Open Letter to Lindsey Buckingham
 

I think I'm going to send this to his myspace:


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Dear Lindsey Buckingham,

Amidst the many rumours about upcoming Fleetwood Mac projects (touring & even new music!!), I wanted to offer some suggestions that I hope you will take in the proper spirit. Given the special investment your fans have in your career and in the fate of Fleetwood Mac, I'm sure everyone has their own ideas about what is best. I don't mean to add to that pressure.

However, perhaps I have some ideas you had not considered or that might inspire you or might even offer some support for you:

1. It might be interesting to consider creative marketing or distribution ideas for the next Fleetwood Mac project (ala The Eagle's lucrative Wal-Mart deal). My thought: iTunes! In the 90s, the band Wedding Present released a new double-A side single every month for an entire year. Each single contained one original track by the group and one cover on the flipside. This amounted to 24 single-worthy songs called The Hit Parade.

Just as an idea to encourage some brainstorming, Fleetwood Mac could release one or two tracks on iTunes, every month, for a year. Make an event out of it. I don't know how iTunes works, but this strikes me as a very cost-effective idea, as well. This might engender some good press too! To my knowledge, no artist has ever attempted such a thing. At the end of the year, the songs would be collected in a proper CD release. Then, fans would buy everything twice. I know I would! And, for the general audience, you would reach the most amount of potential customers with either iTunes or CD-shoppers.

2. There's been lots of talk about bringing in outside producers for the next Fleetwood Mac album. Although there are many talented producers out there, I have to make sure one in particular is added to the list of potenitals: Timbaland. In numerous interviews, Timbaland expressed his interested in working with rock bands. No other music artist today better defines the sound of today than Timbaland. He brings out the best qualities of a song and an artist, while placing his own recognizable stamp on the final product. He's a true pop artist. The thought of the Mac and Timbaland collaborating is staggering.

If not Timbaland, I think it's very intriguing that the Pet Shop Boys have expressed the desire to work with Stevie Nicks. Consider it. . . The work they've done for Madonna, Boy George, The Killers(!), and Robbie Williams resulted in their best work.

3. As you may be considering adding a new member to the group, I wanted to remind everyone of what the Rumours-era Mac singers/songwriters have always had in common:

A) Lindsey Buckingham is a genius
B) Stevie Nicks is a genius
C) Christine McVie is a genius

4. Will a second female be added to the line-up? Rumours have it. So, I wanted to make three suggestions in all seriousness:

A) Iris DeMent
B) Amy Winehouse
C) Sarah Cracknell

5. If there was ever a desire for a new guitarist to join the group along with you (for example, if Stevie Nicks decides not to participate this time), there is one guitarist alive who can look you in the eye: Johnny Marr. But don't forget Marr's Electronic cohort. New Order broke up recently, so Bernard Sumner might fit in the Mac fold nicely also. That said: I know it's all about the right chemistry.

6. The best advice I can offer is to remain true to yourself. If you do that, I know I'll love it!


Best wishes,

John


P.S. - The Say You Will album is a masterpiece.

Have Bernard produce the next album and introduce Lindsey to Cubase? I'm all for that. :thumbsup:

ugh, I love Timbaland. so sick. and we already know Lindsey likes rap and hip hop.

Don't forget about the Thom Yorke and Jack White ideas, though... ;)

Look, you made it to Google!!!!!


Google Blogs Alert for: christine mcvie

Open Letter to Lindsey Buckingham
By John Demetry(John Demetry)
C) Christine McVie is a genius. 4. Will a second female be added to the line-up? Rumours have it. So, I wanted to make three suggestions in all seriousness:. A) Iris DeMent B) Amy Winehouse C) Sarah Cracknell ...
I Don't Want To See That! - http://idontwanttoseethat.blogspot.com/

I actually have another suggestion. I think the Mac should not do a double-CD release. They should do a TRIPLE-CD Release:

Disc 1: 12 new songs
Disc 2: 12 covers (2 to 4 chosen by EACH Mac Member -- the music that influenced them)
Disc 3: 12 Remixes of Mac Classics (top-notch remixes by the likes of Timbaland, David Morales, and Tony Moran!)


Come on, Lindsey. . . you know you want to! It would be the Mac's Sandinista!

:thumbsup:

Make it three albums for the price of one like Sandinista! was and I might buy it. :lol:

I'd send it via snail mail. Stuff in paper format can be looked at, copied, passed around, get more attention, etc. etc.

Just a thought.

========================================================

From Register.com > Whoislookup

Registrant:
Lindsey Buckingham
1100 Glendon Ave #2000
Los Angeles, CA 90024
US

Domain Name: LINDSEYBUCKINGHAM.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Lindsey Buckingham [email protected]
1100 Glendon Ave #2000
Los Angeles, CA 90024
US
310-209-3166


Record expires on 18-Apr-2013.
Record created on 18-Apr-2002.
Database last updated on 24-Apr-2008 19:33:59 EDT.

You had me entranced and hanging on your every word until I got to Amy Winehouse. Amy Winehouse? Are you serious? Somehow I doubt that Fleetwood Mac wants to re-live the era of wine and noses. And she probably doesn't even know who Fleetwood Mac is. And the first time she did something stupid to upstage Stevie onstage? Come on.....

My thoughts exactly. :shocked:

Well, I personally cannot speak to Amy Winehouse's health status nor can I speak to Fleetwood Mac's threshold of patience. However, I can speak to the fact that I feel -- musically -- Amy and the Mac could, in all seriousness, benefit each other. Here are some reasons: 1. She's a genius. 2. She's British. 3. Her throwback style recalls Christine's Bob-Welch-era doo-wop experiments (the horns in Heroes Are Hard To Find, as an example) and Jeremy Spencer's routines, while complimenting Lindsey's own tendency to do a nostalgia thing. 4. She needs a SOUND equal to her songwriting and singing: the Mac would provide that sound.

All that said: I know it's a totally unrealistic recommendation and, for the reasons you cite, might bring my other recommendations into question. However, the suggestion is merely meant to put any actual, possible considerations in perspective and to encourage brainstorming: the caliber of talent that should be required, the type of chemsitry and relationship to Mac history that should be expected.

My only genuine recommendation is actually Iris Dement and I know that will never happen because she's not a marketable figure outside of her niche. That's too bad. She's the greatest music artist to hit the scene since 1992. And, again, artistically, the Mac and Dement could really do a lot for each other. So, if I do revise this and send it to Lindsey, I would probably only include the Dement recommendation.

Why does it have to be a woman? Wouldn't Chris Isaak make her happy enough. I wouldn't mind him being added to the mix.

I adore Chris Isaak. I don't think he would ever leave his Silvertones though. So, unless you wanted to add Herschel, Rolley and Kenny to Fleetwood Mac as well . . .I could daydream all night about how funny Chris could make Lindsey's speeches, if he interjected a comment or 2.

As for Amy Winehouse, she would not make a good band member or touring partner, but if Lindsey ever worked with her on a song, I'd consider him them both blessed.

Michele

Well put on both counts. I FORGOT about Chris Isaak's famous stage humour. hahahahaha

Well, I don't know how iTunes works either, but I have seen like partial albums (EP). I got a live one from iTunes for Kenny Wayne Shepperd & it has four songs on it & I really like it.

As far as working with the Pet Shop Boys, are they even still around (no offense)? :confused:

Amy Winehouse is in the news again, taken into custody for fighting with a couple of men. No, I don't think I'd want her anywhere near Lindsey, Stevie or anybody in Fleetwood Mac. We don't need that kind of drama again. :lol:

I do like Chris Isaak, he is quite an entertainer.

Lee :)

Well you can "package" things all sorts of ways on iTunes: singles, buy by the song, albums, EP's (check out the Mac EPs sometime). But I think this approach would be really unique -- while fully utilizing the new ways of distributing music. I think my idea should be picked up by someone, even if not the Mac.

I'm not offended, though I am surprised. Did you know that only Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Donna Summer have sold more dance records in the US than The Pet Shop Boys? True story. The Pet Shop Boys have remained at the top of their game, as artists, during this decade after ruling the 90s (Very/Billingual being their peak). During this decade, they've probably released an album's worth of material every year. They've released five albums proper: Closer to Heaven (2001) (the best musical soundtrack of my lifetime), Release (2002) (which includes their ode to Fleetwood Mac: "Home & Dry" with guitar by Johnny Marr), Disco 3 (2003), Battleship Potemkin(2005) (a score to the silent film masterpiece), and Fundamental (2006). This doesn't count their singles, b-sides, singles collections, Live album, and collaborations. They will be releasing a new album in the next year or so along with a score for a ballet.

Anyway, their work for other artists (as I cited above) are great (and some of it is available on their most recent release: Disco 4 -- which I guess might count as some sort of album also! lol).

I have often asked my higher power many times in my lifetime why Fleetwood Mac couldn't have been one of those types of bands that give you an album a year?

Sorry guys, but I get physically sick of reading the name of The Pet Shop Boys in the Lindsey forum. Brrrr. I'd burn my whole collection if he'd work with those phoney creeps.

Unfortunately, despite all of her talent Amy would be a liability to anyone right now. It's very sad.

Johnny Marr would be quite interesting. In a weird way, I think he would totally fit. He brings a rock sound to folk/pop style music very much reminiscent of Go Your Own Way. And I like Electronic too.

I love Johnny Marr. But we already have Lindsey. They are too much alike. Lindsey brings a Folkstyle to a rock/pop style music. And I like Electronic too.


BTW: I'm sure Marr is a LB admirer. Maybe even vice/versa.

Why doesn't anyone listen to me about the second female:

Diana Krall!

I would pick Sheryl Crow over Krall....and I dont even want Crow in the band.

That being said, there is no "history" involved with any of these women joining Fleetwood Mac. The Mac is very much a "drama" band and band of interaction between those core members. If Christine isn't coming back...I'd rather see Burnette or Vito, or Peter Green or someone else from the past roll back into things and breathe some new life into the old mitt.

Ultimately, the talk about what they are planning on doing has actually turned me off from the idea of them reforming. They are all near 60 years of age...and they really have nothing left to prove as a band. They should be doing it because they enjoy it...they should be making GOOD records. They should be enjoying their fan base. It seems none of these things are happening and the petty Rumours-era-like squabbling has made the "Say You Will healing process" a sham. I'm not gravely upset about it...it's more like, well, I don't care if they do anything or not that this point. I'd rather see Lindsey go about his solo business to be honest.

I think the only way to bring someone new into the band, would be to do it, because they are looking for someone to fill a need, not because they are looking for someone to serve as a buffer for Stevie and Lindsey. If they need a songwriter and keyboardist, then they should look at people who fill that bill, not bring in someone for another reason.

If they need someone to tour on a ticket with them, that is a different question altogether and the person (or band) you get to fill a venue with you isn't necessarily going to be the same person you'd get to join the band.

As for Lindsey collaborations, I think he should be a little proactive and find people that spark him and see if maybe they can work together, rather than waiting for someone to approach him. When he answered the Q & A questions, he seemed to be open to a few artists, but he seemed to be waiting for a phone call. If he thinks there's the possibility of doing something innovative, don't wait! Reach out.

Michele

The band doesn't need a member keyboardist. It has its back lineup still, I assume. (It will always have its back lineup so long as it pays the fees.)

The band might benefit artistically & interpersonally with a new guy -- to fill that need, as you say. I think Chris Isaak could actually do the job. Stevie doesn't need a woman to balance anything. She just needs a friend (& most of her friends with any musical talent happen to be men). Chris Isaak, Lindsey, Stevie, Mick, John --- could be a cool new Fleetwood Mac.

They should just find a new member the way everyone else does - by starring in their own reality show. It worked for The Pussycat Dolls, INXS and even TLC are finding a new L for the T_C.

Personally, I would contract the Jim Henson Creature Shop to construct an animatronic Christine McVieBOT. Christine could simply sing her parts from her cozy living room and her vocals could be transmitted via satellite.


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Touche'. :lol:

Really?

Timbaland and Amy Winehouse? Yikes. I think I'd even take Sheryl over that prospect. >,<

Timbaland did some good work with Duran Duran, granted, but Fleetwood Mac / Timbaland doesn't bear thinking about, imo.

I didn't like that Duran Duran song (Not even Timbaland could make them good) but this was the message playwright Ben Kessler had for Mick Fleetwood:

Timbaland is the one producer to emerge since Rumours who is as attentive and sensitive to drum-sound as you are.

That's the best single of the 90s!

Open Letter to Lindsey Buckingham
 

I miss you.