First GYOW Performance?

[Mad4stevie]

Is at Winston Salem in 1975?

What do you think of the arrangement (vocal/musical)? Most surprising was the high notes near the end by LB, IMO.

[mylittledemon]

I dont think there is a performance of GYOW from that early on...sounds like the date is incorrect. They may have played it in '76 once or twice and even then I'm not so sure.

[David]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

I dont think there is a performance of GYOW from that early on...sounds like the date is incorrect.

I don't think the date usually given to Winston (11.20.75) is correct, but I do think the concert took place during the last two weeks in November. It's the only known audience recording of "Go Your Own Way" from 1975.

Apparently, Lindsey had just written the song that fall, & the band played it several times in late November, including the Winston-Salem show, the show at the Santa Monica Civic that Steve Denison saw, & the shows at the Winterland in San Francisco after Thanksgiving.

Here's an old Billboard review of the Winterland shows. (This review is also historically valuable because it tells us that Stevie was in black chiffon by the end of November).

Winterland
San Francisco
November 28-29, 1975

The group gave an electrifying performance Nov. 29 to a wildly cheering sellout crowd in San Francisco, a town where they have always been loved. The previous evening's performance had also gone clean.

Fleetwood Mac is a band that has suffered numerous personnel changes over the years as well as a legal battle to stop a bogus Mac from using its name, but it seems to have emerged all the stronger for it. This band, in fact, seems to actualize everything that was always potential in Fleetwood Mac; this is the Fleetwood Mac one always knew was possible.

This is due in no small part to the services of the two new members of the group, female vocalist Stevie Nicks & guitarist Lindsay Buckingham, who had worked together before joining Fleetwood.

Nicks, a newly born rock 'n' roll queen swirling in black around the stage, has a belty voice that belies her size & she provides an excellent front focus for the band. Buckingham is a smashingly good guitarist, & in other ways is a pleasing replacement for Bob Welch. Buckingham almost sounded at times like two players, unleashing solos & fills that drew continual applause. The three older members of the band -- John & Christine McVie & Mick Fleetwood -- are as solid as ever. Fleetwood's drumming remains among the most visceral & bone-straightening in rock.

Another equally important part of the Mac image is the perfect male-female balance that probably accounts for the band being both so melodic & so tough. Christine McVie, because of the smoothness of her voice, the sweetness of her songs, & her longevity with the band, exerts a creatively calming influence that is almost tangible.

The band did the best songs from the most recent LP (Nicks' delivery of "Rhiannon" was a high point) plus some tunes slated to appear on its forthcoming album ("You Can Go Your Own Way"), & threw in for balance classics like "The Green Manalishi," "Oh Well" & "Spare Me a Little." Rhythm pattern changes within songs were very effective & the tempo on many of the songs had been stepped up. The live versions of songs like "Station Man" & "Blue Letter" (the set closer) made the recorded versions seem pale.

Brian Auger & the Oblivion Express (reviewed Nov. 1) were moderately pleasing in opening the show.

--Jack McDonough
Billboard Magazine
12-20-75

[Mad4stevie]

Thanks for posting that review!

I was just surprised when I finally heard this early version - LB seems to just repeat the same lyric over and over. You could tell the song wasn't quite finished.

[MikeVielhaber]

where can i hear this version?

[mylittledemon]

I just find that so odd...I thought Lindsey/Stevie were breaking up in the Rumours days. You're saying they were playing that song as early as 1975...he obviously wrote that song about Stevie...so they must've been on the "outs" for several years.

[skcin]

They started the on-off thing during the 75 Tour. I don't think they totally "broke up" until during the recording of Rumours.

I won't debate with those that believe that they remained on-off for years afterwards.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by skcin

I won't debate with those that believe that they remained on-off for years afterwards.

Replace the word "years" with the phrase "a decade or so", and I'll believe ya.

Originally Posted by david

Apparently, Lindsey had just written the song that fall, & the band played it several times in late November, including the Winston-Salem show, the show at the Santa Monica Civic that Steve Denison saw, & the shows at the Winterland in San Francisco after Thanksgiving.

Yep...there I was...third row, with Bob Welch sitting directly in front of me. (although I think I pissed him off by kicking his chair through the whole show).

[jbrownsjr]

No wonder you tried to vote off his songs!

[David]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

I just find that so odd...I thought Lindsey/Stevie were breaking up in the Rumours days. You're saying they were playing that song as early as 1975...he obviously wrote that song about Stevie...so they must've been on the "outs" for several years.

Many, many years ago -- I think around 1979 -- in a lucid & insightful radio interview, Stevie told of how she & Lindsey were breaking up when they joined Fleetwood Mac, but the stardom & success they achieved less than a year later helped keep them going for awhile because they were able to put aside their own problems & just enjoy what Stevie called the airstream of a band that was breaking big.

As anyone who has ever had an amazing thing happen to them -- winning the lottery, getting a great new job, or any sort of windfall -- can attest to, it really takes you out of your funk & gives you an amazing high.

Another thing to remember about the volatile Buckingham-Nicks relationship is the interesting story Stevie told during the Street Angel tour, introducing "Destiny." Stevie fell in love with a guy in the Bay Area a few years before she & Lindsey joined the Mac, & came pretty close to staying with him & leaving Lindsey permanently in Los Angeles.