Huge Fleetwood Mac Update

[Villavic]

I don't think another producer could be better for this new album, except Richard or Ken, who are aligned to the Fleetwood Mac sound.

I don't think Stevie hates Lindsey as producer, but if the article is true, maybe it means she just wants a neutral element to attenuate the typical conflicts between them.

Well if the tours ends in London, I hope that means CHRISTINE MCVIE at least for a last show. That would be magical!

If it's true, is cool news, but please no more compilations!!!

[jwd]

Originally Posted by David

Oh, sure he did, Joe -- the band was its own producer in those days, but Lindsey had the single biggest role of anyone, inside or outside the band, in designing the tracks & orchestrating the instrumentation & vocals.

David, you know I respect your opinion(s). I just disagree with you here. I don't think Lindsey had a more dominating role in the production of Fleetwood Mac's sound until Tusk. You know when he wanted to start recording his songs at home/on his own. What I believe, and Mick feared, was the beginning of the fragmentation of Fleetwood Mac. Concerning Rumours and their eponymous album, the band had other producers involved, namely Keith Olsen, Richard Dashut, Ken Caillat, and Cris Morris(who?). These men had to have had some role, in more than just a minor way, in the sound of Fleetwood Mac. Why were they there? I'm not saying that Lindsey didn't "influence" the sound of the band. After all he was a writer and the lead guitarist. I know that he and John butted heads on occassion over the way John played his bass lines. I think this is documented in the Tusk documentary. I'm sure Mick, John, and Christine played just as heavy a hand, and probably more so than Lindsey, in their sound, especially on the first two records. What I believe happened after Tusk, was that Lindsey took on the primary role, if not sole producer or their records. I think, if this article is accurate, that Stevie just wants an outside producer, besides Lindsey, to work on her songs, within the confines of Fleetwood Mac. I think John Shanks did an incredible job on her TISL songs. Do you not hear differences in the way Stevie's songs sound on TISL to the way they sound on SYW? I have to say that I like the former more as opposed to the latter.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by jwd

David, you know I respect your opinion(s). I just disagree with you here. I don't think Lindsey had a more dominating role in the production of Fleetwood Mac's sound until Tusk.

I didn't even know there was a dispute about it. I really don't have an abundance of information about the White album's production, but for Rumours, which has been discussed ad nauseum, everyone that has talked about the production of the album, including both FM members and the outside producers have repeatedly acknowledged Lindsey's dominent role in producing that album. In fact, it was probably because he was so pivotal with Rumours that Mick (and the rest of the band) were grudgingly willing to give him as much leeway as he had with Tusk.

Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Well if the tours ends in London, I hope that means CHRISTINE MCVIE at least for a last show. That would be magical!

Yes, I'd definitely expect it to be just a one-off thing for her, in London. I surely wouldn't expect her to be involved in the rest of the tour.

Michele

[jwd]

Originally Posted by RockALittle250

I completely agree.

I knew I liked you for some reason.

SYW was great, but as many critics said, it was too much like a Stevie solo album and Lindsey solo album put on one CD...it was just too much!

I'm one of those critics. I want the band to sound like they did in the early years. I guess the best adjective to use here would be homogenous, like a band again. I think that would be the greatest advantage of bringing in an outside producer this time.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I didn't even know there was a dispute about it. For Rumours, which has been discussed ad nauseum, everyone that has talked about the production of the album, including both FM members and the outside producers have repeatedly acknowledged Lindsey's dominent role in producing that album.

I just can't beleive that they gave credit to other producers on Rumours then. Why were they involved? Am I missing something here?

In fact, it was probably because he was so pivotal with Rumours that Mick (and the rest of the band) were grudgingly willing to give him as much leeway as he had with Tusk.

Michele, I believe the reason Lindsey was given as much leeway with Tusk was because the man was unhappy in Fleetwood Mac at the time. Surprise! He wanted the band to move in a different direction, away from the sound of Rumours. He would have left if the rest of the band didn't let him have more control.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by jwd

I just can't beleive that they gave credit to other producers on Rumours then. Why were they involved? Am I missing something here?

They gave credit to the other producers, because they were the other producers. Just like they were producers on Tusk. Lindsey didn't do that by himself either. Clearly everyone lent a hand. They all participated. But Lindsey was the one who most dominated the direction of Rumours, at least from what everyone involved in the project says. Yes, you're right Lindsey might have bolted if they hadn't let him do his thing with Tusk, but I don't think they would have much cared if he had bolted, if they hadn't thought he contributed so much to Rumours' success. I don't think those guys were just trying to make him happy because they liked his smile.

Michele

[strandinthewind]

^^^

I rather agree.

I will say, however, that when you have someone as multi-talented as LB, they kind of can't help but wear the producer's hat. In other words, Stevie can play a little piano and guitar, but that is about it, esp. back then. LB, on the other hand plays most intruments and, for Tusk, made instruments out of non-musical things. So, I think when LB plays a guitar part for one of his songs, he knows there will be a few other parts to that sound. SO, he sort of always is producing. I suppose it is the same vocally for Stevie. I think she hears the harmonies in her head and produces them as such.

I think the job of the other producers is perhaps more of a mangerial one and then arranging the sounds already produced.

[jwd]

Originally Posted by michelej1

They gave credit to the other producers, because they were the other producers. Just like they were producers on Tusk. Lindsey didn't do that by himself either. Clearly everyone lent a hand. They all participated. But Lindsey was the one who most dominated the direction of Rumours, at least from what everyone involved in the project says.

The key here being was that there WERE other producers involved in the sound, dominating or not.

Yes, you're right Lindsey might have bolted if they hadn't let him do his thing with Tusk, but I don't think they would have much cared if he had bolted, if they hadn't thought he contributed so much to Rumours' success. I don't think those guys were just trying to make him happy because they liked his smile.

Much cared?! Are you KIDDING?! Everyone had dollar signs in their eyes at that time. Nobody wanted to mess with the magical formula they had found after all those years "working the streets". I think that feeling applied much more to "Lindsey the guitarist" than "Lindsey the producer".

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I didn't even know there was a dispute about it. I really don't have an abundance of information about the White album's production, but for Rumours, which has been discussed ad nauseum, everyone that has talked about the production of the album, including both FM members and the outside producers have repeatedly acknowledged Lindsey's dominent role in producing that album.

Michele

I agree. Don't know if actually he got the dominant role, but he tried from the beginning. Remember his fights with John about how to play the bass, mentioned in Mick's book and admitted by both guys in the Making of Rumours video. Or Stevie in the same video saying Lindsey had a special way to make her songs sound good ("when he was happy with me..")

So thos facts evidence an active involvement in albums productions, always.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by jwd

. . . Much cared?! Are you KIDDING?! Everyone had dollar signs in their eyes at that time. Nobody wanted to mess with the magical formula they had found after all those years "working the streets". I think that feeling applied much more to "Lindsey the guitarist" than "Lindsey the producer".

I think the point is that LB was the one wanting to mess with that magical formula

[jwd]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think the point is that LB was the one wanting to mess with that magical formula

No, no Jason. I was referring to the band makeup. Who was in the band. Lindsey leaving the band and the implications it might have on their success. Not how Lindsey wanted to make a sharp left from the "Rumours sound". The band was much more willing to experiment with a more alternative sound as opposed to finding a guitarist to replace Lindsey.

[strandinthewind]

^^^

Ahhhh -- I see now

[bucklind17]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Or Stevie in the same video saying Lindsey had a special way to make her songs sound good ("when he was happy with me..")
.

I think that's the key here. I don't think Stevie has many qualms about Lindsey's actual talents as a producer, it's likely more that she has issues with the circumstances surrounding getting him to produce her songs to his potential, and to what she has in mind. It could simply be that Stevie doesn't want to have to fight tooth and nail to get her song to sound a certain way and having other producers will help her get what she wants for her songs more easily.

[Brwn_eyes0511]

Maybe they can get Christine to join them for the UK shows.. (possible DVD/CD recording there)

..

One can hope anyway!