Tusk - looking back 25 years later

[David]

Originally posted by trackaghost
Yep, I agree. I do think Tusk is Lindsey's masterpiece for sure, but let's give the girls some credit please! They were all at the height of their powers on that record. If Stevie and Chris hadn't contributed such great songs (along with Lindsey's) the record may not be the classic it is now.

I think that in the case of both Christine & Stevie, it's more than a simple case of bringing in a song:

• Stevie also contributes her lead & harmony vocal style (a single "ooh" or "aah" from her goes further in creating a mood or igniting excitement than whole stanzas sung by most other singers.
  
• Christine also contributes her savvy little rhythmic piano parts (try listening to "Brown Eyes" without the Fender Rhodes, or "Angel" without the CP30).
  
• Mick & John contribute their "feel" style of rhythm ("What Makes You Think You're the One" would be a lot less intense & singular without Mick's unique pounding attack).

All these Fleetwood Mac tracks would sound different (less interesting, to my ears) without these contributions to the sonic overall, regardless of which producer or band member was engineering & establishing track direction & tone.

[chiliD]

Originally posted by David

• Mick & John contribute their "feel" style of rhythm ("What Makes You Think You're the One" would be a lot less intense & singular without Mick's unique pounding attack).

Are you sure that Mick is playing on "WMYTYTO"?? I always thought that was Lindsey's banging away on tincans or kleenex boxes or something. The sound is just TOO "un-Mick".

[Cristian]

I think I've read somewhere else that Lindsey spoke about this song in terms of being 'just him and Mick' in the studio... him playing the piano and singing and Mick playing the drums. Quite simple, and that the drumming was 'one of those great moments in music' and that it reminded him somehow of the "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" Lennon track.

Of course now I'm not able to find the exact quote... .



Song of the moment - Trouble

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by David
. . . Stevie also contributes her lead & harmony vocal style (a single "ooh" or "aah" from her goes further in creating a mood or igniting excitement than whole stanzas sung by most other singers.

You knw that is so true. Look at her harmony on Gypsy, Little Lies, etc. Interestingly, when her voice lowered, these harmonies became porhaps a little more "forced" for want of a better word. IMO her probouinced and solo "ahhhhhhh's" in "Behind the Mask" (a great song) are flat. But, the rest of her in that song just make it better. Same for her harmonies is "Sky is the Limit." I have always said La Nicks was just born to sing harmony, which is far more difficult than singing lead.

Also, in the chorus of Dreams, Stevie sings the lead and the harmony with LB and CM singing with her on the lead and that song has some of her best oohhs and ahhhs ever

[CarneVaca]

Cristian, you are correct. That was something Lindsey said in one of the recent interviews. That is Mick on What Makes You Think You're the One. It sounds like Lindsey had to get Mick to "unlearn" what he knew about drumming to get that sound. Of course, there were similar experiences with Tusk and, I believe, Go Your Own Way.

David, you are quite right that Stevie and Christine didn't just drop songs and the magic happened in spite of them. To be sure, Stevie contributes some of her best stuff ever to this album and Christine's songs, though not terribly exciting to me, have a wonderful charm about them.

Since I am feeling generous today, I will even say this: I can take Beautiful Child when I'm in the right mood, but usually I skip it. Actually, Tusk is the only Fleetwood Mac album these days that I can play beginning to end without skipping songs. I can't even do that on Out of the Cradle as I tend to skip Doing What I Can.

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
I can't even do that on Out of the Cradle as I tend to skip Doing What I Can.

I'll quote Strand and Chilid..."HERETIC!!"



Kidding. I friggin LOVE that song to death!!

[Johnny Stew]

That's actually one of my favorite songs, too, Christy... so you're definitely not alone.

"When the darkness comes, you've got to fly into the light... and what will be, will be."

[face of glass]

Originally posted by chiliD
And they keep going, and going, and going, and going...and, going...and going........and going....

As long as this band keeps on repeating itself on stage then fans should have the right to repeat themselves, no matter how redundantly. It's all direct influence!

[Johnny Stew]

Originally posted by face of glass
As long as this band keeps on repeating itself on stage then fans should have the right to repeat themselves, no matter how redundantly. It's all direct influence!

Gaius, we don't repeat ourselves around here.
Not sure where you go that.

Now, as far as why I think "When I See You Again" is so brilliant, let me just say that....

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by chiliD
Are you sure that Mick is playing on "WMYTYTO"?? I always thought that was Lindsey's banging away on tincans or kleenex boxes or something. The sound is just TOO "un-Mick".

Insteresting...the first couple of years after I bought Tusk I thought that, too. But on the other hand: the drumtrack is so frickin'brilliant that I also thought: this MUST be Mick, because lindsey can't do this! Okay, he can pound away on everything that is in his room at the moment, but he does not have ability of giving every hit " feel". And Mick was a master at that. (WAS, on say you will I only hear it on Come...Okay and on miranda, when you peel all layers off.....).

And, Chili, now you know it, maybe you should listen to it again and, with that perception in mind, maybe you hear it the same way as I do: very MICKISH!

[CarneVaca]

I was listening to What Makes You Think You're the One this morning and it struck me that the guitar tracks were too low. I want to hear more guitar.

[Carolina Girl]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
Actually, Tusk is the only Fleetwood Mac album these days that I can play beginning to end without skipping songs. I can't even do that on Out of the Cradle as I tend to skip Doing What I Can.

On Tusk, I skip Tusk! I like the song, but I played it to death when I was hooked on the Greatest Hits cd, so I never listen to it now. Maybe when the reissues come out, I'll go back to it.

On OOTC, I skip Turn It On. Something about that one...the way he pronounces the words just doesn't do anything for me.

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by CarneVaca
I was listening to What Makes You Think You're the One this morning and it struck me that the guitar tracks were too low. I want to hear more guitar.

That's partially the guilt of the transformation to CD. I'm expecting a lot here on the remaster......but I agree, it's a bit pulled back...

[face of glass]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
Gaius, we don't repeat ourselves around here.
Not sure where you go that.

It’s just me I’m talking about; I’m repeating myself like Lindsey is recycling “Big Love”. And since it’s so long it’s a double sin.

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
Gaius, we don't repeat ourselves around here.
Not sure where you go that.

I don't believe I've ever mentioned that Lindsey rules and my favorite song is I'm So Afraid.

Just thought I'd let ya'll know that.