Quote:
Originally posted by CarneVaca
Like it or not, all Stevie Nicks has given to Fleetwood Mac since 1982 is leftovers, most of which weren't very good. And that is all I was saying.
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I have read and heard in numerous interviews from different sources within the band that, for the most part, Stevie usually offers up a large number of demos to the rest of the band and the band picks which songs will make it on the album. This has been stated fairly consistently over the last 20+ years.
For instance, Stevie has been quoted as saying that she offered 17 demos to Lindsey for him (as producer) to select for the upcoming album.
Also, on Tango in the Night, Fleetwood Mac
as a band selected "When I See You Again" for inclusion on the album instead of "What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You?"
So the idea of Stevie controlling the content of FM albums isn't all it's cracked up to be. If any fans out there think that Stevie's FM output ain't so hot, then the band is at the very least partly responsible, if not more so. Granted, it may be possible that most or all of Stevie's material at the time was sub-par- however, I for one think that "Juliet" is one of Stevie's better efforts. I think that "Juliet" should have definitely been used in place of any one of the songs of Stevie's that made it onto Tango.
Who knows what other material Stevie offered during those sessions, and why it wasn't selected? "Smile at You", "The Dealer", "If You Were My Love" are all great demos that have been offered numerous times to FM over the years and been rejected for one reason or another.
This idea that artists have complete control over what gets out to the public is pretty much untrue. They have a voice, and when the going gets tough they can stand behind a song and say "This is going on the album no matter what!" But even that level of commitment still doesn't guarantee a song will make it to an album.
The Other Side of the Mirror was controlled by Rupert Hine. Behind the Mask was a restart of sorts, with FOUR songwriters and vocalists. Street Angel was created in a Klonopin haze. One can't really make Stevie 100% responsible for her output during those times. And besides, I for one think that some great music DID come out of those years:
Juliet
Ooh My Love
Ghosts
Desert Angel
Freedom
The Second Time
Love is Like a River
Jane