Stevie Nicks says relationship with ex Lindsey Buckingham remains tense

[WildHearted]

Okay, well, in my experience & recollection most RS cover features for artists are just that - features for the artist. You get a RS cover (in theory) because you're having or had some sort of cultural impact... And the RS story is tailored to that idea. Stevie's RS story from '81 was largely just random crap about her too. Of course, it was in light of Bella Donna... But that wasn't really the focus of the interview.

I guess I'm just surprised that people are surprised by this. Doing an interview for RS like Mick did a few years ago that isn't a huge story about you as a person or an entity isn't really the same thing. He obviously had an agenda for that.

So I wasn't expecting Stevie to talk about anything other than herself. And a large part of the interview was talking about FM, anyway. It was pretty good promo for them, really - much more than for Stevie's recent solo projects.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

Okay, well, in my experience & recollection most RS cover features for artists are just that - features for the artist. You get a RS cover (in theory) because you're having or had some sort of cultural impact... And the RS story is tailored to that idea. Stevie's RS story from '81 was largely just random crap about her too. Of course, it was in light of Bella Donna... But that wasn't really the focus of the interview.

I guess I'm just surprised that people are surprised by this. Doing an interview for RS like Mick did a few years ago that isn't a huge story about you as a person or an entity isn't really the same thing. He obviously had an agenda for that.

So I wasn't expecting Stevie to talk about anything other than herself. And a large part of the interview was talking about FM, anyway. It was pretty good promo for them, really - much more than for Stevie's recent solo projects.

We can slice it any way we want. She is truly a rock legend that made herself relevant long after many people thought she would take a dive in importance. And I agree it can only help FM. I'm leaning that she'll do the album and it will be fantastic. She'll let Lindsey produce the record and then she'll go off and do her own thing.

[elle]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

So I wasn't expecting Stevie to talk about anything other than herself. And a large part of the interview was talking about FM, anyway. It was pretty good promo for them, really - much more than for Stevie's recent solo projects.

see i keep seeing statements like this and they confuse me. what does FM need promo for? their tour is already practically sold out. and they don't have any new music to promote, thanks to the band member being interviewed here.

as Nicole stated, this looks solely a promotion for SN as a legend (which you just explained to me RS does a lot, so thanks for that - i haven't read RS other than occasional article for ages and have no idea what its influence status is these days). FM is heavily featured in the article since it plays integral part in SN being a kind of legend she apparently wants to be - article points out that solo she had her pop princess period in the 80s while band gives her a rock goddess status - or something like that.

how is singling out a band member who seems to be stalling progress of the band towards new album, while not being asked any questions about possible new album in the interview, a good promo for what this band seems to be about or wants to do?

it's a perspective on the band from a point of view of one member, who from interview snippets seems almost disconnected from the rest of the band yet at the same time presents as a face of that band... meanwhile article throws little daggers at the rest of the band for all purposes painting them as petty people jealous of SN for one reason or another, putting those words in their mouth without any actual statements from them - perhaps because apparently they were not interested about talking specifically about SN as an "icon" (only CM agreed to play along). the statement from the article writer about Mick is odd (and extremely self-important!) - apparently it's not enough for this guy that Mick said hi to him and shook his hand, while in the middle of his ritual before going on the stage for the show... what else did he want? i guess Mick should have offered to make coffee for him or something?

[WildHearted]

Anything that keeps their name and success as an entity relevant & in people's minds is good promotion for the band.

You can't promote a product that doesn't exist.... there is no new album to push, at the moment. But promoting the BRAND that is FM will help retroactively the next time they do venture out to do something artistically, if that ever happens.

I don't know how that could possibly be hard to understand.

[bombaysaffires]

see, I'm not so sure she really promoted the band with this, other than the very literal "putting their name out there" again. The walk-away impression one gets from the piece is that the band is really a big clusterf*ck of tensions and resentments by these people of Stevie… her beauty, her success, blah blah blah. What it leaves you with is a sense of what a wonderful person she is for sticking around so long when clearly out of all of them she could most easily have walked away and stayed famous. I mean even the comment about 'Lindsey would have been the star in any other band'-- while at first seeming like a bit of a mark against Stevie-- in its own way says he's better than most other rock players but even he's not better than our Stevie, who has this better "package" of stage presence, looks, talent etc etc. That can't contribute in any way (even if some think it's true) to harmony within the band. We all know that's Lindsey's bugaboo--- being overlooked for his 'substance'' by Stevie's 'flash'. And look, now he's being petty and banging on the wall like an old fart because the music's too loud…. again, not a great image that lingers in readers' minds. Lindsey's not stupid, and he's a bit overly sensitive about this topic, so this article's presentation of him can't really help internal band politics now can it? (with the caveat that maybe if he knew there was a RS reporter there he could have behaved accordingly, i.e. not given them any ammunition)

Let's face it, to borrow a quote from American politics used when judging presidential candidates.. "who would you rather have a beer with?" well, when Stevie does interviews and shows everyone her funny, charming side, like in this article, and we see Lindsey as a grouchy old poop who still seems to hold a grudge over sh&t from 30 years ago, most (casual) readers will think, "I'd rather hang out with HER." And that's the point of articles like this. To boost her brand.

[Iktomi]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

see, I'm not so sure she really promoted the band with this, other than the very literal "putting their name out there" again. The walk-away impression one gets from the piece is that the band is really a big clusterf*ck of tensions and resentments by these people of Stevie… her beauty, her success, blah blah blah. What it leaves you with is a sense of what a wonderful person she is for sticking around so long when clearly out of all of them she could most easily have walked away and stayed famous. I mean even the comment about 'Lindsey would have been the star in any other band'-- while at first seeming like a bit of a mark against Stevie-- in its own way says he's better than most other rock players but even he's not better than our Stevie, who has this better "package" of stage presence, looks, talent etc etc. That can't contribute in any way (even if some think it's true) to harmony within the band. We all know that's Lindsey's bugaboo--- being overlooked for his 'substance'' by Stevie's 'flash'. And look, now he's being petty and banging on the wall like an old fart because the music's too loud…. again, not a great image that lingers in readers' minds. Lindsey's not stupid, and he's a bit overly sensitive about this topic, so this article's presentation of him can't really help internal band politics now can it? (with the caveat that maybe if he knew there was a RS reporter there he could have behaved accordingly, i.e. not given them any ammunition)

Let's face it, to borrow a quote from American politics used when judging presidential candidates.. "who would you rather have a beer with?" well, when Stevie does interviews and shows everyone her funny, charming side, like in this article, and we see Lindsey as a grouchy old poop who still seems to hold a grudge over sh&t from 30 years ago, most (casual) readers will think, "I'd rather hang out with HER." And that's the point of articles like this. To boost her brand.

Just personally speaking, I do get the impression that she might have been trying to get the audience to sympathize with her...in case something does happen to the band in regards to an album? I don't know, but the article doesn''t really portray the other members in a neutral light, nor in a positive one.

However, I thought the part about Tom Petty was a little hilarious. He seems to be more of a proponent of the band over their solo careers...not exactly in line perhaps with the Stevie solo push, perhaps?

All that being said, personally, I do get the impression that she's still committed to the band. In an article that's about her, she does most of her talking about being in a band and while it's not all positive, she does seem to reinforce her commitment to the band with the Jefferson Airplane and the "we choose to stay..." comments. I think Nicks knows her brand isn't bigger than Fleetwood Mac's, and while she herself is a successful solo artist and a pioneer for women in rock, the band itself has almost reached immortality (in terms of the greatest bands of all-time). She herself said that she was in a band just as successful as the men she dated and that sounds like something she's proud of, and proud to be a part of.

Perhaps she's promoting herself or her perspective, or establishing her place in rock, but it's not without acknowledging the role the band played in her career and life. She seems to really prize that identity as a woman with a solo career, but somebody that is also a part of a legendary band...something that many women today really can't claim. She is different in that sense.

[elle]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

Anything that keeps their name and success as an entity relevant & in people's minds is good promotion for the band.

You can't promote a product that doesn't exist.... there is no new album to push, at the moment.

that's only if you think no publicity is bad publicity.

and, plenty of bands have interviews in RS and other magazines talking about and building buzz for the albums they are working on and intending to release in the future.

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

see, I'm not so sure she really promoted the band with this, other than the very literal "putting their name out there" again. The walk-away impression one gets from the piece is that the band is really a big clusterf*ck of tensions and resentments by these people of Stevie… her beauty, her success, blah blah blah. What it leaves you with is a sense of what a wonderful person she is for sticking around so long when clearly out of all of them she could most easily have walked away and stayed famous. I mean even the comment about 'Lindsey would have been the star in any other band'-- while at first seeming like a bit of a mark against Stevie-- in its own way says he's better than most other rock players but even he's not better than our Stevie, who has this better "package" of stage presence, looks, talent etc etc. That can't contribute in any way (even if some think it's true) to harmony within the band.

yes. it almost looks like she's promoting not the band but the dysfunction in the band and building up her position so she has more leverage in some future inside-band stand-off - since apparently she's so great and they are so petty.

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Let's face it, to borrow a quote from American politics used when judging presidential candidates.. "who would you rather have a beer with?" well, when Stevie does interviews and shows everyone her funny, charming side, like in this article, and we see Lindsey as a grouchy old poop who still seems to hold a grudge over sh&t from 30 years ago, most (casual) readers will think, "I'd rather hang out with HER." And that's the point of articles like this. To boost her brand.

hey, maybe she sent Karen over to impersonate Lindsey and bang on the wall to try make him look grumpy? i mean Lindsey himself never shows up or actually talks in this piece it's always either her or Karen or Waddy putting words in his mouth or describing his actions.

Originally Posted by Iktomi

Just personally speaking, I do get the impression that she might have been trying to get the audience to sympathize with her...in case something does happen to the band in regards to an album? I don't know, but the article doesn't really portray the other members in a neutral light, nor in a positive one.

However, I thought the part about Tom Petty was a little hilarious. He seems to be more of a proponent of the band over their solo careers...not exactly in line perhaps with the Stevie solo push, perhaps?

yeah, i think the album and intra-band stand-off regarding it or directions of the band is what the underlying motif might be... either that or she just likes to talk positively about herself and trash about others, in general.

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by elle

that's only if you think no publicity is bad publicity.

Yes, I do think no publicity is bad publicity, in this case.

Would you rather the entire story have gone by without a single mention of Fleetwood Mac or any of it's [to quote the article] Non-Stevie members?

That would have been something to be concerned about.

And re: promoting the alleged new album.... it's been clear for pretty much ever that Stevie's the one holding back from making new music with FM, regardless of whether or not she ends up inevitably doing it. So her using a "Stevie Nicks"-centered article to push a potential FM project spearheaded by other members that she wasn't interested in was never something I had on the list of "things that have a chance in hell of happening," therefore I was not disappointed when, well, it didn't. I understand the frustration there, 'cause I've had it myself, but...it is what it is.

[WildHearted]

Perhaps she's promoting herself or her perspective, or establishing her place in rock, but it's not without acknowledging the role the band played in her career and life.

Exactly. The article tells you they've had a sold out tour, which indicates not only that "Hey, they're still together!" but that they're still together AND people still want to hear them play [so they must still be good.] And with the quotes by Petty and Christine, reminds you that Stevie Nicks wouldn't be anywhere without FM & that they're better as a group.

I think claims that it portrays the band in a negative light are a bit exaggerated. Does the article portray Fleetwood Mac as a group of individuals who are best friends and exist completely harmoniously? No, certainly not.... but that's precisely in-line with what they've established as their whole shtick over the past forty years. They perpetuate that love-hate-fighting-fornicating fiasco every time they do anything and it's a constant focus of their publicity. Why? Because it sells. Nothing in this article is new information - it's not changing anyone's perception of the band. It's just reaffirming that "those crazy kids are still going at it!"

(Well, I guess Lindsey banging on the wall is something new. But isn't it way more interesting to read that Lindsey banged on Stevie's wall to get her to turn Nelly Furtado down than say, Lindsey knocked politely on the door to ask Stevie if she wants some tea? It's hilarious and makes them seem like real people with a real relationship... Stevie seems obliviously annoying, and Lindsey seems (understandably) annoyed BY her. That's pretty much their dynamic in a nutshell.)

[David]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

They perpetuate that love-hate-fighting-fornicating fiasco every time they do anything and it's a constant focus of their publicity.

Right on. What's odd is that we ledgies are the ones who keep hoping for those relationships to turn permanently Hallmark, as if the wisdom of age and experience makes you square your shoulders and be overcome with affection for your bandmates. So we read all the interviews and watch all the activity onstage, and whenever there's something sweet going on—a compliment, a smile, a kiss—we figure that's the long-hoped-for breakthrough in the relationship. But I think the rest of the world (or at least the rest of the world that ever thinks about Fleetwood Mac) isn't bothered at all by the cattiness, the insults (they're a little more veiled the past few decades than they used to be), the refusals to participate, the demands, the passive-aggressiveness. Because that's how people behave in real life—unless they're Mr. Rogers or Judith Martin. If I think of the people I love or whom I'm close to in my life, I could never be confident that I would never again get mad at them. We get older and more nostalgic for all we've been through, but we don't stop getting mad or annoyed with one another.

Well, I guess Lindsey banging on the wall is something new. But isn't it way more interesting to read that Lindsey banged on Stevie's wall to get her to turn Nelly Furtado down than say, Lindsey knocked politely on the door to ask Stevie if she wants some tea? It's hilarious and makes them seem like real people with a real relationship... Stevie seems obliviously annoying, and Lindsey seems (understandably) annoyed BY her. That's pretty much their dynamic in a nutshell.)

You're right: that is their dynamic. That's them. But there's something fishy about that story because I can't picture those two checking in to adjoining hotel rooms on tour. In fact, doesn't Stevie generally go find her own multiple rooms (for all her girlfriends), sometimes in a different hotel?