LB Says FM: With or Without Sheryl
 

March 25, 2008, 2:25 PM ET

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/..._id=1003733037

Gary Graff, Detroit
Fleetwood Mac -- with or without Sheryl Crow in tow -- is planning to be active again.

Singer/guitarist Lindsey Buckingham -- who's just released a new concert DVD, "Live at the Bass Performance Hall," from his 2006-07 solo tour -- tells Billboard.com that the group is "looking at the idea of touring sometime in the first half of 2009," possibly with some new material to play.

In recent weeks Crow, who's friendly with Mac's Stevie Nicks, has talked about joining the band, which Buckingham acknowledges is a possibility, though he adds, "I don't think anything is written in stone yet."

"I think we were all a little surprised (Crow) was announcing that to the world with such certainty," Buckingham says with a laugh. "We have talked about the possibility of bringing another woman into the scene to kind of give Stevie a sort of foil and shake it up a little bit. (Crow) was certainly a name that has come up. We'll have to see."

Nicks has been the group's sole female member since Christine McVie retired from the band in the late '90s. Buckingham says that he has "a ton of new stuff" that could be used for a new Fleetwood Mac album, though he adds that he might want to step back from the production role he's had in the band.


"I don't think I want to produce again 'cause it takes so much," he explains. "Whatever happens we'll all sit in a room and make something work as a group. a little more like we used to, sort of try to open it up and get everyone sharing the activity a little more."

Buckingham, meanwhile, is also planning another solo album -- the follow-up to 2006's "Under the Skin" -- for this summer. Recorded with members of his touring band as well as Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, it "has a little more of a rock feel to it" than "Under the Skin," according to Buckingham. "It's just another group of tunes that hopefully will translate to stage, and hopefully we can get some more (solo) dates this summer."

Formerly signed to Reprise, Buckingham says he's a "free agent" now, without a label deal as a solo artist. "We're gonna figure out who wants to put it out," he says of the as-yet untitled album. "I'm keeping an open mind. People need to hear the music and we'll see what they think and what the best situation for it will be."

GROUNDBREAKING NEWS!!!!!

So lindsey steps back to make FM a more democratic environment when it comes to the artistic direction. (holding my breath)

So lindsey puts out a part of the rest of the GOS-tunes as a soloalbum ( because he talks about the fact that Mick and John are on the recordings. (Twist Of Fate! Shuffle Riff, Gift Of Screws!) And some new recorded stuff with - as I hope - the groovin Cuban on it, who I thought sounded spectacular.
That all is, IF he find a label/way to put it out! GO FASTER DUDE!
AND he wants to tour solo this year.

WOW. I couldn't care less if Crow is in yes or no. He has tons of new material for a Mac-album. I say RICK RUBIN produces the next mac-album.

All steviefans have to admit. This guy is an adult at last.

solo album and tour... cmon!! i don't want to have to wait through a bunch of mac stuff.

and oooh, i wonder what the label deal is. contractual obligations fulfilled? "dropped" ?? hmmm!

He doesn't need no steeeenking label. No one does anymore, especially established artists. He should do what The Raconteurs have just done - make an announcement that the album's done and will be on sale online and all the usual retail outlets in a week.

I second that emotion. Callait and Dashut?

StevieFan Checkin in:wavey: and THIS sounds VERY promising. All of them sheryl or no back as a team, Good for him.
Also, AMEN to RICK RUBEN.:nod:

I think Timbaland should produce it.


:sorry:, but it's true. . .

haha True faith...I love you, haha

I definitely yelled out "YES!" in my office. Although I do agree with Rick Rubin, or even Callait and Dashut...Timbaland would just be indescribable.

....yes, I'm strange. :o

Yes! I can't wait for the summer now :D I'm saving up to fly to the US to see a show since it's unlikely that he'll play outside of it on a solo tour. I'm so glad he's been doing his own stuff and hasn't been hanging about waiting for news from the Mac. The fact that we could get a Lindsey album (that's the most important thing to me) as well as new Mac stuff is great news. Great that he has plenty of stuff that he can even use stuff on a Mac album.

I'm so overjoyed right now!

Except that The Raconteurs have a record label. XL in the UK, I'm not sure about the States, and they were fully behind that move.

I'm glad to hear the subject of the rock album come up again. I'm sure a smaller, independent would love to have him. It would probably suit him better being a big fish in a small pond anyway, at least he'd get some attention that way. Or else have it to buy as downloads on his own site and possibly iTunes. That way he'd get a bigger chunk of the cash he'd make from the sales and we'd get the music. Everybody wins.

See, I'm not sure Rubin would work that well with Lindsey. He's not a producer in the way Lindsey is a producer, he's basically a quality control agent pushing songwriters to be the best they can, telling them what stinks and what works, which is why he'd be GREAT for Stevie.

I still say Jim O'Rourke. That would be too awesome for words. Or even someone like Brendan O'Brien. His work with Pearl Jam and Springsteen is fantastic.

I think he'd do great on an independent label as well, but will his ego allow him to? I would hope that it will because they'll probably promote it better than any major label would. I just hope he's not so used to being on a major label that he doesn't consider an indie one. As long as it gets released I don't care who does it. I just want to get my hands on it.

Excellent news! I was just wondering this morning if the live dvd/cd was the "rock" album promised for the first half of this year... Appears not to be the case. Bring it!!

This is so exciting, I am jumping for joy right now.
The LB song cup o'plenty has runneth over. And now we get to enjoy it all, whether it be LB solo or Mac stuff. Yay !

LB handing over the production reins to Sheryl might be a good thing, if he can keep his hands out of the mixing bowl so to speak. The end result could be interesting.

Looks to be an interesting, busy, and fun 2008 and 2009. :]:nod::blob2::blob1:

Edit: I am so ready to hear LB's rockin' CD. You know he knows how to rock the guitar !! Go Lindsey! Rock my world (again)

This is such awesome news! And even more shocking (to me) because he says he has no interest in producing whatever FM project may result...big step for Lindsey. Yay!!! I'm over-the-moon if this goes through!!!:blob2::]:blob1:

What's great for Stevie must be great for FM. If lindsey is stepping back, it'll be great for him too. Or even better: great for them WRITING together. That's why I say Rubin. Although I still think that O'Rourke or Jack White would be the perfect match for Lindsey Solo.

I don't believe that. But if he is not miserable and feeling oppressed letting someone else do it, then great. I just hope he's happy. He said the record company (back when he still had one) suggested an outside producer for his next solo album. So, it's an idea he's had time to play with and digest. Full steam ahead. Michele

So, it seems like Stevie's whip still works.

Any time I read or hear 'new material' my heart skips a few beats. Bring it on, but please veto Sheryl Crow.

I find the not producing thing kind of laughable. Those of us who have watched this band for a while have heard that before. In 1987 Lindsey was going to let someone else produce Tango in the Night. 3 weeks into it the producer, Jason Corsaro, was headed home and Lindsey took over the reigns. Every album with this line up from Rumours on, Lindsey has been the point man on producution and the principle sonic architect. He is too much of a control freak when it comes to music. He can't let it go, even when from afar if he thinks it might be a good idea. It just won't happen. Maybe a co -produced project with someone else to provide some balance and contrast, but Lindsey as just the guitar player and vocalist, having someone else tell him how to play his parts, or doing the vocal arrangements on FM songs? Nope.

I completely agree with John Run. Lindsey might talk about another producer, but he won't let another producer stay on in the primary role. Jason Casaro, an engineer, was handed his walking papers in 1986; & even serious talk of getting Nile Rodgers of Chic (a guy with a great ear & a proclivity for miniaturist orchestration) resulted in nothing -- undoubtedly because of Lindsey himself. This is a guy who, for all his adult life, has had a compulsion to oversee his own projects & those of Fleetwood Mac (as long as he's been a member). It isn't just something he can flip on & off like a light switch. It's a fundamental facet of his personality. I know he's been in therapy, but no therapy is that good. He is not going to relegate himself to the position that, say, Stevie or John is in: Record this & that & then go home. It would be like asking an eye surgeon to assist with a tooth extraction in a dentist's office.

^Lindsey's appeasing. For now.

That's fine. The question then becomes what is going to happen to FM when Lindsey and the outside producer inevitably lock heads? Will they scrap the FM album, because Stevie doesn't want another repeat of SYW or, by that time, will they be too far invested in the album for the band to back out and will they have to forge ahead with Lindsey? If it's the latter -- then Lindscrafter's Machiavellian plan will have worked and all will be right with the world. If it's the former, then the fans will lose big time.

Michele

The imagery of that statement opens up so many thread jack possibilities. :D

A new album, a few solo concerts, and working with the Mac?

He puts the Energizer Bunny to shame.

(Or is it the image of Stevie's whip?)

Well, I think that's a pretty negative attitude. Yes, he's disagreed with producers in the past, but perhaps it's different this time, now that he's had a chance to put out a couple of solo albums and do solo tours where he is the undisputed master of his domain; he got it out of his system. For all we know, maybe he's tired of 'being inside of his own head' and thus receptive to doing things a bit differently. I can certainly relate to feeling paralyzed with decisions; sometimes it's just healthy to hand over the reins to someone you trust.

Why do you think Lindsey is hellbent on leaving FM? If anything, he seems to be the one most vocally championing new FM projects. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Lindsey was the one dangling Sheryl Crow on a stick in front of Stevie to lure her back into the fold. He really wants to make this happen, and I think he will do whatever it takes because it reinforces his faith in cycles!

Although I like the thought of Sheryl in the band as a singer/songwriter/musician, I think she sucks as a producer. Accordingly, I hope, through her associations, she is good for referrals- Bill Bottrell, Tchad Blake, Mitchell Froom, and yes, John Shanks would be wonderful options in my opinion. In fact, I believe Lindsey was the one giving Shanks kudos for figuring out what to do with Stevie's more eccentric songs.

Jesus, there's so much great news to process in this article. I feel like I have an ice cream headache!:]

I don't think Lindsey is bent on leaving FM. In fact, that's exactly the opposite of what I think.
Michele

[QUOTE=HejiraNYC;748266] I wouldn't be surprised if Lindsey was the one dangling Sheryl Crow on a stick in front of Stevie to lure her back into the fold. He really wants to make this happen, and I think he will do whatever it takes because it reinforces his faith in cycles!
QUOTE]

:laugh: That was great. Any reference to Lindseys faith in cycles never fails to get me goin.:laugh:

First choice: Rick Rubin, followed by Brian Eno, Linda Perry, Nigel Godrich, Scott Litt, Brendan O'Brien, Steve Lillywhite, Don Was and Ken Caillat, not because of nostalgia, but he did just produce a platinum album for his daughter Colbie Caillat, whose song "Bubbly" is a massive top 10 hit. Of course, Richard Dashut would have to be there.

Just for fun studio-hijinks, Swedish hitmaker Martin Karl "Max Martin" Sandberg who was also ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year for three years in a row, 1999 - 2001. He wrote & produced all the massive hits for Britney Spears (Hit Me Baby One More Time), Backstreet Boys (I Want it That Way) and N'SYNC (Tearing Up My Heart), before readjusting his sound to write & produce solid commercial pop rock smashes for Kelly Clarkson - Since You Been Gone & Behind These Hazel Eyes. The he salvaged Pink's last CD with two unexpected top ten hits, U+R Your Hand and Who Knew (a song I actually loved) and he co-wrote Daughtry's new hit single, Feels Like Tonight.

Could you imagine him in the studio with LB? It would be like a bad French farce, with lots of slamming doors, odd-balls sound-effects and two grimaced leads prone to awkward physical comedy that can't understand each other. Stevie would just sit and watch - copy of Cat Fancy in one hand, sugar-free Red Bull in the other - maintaining a permanent, detached grin, not because LB has to endure suggestions from the "architect" of Britney/Backstreet/N'SYNC, but because she knows Martin can probably craft a contemporary pop/rock hit (with a big, money-shot chorus) using something from her demo vault.

p.s. I do not want Sheryl Crow to touch a single knob on that soundboard. To be safe, I don't want her to each touch the doorknob to the studio. To be nice, FM can let her think she's singing guest harmony on a track or two, but then they can just overdub Stevie or Sharon's voice. Crow won't even notice. She can open for FM on a big tour and perhaps join them on-stage for Don't Stop and maybe World Turning if she behaves herself. Sheryl Crow......Doesn't Stevie have any really cool rock diva friends her own age? Can't she hang out with that nice Ann Wilson? Or even that lovely Benatar girl from down the street? Debbie Harry would be a bad influence and it's impossible to get Linda Rondstat off ebay, but Annie Lennox was just dropped from her label and I wouldn't mind hearing her sing Songbird....

If the outside producer is relegated to the role of bringing in drinks and food for the musicians and making sure that they can work in peace, I'm sure it'll be fine. :nod: Provided that there's none of that "chop out the third verse and repeat the chorus four more times" malarkey!

I think the man's got a plan. I do not believe for one second that he is giving away creative control to someone else. He probably couldn't stand Stevie's whining anymore and gave in to her 'demands', knowing perfectly well that he will still hold all the reigns until the very end. Now, who do we know that Lindsey's friends with that's also a producer? He will be part of this evil plan.

Okay, I'm half kidding with that last part, but I do think that Stevie twirled her magic wand and wished for certain things to happen. Lindsey, in realizing that the future of FM is uncertain and the end is always near, gave in. Like I said: For now.

I agree that the last thing Lindsey wants is to leave FM. Or have there be no FM at all.

I think it's clear what lindsey wants: Sit in a room to give more creative space to the other members. That means that they have to be there. Stevie hasn't been engaged in the creative process of FM since 86. Lindsey HAD to take the lead otherwise there WAS no FM-album. I'm sure he wants to write together again and use an external producer and engineer: Not to use as a songeditor, but as a processcoach and maybe a soundproducer (which would be the hardest part for him). Nothing wrong with that. Why would that be impossible?

Producers, Sheryl and the band
 

Hello all---

Regarding non-Lindsey producers, I think Tchad Blake and Mitchell Froom are very interesting suggestions. I am a huge fan of Crowded House, and Froom and Blake produced/engineered their first three records. I wouldn't suggest them for another CH album [been there, done that], but for FM, I say yes. They would bring something totally different to the FM sound, but I think it would work well. They already brought a new vibe to other established artists like Bonnie Raitt and Los Lobos, who made their masterpiece, KIKO, with Froom and Blake. And has anyone heard the Crowded House song, "Instinct?" I played it for a friend of mine who's a big FM fan, and he instantly thought it was a new Mac tune based on the intro and the music. Obviously, singer Neil Finn doesn't sound a thing like Lindsey, but the music---produced by Froom---has a great Mac-sounding-yet-swampy-and-different vibe to it.

As for Rubin, I could see that one happening, too. Rubin seems to enjoy working with artists that the music world has written off or forgotten about, like Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, and even the Dixie Chicks. [Yes, we all love Lindsey and FM, but I think the general view in the music world is that they're dinosaurs.]

And let's not forget that Lindsey has worked with Rubin at least once before: Rubin produced the Tom Petty soundtrack for the film, SHE'S THE ONE, on which Lindsey sang some wonderful backing vocals. Granted, it wasn't a long-term project, but I'm sure Lindsey was able to get an idea of how Rubin works.

For what it's worth, I think Sheryl Crow is a decent producer. She's produced some of her own albums, most notably her second one and GLOBE SESSIONS, both of which sound really good. But, as has been noted by others here, she's worked with some great producers and engineers, so I assume some of their tricks have rubbed off on her.

As a potential band member, I think it could work. *Could.* When I first heard the news, I was shocked because she's a well-established solo artist on the level of Stevie in her day. The thought of her joining a band that is a full generation older than her sounded sort of weird, at first. But then, I realized that she could fill the Christine role quite well. Sheryl plays keys, guitar, and bass and sings and writes really well. [And, lest I offend all of the Christine fans out there, let me say that no one can fill her shoes. But it might be good to have another singer to complement Stevie and Lindsey.]

The real question is whether she can accept a role as a *member* as opposed to the main artist or band leader. If she can do that, then I think it could work quite well, because she has the same background [blues-based pop/rock, albeit a little more Stones-influenced than FM].

The bottom line is that it's reassuring that Lindsey wants the band members to be in the same room and be actively involved in the creative process. That's what being in a band is all about, after all.

mattl

Well, we know Lindsey started out his solo career to appease his experimental tendencies. He's finished up 2 solo albums (UTS and the new one) in what is, for him, rapid succession. And SYW's experiments weren't that long ago, either.

Really, no, it wouldn't be like him to just give up the control... but if he's feeling satisfied enough with his own solo work, who's to say that he hasn't changed in such a way that he'd be comfortable working with another producer for FM's sell-out sake? I hate to say it like that, but the other members are probably itching for a radio hit, and God knows the label has to want it. Besides, he has everything to gain from it... either 1. it's a huge success and they make a boatload of money, or 2. it's a flop and he gets to hear everyone say, "yeah, at this point in Fleetwood Mac, it just doesn't sound right if Lindsey didn't produce it."

Well, actually, he had been working on ONE album (probably a double) that his material could easily be spread out over three albums. Remember, 98% of his SYW tunes were intended for Gift Of Screws and about 1/3 of UTS were also GOS leftovers...and there's still more unused GOS songs that will probably finally appear on either his next solo album or the next FMac album. So, using the term "rapid succession" is kind of a misnomer...he's worked on and been harvesting that GOS material for over a decade.

Yes, Lindsey has been talking about working with FM again (and working on an album from the ground up together) ever since SYW was released.

His suspected plan reminds me of the engineering debate in Destiny Rules. He got what he wanted in the end, but it looked like it happened through no fault of his own. What? He can't mix the album because his calendar is booked? Oh darn! Tough luck.

Michele

But she said rapid succession "for him" which makes all the difference. And I think getting the new UTS songs out which he wrote on the road with FM in just a couple of years was pretty rapid.

But I used to laugh at the Say Goodbye introduction, a song he must have started to write in 1987. Sixteen years in the making man!

I was reading an interview with Matt Stone and Trey Parker in the Onion and they were doing the reverse of Lindsey's favorite thing. They were comparing making a movie or tv show to MUSIC. They said they work best when they only have a few days to crank out a script, because in their view music happens instantaneously. No one writes and rewrites a song for months do they? I just laughed to myself. They don't know the half of it.

Michele

What ignorant little morons they seem to be. (See my Beethoven's Creative Process post on Chat)

True, but in their own field they are comedic geniuses. And they really do finish episodes the DAY of air time. :laugh: