Stevie Wanted As A Solo Act in 1974!

Nikolaj · #1 03-10-2010, 11:18 PM

Sorry for the re-post, but I think maybe many forum readers don't read the Chit Chat page, I only found it a couple of months ago. So, I wanted to put it here, because I don't know if it's been discussed, and if it has been, I think it's still somewhat unknown.

..I meant to mention this on The Ledge 2 weeks ago, when I'd just finished reading 'Rough Mix' by Jimmy Bowen, who was a major producer and record-label president, he was behind tons of majorly huge careers from the 1960s to the late 1990s. He was considered to be on the level of a Clive Davis or David Geffen, perhaps (before Geffen expanded his empire into film with Dreamworks, at least.) Well, anyway, about midway through his book, Bowen mentions that in 1974 he was "in the process of signing 'folk singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks' as A SOLO ARTIST, 'the year before she had released the Buckingham Nicks album with her at the time boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, but it didn't do anything, and I was going after her for a solo contract. They both went on to have huge musical careers in Fleetwood Mac before their eventual breakup." (paraphrasing, but darned close)--
He wanted Stevie as a solo act, he was President of Polydor at the time, but the overseas office put a freeze on him signing any new acts, he was left with egg on his face (over many matters) and left the Polydor-MGM label which at the time was merged, and went to another company to develop the country acts of a major label, he changed jobs more than a few times, but was always powerful and was able to sell records by many acts he'd sign.
I should have written this when I had just finished reading it and it was completely fresh, but there were no other details, really. I just was surprised to read that Bowen (who was behind major career-saving hits by Sinatra and Dean Martin in 1965 during the height of Beatlemania, and later went on to sign Garth and Reba when he changed musical genres and labels) wanted Stevie Nicks as a solo act.
I don't think he has any reason to lie, his book is pretty much warts and all, including his own warts. It doesn't seem he'd have a reason to include this information if it were untrue, he has plenty of other stories to tell.
But, if it is true that Lindsey knew a major record man was after Stevie to be signed as a solo act, though it fell through, it may explain why he was so loyal to Stevie when he told Mick that he and Stevie were a package deal. Maybe LB knew other industry players thought Stevie had solo potential all along, which I find very interesting.
Nice they stuck together. And keep getting re-stuck.

Sanne2 · #2 03-11-2010, 04:07 AM

Mmm, that's very interesting.....

vermicious knid · #3 03-11-2010, 11:13 AM

I wonder if he had only recently been made the president. If he thought the BN album was "terrific", I would think he would have given it a bigger push if he had been president at the time. Nikolaj, do you know what "neat song" he refers to in the linked exerpt?

I also remember reading that Stevie was being groomed into a solo star back in the sixties too, even before Fritz. I think it was a quote from Stevie herself, but I have never been able to find the quote again. It seems very obscure for such a significant admission. I remember her dad wasn't keen on it, and got her out of the contract.

seekerj · #4 03-11-2010, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

Well, anyway, about midway through his book, Bowen mentions that in 1974 he was "in the process of signing 'folk singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks' as A SOLO ARTIST, 'the year before she had released the Buckingham Nicks album with her at the time boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, but it didn't do anything, and I was going after her for a solo contract. They both went on to have huge musical careers in Fleetwood Mac before their eventual breakup." (paraphrasing, but darned close)--
He wanted Stevie as a solo act, he was President of Polydor at the time, but the overseas office put a freeze on him signing any new acts, he was left with egg on his face (over many matters) and left the Polydor-MGM label which at the time was merged, and went to another company to develop the country acts of a major label, he changed jobs more than a few times, but was always powerful and was able to sell records by many acts he'd sign.
I should have written this when I had just finished reading it and it was completely fresh, but there were no other details, really. I just was surprised to read that Bowen (who was behind major career-saving hits by Sinatra and Dean Martin in 1965 during the height of Beatlemania, and later went on to sign Garth and Reba when he changed musical genres and labels) wanted Stevie Nicks as a solo act.
I don't think he has any reason to lie, his book is pretty much warts and all, including his own warts. It doesn't seem he'd have a reason to include this information if it were untrue, he has plenty of other stories to tell.
But, if it is true that Lindsey knew a major record man was after Stevie to be signed as a solo act, though it fell through, it may explain why he was so loyal to Stevie when he told Mick that he and Stevie were a package deal. Maybe LB knew other industry players thought Stevie had solo potential all along, which I find very interesting.
Nice they stuck together. And keep getting re-stuck.

BN was released in 1973. This can't be the right year?

Nikolaj · #5 03-11-2010, 11:37 AM

Yes, the BN album was released in 1973, a year before 1974, when Bowen said he wanted to sign Stevie as a solo act. I think my overwordy-ness confused it, but that's what I meant.

Nikolaj · #6 03-11-2010, 11:47 AM

Nikolaj, do you know what "neat song" he refers to in the linked exerpt?

It's "Third Rate Romance" by Amazing Rythym Aces, not a Stevie song, that follows immediately in the text from page 136 you found. He said he wanted to record them for an album "It would have been one hell of a roster"- which I take to mean the acts he mentioned in that paragraph, who he wanted to sign: Bob Marley and The Wailers, Charlie Daniels, and "a folksinger-songwriter named Stevie Nicks" (I love that description, it's so far from what her career became!)
Next paragraph; "But then I hit a wall: Kurt Kinkele marched into town and ordered me not to close any more deals for six months.
'We have a bunch in the works. Negotiated, finalized."
"Cancel them," he said. "No deals for six months".

So, that ended Bowen's would-be signing of Stevie as a solo act. I wonder if it had been negotitated and finalized, if Stevie was going to sign!

vermicious knid · #7 03-11-2010, 11:58 AM

Well, if he was told "cancel them", I guess he had already informed all those acts of his intentions, and there was a tentative agreement for it to happen. After all, this was about the time that Stevie met than anonymous "beautiful blond boy" that she wrote "Destiny" about and could have left Lindsey for. Getting abandoned in Denver, etc, etc, unsure of BN future. Lindsey would have been asked to join FM regardless, so its very interesting to ponder how history would have changed if that one man hadn't said "cancel them".

CADreaming · #8 03-11-2010, 06:26 PM

I've read she was in what could be termed a "development deal" with RCA and that her Dad backed it financially, I think this was probably just prior to Lindsey and Stevie getting any BN stuff together. Heck, maybe he rode her coattails!

Quote:

Originally Posted by vermicious knid

Getting abandoned in Denver, etc, etc, unsure of BN future.

Abandoned is such a strong term... I would bet she practically shoved Lindsey into the Toyota with the dog, as she arrogantly told him her Dad was the president of Greyhound and she could have transportation for free for the rest of her life ('Fine, take the car and the dog, I have a bus pass.' )....this is a recurring scenario that happens a short two years later - almost exactly - in Sausalito. She seemed to be really into letting Lindsey fume off in her car.

Although, leaving Sausalito, she did not require a bus pass any longer.

michelej1 · #9 03-12-2010, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Abandoned is such a strong term... I would bet she practically shoved Lindsey into the Toyota with the dog, as she arrogantly told him her Dad was the president of Greyhound and she could have transportation for free for the rest of her life ('Fine, take the car and the dog, I have a bus pass.' )....this is a recurring scenario that happens a short two years later - almost exactly - in Sausalito. She seemed to be really into letting Lindsey fume off in her car.

Although, leaving Sausalito, she did not require a bus pass any longer.

Yeah, the fact that he took the dog is a big sign to me that she had a part in arranging his exit and mode of transportation. Although, it is comical to think of him prying the pooch out of her hands and running off in a huff.

Not only did Lindsey have to hear about her dad being the VP of Greyhound before he left, but when they met back in Los Angeles, I just know she was bragging about her return plane ride.

Michele

CADreaming · #10 03-16-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yeah, the fact that he took the dog is a big sign to me that she had a part in arranging his exit and mode of transportation. Although, it is comical to think of him prying the pooch out of her hands and running off in a huff.

Not only did Lindsey have to hear about her dad being the VP of Greyhound before he left, but when they met back in Los Angeles, I just know she was bragging about her return plane ride.

Michele

LOL! And, I bet Lindsey gave her one of these looks...