Open Letter to Stevie

[skuncles]

An Open Letter To Stevie Nicks:

Dear Stevie,
I'm writing on behalf of the fans. I don't know what you might have in mind for your upcoming shows this summer, but let me offer a suggestion. You have said that you loved touring with Tom Petty a couple years back because it allowed you to do something different. You've said that you loved doing "Beautiful Child" and "Storms" on the last two Fleetwood Mac tours because it let you do something new (most would agree those were highlights of the shows). Same with when you did "Crash" on your last solo tour. Stevie, you can do any song you want at your shows. I know you feel that you have to do the hits because otherwise people will walk out upset because they didn't hear that one song they wanted to hear. That just gives them a reason to go see you next time around. Most of your fans going your shows have seen you many times already, this August will my 12th time (9th tour) seeing you since 1986. We love anything you do, but feel free to throw in those rare songs you haven't done in awhile or at all on stage. Back in 1998 you said you were unsure about your set for the "Enchanted" tour, Stevie that was one of your best sets because you did songs that we love but have rarely been performed live.
Like I said I don't know what you have planned for these shows, but let your imagination run wild. Don't worry about dropping songs like "Gold Dust Woman" or "Landslide" or even "Dreams" or whatever. We the fans would totally understand if in their places we got "Angel" or "Leather & Lace" or "Nothing Ever Changes" or "Kind Of Woman" etc. My point is you don't have to do what you think we want to hear, do want you would like to sing. We're there to see you, we'll go wherever you lead us.

[StreetAngel95]

Originally Posted by skuncles

An Open Letter To Stevie Nicks:

Dear Stevie,
I'm writing on behalf of the fans. I don't know what you might have in mind for your upcoming shows this summer, but let me offer a suggestion. You have said that you loved touring with Tom Petty a couple years back because it allowed you to do something different. You've said that you loved doing "Beautiful Child" and "Storms" on the last two Fleetwood Mac tour because it let you do something new (most would agree those were highlights of the shows). Same with when you did "Crash" on your last solo tour. Stevie, you can do any song you want at your shows. I know you feel that you have to do the hits because otherwise people will walk out upset because they didn't hear that one song they wanted to hear. That just gives them a reason to go see you next time around. Most of your fans going your shows have seen you many times already, this August will my 12th time (9th tour) seeing you since 1986. We love anything you do, but feel free to throw in those rare songs you haven't done in awhile or at all on stage. Back in 1998 you said you were unsure about your set for the "Enchanted" tour, Stevie that was one of your best stets because you did songs that we love but have rarely been performed live.
Like I said I don't know what you have planned for these shows, but let your imagination run wild. Don't worry about dropping songs like "Gold Dust Woman" or "Landslide" or even "Dreams" or whatever. We the fans would totally understand if in their places we got "Angel" or "Leather & Lace" or "Nothing Ever Changes" or "Kind Of Woman" etc. My point is you don't have to do what you think we want to hear, do want you would like to sing. We're there to see you, we'll go wherever you lead us.

can i get an AMEN?!?!?!?! Couldn't have said it better myself!

[chelluversu]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel95

can i get an AMEN?!?!?!?! Couldn't have said it better myself!

AMEN!!!
hopefully she comes to dc (pweeeeease?)

[Musicman408]

I say we all mail copies of it to her!!

[louielouie2000]

Yeah, my letter would read somewhat differently . Mainly:

Stevie, please stop doing covers and focus on some of your own gems that haven't seen the light of day in decades/ever. We'd love to hear Sisters or Straight Back. No Spoken Word, even. Perhaps new songs that you've written in the past 10 years. Thanks!

[gypsy4life]

Originally Posted by skuncles

An Open Letter To Stevie Nicks:

Dear Stevie,
I'm writing on behalf of the fans. I don't know what you might have in mind for your upcoming shows this summer, but let me offer a suggestion. You have said that you loved touring with Tom Petty a couple years back because it allowed you to do something different. You've said that you loved doing "Beautiful Child" and "Storms" on the last two Fleetwood Mac tours because it let you do something new (most would agree those were highlights of the shows). Same with when you did "Crash" on your last solo tour. Stevie, you can do any song you want at your shows. I know you feel that you have to do the hits because otherwise people will walk out upset because they didn't hear that one song they wanted to hear. That just gives them a reason to go see you next time around. Most of your fans going your shows have seen you many times already, this August will my 12th time (9th tour) seeing you since 1986. We love anything you do, but feel free to throw in those rare songs you haven't done in awhile or at all on stage. Back in 1998 you said you were unsure about your set for the "Enchanted" tour, Stevie that was one of your best sets because you did songs that we love but have rarely been performed live.
Like I said I don't know what you have planned for these shows, but let your imagination run wild. Don't worry about dropping songs like "Gold Dust Woman" or "Landslide" or even "Dreams" or whatever. We the fans would totally understand if in their places we got "Angel" or "Leather & Lace" or "Nothing Ever Changes" or "Kind Of Woman" etc. My point is you don't have to do what you think we want to hear, do want you would like to sing. We're there to see you, we'll go wherever you lead us.

Perfect! Well written, professional, and kind-hearted! I wish you could hand deliver this to Stevie tonight!!
I haven't been able to see her in person (but, plan to somehow!!). However, I have all the DVDs, the bootlegs, and anything else I could get my hands on. So, I feel like I've seen her in person. This is why I agree!! Stevie can sing whatever the hell she wants at this point, and we, as devoted crazed-fans (lol) will love her all the more!! She may even draw a new crowd if she does this!!
So, I say AMEN Skuncles!!!

[discokandi7]

Allelujah and Amen to that.

Unfortunately, I don't think her upcoming shows will really give us anything new. If you were to ask a casual fan to name 5 Stevie songs, your likely to get Eo17, GDW, Dreams, Rhiannon etc as an answer. Her set lists are designed to appeal to the bulk of the people at a given show, the casual fans, who go, "oh look honey, Stevie Nicks is coming to town, we should go see her", not her die-hards. At a 5000 seat venue, its most likely that 4000 of those people only know her most popular songs. Another 500 may have all her albums but only recall the hits, that leaves 500 devoted fans who would know and appreciate the rare songs. Even when she has a new album to promote, new songs in the set list are the exception to the rule. Think back to the TISL tour, by midway through the tour, she had dropped several of the songs from the new album because the audience response to them was indifference. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a set list of mostly new/different material and NO COVERS, but it's highly unlikely that will happen.

[desertangel]

You Like



...wherezat thumsup

[SeanJT]

I'm staying optimistic! Come on, Stevie, let's hear something like Think About It! I love the Outside the Rain / Dreams opener from Red Rocks, then go right into a new setlist!

[skuncles]

See my whole point is that Stevie got it into her head back in 1976 that she could ONLY do songs the crowd already knew. This was because Fleetwood Mac toured at the very end of '76 and did songs from the then unreleased album "Rumours". The crowds didn't know the songs and just kind of sat there. Stevie then said "that's when we realized you can't throw new things at people because they will hate it until the album has been out awhile and they know the songs." What Stevie failed to realize is that in 1976 there were Mac fans who were still wanting to hear "Oh Well" and "Hypnotized" and all the other Peter Green or Bob Welch era stuff, they weren't ready to accept this skinny blonde chick up there. But Stevie (and Fleetwood Mac) have stuck with that thought process ever since.
People like Billy Joel and Elton John have been touring for years and have nothing new, but yet they change the set list each tour, hell they change them slightly each SHOW! Stevie will tour and then say how much fun she has doing new things, but she won't change her own set. Stevie's not being played on the radio anymore, so anyone who goes is already aware of her songs. She can still do the hits, but throw in maybe four never done live before songs!!!

[DeeGeMe]

Originally Posted by discokandi7

Allelujah and Amen to that.

Unfortunately, I don't think her upcoming shows will really give us anything new. If you were to ask a casual fan to name 5 Stevie songs, your likely to get Eo17, GDW, Dreams, Rhiannon etc as an answer. Her set lists are designed to appeal to the bulk of the people at a given show, the casual fans, who go, "oh look honey, Stevie Nicks is coming to town, we should go see her", not her die-hards. At a 5000 seat venue, its most likely that 4000 of those people only know her most popular songs. Another 500 may have all her albums but only recall the hits, that leaves 500 devoted fans who would know and appreciate the rare songs. Even when she has a new album to promote, new songs in the set list are the exception to the rule. Think back to the TISL tour, by midway through the tour, she had dropped several of the songs from the new album because the audience response to them was indifference. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a set list of mostly new/different material and NO COVERS, but it's highly unlikely that will happen.

Exactly, and that's why we'll never see a radically different set list for a Stevie tour. She doesn't do a super-long set so it's not like she's got 3 hours to pull out new material. She's got what-60 to 90 minutes on stage? Minus the time to cover the big hits--how much does that leave exactly? 1-2 songs. And that's what she's been doing recently on tours, Crash into Me, Circle Dance are examples. We have to remember that the die-hard fans only make up a very small percentage of her audience and she's got to cater to the majority, not we in the minority and the majority doesn't want to sit there as she revives a song we heard on a demo in 1979 that was never released. Also, figure that her limited vocal range these days precludes her from doing some songs entirely, which also places limitations on the song list. Given all of that, we're probably lucky to ever hear anything new/different on her tours.

[skuncles]

Evryone keeps saying that the die-hards are not the majority. Where is Stevie pulling in all these new fans from? She hasn't had a top 40 hit in 20 years, she hasn't had a top 10 album in 9 years. How do people who are just getting into her know who she is? My guess is they have heard a song or two on a classic rock station and then went out and bought (or most likely downloaded) the album. Touring works two ways, one you get people to go see you because they like what they heard on the radio (which in Stevie's case in only on classic rock stations), then once they are at the show you give them the hits, but you throw in some album cuts because then these people who only know the hits will say "hey, I like that song, which album is it on?"
The last time Stevie switched up her set was in 1998 and she was SO nervous about it. But I didn't hear anyone complaining because they had to sit thru "Sleeping Angel" or "Rose Garden" or "After The Glitter Fades" to get to "Stand Back" or "Rhiannon".
I do not believe that the die hards are the minority. I believe the opposite is true. Someone who only knows a handful of her songs will not shell out upwards of $130 to go see her. This isn't the 1980's anymore when you could spend $25 to see her and if you didn't like it no big deal. Or as a classmate said after leaving the "Rock A Little" show early to beat the traffic, "What did she do as an encore, tell me she didn't do 'Sara' again!!" Was then told "No, it was 'Has Anyone Ever Written...' from the new album." Response, "Oh no big deal".
The die hards ARE what is making up her core audience and album sales these days, this is true of all major classic rock acts.

[tilthefirefades]

Originally Posted by skuncles

Evryone keeps saying that the die-hards are not the majority. Where is Stevie pulling in all these new fans from? She hasn't had a top 40 hit in 20 years, she hasn't had a top 10 album in 9 years. How do people who are just getting into her know who she is? My guess is they have heard a song or two on a classic rock station and then went out and bought (or most likely downloaded) the album. Touring works two ways, one you get people to go see you because they like what they heard on the radio (which in Stevie's case in only on classic rock stations), then once they are at the show you give them the hits, but you throw in some album cuts because then these people who only know the hits will say "hey, I like that song, which album is it on?"
The last time Stevie switched up her set was in 1998 and she was SO nervous about it. But I didn't hear anyone complaining because they had to sit thru "Sleeping Angel" or "Rose Garden" or "After The Glitter Fades" to get to "Stand Back" or "Rhiannon".
I do not believe that the die hards are the minority. I believe the opposite is true. Someone who only knows a handful of her songs will not shell out upwards of $130 to go see her. This isn't the 1980's anymore when you could spend $25 to see her and if you didn't like it no big deal. Or as a classmate said after leaving the "Rock A Little" show early to beat the traffic, "What did she do as an encore, tell me she didn't do 'Sara' again!!" Was then told "No, it was 'Has Anyone Ever Written...' from the new album." Response, "Oh no big deal".
The die hards ARE what is making up her core audience and album sales these days, this is true of all major classic rock acts.

Agreed At this point she has nothing left to prove to the world. Those that know her and love her, do. Those that don't, probably won't. I think that the people who aren't die hard fans that go and see her do expect to hear the hits, but are mostly there because it is Stevie Nicks. For the persona, image, voice, etc. Her vocals may not be impeccable these days, but I don't think there are very many songs that she couldn't pull off either.

[discokandi7]

I stand by my comments. I have been to many of her shows and when I look around I see a crowd made up of people in their 30's and older. People younger than that generally dont know much about her or her music, and some have no clue who she is at all. The people that go to her shows know who she is, but they know the popular songs. Take a look at the way they all sit back down when a new song or album track does get playes. Those are the points in the show when the concession stands and bathrooms have lines. Its only when Stand Back or Rhiannon begins that the bulk of the audience truly comes alive. If all the people at her shows were diehards, or even if they made up the majority, then she would still have been having hit records and singles over the last 20 years. I also dont think the comparison to Elton or Billy Joel is fair. They have both had far more hit songs than Stevie that the casual fan would know. I love Stevie and her music and I want more than anything to not see the same show again, but I also know that when I take along my group of friends they are there to hear the well known hits. I have to believe that Stevie, like most artists, is well aware of that fact.

[skuncles]

Originally Posted by discokandi7

I stand by my comments. I have been to many of her shows and when I look around I see a crowd made up of people in their 30's and older. People younger than that generally dont know much about her or her music, and some have no clue who she is at all. The people that go to her shows know who she is, but they know the popular songs. Take a look at the way they all sit back down when a new song or album track does get playes. Those are the points in the show when the concession stands and bathrooms have lines. Its only when Stand Back or Rhiannon begins that the bulk of the audience truly comes alive.

That happens at the Mac shows too, only it's usually when Lindsey is doing his songs. Stevie's average age group is 35 and up and they sit a lot regardless of what song is being played. People go to the bathrooms during the non hits at nearly every show (not just Stevie) that I've gone to.
But again I go back to the "Enchanted" shows, on that tour she did "Rose Garden", "Sleeping Angel", "Garbo"!!!!, "After The Glitter Fades" and "Gold and Braid" and she said she knew that no one would know these songs, but hopefully they would like them. She was shocked to see the crowd singing along to "Gold And Braid" she even said "I didn't think you'd know that one!!". My point is she totally underestimates her audience.
She's not picking up new fans without an album or song on the radio and if she keeps doing the same show over and over then she's going to lose those who have been going for years. Why pay the high ticket price to see something you've already seen a bunch of times?