In Defense of Stevie Nicks (Cary O'Dell)

[michelej1]

In Defense Of Stevie Nicks Sep. 14, 2011 By Cary O'Dell

Cary O’Dell is a writer. See the Thought Catalog
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/in-de...-stevie-nicks/

I’m a fan of Stevie Nicks. And that hasn’t always been an easy thing to admit, at least not publicly.

But, today, with many of her songs (“Landslide,” “Leather and Lace”) rightfully acknowledged as modern pop standards, and as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ms. Nicks is being more and more recognized as a true rock legend. But for many years, as she airily floated about, she was far too close to punchline and parody for even the most die-hard of fans to ably defend her fully. Hence, our frequent silence. Even the truly devoted among us, who secretly worshiped every aspect of her gothic crystal vision, often had to wonder if she wouldn’t be taken a bit more seriously, by audiences and critics alike, if just once she’d toned down some of her Enchanted Forest fever.

The cover art of her third solo album, Rock A Little from 1985, at first glance gave us a glimmer of hope. Despite the presence a crystal ball located in the lower right hand corner, Stevie’s cover photo, a full body shot of Stevie encased in a simple (for her) solid black dress, seemed to bode well for a new, more reserved, mainstream style. But then, back when albums had back covers (and back when there were albums), the photo of our beloved Ms. Nicks shown there fully squashed our delusions of Stevie ever abandoning any of her “Rhiannon”/ ”Sara”/ white wing ways. I mean there she was, superimposed over a tapestry background, in a hand-tinted photo, made up like a Renaissance maiden with a black fringed shawl wrapped around her shoulders and soft blond waves framing her face. The heavy eye make-up and black lipstick she also wore in the photo completed the Coming of Arthur vibe. Immediately we realized it: no, this Welsh Witch wasn’t going anywhere.

Since then, through her various solo efforts and her work with the occasionally reconfigured Fleetwood Mac, Nicks has fiercely hung onto her Dickens meets Earth Goddess meets Goth Chick vibe. In her latest album, In Your Dreams, she’s depicted on its cover black clad and in the woods, standing next to a white horse, an angelic starburst circling her form. Inside are photos of Stevie in one of her trademark top hats or, sometimes, with a Hogwarts-worthy owl perched on her arm.

But, now, it seems her look has outlasted her critics. In fact, her singular devotion to one style–one persona–is at present, a refreshing contrast to the disposable images that seem to dominate so much of the pop and rock landscape, especially among other female artists.

Madonna always gets a lot of credit for constantly ‘re-inventing’ herself, though her progression from Material Girl to cowgirl (for her Music LP era), has always seemed more calculated than organic. She seems no more devoted to one persona than any other; they are all just surface deep and she’s always just too ready to dump her current incarnation for the next big thing.

Madonna’s most successful descendent, Lady Gaga, meanwhile, is rushing through her own panoply of outrageous styles without really ever really finding one of her own. In some ways, that is Gaga’s fame game, but (at the risk of angering all the Gaga-heads of the world) her inconsistency creates a scatter-shot personage, undermining her art and message as she attempts instead to just one up the perpetual sideshow shock factor of her work.

More importantly, for the sake of comparison, you never saw Steve Nicks resort to adopting an alternate persona to achieve, well, whatever it is these ‘alters’ are supposed to achieve. No Jo Calderone or Sasha Fierce for her. There have been no other identities to try on just to see if it will fly.

Furthermore, except for the infamous nearly nude photo of Nicks on her and Lindsey Buckingham’s Buckingham-Nicks album from 1973, Stevie has remained modest, covered up in her layers of chiffon and silk scarves. Latter-day rock stars and some of her contemporaries (Cher comes to mind) certainly can’t say the same, as they have built much of their fame as much on getting naked as on making good music. Where would Britney be without her body stocking and songs about being slutty (“Seek Amy,” anyone)? Where would Christina be if she wasn’t always so willing to get “Dirrrty”? Even Mariah, who at least has the voice for musical magic, has seldom missed a chance to bare her midriff.

In contrast, throughout her 40-plus year career, Stevie Nicks has not only not traded on her sexuality, but she has remained true to her muse. Long before Glee gave us all permission to just be, Nicks, through word and action, has always just been herself no matter what the record-buying public thought or a music exec suggested. And in a world, and especially in rock and roll, where everyone it seems is flaying about always trying to fit into a shifting, ever shrinking niche, her true individualism is a trait certainly worthy of respect.

Long may she twirl.

[GoldDustWoman22]

I love this article! It basically says everything that I truly love about Stevie! Makes some wonderful points. I agree with the author when she states that Stevie's look is more than just look. It's a sign of just how true she really is to herself and to her audience.

[Christopher]

It's kinda sad that this writer/blogger was at times ashamed publicly for her Stevie fandom Poor Thing! Stevie = timeless. Always has, always will. As she has always rocked to the beat of her own drum! Not only is that admirable, but fierce and trailblazing! And now that Stevie is in the elder stateswoman phase of her career, all of a sudden she's heralded as an unwavering original worthy of respect!?? WTF!! Those of us who've never been ashamed of Stevie's eccentric or unconventional stylings both as a performer and singer-songwriter, and have been fans for decades upon decades, not just during the popular years, but all the years, get it! It's the rest of the world thats been playing catch up, including this blogger/so-called *fickle* fan. So while Stevie now nurtures her illustrious legacy as the legend she always was destined to be. She is doing so with dignity, class and of course her enduring & enchanting singular aesthetic! She truly is an American treasure. No Question.

[TrueFaith77]

Too bad she doesn't mention her art and the relationship between her persona and her art.

And we have Glee to thank for our individuality? Must be the new conformity...

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Too bad she doesn't mention her art and the relationship between her persona and her art.

And we have Glee to thank for our individuality? Must be the new conformity...

You are becoming (last few posts) quite the counter culture pop zeitgeist. Perhaps you always have been

[MoonBeamDreams]

Awww.....that was a beautiful essay about Stevie!!

And actually the reason I became a Stevie fan was because Stevie was an individual artist who created her own world through her unique music and fashion style, and didn't change it for nobody or for anything. That's what I was very impressed with besides the really, really great music she offers!

As this article states, this is why I don't think Gaga nor Katy Perry will last very long compared to the greats like Stevie or even Striesand for that matter. They are too quick to sell certain aspects of their persona (including their music) to stay in the limelight. It's a shame, but also why the great artists of yester-year still have their music played and amired from us young people around the world.

Thank you for a wonderful and heart-warming article!
Alicia

[TrueFaith77]

Originally Posted by MoonBeamDreams

Awww.....that was a beautiful essay about Stevie!!

And actually the reason I became a Stevie fan was because Stevie was an individual artist who created her own world through her unique music and fashion style, and didn't change it for nobody or for anything. That's what I was very impressed with besides the really, really great music she offers!

As this article states, this is why I don't think Gaga nor Katy Perry will last very long compared to the greats like Stevie or even Striesand for that matter. They are too quick to sell certain aspects of their persona (including their music) to stay in the limelight. It's a shame, but also why the great artists of yester-year still have their music played and amired from us young people around the world.

Thank you for a wonderful and heart-warming article!
Alicia

Do people like her (and become fans) because she created her own world and didn't change it to make anyone else happy rather than for what in that world they found appealing and meaningful...

[The Catdancer]

Originally Posted by Christopher

It's kinda sad that this writer/blogger was at times ashamed publicly for her Stevie fandom Poor Thing! Stevie = timeless. Always has, always will. As she has always rocked to the beat of her own drum! Not only is that admirable, but fierce and trailblazing! And now that Stevie is in the elder stateswoman phase of her career, all of a sudden she's heralded as an unwavering original worthy of respect!?? WTF!! Those of us who've never been ashamed of Stevie's eccentric or unconventional stylings both as a performer and singer-songwriter, and have been fans for decades upon decades, not just during the popular years, but all the years, get it! It's the rest of the world thats been playing catch up, including this blogger/so-called *fickle* fan. So while Stevie now nurtures her illustrious legacy as the legend she always was destined to be. She is doing so with dignity, class and of course her enduring & enchanting singular aesthetic! She truly is an American treasure. No Question.

ITA especially with this statement you made:

" And now that Stevie is in the elder stateswoman phase of her career, all of a sudden she's heralded as an unwavering original worthy of respect!?? WTF!! Those of us who've never been ashamed of Stevie's eccentric or unconventional stylings both as a performer and singer-songwriter, and have been fans for decades upon decades, not just during the popular years, but all the years, get it! It's the rest of the world thats been playing catch up, including this blogger/so-called *fickle* fan".

I've been a fan for decades, never been ashamed to admit it and many times I got the question:"Who's he?' indicating that people didn't even know who she was. Now everybody knows who she is and you're right, they're playing catch up. We got it a long time ago.

[beccamorrisfift]

Music should be about about your voice, your sound and the style that comes with that, not selling your body, that's prostitution which is a lesson certain artists need to learn quick.
This elegance that Stevie has is just one of the reasons that we adore her I guess, to put it simply, she's just brilliant.
Thank-You for posting

[MoonBeamDreams]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

Do people like her (and become fans) because she created her own world and didn't change it to make anyone else happy rather than for what in that world they found appealing and meaningful...

I don't know if you are asking me directly or opening it up to the whole board, but I will elaborate and hopefully clarify what I said.

I tuly became a fan because of the uniqueness, beautiful, and very meaningful music first, and then became impressed in her persona/world after listening to a couple of her signature songs and looking for videos and pictures online. In that order even. The reason I mentioned more on her persona and world is because the article relates and discusses more about personas than about the music itself. And to be completely honest, I prefer individual artists (key word there!) who are willing to dance to their own beat of their drum if it's popular or not. Following your own muse as an artist rates really high in my book, and I feel deserves the respect from me for an artist who is willing to stick to their guns through the high and lows of their career (and the general population's interest in their ideas) and that they know what they have is something extra special. If an artist changes directions- even a little bit- I don't mind as long as it comes from the artist themselves and not the music execs and current trends dictating how the music should be maded and presented. Stevie's muse it seems has remained the same throughout her career even though her music was not in vogue or highly praised through some of the years. And I'm really proud of her for doing this! This is why this is the reason I became a fan of Stevies after falling in LOVE with her GREAT music of course!

So I hope this anwers and elaborate what I said earlier. And sorry for the really long post!
Alicia

[fringed n fab]

Originally Posted by michelej1

In Defense Of Stevie Nicks Sep. 14, 2011 By Cary O'Dell

Cary O’Dell is a writer. See the Thought Catalog
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/in-de...-stevie-nicks/

I’m a fan of Stevie Nicks. And that hasn’t always been an easy thing to admit, at least not publicly.

But, today, with many of her songs (“Landslide,” “Leather and Lace”) rightfully acknowledged as modern pop standards, and as a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Ms. Nicks is being more and more recognized as a true rock legend. But for many years, as she airily floated about, she was far too close to punchline and parody for even the most die-hard of fans to ably defend her fully. Hence, our frequent silence. Even the truly devoted among us, who secretly worshiped every aspect of her gothic crystal vision, often had to wonder if she wouldn’t be taken a bit more seriously, by audiences and critics alike, if just once she’d toned down some of her Enchanted Forest fever.

The cover art of her third solo album, Rock A Little from 1985, at first glance gave us a glimmer of hope. Despite the presence a crystal ball located in the lower right hand corner, Stevie’s cover photo, a full body shot of Stevie encased in a simple (for her) solid black dress, seemed to bode well for a new, more reserved, mainstream style. But then, back when albums had back covers (and back when there were albums), the photo of our beloved Ms. Nicks shown there fully squashed our delusions of Stevie ever abandoning any of her “Rhiannon”/ ”Sara”/ white wing ways. I mean there she was, superimposed over a tapestry background, in a hand-tinted photo, made up like a Renaissance maiden with a black fringed shawl wrapped around her shoulders and soft blond waves framing her face. The heavy eye make-up and black lipstick she also wore in the photo completed the Coming of Arthur vibe. Immediately we realized it: no, this Welsh Witch wasn’t going anywhere.

Since then, through her various solo efforts and her work with the occasionally reconfigured Fleetwood Mac, Nicks has fiercely hung onto her Dickens meets Earth Goddess meets Goth Chick vibe. In her latest album, In Your Dreams, she’s depicted on its cover black clad and in the woods, standing next to a white horse, an angelic starburst circling her form. Inside are photos of Stevie in one of her trademark top hats or, sometimes, with a Hogwarts-worthy owl perched on her arm.

But, now, it seems her look has outlasted her critics. In fact, her singular devotion to one style–one persona–is at present, a refreshing contrast to the disposable images that seem to dominate so much of the pop and rock landscape, especially among other female artists.

Madonna always gets a lot of credit for constantly ‘re-inventing’ herself, though her progression from Material Girl to cowgirl (for her Music LP era), has always seemed more calculated than organic. She seems no more devoted to one persona than any other; they are all just surface deep and she’s always just too ready to dump her current incarnation for the next big thing.

Madonna’s most successful descendent, Lady Gaga, meanwhile, is rushing through her own panoply of outrageous styles without really ever really finding one of her own. In some ways, that is Gaga’s fame game, but (at the risk of angering all the Gaga-heads of the world) her inconsistency creates a scatter-shot personage, undermining her art and message as she attempts instead to just one up the perpetual sideshow shock factor of her work.

More importantly, for the sake of comparison, you never saw Steve Nicks resort to adopting an alternate persona to achieve, well, whatever it is these ‘alters’ are supposed to achieve. No Jo Calderone or Sasha Fierce for her. There have been no other identities to try on just to see if it will fly.

Furthermore, except for the infamous nearly nude photo of Nicks on her and Lindsey Buckingham’s Buckingham-Nicks album from 1973, Stevie has remained modest, covered up in her layers of chiffon and silk scarves. Latter-day rock stars and some of her contemporaries (Cher comes to mind) certainly can’t say the same, as they have built much of their fame as much on getting naked as on making good music. Where would Britney be without her body stocking and songs about being slutty (“Seek Amy,” anyone)? Where would Christina be if she wasn’t always so willing to get “Dirrrty”? Even Mariah, who at least has the voice for musical magic, has seldom missed a chance to bare her midriff.

In contrast, throughout her 40-plus year career, Stevie Nicks has not only not traded on her sexuality, but she has remained true to her muse. Long before Glee gave us all permission to just be, Nicks, through word and action, has always just been herself no matter what the record-buying public thought or a music exec suggested. And in a world, and especially in rock and roll, where everyone it seems is flaying about always trying to fit into a shifting, ever shrinking niche, her true individualism is a trait certainly worthy of respect.

Long may she twirl.

And you'd think stars who do this and change images weekly would realize it.

[fringed n fab]

Originally Posted by Christopher

It's kinda sad that this writer/blogger was at times ashamed publicly for her Stevie fandom Poor Thing! Stevie = timeless. Always has, always will. As she has always rocked to the beat of her own drum! Not only is that admirable, but fierce and trailblazing! And now that Stevie is in the elder stateswoman phase of her career, all of a sudden she's heralded as an unwavering original worthy of respect!?? WTF!! Those of us who've never been ashamed of Stevie's eccentric or unconventional stylings both as a performer and singer-songwriter, and have been fans for decades upon decades, not just during the popular years, but all the years, get it! It's the rest of the world thats been playing catch up, including this blogger/so-called *fickle* fan. So while Stevie now nurtures her illustrious legacy as the legend she always was destined to be. She is doing so with dignity, class and of course her enduring & enchanting singular aesthetic! She truly is an American treasure. No Question.

I agree. Why would anyone think Stevie's fans are ashamed to admit publicly they love her ever? You are spot on with how the majority of us fans think.

[fringed n fab]

I guess on the plus side the blogger admired the Rock A Little cover as do I, so that was nice.

[KarmaContestant]

This was a great article - thanks for posting. Stevie's unchanging style is a huge part of what people love about her. That back cover of Rock A Little remains my favorite album shot of all time.

Conversely, Madonna's ever-changing style is also part of why her fans love her - it's something to look forward to. What look, style and sound will she sport this year/album?

Gaga, bless her heart, is sweet and in my opinion totally brilliant, and a very VERY necessary part of pop culture right now (as opposed to the throw-away Katy Perry or Ke$sha) - but I do wonder if she's giving too much too soon. Every day she's different! Any good drag queen will tell you, you gotta make all those outfits last, girl!

[darklinensuit]

Am I the only one who does not get any "Renaissance maiden" vibe from the RAL back cover?

I do think that Stevie has necessarily reinvented herself over the course of her career if we look beyond the look. Years ago she was the fragile baby sister who needed protection and hugs. Now she markets herself as a survivor, which people just eat up, especially when it comes to her past drug use. For a while she did not even want to discuss that part of her life. Now we can't get her to shut up about it.

Also, at least in my opinion, back when it was tough being a die-hard Stevie fan, Stevie's airy-fairy image wasn't as embarrassing as her deteriorating voice and poor song choices. She could wear all the chiffon she wanted if she would have sounded better and abandoned at least some of that synth & Kenny G.

- Jake