I’m sooooo afraid….
 

...about the Nicks-Stewart collaboration… I’m afraid we’ve been waiting ten years for some new Stevie music, and my heart says we’ll get a new Eurythmics album, with Stevie doing Lenox. I never loved Eurythmics and never liked Stewart, except for the song he made with Candy Dulfer (btw, I don’t even like the way he looks). I went to check some of his recent songs and my fears are bigger, really bigger, right now (the cancer song sucks).
I hope I’m wrong. (Excuse this poor English of mine :sorry:).

I don't think it will be a Eurythmics album. I think Eurythmics fans would kill someone if Stevie replaced Annie. And,they have been talking about it as Stevie's album.

I think we're safe, nobody can obliterate Her Stevieness, not a producer, not a remixer- Many weren't wild about some of Sheryl Crow's production work on her songs on TISL, or of Glyn's original work on 'Street Angel'. Some of the 'Planets' and 'Stand Back' remixes did absolutely nothing to enhance the songs, but Stevie still came through it and wound up with 2 club unlikely club hits.
She's got that voice that's all hers, her lyrics that are all hers, and having some fresh blood in a producer who also writes music well can only help her. I think it's going to be her best solo album ever. I think Dave may wind up being her best producer since Jimmy Iovine. It's really interesting to me that SN recently compared Dave to Lindsey, high praise indeed that she's pleased with what he's helping her accomplish- and I took it to mean that nobody since the Lindsey of the 70s and 80s had 'helped' her through an album with such excellence. She feels great about it, and so does Reese Witherspoon :) and Dave Wild from Rolling Stone. Als0, the record company guy she mentioned was very impressed.
It'll rock!

If Stevie wasn't happy with Dave producing, she'd ditch him. She's had no problems in the past with major personnel shakeups while making an album. I don't know the last time we've heard so many positive, gushing things from Stevie about her recording an album, either. Most of the time she just complains about the long hours, trying to find the right producer, not being able to get the right vibe of the song down, et al. We're not hearing that from her this time around... no complaints at all! Which is very, very un-Nicksian :laugh:.

What I fear is the quality of the songs she's started with. The inclusion of Annabel Lee has really thrown me for a loop. Stevie only has hundreds of songs in her vault, she could make an entire album from the really good ones alone, WHY Annabel Lee?!? :distress: Just the title Italian Summer sounds a bit hokey too, and the few lines of the New Orleans song we've heard could be lumped into that category as well. I guess it all comes down to production. And that's where Stevie seems utterly happy and secure this time around... so hopefully my fears are unfounded.

I agree with every word you said.


I agree that her Stevie-ness will remain intact, even though I really only care for the production of her work when she's with Lindsey. Otherwise, mostly I find it unappealing.

Whoooah . . . that's a lot of anticipation. Better than Bella Donna!? Wild Heart? Rock a Little? the first two songs of Street Angel? the first and last song of Other Side of the Mirror? I just hope it's better than TISL -- i.e., designed to fit on one record album.

Well that's not saying a lot, unless you count Lindsey. Nobody is as good as Lindsey.

I took it to be a dig at Lindsey, as well as salesmanship.

Reese is a desicated cow. Rolling Stone dontknowshyte. And a record company guy is a kissa**suit.

That said, I am REAAALLLYY looking forward to this album.

I am happy she is recording new music ! ....... and I hope she is using all the creativity surrounding her.

there is nothing wrong with change.. and evolving your art ! it is sad to stay in a box and turn out a variation of the last hit...

You're right. Yes, dear God, WHY Annabel Lee!!?? :laugh:

Oh, just remember what Lindsey-the-new-Jesuschrist did to Smile at you, or Rupert Hine to a whole album... But I hope, I really hope you're right.

you know you are lucky and live in an age where you can preview the cd ... and should it fall short of your expectations... you are just as lucky to live in a time where you will not be forced to purchase it !

Agreed! I actually very much look forward to the stamp Dave Stewart will be leaving on Stevie's new music. He's been the only person who has been able to get Stevie to push her boundaries musically in a couple of decades. It sounds like Dave has turned the way she writes and records music inside out. I think the fact Stevie is open to all of this, and hasn't cast Dave off (yet!) says she's pleased with this change... and hopefully we'll benefit from it as well! :D

have we heard samples?

Obviously not, but I think you're misunderstanding me. All I'm saying is it seems like Stevie's thrown out her usual model for writing and recording her solo albums this time around. I don't think she's had this close/this involved of a musical partner since the early days of Buckingham Nicks. It seems she's relinquishing a level of control and her usual rigid way of doing things. She seems supremely happy with the results, as is Dave Stewart, and the other few random people who have heard the songs in progress. Even if the album won't please all ears, at least the woman mixed things up a bit this time around. That's all I'm trying to say.

I was only curious if there are samples floating about that maybe I had not heard. I think it is terrific Stevie is feeling good about recording, and can only hope the mix is everything those in the mix are saying that it is. I am just awaiting the final result, as we all are, and hope it is in fact as we all wish. Based on my experience with singer/songwriter/artists, it is easy to get pumped when those around highfive results...but when it comes to the average listener the end product sometimes becomes a WTF? :shrug:

Go to YouTube and do some searches for Platinum Weird, the fake "band" that Dave Stewart and Kara DioGuardi put together a few years ago. They co-wrote all of the songs, with Kara singing...in fact after writing the songs, Kara said that they were very "Fleetwood Mac" in sound...which is why they decided to create a fake "story" about a band from the 1970s. I think if you listen to some of these songs, you'll see that there's much more to Dave Stewart's capabilities than just Eurythmics.

Stewart/DioGuardi also wrote and originally performed the song "Taking Chances," made famous by Celine Dion.

I totally understand what you're saying. Dave finally got Stevie to step out of her comfort zone and it sounds like she's more surprised than anyone that a different approach to songwriting could have such wonderful results. Granted, until the record drops we'll all have to take her word for it that the results are wonderful.

I was sooooo glad to see this thread. I too am really worried that it's going to suck. I really hope I'm wrong, but I hate Stevie's stuff when it's middle of the road pop that doesn't have any of her stamp to it. I know that I'm in the minority, but I just wish she'd get a really good rock band and make a rock album with little production. Or make a country CD, again with little production. I will be the first one to say I'm wrong if it's great, or even good, but I don't have high hopes.

Kevin

p.s I love Smile at You from SYW!

The way I think it's gonna go down is Stevie's going to write all the lyrics, and Dave will be writing the music. Because of her comment that she "only knows two or three chords"

Also, definitely agree with the poster who recommended Platinum Weird. Make Believe is a FANTASTIC album.

I agree too! One of my favorites!

All I can think is, 'Reese Witherspoon? Good God! ' :distress:

but but but but... she was fabulous in Cruel Intentions :distress:

I am not so much concerned with production. At this point I'm numb to decent Stevie tracks being over-produced (like many on TOSOTM, TISL, & SYW) or taken in the wrong direction ("Smile at You" comes to mind). I think Jimmy was the only producer to have found the right balance & I have no great expectation that Dave will be any better or worse than others. Mostly I'm just glad to have new music.

What DOES concern me in the context of a new Stevie album is the tendency to release the wrong songs. ("Two Kinds of Love"? Really?) While I don't care that Stevie tops the charts, I do care that she is respected as a rocker & singer & especially a songwriter who is not resting on her laurels. I do not want to see another "Every Day" released - this being the best recent example of a Stevie track that is not written by her & has comparatively boring lyrics, an unremarkable vocal, & a totally adult contemporary sound. We don't need another woman singer of Stevie's generation making adult contemporary songs like Linda R. & Carly S. For one thing, Stevie's voice can't compete with theirs on that kind of track - her voice is made to rock. This is not to say that Stevie needs to avoid slow songs; a song like RAL, which could have been very adult contemporary, kept a rock edge because of Stevie's killer vocal, and more recently, Stevie's restrained vocal fit the sparse arrangement on "It's Only Love" just perfectly. But slow, plodding, croaky, over-produced songs are not what I want from a Stevie single on the radio.

As far as dave goes, I ask that he gets us better vocals from Stevie than what we got on much of the SYW album. (The start of DR still makes me cringe.) With the right vocal, I suppose that even a lackluster demo like Annabel Lee can be redeemed.

- Jake

I have had high hopes for the Stewart/Nicks collaboration from the moment it was mentioned. I think many of you will be surprised by how hard some of these tracks will rock - you need to remember that Eurythmics didn't only make synthersized pop and Dave's solo recordings from the 1990's definitely leaned towards harder-edged rock. I just remembered that he also produced The Ramones in the mid 1980's so there's another reference point for you.
My only concerns are that Stevie's lyrics are up to par ("Italian Summer" and the New Orleans song have me a little worried) and that she doesn't let us down vocally. Dave has a knack of producing high quality vocals from artists but a lot of this will rest on Stevie's shoulders and whether she wants to reach for the outer limits or not.
PS Darklinensuit, have you heard Carly Simon's vocals lately? I love her dearly, but her voice is all but gone I'm afraid - just check out either of her last two albums for proof of this. On the other hand, Linda Ronstadt can still control her voice like no other - she truly is magnificent.

I think you're NOT in the minority. Stevie is at her best when she's a feisty rocker.

AMEN

I definitely agree with Pattyfan and Darklinensuit as well. My biggest fear is we get an album which is full of Everydays and Maybe Love Will Change Your Minds. I'm sure that's exactly why Stevie roped in Mike Campbell into these sessions: because he always brings out the rocker in her. I think she knew she had to have at least a couple up tempo rock songs.

I just don't expect a full on rock album from Stevie at this point in her life, though. She's in her 60s... her peers are drawing Social Security. She's no longer a volatile young woman juggling famous men, hardcore drugs, and clawing out her niche in the music world. She's older, more settled, calmer. Stevie and Fleetwood Mac never did full on rock albums anyway... they were always pop/pop-rock at best.

Dont' forget that Mick supposedly drums on a good portion of tracks. That actually is the best hope that this could be her best solo album.

Yeah... Carly's voice... it is not remotely similar to what it was even ten years ago. I wonder what happened? She was still singing like a bird in 2000, but by 2005 her voice dropped an octave and now she can't even sing in tune anymore :distress: Nevertheless, I love love loved her 2008 album This Kind of Love, even though she basically sighed through most of it. I jumped at the chance to see her on the Lilith Fair tour this year, but sadly she had to cancel because of a broken foot that happened, um, weeks ago. For some reason I can't help but wonder if it was more likely due to the fact that she simply can no longer sing in concert without embarassing herself, and the broken foot was a convenient out. I've seen/heard/attended some of her recent performances and... :eek: :distress:. Of course this makes me worry about the state of Stevie's voice since they are similar in age, but the difference is that Stevie has been touring almost incessantly for the past 40 years and she has taken voice lessons and exercises her voice. Accordingly Stevie's voice has held up. By contrast, Carly pretty much stopped touring after 1981 and has only done concerts sporadically (but then again, she has recorded/released twice as many albums!). As the old saying goes, you use it or lose it!

As for Stevie's new album, I am fully anticipating a very highly polished "sterile" sound not unlike Lindsey's last couple of albums. I think anybody expecting Bella Donna 2 will be highly disappointed; without Roy Bittan and Benmont Tench on board, it would be impossible. I suspect it will sound like John Shanks' work on TISL- big, full, atmospheric... but with more acoustic guitar and strings. Musically I think we should expect soaring, majestic choruses featuring lots of high, wailing vocals from Mama herself- even if it means having to tweak things electronically. I would also not rule out the possibility of some R&B elements- something Mama has never done, even though she flirted with the possibility (Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins). And there will also be at least one semi-acoustic number ala "It's Only Love" (something he has done on a number of Eurythmics records). Given the degree of collaboration, I think this will be Stevie's most consistent album; however, it will also be the least Stevie album since so much of the songwriting and production has been given over to others. If anything, in the ten years after her last solo album, I would be most disappointed if she stagnated or didn't evolve in any way. Change is good! As long as she can put out an album and proudly sign her name to it, I am happy with it.

That's why I love Rock a Little (the song) and Bombay Sapphires so much. To me they are her closest thing to R&B which I love. Even HSML has a hint of it.

Stevie working with Dave Stewart is a godsend, I think. It could be worse.

It was Stevie working with Rupert Hine that was the true horror.

In the end, I think every fan *secretly in their heart* really wants an album full of Sara, Gypsy and Edge of Seventeen sound-alikes. This is never going to happen, and it surprises me how quick to judge most of us are when it comes to the songs, the lyrics, the cover photos...for an album that hasn't even been given a release date.

Personally, I love to bitch and complain and discriminate and worry about all of the various 'what-ifs', but I really feel that at this time in her life, after this many years of working - we should all be grateful for any music she chooses to give us. So what if it's Annabel Lee - I'd rather have an album with some crappy songs I don't like, and a few that I'll love forever instead of no album at all, and I guess it really surprises me that any fan would feel otherwise.

No matter who produces, there are bound to be a few outstanding tracks - it's STEVIE after all. Even the rotten-lazy synth-pop album The Other Side of the Mirror has it's gems. This one will too regardless of who is orchestrating behind the scenes.

I wrote a whole "what if" thing in the Dave thread like a month ago. Here it is:
"Ok guys so I haven't said a lot in regards to this new project which I know is rare for me but I finally just figured out why - I'm scared ****less! I know this sounds a little weird and I know I'm on the other side of the mirror (thanks Louie) but you see this is the first time since I became a Chiffonhead (2002) that Stevie has put out a solo album. Now I know she had new material on SYW but a)it was an FM album and b)I had only been hardcore for a year at that point. So much has changed since then - the tours, the Ledge, the Stevie friends, the music, Stevie Nicks 101 classes over and over. You get my point. So here are my fears: What if I don't connect with any of the new material? I know everything she's put out so well by now and have a relationship with those songs but what if I'm just not feeling it? Next, what if by some chance she does have a huge hit and goes mainstream again and we lose the Stevie we have now? What if she releases a demo I love and I hate what she's done to it? What if this is her "farewelll" solo album and she's retiring after this? Ok so I'm full of what if's and could go on and on and I know none of these things are likely to happen but my conclusion - as much as I can't wait for this album I hate change!"

You know I meant "you're on the other side of the mirror" as a term of endearment and an utterly high compliment, right? :xoxo:

And I can totally relate to everything you just said. I've been following Stevie since '93, so I've seen some of the very worst and some of the very best of her material when it was brand new. I think like Carrie said recently, no matter how much Stevie can drive us all mad, give bad performances, release crappy songs, etc we all seem to stick around because she's just plain interesting to follow. She says one thing, does the opposite. She never fulfills promises; yet occasionally shocks us by performing songs we never thought we'd hear live, or records an old demo we've been waiting decades to hear in a completed form. She says she'll never perform again, then she's back on stage the next year. She can say the most shallow, vapid, utterly clueless crap in the world... and then in the next sentence say something so profound that it's shakes you to your core. You just never know with her, she's so unpredictable. I think that's what keeps us all coming back.

I think you totally nailed it though when you said you're scared to death of not liking her new material. I'm very nervous about it as well. I think we all are, that's why we're constantly posting our fears and criticisms, even though we haven't heard one stitch of the new material. Thinking back to when TISL was released, it was much the same story around here. Many didn't know what to think of Stevie working with the likes of Dallas Austin (because she pined for a more R&B feel), then Sheryl Crow, the album being delayed, delayed, delayed. But when it finally emerged, I know at least my fears were quelled. TISL was a very, very solid album, and very much in touch with the times (unlike her last album, Street Angel, which was anything but in touch with the times).

Anyway, to wrap up this overly long rambling: moral of the story is- regardless if Stevie hands us treasure or a turd with the new album, we'll all still be here... critiquing, hashing it out, same as always! Sad, ain't it?!? :laugh:

I only took it as such darling and thank you for the high compliment :xoxo:.
Sad but true. She will always be the poet in my heart and goddess of my soul :nod: and my heart is racing right now because I'm going to be seeing her in a matter of hours!!!

Right. For the past five or so years, I felt that she would never record an album of new material again. So at least that's a plus that there IS an album.

And I agree with Jake's sentiment earlier -- I hope her lead single isn't an "Every Day." She won't top the charts regardless, but I want her to show she's better than that.

See? I'm completely on the other side of that fence. Like Def Leppard once sang: "It's better to burn out than to fade away!" Pro athletes know when it's time to hang up their jerseys. Grace Slick knew when it was time for her to stop singing. Greta Garbo left Hollywood at the top of her fame. There's something to be said for going out while you're still on top of your game. Not dragging it out, becoming a caricature of yourself. Like Sex And The City... the Series totally went out on top. I think the show totally helped open up dialogue about women being sexual and successful in the modern world. All of that was dashed with the 2 crappy subsequent movies, where the women became the very opposite of what they originally stood for: shallow, weak, reliant on men, traditional gender roles, societal values and mores, etc. Point is, I'd rather see Stevie stop altogether, than make an album contrary to what she is.

It's horrible to say and think this, but sometimes I almost wish Stevie had actually OD'd and died around the time of Rock A Little. Her legacy would have been secured... she wouldn't have released steadily declining quality material. She wouldn't have become irrelevant. She wouldn't be known for lackluster phoned in zombie performances. She would have been known for the beautiful woman who twirled into the world with her beautiful voice and bewitching persona, took us away from our mundane lives for a little while, then left after she'd made her impact.

All of that being said, perhaps it's a good thing Stevie took a decade in between albums. Maybe she just had to get the right inspiration. Maybe she was waiting for the perfect storm. Perhaps she was being quiet for the while, so the world would listen when she had something to say. Time will tell! :D

[QUOTE=KarmaContestant;903680

In the end, I think every fan *secretly in their heart* really wants an album full of Sara, Gypsy and Edge of Seventeen sound-alikes.

not really ..they're been done .. I rather her explore something new and take a chance then re- write Rhiannon . if she loses creativity ..Why Bother! ... I would like to hear her do Classic Country / Blue Grass style music and work with Dolly (parton...she has over 3000 published songs i am sure she'd share a few!) ... as co writer and producer .. Stevie's voice has and is suited for it. It would be amazing

"It's horrible to say and think this, but sometimes I almost wish Stevie had actually OD'd and died around the time of Rock A Little. Her legacy would have been secured... she wouldn't have released steadily declining quality material. She wouldn't have become irrelevant. "


Louie, I think you'll find most of us disagree with you here. In my opinion, even though some songs on TOSOTM were crappy, as well as the new songs on Timespace, the only time her material "declined" as it were was "Street Angel". Personally, I thought TISL was better than RAL, and just as good as BD and WH.

Also, I never thought she became irrelevant. On the contrary, with "The Dance", "Enchanted" and "TISL", she garnered new fans, got a grammy nod, and is cited by many artists of today as being a major influence. She is very well respected by industry folks, musicians and actors alike. My prog rock station here in Nashville played the heck out of Planets, Sorcerer, Running Thru The Garden, and (a year later) is still playing Crash from Soundstage.

Irrelevant? I don't think so. Of course, this is just my opinion. I'm glad she never OD'd.

Stevie doing a country CD with Dolly behind the helm....that would be soooooo killer. I can't even imagine that. When I listen to the demo of That's Alright (Designs of Love) and hear that country, reedy, voice, it breaks my heart. I want Stevie's voice, Stevie's songs, and as little production as possible. How about an acoustic CD? Stevie singing her old songs that she never recorded with one person playing an acoustic guitar and maybe some drums. I know, and I want a CD of Christine playing piano with maybe a bass guitar and some drums, but that will never happen either. Anyway, I'm sure there will be one or two songs that I'll like, but that's all I"m really expecting. I hope I'm wrong!

Kevin

You know, I would never ever ever wanted that to happen, because I do think we've gotten a lot of amazing stuff from her since then. However, I can't say I haven't thought about it. I often wonder if Marilyn Monroe would still be known today had she lived. What about Janis Joplin? I think had Stevie died, she would be even more iconic and legendary than she is now. It is very interesting to think about. However, I would rather have a less iconic and relevant Stevie with some amazing music I can still love, rather than none at all.

Oh, but she was! From about the time Behind The Mask was released, right up until The Dance reunion, Stevie was utterly irrelevant in the music scene. In the '90s, you didn't tell anyone you were a Stevie fan. The press wrote terrible things about her. She sold virtually no albums during that time. For the first time in her life, she released an album that didn't even go Gold. No younger artists cited her as inspiration. She didn't have any singles that did anything on the charts (with or without FM). Grunge and hip hop were taking over the airwaves. Fleetwood Mac were dinosaur pop-rock to the masses, about the most utterly uncool band imaginable. Stevie couldn't have been any further from cool/cutting edge/relevant/highly regarded during that time.

Something happened with The Dance, though. Suddenly all these younger celebrities were outing themselves as Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks fans. Courtney Love and Winona Ryder were in the audience for the Dance taping. Other artists started releasing cover songs of Mac tunes. The Dance, and it's songs were being played on MTV and VH1 in heavy rotation for YEARS. Fashion designers started coming out in support of Stevie's style. She was interviewed by fashion magazines for the first time in her career. Stevie was FINALLY being taken seriously by music critics too, who had a career-long history of lampooning her.

It's my humble opinion Stevie dashed much of the wind which has been blowing in her sails the past dozen or so years. She could have done SO much more with all the positive sentiment which was finally heaped on her after nearly 40 years in the music biz.

Everytime I read something about Stevie doing a country CD, I feel sick,. Stevie & Dolly... It sounds like a bad, bad dream! The real nightmare! (This is not the world, this is not the world...)
But listen to her cover of "At last": I think she would be great doing that kind of stuff. And I agree with you: an acoustic CD and tour of unreleased demos would be great (remember Gypsy from AHI concert with just Lindsey and Waddy and Carlos (?) on acoustic guitars? )

On a matter of principal, I agree - but it seems that when Stevie does try something new, it's not well received. I'm guilty of this as well. Smile At You, Everybody Finds Out, Silver Girl, Jane, Street Angel, Rupert Hine, Sheryl Crow, - I'm not saying everybody hates this stuff but it's very common to see complaints about how Stevie songs just aren't as good as they used to be.

Very well said - although I find Street Angel to be a better album that TOSOTM. Stevie has never been irrelevant - just not as popular at times. It happens to everyone - sales decline, styles change - people overlook the present hoping for a return to glory days of the past, and all the while you're really just as good as you've always been.

And it never really matters what anyone else - especially critics - think of an artist. If the art speaks to you, it it always relevant.