Stevie's Demos

[jwd]

I wanted to start a thread where we could talk about her demos....which ones you like the most or the least, comparing them to finished material on her albums, or just generally why she seems to have the most "leaked" demos of any one involved in Fleetwood Mac. To this day I still don't have all of her demo material, but a lot of what I do have was gotten off the internet.

One demo that stands out in my mind is "Love Is" from TISL.....a much better version than what wound up on TISL...just a pure masterpiece imo...I love that song and the way its done in "demo" is just so pure...well it's just classic Stevie. :)

I want to know everything you all know and think about her demos...please help me! :)


Joe

[FiercestCalmSea]

I'm actually amazed that all the demos that have been leaked. I didn't really get into collecting them until about a year and half ago...and it is like a neverending supply. I really like some of the demos better than the songs they turned into...i.e. Planets...i adore that demo..and while i like the TISL version,it just does not have the same emotion.Another reason i like demos is because of Stevie's commentary on them..like the Beauty and the Beast demo...she is hilarious...the whole "If i had my glasses...I could see" thing :) Overall her demos are just far more intense than alot of the songs they turn out to be on records.

[wondergirl9847]

I LOVE The Dealer...everytime I hear it, it reminds me of the movie "Maverick" and that whole "The Gambler" thing, ya know? I really think this song should have been on Belladonna instead of Think About It. JMHO. :shrug:

I also love All the Beautiful Worlds...what a gorgeous song and I love the melody. :nod:

Smile at You has GOT to be one of THE best demos, EVER! It's an awesome, I HATE YOU song. LOL I like the angry and the non-angry versions. :)

[Wldhrt315]

I really like her Kind of Woman demo a lot. I have a lot of the Bella Donna songs as outtakes and I really like this version. As for unrelease songs I love: Mistaken Love, Smile At You, The Dealer, Julia, China Doll, Secret Love, Watch Devil, If You Were My Love and She Loves Him Still

[Wldhrt315]

A lot of the demos that I do not like of hers I never remember the names of so I cant say whichs ones I don't like

[EnchantedSLN]

Sanctuary, If You Were My Love (Mirage outtake), & Smile At You have always been a few of my favorites. And I love The Tower, even though it's sad as hell. I really adore Blue Water too, despite that the only version in circulation is awful in terms of quality. It's such a serene, peaceful song; I can just picture Stevie standing out on the balcony of her beachside home, watching the ocean & waiting for the sun to rise. What I wouldn't give to hear a clear copy of that track! :).

Before TISL was released, Sorcerer & No Light were in my top 5 as well. I still love the demos (I think in both cases, I like them even better than the album versions), but now I usually forget about them, since the songs have been put on a record!

[estranged4life]

the following demos are some of the best:

"Smile At You (Angry Version)"
"Rhiannon Mix #1-3/29/78"
"Sisters Of The Moon"-from the Gems
"Love Is", "Have No Heart", & "Space Needle" from the TISL Sessions
"All The Beautiful Worlds" from the Demos #4 1/20/86 masters
"The Dealer" master

Brian J.

ps-Ya should see how much Beatles related music there is out there...More than I ever knew existed, And its almost all of great quality.

[wondergirl9847]

Thanks for reminding me..I LOVE Space Needle too...that song is TRIPPY and I LOVE IT!! LOL Tar people...tall people...whatever, it's a neato song!

I also really love the SOTM piano demo...love her voice on it. :nod:

[sara1998]

I have never heard Blue Water. Thats a new one to me! I'll be looking for that. One of my personal favs is Sorcerer from way back when. I absolutely love the simpleness to it. I like Smile At You, and I really like The Tower. That one in my opinion, is pure emotion. I am still dying to hear the demo to Sisters of the Moon. (Brian, I am still going to send you some blanks for you to burn albums for me!) And I think that She Loves Him Still is my all time favorite demo. It makes me cry everytime I hear it.

Great thread!

[nodmod]

Other then what's been mentioned, I love

China Doll
Planets Of The Universe (original 70s demo)

It's amazing that there is so many Stevie demos out there. Do other artists have as many out, I ask as I only actively collect Fleetwood Mac, Solo Members recordings.

[nae]

I traded for my demos about six or so years ago when I first discovered Stevie fans on the net. What a jewel mine! I was so happy to have more to listen to. I love them!

From what I've heard, someone stole alot of the demos from Stevie's house and she's not happy about them being "leaked."
I could see how that could happen because Stevie had alot of people going in and out during her "party" days. I go back and forth between guilt and joy for owning them.

My favs from the ones I have are:

China Doll
Lady From The Mountain (LOVE THIS ONE!)
Christian (spinning wheels)
Smile At You (angry version)
No Light (I like the demo more than the finished product)
Castaway
Knocking On Doors
Sara (cleaning lady version)
The Dealer (The maverick? LOL. Yes, I'll go with that)
Mistaken Love
Julia (I wonder if this one's about Robin?)
Are You Mine?
24k Gold

I've never heard Space Needle. Everyone seems to really like it. I'm curious to hear it.


~*Nae*~

[blinker12]

It's mystifying to me that "The Dealer" hasn't made it onto an album yet. It's a terrific song, lots of energy. There are so many versions of it floating around... Probably my favorite is the one that (I think) comes from the 1-20-86 Masters, although it sounds like it was recorded for Bella Donna. What a fantastic vocal!

Other favorites:
Sanctuary
China Doll
The Tower
If You Were My Love
All the Beautiful Worlds
Belle Fleur

I don't like "Smile At You" much, which I know puts me in a small minority around these parts. It's OK, but it sounds very "early 80s" to me.
I like the demos of "SOTM," "Leather & Lace" and "After the Glitter Fades," but I don't listen to them much because there are finished versions of those songs available.

[The Tower]

The Tower likes "The Tower" (duh...) ;) The "Love is Like a River" demo is pretty cool- much more bitter/evil/angry than the produced version. I always liked "Maker of Birds", but the lyrics are so out there that it would never make it on an album. "Baby Doll" is also kinda cool- it's so slinky and not at all like normal Stevie stuff. "Smile At You" is very good, but it needs a bridge or something. Repeating the same chords over and over again drains a little bit of its power.

I, too, don't understand why "The Dealer" never made it on any previous album. It would have been PERFECT for the overall flavor of Belladonna. Why the hell she didn't have eleven songs on that album, I'll never know.

I can understand why Stevie was a little pissed during the VH1 Storytellers when that dude asked her about her unreleased demos (someone please refresh me on exactly what he said). Many of Stevie's demos are pretty poor quality in sound, singing AND songwriting. I know I would be pissed if I had recorded something like "Night Gallery" <ick> and then it was somehow stolen/leaked out to the world.

[jwd]

Thanks for the replies and tips so far everyone. :)

I have to get a copy of The Tower..I've seen the lyrics but haven't heard the demo yet...very interesting song.

Is "Lady From The Mountain" the same as the "Sorcerer" demo?

"Something Exquisite", "The Dealer", and Rhiannon Mix #1(anything Rhiannon appeals to me) I've never heard......well half the songs mentioned I haven't heard. Sorry but I've been a little delinquent in getting Stevie's demos and one of the reasons I started this thread was to get info from the "experts". :laugh:

Some of the ones mentioned; China Doll, Smile At You(yea very angry...it'd be nice to hear Stevie belt that one out in concert),No Light(I think better than POTU album version from TISL), and SOTM piano demo....I think those are all very good.

One song I did get off of WinMx recently was called "See The World Go By" listed as a Fritz Demo....is it? I think it sounds good.....very melancholy song.

Another question...wasn't "Sara" on Tusk pretty much the demo version of Stevie's song. I thought I remember Mick saying that the song's demo version was pretty much the sound they wanted to get from that song. I have a piano demo on tape... I'll have to listen to and compare.

One last comment....Space Needle HAS to make the new album. A very appropriate song for Stevie to be doing at this point in her career...love that song! :)


Joe

[Bella Figura]

like it was said before, I go back and forth between guilt about having them especially since it was a terrible way some of them were "leaked" ie...stolen and the incredible joy I get from listening such a large library of Stevie/FM stuff...

Brian's right about the Beatle stuff but a lot of Beatle demo stuff is now available on cd especially since John passed away...and I wouldn't want that reason to be why I have Stevie's demos. So in the end, it not such a bad thing for the true Stevie/FM fan especially with the large gaps between albums and popular culture's fluctuating tastes.

however, what really ticks me off, is those people who continue to take advantage of unwise FM/Stevie fans and sell their/her music on Ebay and the like. It's common knowledge that FM/Stevie fans are very willing to share this music freely...thereby helping to promote Stevie and FM especially thru the Internet...

my favorite include

the bluesy Baby Doll
the FM version of If You Were My Love
Battle of the Dragon with Tom Petty
the pretty China Doll
the sad Dial the Number
Forest of the Black Roses, has a softspot for me since I heard it during a Rock A Little concert in the parking lot playing out of some person's car
Greta, one of my favorite Stevie songs, demo or Street Angel
Julia, another song I knew about back in the day but never had
Lady from the Mountain
Love Is, jwd hit the nail on the head, the piano is gorgeous
Mistress of my Fate, the slow FM version of the Dealer
Rock a Bye Baby, another bluesy rocker
She Loves Him Still, my all-time favorite, a good version of this song would be my #1 gift
Sisters of the Moon, more beautiful piano

ok, ok, so I guess I love them all...and the list can go on and on.

:laugh: :wavey: :laugh:

[sisterofthemoon]

I LOVE the piano version of SOTM and the cleaning lady version of Sara.
As for all the unreleased songs...
China Doll
Joan of Arc (probably my favorite, I love it!!)
Smile at You (angry)
Forest of the Black Roses
The Tower :(
Space Needle :(
All the Beautiful Worlds
RUNNING THROUGH THE GARDEN (I take it back, this is my favorite)

[The Tower]

WOW!!! I totally forgot "Julia" and the cleaning lady version of "Sara" (the best version of the best song...)

[Wldhrt315]

I got to thinking about different versions of certain released songs. Here is a list.

SOTM piano is very pretty

the piano version of Rhiannon where Stevie talks to Richard and Lindsey but she answers as them. Cute

No Light (Planets) for sure

Sorcerer - Coffee Plant demos with Lindsey singing alomh with her. There is some amazing amazing harmonies in that version!

Beauty and the Beast piano when she plays it twice and tells the guys in her room how much she cam amaze herself. It is just the way she sings the song that makes it cool!

Sara - "And the wind becomes crazy" - Cleaning lady version

There is a version of Gypsy that I like a lot, I used to have it on MP3 before we got a new computer, it was very bluesy, that was amazing. I have never found it again.

There is a version of Juliet I like, I dont know what version it is though.

Finally, I like the dressing room Wild Heart demo. The sound quality sucks but I like the sound of the song and her voice.

[Wldhrt315]

Originally posted by jwd
Another question...wasn't "Sara" on Tusk pretty much the demo version of Stevie's song. I thought I remember Mick saying that the song's demo version was pretty much the sound they wanted to get from that song.

No, Stevie's original Sara was 16 minutes. They kept cutting parts out to the point where it is now but Stevie has said something like, 'will the name Sara even be in this song?' She was definitely not happy that they cut it down so much.

[Mac Fan]

I can't remember the names of any, but I love the demos off the Enchanted 3cd set.

[Sugar]

OK so everyone likes "The Dealer" but which one do you like?

Take 11 from the BellaDonna masters is one of my favorites! I just love the "You'd of had to watch out" on the fade out! And the second, "I was the dealer/and it wasn't hard" at the end of the second verse.

Close second is the BellaDonna master without any backing vocals. And the Rumours era one sararhiannnon has posted right now is cool too! What is she saying at the beginning? Something like "Forget that you're a millionaire" or something? Like she was talking to Lindsey or Christine about getting back to work on the song after they were talking about their new found success (assuming this is in fact Rumours era, and it sounds like it could be!).

I also adore Julia #5, and Belle Fleur.

I think Courtney Love should do "Starshine"! :nod: C'mon, you know you can hear it!

I had dreams of "See The World Go By" being on the album (I know, no way!) but it's just begging for a Lindsey vocal!

That's enough for now!

[estranged4life]

why is the Beatles demo material I have on cd, is of the greatest quality while my Stevie/Mac music is of a lesser quality?

Someone, somewhere is sitting on the great quality Stevie/Mac material which seems to trickle out very slowly every once in a "Blue Moon". Could it be because of the demos that Stevie had stolen?

I saw recently posted elsewhere on the 'net that someone read an interview where Mick Fleetwood stated he would like to one day trade for the Mac demos mainly because they don't even know what they had recorded in the past, And he would like to just sit down with the rest of the group and listen to what they had recorded.

Also Stevie's quote in the "Enchanted" boxed set booklet about "Rhiannon" makes ya wonder if Stevie herself may have heard some of these demos that are floating about-"With all of the bootlegged piano demos of "Rhiannon" that are out there, I decided to just go into a studio with a great grand piano, sit down, and play "Rhiannon" to you now, as she is today."

Sorry to ramble on and get off the subject a bit...Brian J.

[Johnny Stew]

Wow, where do I begin? I love so many of them.

One of the things I like best about Stevie's demos... well, at least in regards to those that later became album tracks... is that we get to see them in their infancy.
No fuss. No muss. No studio gloss. No high-class musicians, or producers.
Just Stevie and her piano (or keyboard).
Sometimes a drum machine. Sometimes Sharon or Lori.
But still just really simple, and straight from the heart.

Other times... like with a song such as "Fall From Grace," or "Space Needle," I can hear the potential of a song that will be even greater once it's been fine-tuned in the studio.

Either way, it's always a fascinating experience to listen to these demos, and I'm happy to have them in my possession.
(Though I do agree with those who feel a bit guilty about that, since Stevie never meant for us to hear any of these just yet.)

Ok, with that long-winded introduction out of the way, here are some of my favorites (of those that have yet to be officially released)....

Julia (take #5, from the Bella Donna masters)
She Still Loves Him
If You Were My Love (the Mirage-era studio version)
Something Exquisite
Lady From The Mountains
The Dealer (any version)
Belle Fleur (*I think Sheryl Crow would do an excellent job producing this one)
Not Make Believe
Joan Of Arc
Smile At You

I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting!

Joe (jwd)... "Lady From The Mountains" is a completely different song. The only thing it shares in common with "Sorcerer," is the title lyric.
It's a very cool song, and both it and "Something Exquisite" are worth seeking out.
:)


Johnny Stew

[sisterofthemoon]

I can't believe I forgot I forgot Something Exquisite...what a great song.

[Rhiannon]

i like-
Sorceror and Nomad- they're both with Lindsey I think, since they were from the Rumours era. I like them better than the TISL produced versions.

Beautiful Ghost (or is it The Mystic?) is very moving.
The Witch (the one that makes mention of Melusine)
Joan of Arc is dark and strange

The Tower
Sisters of the Moon- the demo is a lot more poignant than the studio version on Tusk. It's a lovely example of how much her music changes when it undergoes production.
I love both versions.

-Rhi

[ERigby818]

There really IS a never-ending supply of demos out there. I can't believe how many I keep finding. When I get like more than 5 in one shot I get a little overwhelmed and start hyperventilating because they are all so exquisite (Like when I got the Gems cd, Brian. Just amazing!). Though I didn't feel any guilt about having them until I read this thread and learned that they'd been stolen. I just thought Stevie was such an incredible songwriter and unlike other artists had recorded a vast amount of unreleased material. I'm so naive :rolleyes:. But still joyful:blob1:
My Faves of the unreleased:
China Doll, Forest Of The Black Roses, The Tower, Maker of Birds, Mirror Mirror (the early version, the really early version with a different melody as well as the b-side version), Knocking On Doors, At The Fair (probably my all time fave at the moment!), Julia (the version with the most harmonies), Ooh Ooh Baby, The Witch, If You Were My Love (especially the Mac demo), Smile At You (angry version especially) Baby Doll (I've heard two very different versions, both amazing) City Of Hope, All The Beautiful Worlds, Joan Of Arc, Thrown Down and Space Needle
Of the later released:
Sisters Of The Moon (Gems), Think About It w/ The Mac, I Sing For The Things, Straight Back, Sorcerer, Nomad, No Light, If You ever Did Believe and ahhh...of course Cleaning Lady Sara.

I haven't heard Running Through The Garden, Blue Water or Dial The Number.... or a million others, I'm sure.

I agree with Bella Figura...It's a shame people try to sell bootleg music on ebay (I admit I bought the Rumours Japan video on ebay but that was it). Trading is the way to go. I have so much respect and admiration for the fans who put up those lovely trading sites and do 2 for 1's for novices and stuff like that. Those sites take a lot of work and patience! I don't know how you guys do it, but I've seen so many of these sites and I love them all.
-Sonia