Sorry, but besides for Bella Donna and TISL, all of her solo efforts were met with *mostly* (not all) lukewarm reviews. They were viewed as definitely rocking, but flakey and dumb. Rock A Little was especially singled out as being gawd-awful. I especially loved Rolling Stone's view on I Sing For the Things. ;) And their take on SA was dead-on.

Here are some of my fave review quotes, even though I don't agree with all of them:

"In "Stand Back," she sings, "No one knows/How I feel/What I say/Unless you read between my lines." Well, whose fault is that?"

"It's hard to believe that the woman nominally responsible for such fine pieces of songcraft as "I Don't Want to Know" or even "Edge of Seventeen" could have concocted the inchoate ramblings that pervade this record [The Wild Heart]. Stanzas don't hang together, and choruses verge on the utterly meaningless..."

"Both the atmosphere and language of Bella Donna are so insular and self-enraptured that Stevie Nicks' sentiments seem as weightless as those of a pampered, pretty high-school girl."

"The real shame is that Stevie Nicks could make good records again, if she'd only follow her own advice and rock a little."

"On the rest of Rock a Little, she comes on like an AM-radio psychologist, dispensing stem but friendly advice, spinning little parables and probing deep feelings with incredibly vague language."

"As for a statement of purpose, "I Sing for the Things" ("that money can't buy," natch) is definitely postfeminist: "I'll take off my cape for you ... Anything you want me to do.... I'll sit at home and wait for you." Maybe it's just my taste, but the combined synths and steel guitars on that track achieve the consistency of curdled milk."

"Too often Nicks is stuck in a mid-tempo funk, bellowing about witches, gypsies and twisted love. Like her previous records, The Other Side of the Mirror shows Nicks can stand tall with the top rank of contemporary rockers, but she's not nearly consistent enough to sustain a whole album."

"Although Stevie Nicks' child-woman persona has served her well for 20 years, it's long overdue for the doe-eyed innocent to get tough. Her steadfast adherence to a fairy-tale world is endearing but frustrating."

"Refusing to spit and kick like Bonnie Raitt or Kim Gordon, she trembles instead, a little girl made helpless by uncaring men and her own isolation."

"Nowadays, singing more like a female Bon Jovi than the exuberant sprite she was in bygone Lindsey Buckingham/Richard Dashut years, Nicks flounders in gossamer and overpowering guitar licks, too entangled in her own fantasy to open her musical vision to the rest of us."

:eek: :eek: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Too bad poor spoiled brat, runny nose, whiny baby LB couldn't sell a record or get his allegedly oh so great latest solo album out after about eight years of trying; during that same time, Stevie finished her two highly successful and critically acclaimed records and tours. Then, she came on board as a favor - AND I do I believe LB was with John and Mick (i.e. Fleetwood Mac) at least part of the time!!!!! :mad: I guess LB, John, and Mick add up to three but LB, John, Mick and Stevie add up to five because Stevie represents not only talent but sales!!!! ;)

(For those who do not realize it, I am ribbing Carne in a good natured way and really do not mean to be so hateful :wavey: :wavey: )

Strandie, son, that's why I LUV ya, you silver-tongued Nawleans mojo devil!!

Preach IT!

LMAO!!!

-Sharon

Ah, but she obviously didn't help sales with Behind the Mask. ;)

And besides for TISL, no other album was critically acclaimed. The boxed set for Enchanted was noted as being the best representation of her solo work, but was faulted for being a bit too much of a good thing. And while the Enchanted tour was critically acclaimed, the TISL tour wasn't exactly acclaimed. It was noted for her going through the motions, almost robotically, and not having much stamina vocally. Of course, this could be attributed to her health. But while the TISL tour made good money, the Enchanted tour didn't do as well, which was disappointing considering the success of The Dance.

:laugh:

Ah, but one could easily disagree with that!
'Behind The Mask' charted in the Top 20, and quickly went gold.

Without Stevie, 'Time' didn't even chart, and sold only around 250,000 copies.

Not even Christine's presence, or a guest appearance from Lindsey, saved 'Time' from quickly dropping off the radar... meanwhile, the year prior, 'Street Angel' (Stevie's least successful solo album), peaked at #45, and eventually went gold (though it did take quite some time).

Like it or not, Stevie's presence in Fleetwood Mac is just as important as Lindsey's... perhaps moreso, where album and ticket sales are concerned.

But again, as I've stated, no one person is Fleetwood Mac.

Ah, but it sold terribly compared to other Mac records with Stevie. And while it debuted in the top twenty, it sank like a stone.

Let us also not forget that there was almost no promotion for Time, too. There was plenty for other Mac records and lots for Street Angel the previous year.

And saying it took some time for SA to be certified gold is an understatement; it took three years and holds the title for the worst selling Nicks album. Six years after being certified gold, it still hasn't reached platinum status.

So, what I conclude, is that Stevie and Lindsey are just as important in the Mac. Without Lindsey, the albums flop. Without Stevie, the albums flop. Without both of them, the albums flop.

I'm suprised ChiliD hasn't chimed in yet and responded to some of these how can I say this nicely really "stupid" coments :lol: I don't mean to offend anyone but you SHOULD NOT use sales as a measure of greatness. Lindsey's solo albums sold like crap, SO WHAT. Does that mean Mirage is better then SYW because it SOLD more. I think not. And The debate over whether Stevie or Lindsey or both ARE Fleetwood Mac, are all wasting your time, bnecause Mick and John ARE Fleetwood Mac. They may not sell alot or they may not even be that good to some people, but they ARE Fleetwood Mac, and have been the heads of SEVERAL amazing lineups of this band.

Listen Snotty Applebuns, I have a version of Gypsy that (I think, don't quote me) has The Heartbreakers backing her. I, like you, always thought LB turned this song into the masterpiece that it truly is, until I heard this. The version is very, very similar to what appeared on Mirage, making me wonder if Petty or Iovine were the ones responsible for the molding of this song. Now that breathtaking guitar part at the end of the song, that's all LB. And I love the "Oh, Oh, Oh" version that appeared on Neil's site recently. But I digress. Lindsey is not Fleetwood Mac by himself. Fleetwood Mac is the sum of their parts.

No one is using that measure. :) We're just conversing about how different line-ups affect the sales and success of the band. :)

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

NO, you listen Loopy Bubble Humperdink!

*giggles hysterically*

Be a doll and send it my way. :D I've been meaning to email ya anyways, smartypants!

PS: The version on Neil's site is great! A firend sent it to me about two weeks ago and it knocked my socks off! Luv it!

I've just been waiting for the opportunity to call you Snotty Applebuns. I'm sending it.:)

:laugh:

Check your email!

I never thought that EVERYONE did. And for those who thought he IS Fleetwood Mac..... :shrug: :laugh:



Joe

I think no one person is Fleetwood Mac. It's whoever happens to be in the band at any given moment. As for sales figures, it's pretty obvious that the Rumours line up with all 5 members sells. Behind the Mask, Time & Say You Will all had very important members missing and all of these albums didn't sell well because of it.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
you guys are killing me!

:thumbsup:

I don't think it sounds very similar to the Fleetwood Mac "Mirage" recording, but I'm maybe a little nutso. On the Heartbreakers' recording of it (which may have actually come after the Mac tracked it in Herouville), you've got essentially a very standard series of Heartbreakers signature riffs & styles: Benmont's chunky B3 organ chords with plenty of on-again, off-again Leslie; Stan Lynch's galloping drums in brisk time; Mike Campbell's rhythm strumming of the chords; & the loping bass, which probably sounds the most like the Fleetwood Mac style. It has its own merits, like energy, immediacy. But it's essentially just a Heartbreakers jam, & the only similarity I can hear between it & the Mac recording is the chord progression.

The Mac's version, on the other hand, is a (some might say suffocatingly) stylized work built on a pentatonic riff & an intricately arranged pattern of choral backup vocals. It's just a whole different feel & approach. In fact, the accompaniment on the bridge "To the gypsy that I was" on the Heartbreakers version kicks in to this spare drums & bass thing with a little funk -- really totally different from the fake strings & pedal points in the backup vocal choir in the Mac's version.

Do you remember the crashing mess it was on the solo '83 tour? "Gypsy" lost her velvet.

For this RARE occasion, I invoked the "Thumper rule". If I DID respond the way I would like, I'd most likely get all three strikes on one post alone.

From you're description, I'd say we're listening to the same version. It is a more uptempo version but the chord progression is the same. As far as the minutae of the arrangement, I'm not a musician so I can't really respond to that. There's no date on it, so it well could have been recorded post Herouville. I suspect though, that Stevie & The Heartbreakers did the bulk of their studio work prior to that and the melody that we all know was already in place when she brought it to Lindsey, if that is the case. My opinion is he put the finishing touches on the masterpiece, where others think he actually painted it. :)

quote:
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Originally posted by gldstwmn
Listen Snotty Applebuns
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quote:
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Originally posted by dissention


NO, you listen Loopy Bubble Humperdink!


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Why do I feel as if we are in a bar consuming large amount s of alcohol?

:laugh:

Who says we aren't? Fetch me another vodka on the rocks and hold the orange juice this time. ;) :laugh:

I think the version that was brought up sounds very similar to the Mirage version. I think the melody and the beat are almost identical. :) Of course, compared to the album version, it is very stripped down, but I think the meat and potatoes of the song are on that demo.

Fleetwood Mac...
 

:wavey: David I love when you talk Music!!!

Did not Tom Petty say as how he tried
to produce Stevie's music...heard what
Lindsey did with it!(slaps head!) "Then
it dawned on me...of course...that's it!"
"I think he's her best producer!!!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mick Fleetwood and John MacVie =
The Mac Machine's Underpinnings!:)
Mick and John~ Forever The Mac!!!

Hmmm, opinions are like.........what is it?:rolleyes:



And talk about resurrecting an antique thread!

Oh what the hell. Its god to dust off those old books sometimes.:laugh:

Ladies and gentlemen, would you please give a warm welcome.....to F.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:thumbsup:

I prefer Mirage much more than SYW.

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!

Me thrice!:thumbsup:

I think I'll put that ****ty CD transfer on now.......

Eh, I don't know if I agree. Of the last three studio albums (BTM, Time, and SYW), I think "Time" has the best overall sound quality. So, I'd have to say that the production that is classic Mac has more to do with Richard Dashut.
The thing that keeps me coming back is McVie's bass playing. It's probably the most tasteful thing on a Fleetwood Mac album.

His ex-wife's playing is equally tasteful. Can I get an AMEN from Mary Anne & Homer & jbrownsjr? :thumbsup:

You'll get one from me. AMEN. :)

-Lis

I'll agree that both McVies are immensely talented.

But I still remain steadfastly in the camp that believes that Lindsey Buckingham is what made the band (at least the Rumours incarnation of it) great.

i think every member brought his or her own talents to the band - and that's what made the band work. each brought something different - and to compare one to another is to compare apples and oranges. i have honestly never understood the whole "who is the better/more talented/smarter/ bandmember" thing. nor have i understood why if one person likes stevie the best, it's assumed he/she has no respect or love for lindsey or christine, or if one person thinks lindsey is the most talented, it means he/she has no respect or love for john or mick.

Hallelujah, sista!

From a musican standpoint, it's pretty amazing that here you had this husband & wife, both blues & rock musicians, & their styles are so beautifully complementary & both so "tasteful" as MacDougall says that you can't help thinking they both had enormous influence on each other in terms of style & approach.

It really worked out luckily for both of them in terms of their development. What a happy, fortunate set of circumstances! I feel more than certain that John played a big role in Christine's development as a rhythm keyboard player of a very specific type, & that Chris played a big role (perhaps not as big?) in John's developing style as a bassist. The source of this two-way influence would have been all those weeks, months & ultimately years that they spent at home or in studios & rehearsal rooms playing together, following each other, listening to each other, mimicking each other musically, learning to play in each other's pocket. You add Mick into the mix--with his special timekeeping style--& you really get a heady brew rhythm section for Fleetwood Mac all those years, the kind of rhythm section that was singled out for its excellence by countless critics & musicians, even to this day. (In 29 or 30 years of reading concert reviews of Fleetwood Mac, I can't remember even once reading a critic say that the rhythm section was anything less than first-rate powerhouse solid.)

Fans talk about the luck of the combination of the 1977 five people in creating such potent chemistry, but I think the luck of the combination of the three Britishers was equally amazing, & the musical chemistry those three created as a rhythm section was just as potent, totally irrespective of Nicks & Buckingham, or of Green/Kirwan/Spencer before that.

Firstly, an AMEN to David's prompt.

I can't believe anyone who gives a really good listen to the pre BN stuff, can't have an equal, or greater, appreciation of the work. Not implying you think so, but sales mean squat! (where IS Johnny Stew????, to endlessly point out to me that Chris had the most hits, therefore she must be evil).
Mystery To Me IS the greatest FM album!!!
And on a personal note, LB is a big f*cking spoiled brat, crybaby!:thumbsup: Extremely talented.....but nonetheless......

All I'm saying is that LB (spoiled f*cking brat or not) is what I love about the Rumours era line-up. That is not, however, to imply that I dislike other members (though I'm not especially fond of Stevie or Mick) or incarnations of the band (I think I've made my love of the post Tango pre Dance era pretty obvious), I just like them for other reasons and at lower intensities, shall we say.

And for the record, the greatest pre-BN Fleetwood Mac album is Bare Trees!

I will admit that Lindsey brought to the table, a certain edge, which I do appreciate. All the Rumours drama, that they still milk, while approaching their senior-citizen years!, has greatly diluted their value, IMO, to the history of FM.
Still milking this, screams that they're simply money whores now, NOT to be confused with STILL being artists.
FWIW, Mick and Stevie are my least favorites, too.

BT is my second favorite, after MTM. Then FG.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup:

I completely agree. When I think of the Fleetwood Mac rhythm section, I think of Mick, John AND Christine, as a unit.

I dont think everyone thinks Lindsey is Fleetwood Mac.

You can make a good case for several contenders for that title:

Peter Green - founding father
Mick & John - Fleetwood and Mac - the only constants
Christine - wrote more hits than anyone else
Stevie - focal point, songwriter (didn't do her any harm that she used to be drop dead gorgeous either)
Lindsey - songwriter, producer, guitar player

No one person is Fleetwood Mac

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Gail

I really don't give a crap about "all the Rumours drama." I am decidedly not a shipper. I get a queasy feeling everytime Stevie goes up to Lindsey during their performances (esp. "Landslide") or they give each other those "looks" but I deal with it because I love the music so much. Are they money whores? Probably. But I still believe that they are genuine artists as well. They've just decided to add acting to their collective repetoire.

I will respectfully disagree with you sir.:)