Stevie Stale and Stagnant
 

Stevie is high up on my long list of artists I love and have followed dillegently since 1977. And I'm glad she's still performing, yet I'm very dissapointed in her lack of creativity and inspiration.

I'm sick of the fact that all she talks about are the same things she's talked about for years and years now -- Fleewood Mac's long-past dramas, her cocaine and kolonopin days etc...ad nausuem. She panders to it, the media panders to it, and alot of fans pander to it. Move on!

Her shows haven't really changed that much since she went solo. The main content is "all the same....all the same...Rhiannon." Yeah, she adds a few new songs here and there, then drops them, and switches some songs around. Oh wow...ehh! Her incessant touring only drives home the fact that she is dead in the water, completely stagnant, and living on past glories.

So, as fans, we have to settle for and be happy for the "new" stuff on her third compilation album -- more live versions of Landslide and Rhiannon, and, albeit, a great, unexpected cover version of a Led Zeppelin cover.

I'm reading a book about another artist I love, Elvis Costello. Yes, they are two completely different artists, so it's a little unfair to compare the two. But Elvis fans have it so much better than Stevie fans. Granted, he's in another realm -- prolific beyond belief...nearly 30 albums since 1977, plus another ton of random songs. And no signs of stopping.

He's a master artist, musician and lyricist. Stevie is none of those -never has been, never will be, nor do I expect her to be. I love her for who she is and what she's done, regardless of her limitations. But reading about him -- how impromptu his shows can be, and how he completely changes his shows each tour, sometimes show to show, makes me realize just how redundant she's become. I find fault with her...and so-called fans who expect/demand the same old songs...the songs they know and have heard a million times over. It just re-enforces the redundancy.

Elvis's vast cannon of songs allows him to perform shows that are fresh and unexpected. He's not beholden to play his hits or other well-known songs all the time. His audiences enjoy the show for what it is...and rarely complain that he didn't play this or that song. They can never predict what song he'll open with or what song he'll close with.

Yet, with Stevie, it's all very rote, tour after tour after tour....like the "Edge walk." It's not so much a show anymore, it's more like a church service. All we can hope for is one new song --new meaning one she hasn't performed for a while. Even without new material, she has many other songs she could perform, including more covers, which she is very good at.

I don't think it's much to ask for. But do I think Stevie has some serious psychological barriers that have kept her from moving forward, thus we have to settle for the stale and suffer for the stagnancy. It's completely befitting that she gravitates to Vegas...city of canned entertainment. It's all the same. All the same. All the same.

Great post. I've been wondering if and when she may come clean about being addicted to yet another mind numbing substance that has zapped her creativity and turned her into an automation of a performer content to trot out the same songs year after year for as long as she is physically able to.

I think a lot of people complain too much about Stevie and what she is currently doing with her life. Hmm...where to start...

First of all, let's start with 2001. TISL came out, she went on tour towards the end of the year. 2002 was spent recording and preparing SYW. 2003 and 2004 was the release and world tour for SYW, Stevie then took a respite at the end of the tour until early 2005. In the summer of 2005 she embarked on the two voices tour (I blame Henley b/c he invited her and then bailed) and b/c of his departure, she had to continue w/o him and added some more dates and continued on. Late 2005 through early 2006, Australia. Summer of 2006, touring intermittantly and TRYING to rest in-between. And now it's spring 2007, and we have CV and the upcoming tour.

You people act as if she has been sitting on her ass for the past 5 years eating bon-bons on her couch and being a "stale and stagnet" homebody! Clearly she hasn't been. IMO, the tour in the summer of 2005 led us to where we are now with Stevie and the CV release. Also, IMO, if she had not gone on tour that summer, we might have a brand new album, but Stevie chose to tour then and now follow up that tour with CV. And with this retrospective she added some live tracks from that tour on the album and a few other goodies to set it apart from TimeSpace from 16 years ago! (and btw, Enchanted is a career spanning box-set that is only for serious fans really, not a collection of her "best" work...the avg. fan will not buy it b/c it is not for them) So now, she is now touring with Issac this summer. A little redundent?...yes!...but this is a fairly short tour and this is what she wants to do.

Although Stevie isn't always true to her word, she said to "expect new music, because she is always writing it" so in time, it will come! I think most of you need to get off of your high horses and let this ride. Your bitterness towards her decisions will not change what is happening in her life, so just stop wasting all of your energy on negativity and be happy she is still active, and looking towards the future.

I don't mean to rant, but everytime i turn around, someone is complaining about something Stevie is doing. Either her playlist on iTunes sucks (which she didn't even have to do btw), or all she ever does is answers the same lame questions in interviews, or she isn't high enough on Billboard because the album is boring and poorly promoted, or she shouldn't do Silver Springs or whatever...it's always complaints! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, so don't tell me that i'm saying you are not, because you all are, but it seems that whatever she does isn't good enough anymore, and if she doesn't release new music in a timely manner, that means her creativity must be dried up and she will never record again. That isn't going to happen, this is just where Stevie is right now in her life, and we need to take it a day at a time and support her if at all possible. Yea, i think it's pretty silly that she's not touring with anything "brand new" again, but after this, she is on to her next project, whatever that may be. So please folks, let's just try to chill out and enjoy the show.

Maybe she's JUST NOT COMFORTABLE up on stage like Elvis is or other artists are... Or maybe she has a genuine fear which brings on panic attacks at the mere thought of playing something that the majority wouldn't expect. I think alot of it hinges on insecurity frankly:shrug:

Boooooooo!

I just got back from an incredble hike in gorgeous weather in the north San Francisco bay and i'm having a glass of Napa valley vintage so I'm about as chill as can be Rockalittle 250.But that doesn't change my opinion one iota.

I'm totally with you on this... :wavey:

I completely appreciate and respect your perspective. I'm chilling:) However, as long-time devoted fan, I feel I've earned the right to complain. I consider my post to be less of a complaint and more of a critical observation....not about her life, but about her restriction....and artistic stagnation. I guess perplexed devotees just have to set the bar very, very low. I'm not emotional over the matter, nor am I bitter...just very disapppointed. I hope this thread doesn't turn into a bunch of complaints...about "complaining" lol

Yes, yes, yes!

No, you didn't.... she never put a gun to your head and said:"You better be in this for the long haul or I'll blow your brains out" or "Buy all my cd's, go to my shows or else...". You chose to do all that. Stevie had nothing with it.
I don't think you're critical, you are complaining.
I'm a long time fan myself, a devotee, but I'm just happy that she's still alive, touring and enjoying every minute of it. With all the drinking, drugs and pill popping she could've been dead a long time ago. I'm perplexed that long time fans are complaining, I don't get it.

I'm with you all the way :wavey:

I am trying to "soak up" all the Stevie I can get because you just never know how many more years she will be performing or hopefully recording. (God willing she stays healthy). So, even though the concert set lists are the same, and predictable, it is a miracle she is still with us and up there on stage singing and dancing for us. (and not sitting at home on the couch eating Bon Bons). ;)

I can definitely see all sides to this discussion..I really can.
However - she is stagnant and stale. I am also glad she is alive and still doing her thing.Good for her. I however am quite bored with it all.

Look at you posting complete sentences and ****. What a treat to come back to. :thumbsup:

Anyway, I think Stevie has one or two great masterpeices left in her. Hopefully she knocks the doubters (myself included) on their asses.

Same here. She's still with us, has done and seen it all and she could be sitting at home on the couch eating bon bons and watching soaps. Instead she chooses to be with us, I don't see what there is to complain about :shrug:

!
 

Thank you! That's exactly the main jest of it. I see both sides too! I know people are very emotional and protective of Stevie. I knew there was a possibility that majority would get in an uproar of my critical analysis. In my opinion it was a fair assessment of her career...in comparsion to others.

Perhaps the title "Stale and Stagnent" was a bit too harsh...leading people into defense/anger mode before even reading the post. But just remember--I'm one of you--one of Stevie's biggest fans. If someone can't express an intelligent dissertation here without fear of being shunned and despised, please tell me the real purpose of this board?

I need not to defend myself. I expected discourse, not disdain. Oh well. I'll sleep well tonight.:)

I don't despise you. You have your opinion and I have mine. And maybe I am a bit protective of Stevie. I'm just trying to make you see my side of it. I came to the USA in 2004, you have no idea what it's like to live in a country where they hardly know her. You guys get all the good stuff: the interviews, tv shows and the tours. So it's hard for me to understand that someone could complain about the setlist, her same answers etc. She could be on a stage reading the phonebook for all I care.

:D :D :D :D

I think what some of us long time fans are disappointed about is her reasoning behind her not wanting to create any new music.I believe she has the capability to write good songs but not doing it because they won't get radio airplay is just incredible and belies alot of what she has said about her songwritingand artistry .I have not missed buying tickets for a Stevie Nicks tour since 1981 but I 'm seriously considering not going for this one even though the opening night show is only a half hour drive.

All this whining-please, get over it. If she was completely stagnant, she wouldnt be on the road.
I am so sick of all this bitchy negativity-go to Lindsey's board and stay there.
None of you have to like ANYTHING Stevie's doing or hasnt done, but if it's no longer your thing, just F*ck off....this is a FAN forum, so ir youre no longer one...LEAVE

stevie stale and stagnant
 

totally agree.

stevie.

i love her but

snooze...

yawn.

I've got a better idea let's meet at the wrestling ring at the Power Exchange and settle this!:lol:

LOL-Thank you so much for that...sometimes it just hurts to read all this stuff.

no problem! a little levity is always good.

Well, maybe you can simply stock your FM and Stevie LPs in a box, sit on a couch and remember the old times when the world was exactly as you wanted it to be?

It's not easy, especially for a woman, to be a rockstar at almost 60 and she does it in her own way, beautifully and gracefully. The least we can do is to respect her artistic choices, IMO.

Besides, your analysis isn't critical but emotional since you speak as a fan or ex-fan, that is legitimate anyway. It's always a matter of taste.

Romy

Just for the sake of arguement, what IF somebody in her camp reads this forum and reports back to her what is said??? Than all she hears are complaints. The majority of this Stevie forum is complaining one way or another (and on another board too). If I were her I wouldn't release any new music because people are complaining anyway so what's the point???

I know what you mean. The same could have happened to Stevie. I'm so glad it didn't and therefore I'm glad she's still alive. I don't care what songs she sings, she's still there and we have a chance to see her!!!!

i think it's pretty clear from stevie's setlist that she's catering to the casual fan - i don't think she's too worried what her more hardcore fans want.

I totally agree with you. Money wise she doesn't have to do this, she doesn't have to go on tour but she wants to. Old setlist or not, she rules.... just cuz.

I think once Stevie releases a new album, this kind of discussion will be all over. I don't blame the fans on their frustration, but give the woman a chance...

Let's be realistic La Nicks isn't catering to her hard core fan base these days but rather the baby boom nostalgia people who will go see her in concert anyway and could care less about any new material.I think she does what she wants to and no internet chat is going to cause her to not make a new album if she felt like making one.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I think she is catering to her hardcore fans simply by releasing the CV dvd. The commentaries don't mean anything to the average fan. I bet the average fan won't even listen to it. They hear:"And there's my sister in-law Lori Nicks and my dear friend Sharon Celani" and "There's my friend Sandy Stewart". They don't care who's in the video. They think:"That's nice, Stevie now shut & sing".
I agree that no internet chat will make her go back into the studio to do new stuff which is why I said "Just for the sake of arguement".

Your thoughts and observations echo mine own, and I applaud you for presenting them in such an eloquent and in my opinion, accurate way. I haven't read many of the responses but I'm sure you've opened up a hornet's nest as many fans take these statements/opinions as personal attacks on themselves and their love of Stevie.

I guess I've grown used to Stevie's staleness as this point but it does sadden me. She talks all the time in interviews about not wanting to get married/have children because she didn't want to compromise her art. Frankly, there's not much "art" left. I will always love, admire and follow her, but I feel she has so much more to offer.

There's a lot of art left just in a different way everyone expects her to do. You say it saddens you but try to look at her from a positive angle: she's still alive and kicking!!!!

Thank you! One can be a long time devoted fan, who is thankful she is still alive and performing, but also be sick of the stagnant sets. Raving about everything she does borders on stalkeresque.

I am so sick of these ****ing threads. I don't give a **** one way or the other, but dear god, I'd rather the Stevie forum be dead (wait, it is) than have to see one more thread about how disappointed or annoyed or frustrated or upset or let down or disenchanted or unhappy or unsatisfied or heartbroken or disillusioned you are; it's been discussed ad nauseam. use the search feature. it's your friend. that said...yeah, we're all a bit pissy over it, myself included. I think we can all agree that Stevie is in a state of stagnation. her setlists, attitude towards promotion and lack of new material stinks worse than a pig farm in the middle of the ****ing summer. Stevie's doing what the hell she wants. I ain't happy with the fact that she regurgitates her setlists or that she wears Frankenboks or that she no longer even attempts certain notes or that she promises things that aren't delivered, but the bitch is still truckin' - so, chill.

Last year's Stevie (performing at Tom Petty shows) was in no way stale or stagnant. In fact, it was the best Stevie I've seen since the early/mid 80's. I'm a little disappointed with the whole CV thing so far (boring interviews, regurgitated Landslide, etc.), but it's a greatest hits, nostalgia CD so that is going to lead to greatest hits/nostalgia interviews and performances.

Had this Tom Petty tour not happened, I would have agreed with this thread. I am hoping that touring with Eye Sack will bring out more of what we saw last year.

^^^
yeah. you'd think that'd pacify some, or at least show that she isn't completely a sellout.