What if Tusk had appeared in 1977?

[Villavic]

8 Mirage
7 Future Games
6 Tango in the night
5 Bare Trees
4 [Peter Green's] Fleetwood Mac
3 Fleetwood Mac
2 Tusk
1 Rumours

Reading this "FM albums ranked" thread from the Early Years forum, where some ledgies place Tusk in N.1 and Rumours in N.2, I just thought, what would have happened if Tusk had been released in 1977? And Rumours in 1979? Just switch the album dates.

I don't know how differently Tusk would have been received, but I'm sure that Rumours, though quite successful anyway, would not have been the phenomenon that it was. By 1979 music was already changing.

[HomerMcvie]

They would've been dropped, and this board wouldn't exist. Rumours will always be #1.

[WalkAThinLine.]

Tusk was created as a response to the commercial success of Rumours, so it would be difficult to imagine a world where this would occur. Sure, Mirage was seen by the band as a safe return to the Rumours formula, but the two albums are still very distinct from each other (the byproduct of being recorded six years apart from one another).

But if we were to humor this idea and 'Tusk was released in 1977, I'm not entirely sure if the band would be bold enough to release the title track as the lead single. They may have been inclined to select a more surefire hit. The problem is that the album is somewhat lacking in that department, with only "Think About Me", "Angel", and to a lesser extent "I Know I'm Not Wrong" being the only single-friendly songs on the album. Rumours was released at just the right time, although many of the songs that were successful in 1977 would still be able to attain a degree of chart success in 1979, particularly with "Go Your Own Way" and "Dreams". "Don't Stop" would potentially sound a bit dated by 1979, but programmers could still potentially fit the song on some playlists. I've always thought that "Second Hand News" would be a good contender for a single, but I'm not sure if this would be less likely to happen in 1979.

[Villavic]

But if we were to humor this idea and 'Tusk was released in 1977, I'm not entirely sure if the band would be bold enough to release the title track as the lead single.

Was Tusk the lead single in the US? I was 13 in 1979 and wasn't a Mac fan yet, so my memory can betray me, but the only new Mac song I heard in the peruvian radios in 1979/80 was Sara. Years later, a cover of Angel (with different lyric) was used for an Ammen shampoo commercial.

I guess I would remember Tusk on radios, cause those "different" songs always caught my attention (like Bohemian Rhapsody), but I don't. So I wonder how did the Tusk song fare worldwide.

Just for fun here's the commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-JIEv91oE

[HomerMcvie]

Was Tusk the lead single in the US?

Know what's weird? I don't remember. I remember the Mirage songs being released, but not Tusk(even though Tusk was my first FM concert). BUT, doing the math, I was still a kid when Tusk came out, trapped in my bedroom, listening to entire albums. By Mirage, I had my license, and was out and about, listening to the radio in the car. I'll never forget(pun) when Hold Me was released, screaming at my friends to STFU, and cranking the radio. Oh, for a Time(pun) machine...

[Macfan4life]

Was Tusk the lead single in the US? I was 13 in 1979 and wasn't a Mac fan yet, so my memory can betray me, but the only new Mac song I heard in the peruvian radios in 1979/80 was Sara. Years later, a cover of Angel (with different lyric) was used for an Ammen shampoo commercial.

I guess I would remember Tusk on radios, cause those "different" songs always caught my attention (like Bohemian Rhapsody), but I don't. So I wonder how did the Tusk song fare worldwide.

Just for fun here's the commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-JIEv91oE
Yes it was the lead single and was the last single of from the 1970s. Sara was their first single of the 1980s. Come on now. THAT is in Mick's book. I think Sara peaked about Feb 1980.

You hear Sara all the time. But Tusk is a song you never hear. Classic rock stations dont play it. I listen to the 70s channel on Sirus and never hear it either. The only time I hear Tusk is if its a countdown show. Tusk charted one position higher than Sara.

Did you know that Mick promised Stevie would be on the cover of Tusk twirling?

[dougl]

Just for fun here's the commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-JIEv91oE

What a hoot!

[Nathan]

Was Tusk the lead single in the US? I was 13 in 1979 and wasn't a Mac fan yet, so my memory can betray me, but the only new Mac song I heard in the peruvian radios in 1979/80 was Sara. Years later, a cover of Angel (with different lyric) was used for an Ammen shampoo commercial.

I guess I would remember Tusk on radios, cause those "different" songs always caught my attention (like Bohemian Rhapsody), but I don't. So I wonder how did the Tusk song fare worldwide.

Just for fun here's the commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-JIEv91oE

This is too funny. :thumbsup:

[aleuzzi]

They would've been dropped, and this board wouldn't exist. Rumours will always be #1.

Keeping it real. Thanks!

[aleuzzi]

Was Tusk the lead single in the US? I was 13 in 1979 and wasn't a Mac fan yet, so my memory can betray me, but the only new Mac song I heard in the peruvian radios in 1979/80 was Sara. Years later, a cover of Angel (with different lyric) was used for an Ammen shampoo commercial.

I guess I would remember Tusk on radios, cause those "different" songs always caught my attention (like Bohemian Rhapsody), but I don't. So I wonder how did the Tusk song fare worldwide.

Just for fun here's the commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-JIEv91oE

Yes it certainly was—and with much fanfare. The accompanying video played on tv and I remember being a nine year old asking “how is the same band?”

How did the song fare? Very well. It was weird but there was a shock value. And I recall it being played on rock stations for years and years. Never on pop stations after 1980…

[Villavic]

Did you know that Mick promised Stevie would be on the cover of Tusk twirling?

No, I didn't. What I do remember from Mick's book is Stevie's threat:

The title refers to a jocular term of affection for the Male Member: old habits die hard in Fleetwood Mac. (When Stevie heard that we had decided to name the album Tusk, she threatened to quit the band in revulsion. But I chose to ignore her and nothing ever came of it.)

:rolleyes:

[HomerMcvie]

Yes it certainly was—and with much fanfare. The accompanying video played on tv and I remember being a nine year old asking “how is the same band?”

How did the song fare? Very well. It was weird but there was a shock value. And I recall it being played on rock stations for years and years. Never on pop stations after 1980…

I frequent a bar in Nashville, that is the darkest dungeon on Earth(a string of dark red Christmas lights is the only lighting). You almost can't even see who's next to you. I play Tusk on the jukebox, and people will say, "where's David? I didn't even know he was here, until I heard Tusk!"

And I'm proud to say I have a few people saying "real savage like", at the proper moment.
You gotta raise em right...

[bombaysaffires]

When did Think About Me drop as a single?? In third place after Tusk and Sara?? (that would make sense to me as that would then give them a single from each of the 3 writers) I honestly don't recall ever hearing it on the radio.

Have always been seriously disappointed that song didn't chart better....it's a great single.

[HomerMcvie]

When did Think About Me drop as a single?? In third place after Tusk and Sara?? (that would make sense to me as that would then give them a single from each of the 3 writers) I honestly don't recall ever hearing it on the radio.

Have always been seriously disappointed that song didn't chart better....it's a great single.

I remember hearing it a few times on the radio. AND, most reviews said that TAM was the most Rumours like song on the album(s).

It's my all time favorite FM song. I want my funeral to begin with a dirge for about 30 seconds, then TAM kicks in at blasting volume, with all my relatives plugging their ears, and when it's over, "That's All For Everyone" plays, then an audio clip of me says, "now get the fukc out. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out!":laugh:

[Villavic]

most reviews said that TAM was the most Rumours like song on the album(s).

It is.

I don't remember if I have thought in the past about what song I would like for my funeral. But I think it would be Storms, specially the blue calm sea /storm phrases.

[Macfan4life]

No, I didn't. What I do remember from Mick's book is Stevie's threat:

The title refers to a jocular term of affection for the Male Member: old habits die hard in Fleetwood Mac. (When Stevie heard that we had decided to name the album Tusk, she threatened to quit the band in revulsion. But I chose to ignore her and nothing ever came of it.)

:rolleyes:
The band went in another direction for the photography too. I dont think Herbie was involved at all. They hired 3 photographers. Mick had promised the cover to Stevie but the band went with the dog photo. Stevie has jokingly said that she put a curse on the dog for stealing her thunder (back in her witchy days).
The cover of Tusk is frequently flamed but I love it. Nothing about Tusk is punk except for the cover which could have easily been a punk rock album cover in 1979.

On another note its weird that the most Rumours sounding commercial song on Tusk was not the biggest hit. Not even close. My hunch is if TAM was the lead single it could have dragged Tusk to #1. However I dont think radio would have accepted Tusk or Sara as much. I suppose it was good to get the shock out of the system so to speak.