How revolted was Tusk?

[elle]

Originally Posted by David

Put on your CD of "The Long Run," and that should make pretty clear just how corrosive tracks like "The Ledge" and "What Makes You Think You're the One" and "Walk a Thin Line" sounded in 1979—especially coming from a band that was already rock royalty, selling billions and ruling the airwaves.

you just listed my favorite 3 Tusk tracks (other than Tusk itself).

i don't think i'll ever have a chance to hear "What Makes You Think You're the One" and "Walk a Thin Line" live, but these two songs are at the top of my wish list for LB to do.

[aleuzzi]

Part of Tusk's appeal is its schizophrenic character. On the basis of the album's opener, one might be excused for thinking the album WILL sound a lot like The Long Run. But one second into the next tune confirms the album will be as unpredictable as it will be challenging and occasionally bizarre. No two tracks sound as different than one another on the record than the first two, and the startling effect of their proximity is a familiar motif throughout: Storms follows What Makes You Think You're the One; Never Forget follows Tusk; I Know I'm Not Wrong follows Never Make Me Cry. Just when the listener is lulled into a pleasing consistency (Stevie's and Christine's songs by and large sound like they come from the same beautifully engineered record) a Lindsey song tears through the texture and makes its brilliant assault.

There are exceptions: That's All for Everyone, Save Me a Place, and Walk a Thin Line are all lush, comparatively docile LB tunes that sound like they "fit" alongside Stevie's and Christine's tunes--but this is really only by comparison to the rough-edged other ones. Any three of these "easier" tunes would sound jarring on Rumours. In fact, it's a testament to LB's versatility that he seems to have entirely reinvented himself on that record. Instrumentally and vocally very few moments remind one of his previous material.

Another note: There is a fine bit of programming on side one, where Think About Me, the only Christine tune that sounds remotely in line with LB's harder-edged material, follows The Ledge and softens the blow, without slackening the pace. Her soft vocals against the gritty guitar further demonstrate an effective juxtaposition between soft and hard rock. That song is followed by Save Me a Place, which is as different from The Ledge as Think About Me is from Sara.

It's a daring experiment and the sequencing of the tracks is a lot more studied than it originally appears.

But if I were a record buyer in 1979, going only on the band's previous two records, I'd say What the effin' crap is going here?!

[HighPassion]

I think Lindsey wanted to be more so part of the underground new wave revolt that was happening at that time, not what it actually turned into as the 80's progressed. (The heavily synthesized electronic productions and the echoing in virtually -every- vocal take of -any- artist after 1981 and before 1990).

Not knockin' 80's music. I like some. But it's honestly surprising how similar all the genres of that era were produced.

Anyway, back on topic - that's what I get out of it.

And man is Tusk brilliant. I feel it really was the album that really established all three of their songwriting skills and styles.

As for it being revolutionary, I think Tusk was way ahead of it's time. Had the same album come out today, I bet it would be a major hit. You can hear so many bands nowadays that sound like they've been influenced by the Tusk album.

[justdreamin]

I remember buying Tusk and shutting myself up in my room with my big ol 5 lb. headphones and laying on the floor in the dark, just sooo excited for these 2 records!! Just the album art was mind blowing. I also remember being extremely disappointed in most of what I heard. The only song I had heard from the album prior to buying it was Sara, and after loving the white album, Rumours and Buckingham Nicks, I was really bummed out. I was somewhat eclectic in my music tastes and remember thinking that if I had wanted another Flying Lizard or Adam Ant record, that's what I would have spent my hard earned money on. It really was before it's time. It was comparable to several obscure bands that were experimental with sounds, but not what ended up being the new wave stuff. Over the years it has become one of my favorite albums because there seems to always be something I hear that I don't remember hearing before...or I'm just old. One other thing I remember is how hard it was to talk to people about it because I loved Fleetwood Mac and when friends would bash the record, I wanted to stick up for my band, but it was hard. I remember my best friends older brother (who was a crazy talented piano player) said that Sara was the simplest, most boring, waste of a song he had ever heard and only rich elitist narcissists would be able to get away with selling that crap and getting away with it. Harsh! Then he taught me how to play it. (Surprising he listened to the "crap" long enough to learn it!! ha)
Anyway....

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by justdreamin

I remember buying Tusk and shutting myself up in my room with my big ol 5 lb. headphones and laying on the floor in the dark, just sooo excited for these 2 records!! Just the album art was mind blowing. I also remember being extremely disappointed in most of what I heard. The only song I had heard from the album prior to buying it was Sara, and after loving the white album, Rumours and Buckingham Nicks, I was really bummed out. I was somewhat eclectic in my music tastes and remember thinking that if I had wanted another Flying Lizard or Adam Ant record, that's what I would have spent my hard earned money on. It really was before it's time. It was comparable to several obscure bands that were experimental with sounds, but not what ended up being the new wave stuff. Over the years it has become one of my favorite albums because there seems to always be something I hear that I don't remember hearing before...or I'm just old. One other thing I remember is how hard it was to talk to people about it because I loved Fleetwood Mac and when friends would bash the record, I wanted to stick up for my band, but it was hard. I remember my best friends older brother (who was a crazy talented piano player) said that Sara was the simplest, most boring, waste of a song he had ever heard and only rich elitist narcissists would be able to get away with selling that crap and getting away with it. Harsh! Then he taught me how to play it. (Surprising he listened to the "crap" long enough to learn it!! ha)
Anyway....

I guess I never think about how Tusk sounded to people back when it came out. The first time I heard Tusk was like 10 years ago, so of course it didn't sound revolutionary to me. I guess it was weird for listeners of The Mac back in the day and I can see why fans would've been put off. Funny thing is, it sounds like a classic album to me, when at the time it was anything but!

[David]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

I guess I never think about how Tusk sounded to people back when it came out. The first time I heard Tusk was like 10 years ago, so of course it didn't sound revolutionary to me. I guess it was weird for listeners of The Mac back in the day and I can see why fans would've been put off.

It was undeniably weird—not literally all of it, but big chunks of it. Listening to "Tusk" or "Not That Funny" in October 1979 was a lot like listening to a novelty album by Dr. Demento or a jug band. There were other bands that sounded weird in 1979 (like Joy Division). But no other band of Fleetwood Mac's stature and omnipresence in the culture sounded anywhere near as weird as Mac itself did.

Look at a list of 1979 hits to get the idea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_of_1979_(U.S.)

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by David

There were other bands that sounded weird in 1979 (like Joy Division). But no other band of Fleetwood Mac's stature and omnipresence in the culture sounded anywhere near as weird as Mac itself did.

Look at a list of 1979 hits to get the idea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_of_1979_(U.S.)

Good point. If we look back on the hits from that year, acts like the "slick" version of the Doobie Bros, Nicolette Larson, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Steely Dan, Little River Band, Hall and Oats, ruled the airwaves.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by David

It was undeniably weird—not literally all of it, but big chunks of it. Listening to "Tusk" or "Not That Funny" in October 1979 was a lot like listening to a novelty album by Dr. Demento or a jug band. There were other bands that sounded weird in 1979 (like Joy Division). But no other band of Fleetwood Mac's stature and omnipresence in the culture sounded anywhere near as weird as Mac itself did.

Look at a list of 1979 hits to get the idea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_of_1979_(U.S.)

The first time I heard Mirage I thought it was extremely weird as well.