Joining FM

[paperflowers]

Do you guy's think Stevie talked Lindsey into joining FM?
I get the feeling that he was at the very least conflicted. His vision was the duo Buckingham/Nicks. He thought they would be giving up the dream if they joined FM. Of course, he was right (even though I see Buckingham/Nicks as the band with-in the band and the duo survives). Stevie being more adaptable saw joining as a great opportunity or at least a steady paycheck. She was at her wits end and ready the pack up and go home, Micks offer must have felt like a miracle to her.
I can see her saying "C'mon Lindzzzz!!! We are broke, we have no record lable, and I'm sick of cleaning houses. This is like a free commercial for us! Total exposure for Buckingham/Nicks." You see, I think at the very beginning she saw joining as a temporary thing. If they didn't fit in with FM they could leave. She didn't feel that joining FM threatened the duo. She was flattered that someone who "made it" recogized Lindsey's talent.
Lindsey on the other hand, was more concerned about what this would do to his art. He would rather be poor than "sell out" and join an already established blues band. He didn't want to adapt his dream to fit the circumstances. He wanted to engineer his own career, not ride on someone elses coat tails. Perhaps his experience with Fritz left a bad taste. They just left a band with someone else as the boss (Javier), why join another band and have another boss (Mick)? Eventualy, He saw the logic in Stevie's way of thinking or maybe relented to it. How could he argue without having another plan or at least a lead on an opportunity for Buckingham/Nicks?

Lauralie

[Gailh]

I've heard her say in an interview that she "pretty much made the decision to join"

I think at that time they needed the money and saw it as a way of making music.

It's taken them all this time to get back to how they originally saw their careers going.

Gail

[Kelly]

Absolutely. I definately think Stevie strongly encouraged them to join FM. Although I am sure LB was excited, I agree that he most likely feared losing what he and Stevie had going by joining this already established band. To this day, I believe that it's quite possible he still holds a little bit of resentment about the whole thing. He has made several "what if" comments that lead me to wonder if he doesn't indeed harbour some conflicted feelings on the whole subject. To take it a bit further, its got to be pretty difficult to be the one asked to join the band, Stevie comes along for the ride and then SHE becomes the focal point to most of the media and a great portion of the fans. Talk about ironic. Stevie made an interesting comment during the SYW promotion, I believe it was on the Today show or Dateline where she said regarding Lindsey "I think in his heart of hearts, Lindsey believes if we hadn't joined Fleetwood Mac, we might still be together today and he might be right".....very interesting.

[fleetfootmike]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Absolutely. I definately think Stevie strongly encouraged them to join FM. Although I am sure LB was excited, I agree that he most likely feared losing what he and Stevie had going by joining this already established band. To this day, I believe that it's quite possible he still holds a little bit of resentment about the whole thing. He has made several "what if" comments that lead me to wonder if he doesn't indeed harbour some conflicted feelings on the whole subject. To take it a bit further, its got to be pretty difficult to be the one asked to join the band, Stevie comes along for the ride and then SHE becomes the focal point to most of the media and a great portion of the fans. Talk about ironic. Stevie made an interesting comment during the SYW promotion, I believe it was on the Today show or Dateline where she said regarding Lindsey "I think in his heart of hearts, Lindsey believes if we hadn't joined Fleetwood Mac, we might still be together today and he might be right".....very interesting.

Although I seem to remember Stevie and Lindsey's relationship being described as 'pretty rocky' when they joined the Mac.

[chiliD]

"Fleetwood Mac" wasn't a real "sure thing" when they joined. Yeah, the band had a history...a ROCKY one at BEST. They were risking one bad situation for another. At least what happened seem to work out well for them (understatement).

On a side note, yet related: I'd sure wish the fallacy that "Fleetwood Mac was still a blues band" when Lindsey & Stevie joined would disappear...it is a false statement. Fleetwood Mac wasn't even a blues band by the time Peter Green LEFT!

[darklinensuit]

Plus Stevie was working under something of a career path deadline from her parents. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Nicks said something to Lindsey to help his daughter, or if Stevie said we join or I have no choice but to take my parents' offer & go back to school.

- Jake

[paperflowers]

Plus Stevie was working under something of a career path deadline from her parents. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr. Nicks said something to Lindsey to help his daughter, or if Stevie said we join or I have no choice but to take my parents' offer & go back to school.

Jake, I can totally see this happening. I think Stevie was really feeling the pressure. At least it seems to have effected her more, she talks about this period and her dads offer,alot more than Lindsey. I remember at the L.A shows first leg she said something like, "That girl (struggling singer), is standing here next to me right now."
It's one of the reasons I think she thought it was such a miracle or destiny that Mick made that phone call.

"Fleetwood Mac" wasn't a real "sure thing" when they joined. Yeah, the band had a history...a ROCKY one at BEST. They were risking one bad situation for another. At least what happened seem to work out well for them (understatement).

I don't think FM was BIG TIME, but I do feel they were established. I believe its been said that thier lable counted on respectable sales up to this piont. They certainly were a touring band. I think it was a step-up from Buckingham/Nicks in that sense. I know what you mean by ROCKY but at least they were surviving as musicians and not taking side jobs to pay the rent.

Kelly,

Although I am sure LB was excited

I don't mean to deminish Lindsey's enthusiasm toward the offer. What guitarist wouldn't love to hear that someone in the business thinks he is great. I guess what I'm really tring to get at is that Stevie saw this as a way to do what she loves period. At this point she really didn't care if she was the lead singer or the secretary. She wanted into this business somehow. I just get the feeling that Lindsey wasn't so into the "band" part of it all. Being the new guitarist means he would have to go with the flow and let the "elders" make the decisions and play someone elses music. I mean been there done that in Fritz. As we all know it didn't take Lindsey long to establish himself in the band, but he didn't know how it was gonna pan out at this piont.

I don't think Lindsey imagined in his wildest dreams that Stevie would become the focal point. He was the guy they wanted in the band the "girl" was just an add on after all. This was the era of the Guitar God. I'm sure Mick understood the potential (and profit) for him to have his very own Jimi or Eric.

Stevie made an interesting comment during the SYW promotion, I believe it was on the Today show or Dateline where she said regarding Lindsey "I think in his heart of hearts, Lindsey believes if we hadn't joined Fleetwood Mac, we might still be together today and he might be right".....very interesting.

Yes, very very interesting comment . I can't help but wonder if she meant the duo or the couple.

Would the duo survived if they hadn't joined FM? It's hard to say. Could Rhiannon have been the brake threw hit for Buckingham/Nicks? Is Rhiannon just a hit no matter what? Or was it what Chris John and Mick brought to this song that made it magic? This, I chew on daily so I can imagine how Lindsey feels.

Lauralie

[Kelly]

I think she meant as a couple. I agree, things were probably rocky but who knows why. It might have had to do with money and the pressure to succeed in the business and had nothing to do with how they felt about each other. Or maybe they were on the skids before they joined FM..its sort of unclear. They both say different things at different times. Stevie seems to always say they broke up for other reasons "not because they didn't love each other". I seem to remember her saying it was difficult for them to work together all the time and still be together. As far as the original topic, I think Lindsey had more conflicted feelings about giving up their duo to join the band. You have to wonder if he felt Stevie didn't have enough faith in them as a duo. Its also very sweet that things have sort of come full circle for them and they are singing much more as a duo again.
I am also curious why they haven't released BN on cd. Do they fear it being a failure? Or are they really having problems securing all the rights and clearances like we have been told in some of the Q and A's? Are the Masters really lost? Would it be a failure? Realistically I wonder how many copies would really sell. I wonder if it's Lindsey or Stevie (or maybe neither( who is dragging their feet on the issue. I hope to have it at some point in my life with that beautiful demo "Without You" included! wishful thinking probably.

[darklinensuit]

Originally Posted by Kelly

I think she meant as a couple. I agree, things were probably rocky but who knows why. It might have had to do with money and the pressure to succeed in the business and had nothing to do with how they felt about each other. Or maybe they were on the skids before they joined FM..its sort of unclear. They both say different things at different times. Stevie seems to always say they broke up for other reasons "not because they didn't love each other". I seem to remember her saying it was difficult for them to work together all the time and still be together. As far as the original topic, I think Lindsey had more conflicted feelings about giving up their duo to join the band. You have to wonder if he felt Stevie didn't have enough faith in them as a duo. Its also very sweet that things have sort of come full circle for them and they are singing much more as a duo again.
I am also curious why they haven't released BN on cd. Do they fear it being a failure? Or are they really having problems securing all the rights and clearances like we have been told in some of the Q and A's? Are the Masters really lost? Would it be a failure? Realistically I wonder how many copies would really sell. I wonder if it's Lindsey or Stevie (or maybe neither( who is dragging their feet on the issue. I hope to have it at some point in my life with that beautiful demo "Without You" included! wishful thinking probably.

The word not lo0ng ago was that Stevie wants it re-released. I think it will be out in the next two years, maybe right after or right before the next solo projects, and I imagine there will be extras. Considering how many people look for the album, I think the CD would sell reasonably well, though ugh we're not talking singles on the charts.

- Jake

[amber]

Originally Posted by paperflowers

Would the duo survived if they hadn't joined FM? It's hard to say. Could Rhiannon have been the brake threw hit for Buckingham/Nicks? Is Rhiannon just a hit no matter what? Or was it what Chris John and Mick brought to this song that made it magic? This, I chew on daily so I can imagine how Lindsey feels.

Lauralie

I was just thinking about this last night, because the white album was the classic album at midnight on my radio station. It struck me, as i tried to listen with virgin ears, what an unusual and exceptional song Rhiannon really is. And when we heard the live performance of it from Buckingham Nicks, it was intact and gorgeous. So I was thinking they woulda made it anyway. But then, as i was listening to John all through the album, (especially during Rhiannon) I was like AAAAAAHHHHHH!! Thank fricking goodness these people met each other! What would i have done otherwise? I can't even believe there was a possibility that they may not have met. It boggles the mind. The whole space-time continuum would've changed. What would a heinous parallel universe without Fleetwood Mac look like? I, personally think that either way Stevie woulda had a career. But thank god Lindsey was there
ramblingly yours,
Amber

[Livia]

I thought LB and SN already own the BN album -it's all theirs. I think it's their ace in the hole - they'll hang onto it until they both more or less retire and then release it. Hopefully as a reissue, with lots of bonus tracks. Cha-ching.

[paperflowers]

I think she meant as a couple. I agree, things were probably rocky but who knows why.

I think thats what she meant too, Kelly
When it comes to Stevie and Lindsey when are they calm? Mr. and Mrs. Intense as Stevie says, together, apart, in love or in hate they are "rocky". I wonder too Kelly, if Lindsey took her enthusiasm as a sign that Stevie really didn't have any faith left in the duo. If thats the case that could be the root the the extra rockiness.

Thank fricking goodness these people met each other! What would i have done otherwise? I can't even believe there was a possibility that they may not have met. It boggles the mind. The whole space-time continuum would've changed. What would a heinous parallel universe without Fleetwood Mac look like?

Well said Amber ITA

I do think joining FM was the right decision though, thank god FOR US they joined. What if Stevie Nicks was Ms. Nicks teaching in some school in Arizona Lindsey for him it's hard to say. Do you think he would have stuck it out in L.A, if Stevie went home to finish school?
If they turned down Micks offer and stayed a duo I do think they would have seen some success to what degree who knows. Maybe the big duo wouldn't have been Sonny and Cher, it would have been Stevi and Lindsey

Lauralie

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by amber

What would a heinous parallel universe without Fleetwood Mac look like?

REALITY CHECK:

There was a Fleetwood Mac LONNNNNG before Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham joined the band.

And, when they both left, Fleetwood Mac still lived.

[Jessica Leigh]

Originally Posted by chiliD

REALITY CHECK:

There was a Fleetwood Mac LONNNNNG before Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham joined the band.

And, when they both left, Fleetwood Mac still lived.

Uhhhhhhh... let's be honest ChiliD

Yes there was a great Fleetwood Mac long before Stevie and Lindsey joined.... but after they left? Fleetwood Mac BARELY still lived on. Those were the dark years of Fleetwood Mac, remember? Remember Bekka Bramlet er.... singing Gold Dust Woman in faded, torn, cut- off shorts and a tank top? remember those days? Those days just really don't exist in the minds of some fans... it was too depressing.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by Jessica Leigh

Uhhhhhhh... let's be honest ChiliD

Yes there was a great Fleetwood Mac long before Stevie and Lindsey joined.... but after they left? Fleetwood Mac BARELY still lived on. Those were the dark years of Fleetwood Mac, remember? Remember Bekka Bramlet er.... singing Gold Dust Woman in faded, torn, cut- off shorts and a tank top? remember those days?

OF COURSE, I remember...wasn't depressing to me, I LIKED that incarnation. I wished they would've stayed together for a couple of more albums & tours.

Originally Posted by Jessica Leigh

Those days just really don't exist in the minds of some fans... it was too depressing.

I feel sorry for those close minded fans who just couldn't accept Fleetwood Mac then...Street Angel must've been a God-send for them.