last album where she is not flat and has a great voice. She is not trying to be a radio pop star on the album. Its more classic and vintage Stevie. And I love that. Although it was a mistake her doing a Bob Dylan song. But I do like it when Stevie writes about current events like the Gulf War and homeless children.

Bella Donna is a masterpiece like Rumours. She wrote awesome songs and her musicians and players were some of the best. Yes Jimmy deserves major credit. But while SDMHA does add the the album. The album did not need it. Jimmy's fear was that the album was good but no one would hear it because it had not catchy pop rock radio songs that would chart as singles. He was right in a sense that SDMHA charted highest. But Edge of 17 and Leather and Lace would have worked just fine as the major hits on the album. I bet Edge of 17 would have been a fantastic lead off single into the top 10 easily.

People are misinterpreting my Big Love comments. I dont find it odd at all that the record company picked it as the first single. It was edgy and fit with the spring of 1987 perfectly. Of course it was going to be a big hit. However its a song you never hear anymore even on 80s channels. The song has no legs and is fairly cheezy. Lindsey did a nice acoustic in 1997 but even that got old after awhile. I am a horrible song writer and I could have written that song in study hall in high school.

[Karlie]

Do you like any of Lindsey’s songs on SYW?

SYW’s 9 tracks are Stevie’s best solo album.

I’ve always thought SYW and Tusk contained Stevie’s best work. Thrown Down, Destiny Rules, Everybody Finds Out, and Smile At You are masterpieces IMO. Though lately I’ve realized that John’s bass parts are what really make those songs excellent.

[jbrownsjr]

I’ve always thought SYW and Tusk contained Stevie’s best work. Thrown Down, Destiny Rules, Everybody Finds Out, and Smile At You are masterpieces IMO. Though lately I’ve realized that John’s bass parts are what really make those songs excellent.

First thing that I've ever loved about SYW... John McVie.

[jmn3]

* I can count on my left hand the number of Lindsey solo songs I can even tolerate
* Fleetwood Mac was not better before 1975
* Outside of the band context (and sometimes within), all three of the current singers in the band can write and perform some painfully cheesy things
* The soap opera crap that the fans buy into with the band is as painful as anything the band does to encourage it - when I saw teenagers squealing at the site of L&S hugging in 2014 it made me want to barf. These two are bordering on 70 and have played their stupid 40-year old broken relationship up so much over the years....that ANYONE gives a rat's behind anymore is just beyond me.
* Dreams charting higher than any other post 1975 single honestly befuddles me

So these types of threads are always very interesting to me because EVERYONE seems to have a bunch that stir the pot up. My response to something like this can often morph with time so I thought it would be good to go back 7 years to my 2016 post and see what I think of what I wrote back then...

1) I liked several songs on Lindsey's latest solo album so maybe I might need my right hand now in addition
2) Yep, this still stands. Even our beloved songbird Christine, some of her songs are just pure saccharine crap.
3) This still stands x10000000 - the 'kids' are all over TikTok daily with their L&S conspiracies and stories of never-ending love. GMAFB. She dumped him more than 45 years ago. People are so dumb.
4) Still agree here. Dreams is a good song. I can't believe it's their highest charting song to this day. Go Your Own Way is far superior and I could name five others, including several of Stevie's, that deserved better chart performance. Come at me with your daggers for this one!

Okay so what else would I add?

*The Rumours era lineup is far superior to anything before or after it. I don't want to hear about Peter and the blues and how popular they were in the UK. There's a reason this iteration was and is the most popular.
*Stolen from someone else and related to above, Lindsey's live version of Oh Well (in particular that one on the 1980 album) is the best.
*Bella Donna is a solid album. It's not a masterpiece or a top album of all time. It's by far Stevie's best album, but it sure as hell isn't a Rumours, Sticky Fingers, or Dark Side of the Moon.
*That version of If You Were My Love that Stevie finally went out with SUCKS. It's lame and boring. It compares to the Mirage era demo the same way that dopey Smile at You on SYW does to the Mirage era demo.
*Tusk is too long - Lindsey and Christine have unnecessary songs that could go away.
*Tango in the Night has a number of great songs (title track, Everywhere, Isn't it Midnight, Seven Wonders, Little Lies, Big Love) but it also has things like Mystified, Family Man, WTTRS, WISYA, and Caroline that suck. The production is way too 80's and it just doesn't hold up like other albums have.
*Say You Will is a good album it just has ten too many songs
*Stevie didn't have a dud on a Fleetwood Mac album until Tango
*Stevie's solo career is questionable from a "rock and roll" standpoint - every album has at least one song I either like or can at least tolerate but every album starting with The Wild Heart is full of wayyy too much crap

[vivfox]

Get your tomatoes and tambourines ready to throw at me:
(Paraphrased) Jane is a fantastic song and great album closer.

Hahaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaa
That's like saying Manichewitz wine is the preferred taste for wine connoisseurs.

[GypsySorcerer]

1) It was the right decision to include I Don't Want to Know on Rumours rather than Silver Springs.
2) Since at least 2003, Lindsey has been a far more interesting songwriter than Stevie.
3) Christine's Tusk songs are underrated.
4) Behind the Mask is better than given credit for.
5) I love "Temporary One."
6) Stevie is terrible on the Live in Boston recording. Beautiful Child being the exception.
7) I like Over My Head better than Say You Love Me.
8) Caroline is unfairly maligned.

All of these still apply. Lol

I will also add that I think most of the singles from Stevie's solo career are quite mid. Like, I get why "Stand Back" was a hit in 1983, but it's aged poorly and I never feel a need to listen to it.

[Villavic]

1) I like Family Man
2) I like Tusk but its rhythm is a bit monotonous, specially Lindsey's songs
3) I think what is described in Mick's book, about what happened on august 7 1987, is true

[mitzo]

The production is what makes the album great. Yeah, she spewed some words out, and Jimmy turned them into PLATINUM.

That's what you meant to say, right? There, I fixed it for ya!:p

The production on BD is what ruins it. Doesn't lift the songs, it pulls them down. So damn dull.

[justcrazylove]

I am shocked to see someone else liking Street Angel. Its not her best but its a good album or at least half of it is very solid. Its a return to a guitar orientated country rock vibe that suits her well. Vocally its her last album where she is not flat and has a great voice. She is not trying to be a radio pop star on the album. Its more classic and vintage Stevie. And I love that. Although it was a mistake her doing a Bob Dylan song. But I do like it when Stevie writes about current events like the Gulf War and homeless children.

Bella Donna is a masterpiece like Rumours. She wrote awesome songs and her musicians and players were some of the best. Yes Jimmy deserves major credit. But while SDMHA does add the the album. The album did not need it. Jimmy's fear was that the album was good but no one would hear it because it had not catchy pop rock radio songs that would chart as singles. He was right in a sense that SDMHA charted highest. But Edge of 17 and Leather and Lace would have worked just fine as the major hits on the album. I bet Edge of 17 would have been a fantastic lead off single into the top 10 easily.

People are misinterpreting my Big Love comments. I dont find it odd at all that the record company picked it as the first single. It was edgy and fit with the spring of 1987 perfectly. Of course it was going to be a big hit. However its a song you never hear anymore even on 80s channels. The song has no legs and is fairly cheezy. Lindsey did a nice acoustic in 1997 but even that got old after awhile. I am a horrible song writer and I could have written that song in study hall in high school.


BHAHAHAHAHAHA.......BHAHAHAHAHAHA Sure Jan!

[aleuzzi]

Apologies if what I list has already been stated.

—I prefer Green’s songs on Mr Wonderful to anything from the first FM album.

—Fleetwood Mac in Chicago (Blues Jam at Chess) is by far and away the band’s best album from the 1960s

—Kiln House is better than Then Play On

—Kiln House is in the top three or four FM albums of their entire catalogue

—Bob Welch’s Future Games songs are the best material on that album

—Monday Morning is a pleasant but overrated song

—Lindsey’s vocal on ISA is terrible

—Say You Love Me is more groundbreaking and iconic than Rhiannon

—The song Tusk is in the top 3-4 all-time best FM songs

—I know I’m Not Wrong stinks

—The early version of Christine’s TAB (sans guitar and Lindsey’s vocal) is better than the final version

—Christine’s demo for “One More Night” is one of her best performances and one of the best FM recordings

—The 1982 live version of Eyes surpasses the studio version

—About 1/2 of Tango rings false.

—Christine’s vocal on “You and I, Part 2” is superior to the album version

—Skies the Limit is worse than When I See You Again

—Time is Better than Mask

—The four new Dance songs are better than almost anything else on that record

—Although uneven, Say You Will is the band’s best album since Tusk

—Buckingham/McVie is the best FM since 1982

[Macfan4life]

BHAHAHAHAHAHA.......BHAHAHAHAHAHA Sure Jan!
I'm walking down the street
There is a house on the hill
The night is so still
Looking for love. Love love love All the love

You always said you loved me
You know you wanted to live in my house on that hill
Looking for love. Love love love. All the love

I wake up its really a dream
but I trip and fall
Looking for love. That love love love



Pretty good eh?

[Macfan4life]

Thought of another one that definitely is an unpopular opinion.
I like Desert Angel. I think the military style drum march is pretty cool. The lyrics would be hard to put to music but I think it works rather well. I love the rare klonopin howls and screams at the end too. So rare. I think some of the lyrics are a bit arrogant and cheezy but somehow it all works.
I actually like all 3 new songs on Timespace.

Now everybody go get their water cannons ready. I will be right here.

[HomerMcvie]

The production on BD is what ruins it. Doesn't lift the songs, it pulls them down. So damn dull.

So THAT'S why it was her best selling album.

Check.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[mitzo]

So THAT'S why it was her best selling album.

Check.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I thought we weren't supposed to measure quality by sales? Or are we making an exception here?

[jbrownsjr]

All of these still apply. Lol

I will also add that I think most of the singles from Stevie's solo career are quite mid. Like, I get why "Stand Back" was a hit in 1983, but it's aged poorly and I never feel a need to listen to it.

I always love you pop back up after a long sabbatical. :xoxo:

[jbrownsjr]

Soldier's Angel is one of the worst songsI've ever heard and I can never make it through to the end. It's like trying to eat a full can of salt.

As Long As You Follow should have have charted top 10.

Stevie should never sing on ISA, Don't Stop, and World Turning.

Skies The Limit keyboard voicings are really bad and Greg should be fired for letting her use them.

The Dance Chain is terrible in it's abbreviated style.

Dreams live is so boring, I wish Bekka was back. That's how bad it is. Dream solo live is even worse.

I love Big Love and all it's solo cousins. (too many to name)

I love Family Man

I love NTF live on Mirage and FM Live. But more Mirage.

Eyes of The World without Christine is just stupid.

Live in Boston is boring.

SYW is a sloppy mess.

When I See You Again is fabulous and her voice fits the lyrics. You people stop making fun of it!!

Stevie on piano breaks a law against nature. So bad.

[vivfox]

Never Make Me Cry and Not That Funny should have been removed from the Tusk album and replaced with Silver Springs. Homer was the one who first pointed out how SS would have sounded perfect with all of SN's other Tusk songs and I wholeheartedly agree.

[aleuzzi]

Soldier's Angel is one of the worst songsI've ever heard and I can never make it through to the end. It's like trying to eat a full can of salt.

As Long As You Follow should have have charted top 10...

Skies The Limit keyboard voicings are really bad and Greg should be fired for letting her use them.

I love Big Love and all it's solo cousins. (too many to name)


Stevie on piano breaks a law against nature. So bad.

I would submit that none of these are unpopular opinions! :]

[HomerMcvie]

I thought we weren't supposed to measure quality by sales? Or are we making an exception here?

It's the $tevie way!

It's her BEST album, by far. It has nothing to do with numbers. It sounds like a real band. No synth pop garbage. Clearly, you lack taste.

[aleuzzi]

My truly unpopular opinions:


I greatly prefer Lindsey’s singing voice before he hit about age 35. So many people say they prefer his deeper middle-age voice, but not me, bucko.

The band hasn’t been terribly interesting (to me) or innovative as a live act since the 1980 shows. Up till that time, they had the same funky energy as the Talking Heads and were a truly great live act. After that, I was more interested in their studio work than their concerts.

Fleetwood Mac has this reputation for great harmonizing, but after Rumours, did they even harmonize that much? Or well?

Individually, the instrumentalists in the band from 1975 to 1997 (or 2015) were never virtuosos. Their individual technique on their respective instruments was hampered by being less than technically gifted. (Even Lindsey’s Travis picking is usually sloppy and stumbling.) Their style, however, is what made them fascinating. They were all such batsh*t, idiosyncratic players that the tension between their technical shortcomings and their personal voice is what made them legendary and what made them more enduring than the conventional hotshots in music. Think of Dylan: terrible singer in conventional terms but a vocal personality that is so “right” it’s legendary. Sometimes the oddballs feel up the yin and the yang of the music a million times better than the Eddie Van Halens and Keith Emersons.

Despite his songs — many of which are quite cool — onstage Bob Welch was charmless — sort of pushy and geeky. (Offstage, however, he was a good conversationalist in interviews.)



I’m not sure any of these are unpopular opinions. They seem spot on to me. The only thing I’d argue is that the band’s 1982 version of Not That Funny is among their best live work...

[jbrownsjr]

I would submit that none of these are unpopular opinions! :]

I assumed because they were mine, they would be unpopular by default. :D

[aleuzzi]

I assumed because they were mine, they would be unpopular by default. :D

Not a chance. Many of them strike me as obvious. I’m surprised no one has noticed my Kiln House comments (page 12).

[jbrownsjr]

Not a chance. Many of them strike me as obvious. I’m surprised no one has noticed my Kiln House comments (page 12).

Yea, I love that album. So, I glossed it. Love Danny, too.

[GypsySorcerer]

I always love you pop back up after a long sabbatical. :xoxo:

Faith in cycles and all. :laugh::xoxo:

[Macfan4life]

I assumed because they were mine, they would be unpopular by default. :D
Most of your list is the vast majority of popular opinion ;)
We want red meat.
The Second Time is your all time favorite vocal.

[jmn3]

When I See You Again is fabulous and her voice fits the lyrics. You people stop making fun of it!!
.

You must now go stare at the stairs for a TBD amount of time as your punishment

[jbrownsjr]

You must now go stare at the stairs for a TBD amount of time as your punishment

You must listen to Second Time with Homer followed by WISYA. But only looping the outros of the latter...

[HomerMcvie]

You must listen to Second Time with Homer followed by WISYA. But only looping the outros of the latter...

I don't mind WISYA. The Second Time is a different story, though.

[jmn3]

You must listen to Second Time with Homer followed by WISYA. But only looping the outros of the latter...

Now you’re just being cruel!

[HomerMcvie]

:(:(:(:(:(
Now you’re just being cruel!

[jbrownsjr]

Now you’re just being cruel!

My first interaction with Homer was him chastising me for not knowing that Christine's rack had a B3 shaped into it.

Best thing she's ever taught me. all down hill from there... :wavey:

[UnwindedDreams]

I don't mind WISYA. The Second Time is a different story, though.
Finally people are speaking about The Second Time. It is so dreary it makes me want to stay in bed for a whole day.

This is my least favorite Stevie song...that being said, I would have welcomed hearing it live in an FM set just to hear something different.

[jmn3]

Finally people are speaking about The Second Time. It is so dreary it makes me want to stay in bed for a whole day.

This is my least favorite Stevie song...that being said, I would have welcomed hearing it live in an FM set just to hear something different.

I feel the same way about When I See You Again, which I absolutely loathe. In an alternate universe where Lindsey toured for Tango, I think it would’ve been an incredible live piece instead of Landslide (or HAEWAFY that was done in the actual tour). I also think it would’ve been worthwhile exploring in the post-Dance era too.

[jmn3]

My first interaction with Homer was him chastising me for not knowing that Christine's rack had a B3 shaped into it.

Best thing she's ever taught me. all down hill from there... :wavey:

Now we’re talking about Christine’s rack - have you all no shame?

[jbrownsjr]

Now we’re talking about Christine’s rack - have you all no shame?

We see her rack many times in the Mirage Live Forum HBO concert.

[jmn3]

We see her rack many times in the Mirage Live Forum HBO concert.

Y’all got too much freedom in your mouths

[aleuzzi]

Y’all got too much freedom in your mouths

They’re devils and angels

[jbrownsjr]

They’re devils and angels

and they are HARD to find.