The West Australian article

Livia · #1 08-02-2011, 11:17 PM

Album a dream come true

Despite having a stellar career as both a solo artist and with rock icons Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks was discouraged from making a new album for half a decade. That says something about the modern music industry that, even though a recent Glee episode featuring Rumours sent the Mac's 1977 classic back into the charts, Nicks still didn't have the confidence to record her first album since 2001's Trouble in Shangri-La.

"I had wanted to make a record in 2005 but I got such a negative feeling from the industry and from my management team and everybody," she says down the line from her home in California. "Not because they didn't think I could make a good record but because it's so hard to make a record and sell it these days.

"They were trying to protect me . . . So I said 'OK, we'll tour, we'll do projects', not even knowing that would be over a four-year period."

It was during Fleetwood Mac's 2008 tour of Australia that something had to give. Inspired by a screening of Twilight: New Moon earlier in the day, Nicks took to the piano in her hotel suite and wrote Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream), the first step towards her new album, In Your Dreams, released in May. The album was unveiled 30 years after Nicks' solo debut, Bella Donna.

"I was thrilled because, you know what, I was really waiting for the spirits to come in and tell me," Nicks says. "Going to the piano that night was, like, the start of my moment where I said 'I don't care. I don't care what the state of the music business is. I'm making a record and if it's just for me, then that's fine.'"

In keeping with the universal nature of Nicks' career, the response to In Your Dreams seems to indicate that the singer's seventh studio album is for everyone. And given the attitude to a new album, which made its debut at No. 6 on the US Billboard charts, from industry wisdom that had preceded it, it's all been very affirming.

"It's the most positive response since I've had since The Other Side of the Mirror," Nicks says, referring to her multi-platinum 1989 album.

"When I listen to it I think that there's something on this record for everybody. When it was released here on May 3 and I just thought to myself 'This record is going to climb up through the muck of the record business, float up into the clouds and float down into everybody's living rooms'. Because I just feel it's that good."

In Your Dreams finds Nicks teaming with Dave Stewart, formerly one-half of pop-rockers Eurythmics, over nine months last year.

"Every little bit of laughter and love and genius from him all went on this record, it all went on to the tape," Nicks says fondly. "I think people feel that. It's a magical record. It's not like any record I've ever made before."

The album is indeed diverse, from the American folk of Soldier's Angel and the sophisticated rock of Secret Love to the 60s balladry of Ghosts Are Gone and the first song co-written by Nicks and Stewart, Everybody Loves You.

"We started with that one," Nicks recalls. "Dave sent that over to me and asked me to write the verses. When I started I knew in a way that this was about Annie Lennox. It was definitely a song written by a dear old partner about another dear old partner.

"Dave and I have Annie and Lindsey," she says, referring to her Fleetwood Mac paramour Lindsey Buckingham. "We have the four of us to write about."

Nicks describes the recording process as exciting, with musicians taking a break every night at 7.30 to eat dinner and discuss politics, music and the world.

For an artist who has long worn her art, heart and suffering on her sleeve, Nicks seems to have found a positive creative sphere with producer Stewart, who will join her on tour in Australia.

"Dave gets up every day and looks forward to the day and that rubs off," she says. "A lot of people don't and even I don't a lot of the time. His childlike way of looking at the world is very catching. He told me when we started that this record would take me places I'd never been before and he was totally on the money. He dreams big and his big dreams come true.

"We'll show you some of what happened," Nicks says. "I'm so glad that this record started there. I give Australia the credit for this record, I really do."
In Your Dreams is out now. Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart perform at nib Stadium on November 26, supported by Brian McFadden. Tickets from Tickemaster outlets.

Neal · #2 08-02-2011, 11:29 PM

Cool article, thanks for posting!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livia

"It's the most positive response since I've had since The Other Side of the Mirror," Nicks says, referring to her multi-platinum 1989 album.

Two things:

1.) I'm thrilled she's even acknowledging TOSOTM's existence!

2.) Mirror was critically panned for the most part, so I assume she's equating "positive response" with sales...? But that doesn't make sense either.

ontheEdgeof17 · #3 08-03-2011, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal

2.) Mirror was critically panned for the most part, so I assume she's equating "positive response" with sales...? But that doesn't make sense either.

Maybe she was thinking about "Rooms on Fire".....that being her last, big hit.