Most Unpopular Opinions About Lindsey
 

Do I dare start a thread I can't finish? Well it was posted over on Stevie's forum so here's a starter for Buck's. I don't know as much about him so this list will be shorter.

1. I think the one thing Stevie and Lindsey have in common is insecurity. I think Lindsey is one of the most skittish and frightened people on the face of the planet. The two of them together? I'm surprised they made it more than a month.

2. I think Lindsey thinks he is still a wannabe rock star. In his mind, I don't think he's ever fully gotten that he made it. He's still trying to prove himself worthy and I don't think FM counts, in his opinion. For him, he needs to make it as a solo artist. That hasn't happened. That is also why it takes him a decade or more to release anything. Fear of failure again. I think Lindsey has never known how good he is. He's always trying to live up to those experimental standards and has failed every time, which is what makes him a *wannabe* or second-rate in his mind. Despite his millions and his fame, he still looks at himself as a struggling artist.
And always will

3. I think Lindsey is about as happy as someone with his mindset can be. Self-torture is his inspiration but the wife and family are great covers to the outside world. I think Lindsey needs and takes more than his fair share outside of that.
And then some

4. I think Lindsey is about as egotistical and at the same time, insecure, as someone can get. He's a little boy in the fetal position on the floor crying for someone's attention. But because he's so full of himself, he hasn't dealt with it and hides behind himself both in private and in public.

5. I think Lindsey is uncomfortable with compliments.

6. I think Lindsey will release a solo album sometime but only one more and if and when it does come out, he will kick himself in the ass for it not being what he wanted. That will then push him into endless touring with no new material with FM till they all drop.

7. I think Lindsey loves himself more than he could ever love another human being.
He also hates himself

8. I think Tusk is brilliant and he should have stuck to his guns.
This one might not be so unpopular

9. I think Say You Will was a disappointment to Lindsey and he blames himself for its borderline failure. He also blames the others for not going along with him and his vision.
Secretly, I think he loves Say You Will

And last but not least:

10. I think Lindsey is one big walking contradiction.

Lindsey's biggest critics are his fans, but especially:

a) those who prefer Stevie and are fed up with every claim that Lindsey was a big part in making Stevie successful

b) those who love 95% or more of what Fleetwood Mac has put out and are fed up with every claim that Lindsey Buckingham made Fleetwood Mac what it is

c) those who are just doing it in order to be goofy

Ok, now to the man himself.

Lindsey is the modern day Don Quijote. Just think about it; he's so full of himself and his philosophies (just like Don Quijote was obsessed with his knight etiquette and his preachings of how one should live one's life) that he's willing to repeat them till the end of the world without noticing that most people around him are just laughing at him.

I do think they let things get "physical and ugly" at that driveway in 1987. I also think it wasn't the only time something like that happened. But in my mind the biggest hurt was done to both through words, not through physical actions.

Agreed with Sue on #10 completely. The same man who lets his chest hair show openly to women is also a total nerd.

"Steal Your Heart Away" is utter crap.

The rhythm section production on Out Of The Cradle suits the songs just fine; if it was given a so-called "real" rhythm section a lot of the feel of the songs would be lost; IMO.

"Family Man" is a masterpiece (while most just think it's utter crap or very good or something in between).

Lindsey should still be using a Fairlight with the 8 bit sampling rate in order to make everything sound more rock and roll. But then, who's to say he isn't using it?

Oh damn, I'm running out of time now. Better hurry up.

Lindsey is an utterly childish person in his life, emotions and music. And I wouldn't want him any other way.

The 'fro was not cool....

The Tango hair, on the other hand, was. :thumbsup:

I don't understand Tusk. At all. Sorry.

I'll think of more.

I think he is insanely jealous of people he sees as a threat of some kind. I think he was, and in some way still is, so jealous of La Nicks and her popularity and apparent ease in her own talent that it eats him up inside, esp. considering they still care deeply for each other on some level.

An amazing relationship, isnt it?:lol:

Unpopular Opinion re: Lindsey:

He helped Stevie gain the kind of success she's had. That's an unpopular opinion that I hold. If LB hadn't brought Stevie along with him when hired by FM - she would never have produced the kind of songs on the white album and Rumours and Tusk that gained her the kind of meteoric fame that she enjoyed. Without the right timing for both Lindsey and Stevie - without Lindsey being adamant about bringing Stevie into FM - without the kind of production he knew how to put into her songs - which were skelatal at best - she wouldn't be "Stevie Nicks"....yes, she may have found some success if LB ditched her for Mick's offer...but she may have been a one hit wonder....or maintained a more cult-like following.

Fame is sooooo fickle. No matter who you know, how pretty you are, or even if you have one hit record - it's difficult to sustain a career at the top. It was the staying power that FM had at that time- and the songs Stevie created with LB at the helm that helped her popularity, and gained her access to a very successful solo career in the early 80's....albeit...with different producers..but I don't think she would have been privy to those producers without the fame of Fleetwood Mac. Although he could be a real prick to her - I often understand why he was so resentful. I don't condone it - I just empathize.

Having said that...I'm not so sure Lindsey would have been as successful without her as well.

Hence his negative comments regarding Fleetwood Mac after he left. He probably had thought that if he quit the band would dissolve. They didn't, which probably was a big reality check (or slap upside the head) to him. (and especially when they got a BETTER guitarist)

Onto my "unpopular opinions":

1) He's not one of the best guitarists in the world (in fact, he's FAR from the best guitarist in Fleetwood Mac...not even in my top 5)

2) He ruined Fleetwood Mac

I agree with LaGringa and LaStrandie. Also with Face of Glass on his number one, two, and the last one. (not counting A,B,C).
Maybe those aren't such unpopular opinions.

He underestimated the fighting spirit this band has to go on. They went through, IMO, a far bigger crisis when Peter left so they could handle it and move on. He couldn't.

I would disagree in terms of his technical proficiency but I would agree in terms of his purely playing "emotion". He doesn't set something off in my heart the way Peter, Clapton, Knopfler etc do. But I do admire his skills.


I think that was a somewhat combined effort. You could argue they gave Lindsey too much power in terms of defining the music. I have a theory that when Lindsey lost the 'fro he lost some of his abilities for some reason. I watched some of his work on the Largo '75 gig the other night and was shocked at how fresh and great he played and sung.

Amber's on the Buckingham forum! :blob2: :blob1: :laugh:

I thought my eyes deceived me!

Hmm, well as far as unpopular opinions go, I'd say he was completely 100% right in his behavior on the DR doc, re: threatening to take the masters and keep them as his solo album. Completely justified.

I think we all know he's whiny, self indulgent, egocentric and never satisfied, so I don't think that makes them unpopular opinions. However, I totally adore him despite (and maybe because of) all those "attributes"...so is that unpopular?...:laugh:

My thoughts are that he is a perfectionist. He needs to stop worrying about what the critics will think and just make the kind of music that he wants. at this point no matter what he puts out it will likely flop but at least us die hard fans would buy it and hopefully enjoy it.

As for SYW I thought that it was the best album they had produced since Tango. I liked the time album and Behind the Mask ,but I also found that of the three albums SYW had the least amount of songs I tend to skip over. The one complaint that I would have to make is that the album lacked a true sense of togetherness. It never felt that everybody was 100% behind the project and Stevies comments in those recent articles. also confirm my thoughts.

My feeling is that the band needs to pack it in. This business about touring next year with no new material to support is lame. The SYW tour sucked because it was like one big musical orchestra backing a band that was playing the same shop worn hits they had done to the death on every other tour. If the album was meant to reinvent the band the tour didn't reflect that at all. A fresher set list and no orchestra would have been alot better.

I actually think that the Henley Nicks show in Philly was 10x better then the Toronto Fm show in 2003.

I think he needs to take a break from being SO VERY intense
 

Like Stevie, sometimes when I listen to him speak, I'm thinking, "do you even know what you just said?!" I think his message gets lost in the wordiness at times.

my most unpopular opinion about Lindsey (especially around here) is that i don't think he's the hottest guy i've ever seen. :shocked: sorry....

yes, he has made me melt when he has caught my eye during a concert and smiled (and his flirty smile IS hot), but as far as the general male population goes... i've seen ever so slightly hotter.

other unpopular opinions i have about lindsey:

- while i do think he's a guitar genius, and definitely a producing genius - i just don't like every song he's ever written. people call them experimental and edgy. they just don't appeal to me ears. some of them anyway. and some of them actually make my ears hurt.

- loved the fro/hippy look. hated the new wave/too much make up look

- love The Ledge

- DO think he and stevie were a good couple. i'm a sucker for passion and the whole "can't live with, can't live without you, can't deny i want you" thing. very hot.

Ahh, isn't that song great? 2 blissful minutes of unabashed peppiness, even though the lyrics say otherwise.

Well here's a REALLY unpopular one - I loooooove Not That Funny. LOVE IT!! Not just the album version, but any live version, all 9 self indulgent minutes of it complete with all the whoops and screams and "love grunts". LOVE IT.

Lindsey Twins! I believe we're the only two who like The Fro. I hate too much makeup/Tusk as well.
Plus, although I did find him hot when I was right in front of him (expressive eyes, good energy) I normally don't, really. He's a "you had to be there" kind of guy. Objectively I can say he's good looking, but I'm not uncontrollably drawn to him.
The Ledge is sublime.

- He claims he couldn't learn how to play with a pick.. that's just LAZY, Lindsey. It's really not that hard.

- I love Family Man too. And Not That Funny. "Even" the live version.

- I don't like Go Insane (the album). I like some songs on it, but I never really got into the entire album.

- I'm really not that interested in his personality anymore. The music's enough for me. So what if he's a bit of a twat. A lot of popular musicians are :shrug: Comes with the profession :D

Well I think you all are a bunch of Hippocrits. There is no need to come on to a Lindsey buckingham fan site forum then create a post to to find everything thats, in your opinoin not right with the man.
nobodys perfect but, if i could play guitar 1/4 as good i would be happy. If i had 1/4 his money i'd be happy and most of all if i had had 1/4 the whirlwind rockstar life he had, i would be happy.
How does everyone know so much about him anyway he keeps such a low profile, as far a im aware he has a beautiful house a family which he loves, a big merc which i seen on DR and is back on friendly terms with the FM band.

and to correct ChilliD "Yes he is one of the best guitarists, what cant he do"

BUT DAMN LINDSEY YOU ARE SLOW AT RELEASING ALBUMS !!!!!

what can't he do? Uh, play with a pick! :p

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I love that word :o

:o I know, me too!:lol:

He uses a pick in the studio when he feels the need. You obviously havent watched Big Love live. Notice the strumming technique there, where's the problem. He dosent need a pick and it looks far cooler without one anyway.
That guy has spent his life mastering the guitar be careful what you critise..
nuff said...

'careful'? Lol, I criticise whenever I feel like it, luv. Lighten up.
I never knew that playing with a pick or not had something to do with coolness...
anyway, I think your adoration taking no critique is equally hypocrite as the opposite.

Lindsey NEEDS his nicksfiles.. somebody please take the job!

welcome to the happy few, red. I NEVER understood that NTF was so low appreciated. Especially when IKINW is Highly appreciated.:shrug: :shrug:

Lindsey's personality? Dunno. Never met the guy. So who cares? I love his musicianship including the tormented artist-soul. LOVE it.

LoL

I am lightened up, and i dont adore LB. I do however admire his Playing ability. Im not in anyway way trying to defend him but i just thought y'all were slating him a bit there.

cheers

alright, that's fair ;) *shakes hands*

haha thats funny because, uh, he can.

He can but generally doesn't. He doesn't need to, doesn't want to. He has long finger nails on his picking hand and speaking from experience you can get the same tone from strumming with them. The only thing a "Pick" should hinder him with is soloing quick. He can solo quick though, he found a way round it and pretty much came up with a signature guitar sound.

A three year old could hold a pick in his hand and strum IT'S NOT HARD. On the other hand it's took me 2 years of playing for hours a day to get my fingers going so I can play most Lindsey songs. He has many rythm's going on at the same time.

I could go ONNNNN but i'm not going too.

Name a more Versatile guitarist?

hmm
 

My unpopulars:

1.I don't see the attraction most do with his physical appearance.It's like :confused: There are billions of males more attractive.
2.I think 'Go Insane' is one of the greatest albums ever made.
3.Family Man is brilliant.
4.I believe that he thinks he's one of the greatest musical innovators in history when really he's not
5.I think he dissed the 'Behind the Mask' lineup out of sheer jealousy.

that's about it. If I think of more,i'll edit.

Uh, I play guitar myself. Used to play with just fingernails for years. Only switched to a pick on the electric the last half year, and I have to say, it is a different sound, not just for strumming (I can do more versitile strumming with fingernails, really) but for solos too. It makes playing the electric more fun for me, actually. Haven't played a lot of lindsey stuff lately, though.

Ok, so I didn't know he does use the pick occasionally now. Some quote from his stuck with me where he said something about giving up on trying to play with the pick in his early Fleetwood Mac days.
I stand corrected.

He has said that his gibson was giving him problems with fingerpicking and that he wasn't going to give up and use a pick because playing with his fingers is his style.

Not many electric players can finger pick let a lone travis pick like Lindsey. In my opinion theres nothign more borring than listen to a guy saw a guitar in half with a pick. It's totally generic and predictable. There are THOUSANDS of guitarists that strum chords out. Lindsey's style is a rarety.

Your "correction" is misguided. He's got a unique style, that's for sure; but "unique style" doesn't not equate to "best guitarist".

He can't:
1) play blues authentically

2) improvise in a band situation

3)...oh, hell, there's just too many to mention...this bores me.

I think he's a neurotic, vain and insecure twat. (thanks mari ;) )

I hate Tango in the Night, His Productional Masterpiece....

I think OOTC is his fourth best solo-album ( GOS included at #1).

I think he didn't diss the BTM-line-up out of jealousy, but out of :eek: :eek: about the artistic poorness of the result of their studiowork. (and i agreed)

so...out of arrogance.

OK, I'm sure this has been posted before but I'm going to say it anyway. The whole point of a forum is for hopefully stimulating debate. If this forum was all about how good LB is it would become very boring. Like everything in life you have to have balance. Sometimes criticism is good to focus attention, especially if it is constructive. One of Lindsey's problems I believe is that he can give criticism of others but is uncomfortable about taking it. Sometimes he's even criticised others in order to make his own work look better.

It's impossible to keep a truly low profile when you have been in the public eye for over 30 years. Lindsey is a hermit by nature it would seem but you can get a reasonable picture of him over time if you have enough evidence.

You have to remember Paul that Lindsey has been playing guitar for 47 years. Give yourself long enough and study hard enough and you can be as good or better as a guitarist. It's a matter of desire and application.

I used to think that if I had the talent, money and rockstar life to only a small degree of what LB has I would be happy. Then, when you get it you find it's not enough and you want more. Call it greed or ambition or whatever. I think Lindsey wants more. Maybe not financially but certainly in terms of commercial success or praise.

boring? :shocked:

eh.. Peter Green??? Hello!?

(edit: ok, I misread that. thought you said playing with a pick was boring, not just strumming) (but I don't think strumming's necessarily boring)

I don't know, I guess I'm not so tied to LB anymore, I just enjoy music in general. What's good is good. Sometimes, let's go cryptic, what's great is not so good at all. I mean, some musicians aren't really very great on a technical level, but create the most moving music anyway.
(and that gives me hope... :lol: )

As for other more versitile guitarists, maybe we can let loose Chili on this one ;)

What you've said there reminds me alot of the stereotypical views of modern day Ireland. All very materialistic and status driven.Celtic Tiger and all that garbage.As if having such riches =happiness.
*shudder*Living here makes me feel tainted & wrong:lol:

It's not a case of "needing a pick". Different styles and sounds require different techniques. Take Eric Clapton, Slash, David Gilmour, BB King, Mark Knopfler, Lindsey Buckingham, Eddie Van Halen. All these are the most obvious examples of differing styles and techniques. When I hear a song I know right away which of these guys is playing.

Lindsey's style and sound is based around what he does with his fingers. It sounds great and looks very interesting but it can limit you as a player too in some respects.
Lindsey uses a form similar to Travis picking, Knopfler uses his fingers too but in a totally different way. He uses the flesh a lot more and tends to stick with three fingers most of the time. Eric uses both fingers and pick depending on the song and instrument. I'm actually in awe of players that can do both. I use my fingers but would love to be able to have full control of a pick. There are certain sounds you just cannot replicate with fingers alone.

I certainly think that players such as Clapton, Hendrix, Slash and Peter Green to name just four wouldn't have sounded the way they did/do by playing any other way. It's what you feel most comfortable with and what you feel works to express yourself in the best way.

Eric Clapton
Rick Vito
Bob Welch
Mark Knopfler
Warren Haynes
Doyle Bramhall II
Keith Richards
Paul McCartney (yeah, he's known as a bass player, but he's an incredibly versatile guitarist, as well)
Larry Carlton
Lee Ritenour

I could go on...but it would be pointless...there's your examples.

In fingerpicking style? Andreas Sergovia and Tommy Emmanuel spring to mind.

Mark Knopfler in terms of styles. He can play Jazz, Blues, Rock, Country and improvise within those "boundaries" and he can mix them too.

Earwax build-up strikes again.