should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

I know this will be unpopular with the ''hardcore'' fans but
to be realistic stevie had a very good point in the documantary
by saying that they need to sell to people betwen the ages
of 10-27. and if you know anything about stevie you know that
it's all about the lyrics. thats why we listen..the music is great
but right now in theese times people won't get it. and stevie
is right. times have changed and so have the fans. Even if
they write the best songs of their lives no one will really
hear it because it's all about ''the look'' you got people like
britney,eminem,and all those others that are just out to make
a quick buck and get noticed for doing something shocking.
In my opinion the true artists of our generation like stevie,
fleetwood mac,bob seger,the eagles,ect really don't fit in
today's world of music. so instead of trying to compeate with
the ''artists'' of today they should take pride in what they have
done. stevie and fleetwooc mac don't need to compeate with
anyone. stevie is a legend and she left her mark as one of
the all time greats and no one will ever be able to take that away
from her. stevie and fleetwood mac have nothing left to prove
so thats why i think they should retire.
And as for stevie..she's got one hurdle left....see ya in 2006
when she gets inducted into the rock n roll hall of fame as a
solo artist.

Quite the opposite, actually.

They have nothing to prove so they should release music that isn't necessarily commercial. Like Lindsey's SYW material, for example. They should explore new musical avenues and try to develop some different stuff that interests them that they weren't able to do when they were so popular for fear of alienation.

:)

Argreed. Their fanbase is well-established and they've managed to pick up a younger following due in part to the fact that many people of my generation grew up with Fleetwood Mac in their household or discovered them on their own as children. They're able to explore new musical avenues because as dissention said, they've already prooved themselves by being a band with staying power. If they can still get people to go and see them and if people are still buying their music, why can't they continue to make it and tour? The demand for them is still out there (they proved that in 97' with an amazing reunion tour and in the past year with the SYW tour which has done very well, btw). No, they don't have to retire. They just have to keep making the kind of music that they want to make :nod: I have no doubts that whatever they come up with next will be equally as good if not better than some of their classics :nod:

I think the 'Say You Will' recording process was all about seeing if they could work together again.

Yes, they could tour and get along... but could they actually go thru the process of recording an album, and promoting it, without ending up at each other's throats?
It's a different set of pressures and anxieties.

So my thought is that now that they've gotten past that hurdle, and they've proven to themselves they can still do it and get along (let's face it, none of the bickering was all that major), then the next time out, they should have an easier time and feel more confident.

I think the band is as aware as anyone, that they'll most likely never again sell 4 million copies of a new studio album, but that's no reason why they should break up, as long as they still feel that the chemistry is there, and as long as they still enjoy being in each other's company.
Because they're just as artistically viable, if not more so, than most of their "classic rock" peers.

I think as long as it's fun for them & they're healthy, they should keep on going, keep touring, recording, writing. We fans will always be there for them.

Lee :)

No way. My only concern is that they might not want to make another album since SYW did not sell 1,000,000+. But hopefully they don't really care about that.

And since they were one of the biggest money making tours of 2003, obviously they have a fanbase to rival Britney and Christina's.

And, I do believe that they have a young fanbase. Maybe not a ton of teenagers, but at the show I went to, I saw a lot of 20-somethings. And I think this is largely because of The Dance. Without The Dance there would not be too many young fans today, like me. I am only 15 and I am a huge FM fan. Of course, a lot of people think this is weird. When I went to the FM show in Atlanta, everyone who we chatted with thought I was taging along with my Dad to the show, when it was really the other way around.

Re: should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

FM should just keep doing what they're doing because the problem here is with the music industry and society....not them! Plus, not all newer artists are only about image, and there have always been artists that are (all the way back to the manufactured teen idol artists of the 50's). It's nothing new.

It wouldn't bother me if Stevie retired... ;)

Hey! Watch it, mister! Be glad I like you :nod: :laugh:

They should do one album of all new material worked on in the studio together from start to finish. Has that happened since Rumours? :eek:

I believe that the next album, if and when it eventuates, will make a big sizeable commercial imprint. As long as they don't let the momentum fall away too much. The last thing we need is another 'reunion album' - we want 'the next album' from Fleetwood Mac. (And the next, and the next. ;) )

I think that SYW was a bit too irregular to be as big commercially as it could have been. Was it a one-off reunion album or a new release in the new lease on their career started with The Dance? Was it a 1990s Lindsey solo album or a sequel to TISL?

I think that the next studio release, if it eventuates, will (or at least should) be a much more uniform effort. I want the same sound in all the tracks. If that means re-recording Down On Rodeo, Hit n Run etc, then they should. If the band as a whole is going to have a bigger impact on the market, it needs to 'stand united', or fall divided, commercially (not that SYW 'fell' - but it didn't quite soar). That's what makes FM, Rumours, and TITN stand out, IMO - the instruments and vocals had a unique, homogenous sound. Mirage did too but as the band has admitted there wasn't as much good writing in its songs as on the other three big hits.

I'd like to imagine that the 'sound' of the next CD will be like 'Love Minus Zero' and 'NMB'. A whole album like that... ahhh.

Re: should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

Originally posted by mike_nh

Even if they write the best songs of their lives no one will really hear it because it's all about ''the look'' you got people like
britney,eminem,and all those others that are just out to make
a quick buck and get noticed for doing something shocking.

Couple of things here.

First, we will hear it.

Second, there are plenty of successful acts targetting younger audiences that resist buying into the image deal. Which is not to say they don't have an image at all but paradoxically their image is 'less image'....less overt. Norah Jones and John Mayer are some examples of jeans and t-shirt styles.

Interestingly, Jones and Mayer are also good examples of younger acts that can play instruments and write their own songs.

Third, one way of reaching new audiences is through soundtracks. God forbid that FMac should end up on a Disney film but it certainly is a way of reaching new audiences that wouldn't otherwise buy a Mac album. I'm sure this is one of the reasons that Sting, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox etc do soundtrack work.


In my opinion the true artists of our generation like stevie,
fleetwood mac,bob seger,the eagles,ect really don't fit in
today's world of music.

They don't fit in. What does that mean exactly? I don't think there is any point trying to fit squares into circles. The music industry is complex and diverse. Yes, today's music is dominated by hiney shakin' babes but why can't veteran acts stand alongside those acts?

Stevie and fleetwood mac have nothing left to prove
so thats why i think they should retire.

Getting an artist to stop creating art is not an easy thing to do.

Same with sports - 47 yr old tennis champion Martina Navratilova is one of the most successful players in history. She has nothing to prove to anyone but the reason why she's playing (and winning Grand Slam titles) is because she loves the game.

Cheers
CP

hmmmm
 

This will be a rather interesting list i assume..

My simple thoughts are:

RETIRE = NO

OUT OF TOUCH = NO

STILL ABLE TO WRITE THEIR OWN MATERIAL = YES!

I agree Joe (i hope i got it right this time.. ;) ) though i never thought about it..

I believe that a scattered album creates scattered opinions. This album was not a joint collaboration, which was a shame, but to be honest my guess is that Stevie wont again hang out in the studio for the whole length of time it takes to write, rpoduce and record an album... Time will tell wont it, and whatever they may release in the future i know i and most likely all of you will still buy it.. but its whether it can catch more attention that will be the deciding factor as to whether their future is certain...

All i do know is that Lindsey certainly wants to keep going, we know Mick will be there, John just goes along with whatever and Stevie, well I dont think Stevie is even sure as to what she will feel in the future so therefore i shall have to make the decision for her and say YES! lol

:nod: :nod:

Joe, I agree with everything you said... so, Amen, bro! :nod:

Thanks JS and Jayne - I assumed I'd made another crackpot late-night ramble that no one could make any sense of but I guess I was wrong. :laugh:

YEAH!! That way we could see Fleetwood Mac EVERY summer, touring the sheds, opening for REO Speedwagon or Crosby, Stills & Nash without having to sit through those droning Stevie tunes. If Stevie would just get out of the way, maybe they could get on a double bill with Styx THIS very summer, in fact.

Ooooo, this is going to get intersting!!:eek:

Bekka Bramlett kicked ass! Seriously.

A point I would like to make is:

Thank God there are alternatives to Britney Spears and the masses of junkfood music.

As a child I bought Mirage and was amazed that a group could have 3 singers, with 2 of them women! The blend of voices was so interesting to me. Yes younger people have good taste too!

They should retire when they can't physically do it (possibly Christine) or don't have their hearts in it (possibly anyone at any given time at their jobs!)

Here's hoping they make more interesting music! :nod:

Excellent points, Joe. This has been my big complaint about SYW. Even with its quirks, Tusk has a uniformity of sound that is simply absent in SYW. Tango is probably the best example of how everything fits in cohesively from a sonic perspective.

With SYW, you hear What's the World Coming To, and you think we're going back to the 1975-1977 sound. Then you get punched in the face with Murrow. Then comes Illume (a song that is growing on me) and it kicks you in the derriere.

Not that I mind getting beat up by the sound, mind you, it's just that it gets a bit jarring and uneven.

:laugh: :laugh:

A lot of people would cringe at your association of Crosby, Stills and Nash with the likes of REO and Styx. Incidentally, however, Stephen Stills co-wrote a song with Kevin Cronin at one point.

Another fun little fact: We all know Clinton used Don't Stop as his 1992 campaign theme song. If anyone knows what song he used in 1996 and by what band, please step up.

Hint: It was one of the bands mentioned above.

Re: should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

No way should they retire. I think they're only getting better age.

And maybe it's just me because most of the artists I listen to are not from my generation, but I think that older bands have more to offer. They're tighter, more seasoned, and have have finely tuned their craft of singing/songwriting. Older artists have more wisdom and to me, are generally more interesting because they have lived the life they're talking about in their songs. These young upstarts (god, I'm starting to sound like an old fogie and in my twenties no less!) sing about their unexperienced lives and it's like,....hmmm, so what?

I AM cringing at the mention of CSN in the same paragraph with those other bands, but the rest of the original statement was :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: . The Clinton thing...Shoot! I know it was an REO song, but I can't put my finger on it (I suppose that's a good thing?!).

SO true!:nod:

Wow! One tends to forget that, but it's true! That NEEDS to happen. The mere thought of Lindsey and Stevie actually fully collaborating on a song makes my heart soar. I think it would mean a lot to them, too...ESPECIALLY Stevie (I'm sure I don't have to explain).

Stevie is the best thing FM has going for it right now. If you want to see FM degraded and play at county fairs then something is wrong.

I think rianbay1 is just commenting on the fact that, in 1994, without Stevie, Lindsey & Christine, Fleetwood Mac was opening up for Crosby, Stills & Nash, and later playing summer nostalgia festivals with REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar.

Absolutely nothing against that lineup of the band, but they weren't exactly the huge concert draw the current lineup is.

If only she'd throw a little rock into her roll!

Re: Re: should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

Our answers certainly run the gamut. I think Fleetwood Mac should retire, every last stinkin' one of 'em.

They're my band & I love 'em ... but ... go away, already!

Then wetcamelfood & I (& a few others who want to help) can break into the vaults & circulate the rest of the really good stuff to the fans.

On the other hand, it's not like they were touring behind an album on those tours, either. Remember, "Time" came out after they stopped touring. In fact, I think they only did one show after the album was released. And, only four months after the album was released, Mick pulled the plug on the whole thing.

This was a band was just starting out (again). Remember, the "Rumours" band opened for other acts, too in their early days. Ironically, they opened for Dave Mason at one point.

To be sure, I'd hate to see them doing tours with REO and Benatar again. I wasn't all that crazy about them doing that tour in the first place.

But, I was all over the CSN tour. THAT was the best bill I've ever seen, and one of the best shows I've ever seen. If they could get on a touring circuit where they would be touring with other credible musicians, I think it would be great.

I'd like a happy medium. While I'd hate to see them doing the state fair circuit or the cheesy nostalgia tours, I'd love to see them tour more than once every five years, charging $175 a ticket.

Say what you want about the Bekka years, at least we got a lot of shows that weren't expensive.:nod:

Stevie and Fleetwood Mac should just keep on doing it if it feels right. Each member doesn't have to carry on in the same fashion that they do now. I think somthing related to music will always be there for them, whether it's singing, writing, playing or producing. Who knows what paths the band(members) will take. I say as long as they have something to give, then give it. RETIREMENT is such a harsh word to use anyway. I don't think they'll ever do that from music. It's their lives.


Joe

Re: Re: Re: should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

Maybe a couple of new forums should be started on here. One could be called "Despising Stevie" and the other... maybe, "Everything post 'Tusk' sucks". As an avid Stevie and CURRENT (The HORROR!!) fleetwood Mac Fan, it would certainly make me a happy camper.

:laugh: (It's all OK if you follow it up with a smiley)

:laugh: :laugh: (or two)

Yes, it's a more obscure cut.

Now, if Fleetwood Mac retired, I wouldn't grieve. Really, and this should come as no surprise, the only one I want not to retire is Lindsey.

As for the tour with REO and Pat Benatar, I recall coming out of that show with an appreciation for Benatar as a performer. She was quite engaging. FM was, at best, ho-hum. There was hardly any life on that stage when Fleetwood Mac was up there. It was a rather sad spectacle.

Really, the highlight of the night for me was REO. Those guys were rocking as much as when I had seen them a decade earlier. (OK, I confess, I was a big REO fan in high school, hmm, at about the same time as a I was a big Stevie fan.)

I know - people think that these reunion tours are by horrible acts. Pat Benatar is great to this day. I also love REO. I mean people think that because someone is not selling out a huge venue they stink :rolleyes: I am not one of those people :laugh:

I agree though that when these acts change singers, it can be not as good a la Journey.

Benatar rocks live. Girl has some major pipes. :nod:

should stevie and f. mac retire?
 

In a word...

No.

Okay, I have more...LOL
 

I just wanted to say that just because Britney, Eminem (who's out of the spotlight right now), etc. are popular right now in the Top 40 world doesn't mean that there aren't classic rock radio stations and adult contemporary stations playing FM, Bob Seger, The Eagles, etc.

I do understand the term "today's music", but IMO, since there are so many different types of music on the radio, there are still fans of music from yesteryear and people do like music by those artists today too. :)

If fleetwood mac retired, unfortunately that would mean retirement for Lindsey in some way.
The only time he gets any recognition on any scale is when he is in fm. which is sad, look at his track record, he hasnt released lots of material since leaving fm, altho i know he has been working, but we the public , still dont have that solo cd.
if he could only release that solo cd...

Re: Okay, I have more...LOL
 

But, what Fleetwood Mac songs get played on those Classic Rock stations?

"Go Your Own Way"
"Dreams"
"Gold Dust Woman"


MAYYYYYBE "Don't Stop"
MAYYYYYBE "You Make Loving Fun"
MAYYYYYBE "Gypsy"
MAYYYYYBE "Tusk"
MAYYYYYBE "Little Lies"

That's it...5 of 8 songs from one out of 20+ albums, done in a 10 year span of a nearly 40 year career.

It's not like these stations are digging back to play "Hypnotized" or "Oh Well" anymore. I almost skidded off the road the other day when a station here in LA played the 1980 Live version of "Oh Well".

If Fleetwood Mac gets airplay, it's usually "Landslide" or "Rhiannon" on one of those "listen at work, soft rock" stations that actually just lull you to sleep in 20 minutes, which is why they have so damned many commercial breaks. :)

Just a little info from another part of the world... Here is a list from our pop radio station WDR2 in my area of Germany. It usually is Mac- friendly (someone likes them obviously- Little lies plays really often). They played Peacekeeper a lot last year, Thrown down only a few times and SYW not at all. That's what they played during the last 8 days:

Fleetwood Mac Never going back again
Fleetwood Mac Don't stop
Fleetwood Mac Love shines
Fleetwood Mac Big love
Fleetwood Mac I do
Fleetwood Mac Everywhere
Fleetwood Mac Go your own way
Fleetwood Mac Dreams
Fleetwood Mac Sara
Fleetwood Mac Gypsy
Fleetwood Mac Peacekeeper