Something Stevie & Reprise Should Consider...
 

I think the smartest thing for Stevie and Reprise to do is to create a huge MTV splash along the lines of the Dance, one of the biggest re-introductions of a rejuvinated group of older performers. Without the anticipation and allure of that video project, I don't think a live CD alone would have been half as successful.

They would be foolish not to use the footage that Dave has been compiling to create a preamble and short term capaign for the new CD with a huge airing on MTV or VHI a couple of months before the release. A teaser of sorts.

Though Stevie typically hates the whole video thing, she has to realize that her visual persona has been one of the most appealing things about her throughout her career. Look at how many fans were born (or born again) after The Dance.

I believe this could easily happen again and it would be a waste not to use this opportunity. If anybody hasn't noticed, Stevie has even commented lately that she has actually had fun dressing and putting on makeup for the studio and the filming while recording.

Just my opinion, but I think this would be a smart way to start the ball rolling on what could be an extremely successful year ahead.

Bob

That's been done, Soundstage.
I see that as Stevie's Solo Dance

I think that'd be a fantastic idea if all the strings could be pulled to make it happen! I don't see how it could be orchestrated, though. Comparing Stevie's new album to the Dance reunion is apples to oranges, too. Fleetwood Mac is one of the biggest bands in rock history, and had violently disbanded (Rumours line up, that is), a decade before. They were known for their enormous excesses, drugs, and inter band sex. It was all the perfect makings for TV. Drugs, sex, and rock all roll. Excess, hatred, love, and forgiveness. Stevie hasn't recorded an album in a decade is a matter of choice. There's no big sexy story behind it. No intrigue. Just a woman who is nearly old enough to draw Social Security making an album. :sorry:

Plus, does MTV do ANYTHING musically related these days? I don't think they've played an actual music video in a decade or more. All they have are trashy reality TV shows. Or have they changed since I stopped paying attention? :shrug:

I will say though, with Dave Stewart at the helm, it seems like he's getting Stevie to do things out of her comfort zone. It appears he's shaking up her formulas. Maybe there will be more surprises. Time shall tell! :D

The could at least give her some publicity on VH1 or MTV. After every show on MTV they are always saying "Check out this artist..." and they could do that with her. Not to mention air this documentary they are making.

It would have to be on VH1 Classic (since neither Vh1 or MTV have much if anything to do with music these days, in fact MTV has changed it's logo and dropped the "music" part from it's name).
But if they did a VH1 Classic thing or an updated Behind The Music (as they have done in recent months with "Behind The Music Remastered") the word would get out there. I don't really see it being as big as "The Dance" roll out was but they could do something.

I have to say I miss the days of MTV, for those that don't remember or weren't born yet, back when "Tango In The Night" came out Fleetwood Mac was ALL over MTV. The weekend the video for "Big Love" premiered was called "The Mac Attack Weekend" and every hour on the hour they showed a new interview clip with one of the five, plus a classic video either solo or group related. They also played the promo all weekend This went on round the clock until the Sunday night premiere of "Big Love". I taped a bunch of the segments and was bummed that Stevie wasn't featured in that many of them.

She should;

1) Have VH1 Classic air the footage as a documentary that Dave's been making a month and a half or so before the album's release.

2) PBS should air Stevie's Soundstage again (even though it is no where as spectacular as The Dance)

3) Stevie should record an hour long block on MTV2, which does nothing but play music videos and they also do what they call artist countdowns where artists can play their favorite music videos from current/past artists and feature a few of their own as well. Would be a perfect platform to get Stevie's new video (if there will be one) airtime as they air those artist countdowns a lot.

4) Make the nighttime round-up. Dave Letterman and Conan's show on TBS. Screw Leno, his ratings are dropping anyway.

5) Morning show round-up. Like Today show, her (I believe it was Today Show) Stand Back performance was pretty brilliant a few years back.

6) Release two to three songs from the album on iTunes ahead of the albums release every two weeks as part of their "Countdown to Release" thing they do, like they are doing right now with Katy Perry.

And finally....

6) MTV/VH1/Rolling Stone/other website first listen... Put up the entire album, for stream, a week ahead of it's release up until the night before.

If Stevie and her management can pull any or all of these, I bet the album will do just as good, if not better, as Trouble In Shangri-La. In fact, I'm pretty confident it would.

I totally agree with you; I think it almost seems like it's "expected" these days.

Agree with everything except #6, I think streaming albums is a bad idea, all you have to do is record the stream and there's no need to buy the album. Sort of counterproductive for sales. As long as you have a sound recorder on your computer you can record streaming content.
I also agree with ditching Leno. The guy is only as good as his guest, but if he doesn't know the guest forget it. Stevie's '94 appearance was really bad because all Leno could think to ask was how her hair looked like that. Really awkward!

Stevie's SoundStage and The Dance are hardly comparable.

The Dance built up anticipation. I rememeber the teaser clips/commercials. They built up an anticipation in the longtime fans and an intrigue in the casual music fan. By the time it aired, people had made plans to watch it. After the airing, people couldn't wait to get the CD, which debued at Number 1.

For Stevie, the usual circuit of evening and morning talk shows will not do anything more than they have for all previous solo albums. Of course, adding a full episode of Oprah dedicated to Stevie as well as Larry King Live wouldn't hurt.

This, what could be the final album, needs to be different. And the fact that MTV doesn't have much music programming these days could even make it that much more a winner. A standout program that will catch the younger crowd as well. Look at how many younger fans The Dance recruited.

I feel strongly about this. It has to be a big forum. Without building any anticipation and just pressing the crap out of the CD for 2-3 weeks will make us see it come and go after a few weeks on the charts.

Just my honest opinion.

But, It will stay our precious gem and lie in our hearts forever ......THE END.

The only way stevie could ever get on mtv again is if she tanned herself brown and poofed up her hair and started runing around saying ''the party's here''

Definitely a must for this album. Oprah is huge and since Stevie has never been on it and the show ends sept 2011, she needs to get her ass on it! It would be great promotion and provide for a great interview.

You're right -- and this is precisely the reason that Stevie would never go for it, whatever about the other proposals.

What was the promotion for TISL like?

I agree that I miss how MTV used to be. Why they have the kind of shows they have now is beyond me! I remember MTV promoting Tango In the Night very well. I was 12 years old at the time. We didn't have MTV at my house, but my grandmother had it and let me watch it. MTV had Big Love, Seven Wonders, and Little Lies on heavy rotation!
Even in the next few years, they played Rooms On Fire and Save Me a lot. I noticed a big change in 1992-1993. MTV did little to promote 25 Years: The Chain or Out Of the Cradle.
In fact, I saw very little FM related material from 1992-1997, until The Dance. At the time, I felt a little angry at MTV for benefitting from The Dance when they had done so little to promote any material from the Mac or any members in the prior five years.

The promotion for TISL was non existent on MTV. However it was promoted on VH1 and the Sheryl Crow connection, despite upsetting many Stevie fans, really helped. Plus Stevie made the rounds, she was on Rosie, she was on Letterman, she was on lot's of different TV shows. She also did a ton of print interviews usually discussing her klonopin addiction and how she survived it. There was some internet talk as well, the album became the most downloaded album the week it was released. Also in terms of promo materials there was a full on attack with a decent press kit issued (complete with color slides, lyric book and 8x10's).
Again, having Sheryl Crow (who was a media darling at the time) involved with the project did nothing but help. Also Stevie was riding a wave that began with "The Dance", carried on with "Enchanted" and "Practical Magic". So when the album was announced she was already on the radar.
If this album is planned to be released in the spring Stevie needs to start putting herself out there this winter. Start getting word out that she's got something coming and just create the kind of buzz that was around her back in '01.