2011 - a pivotal year for Stevie Nicks

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by MacMan

Right... Rod had the flu in March... Stevie had pneumonia in May... Makes sense

Actually it can make perfect sense. Stevie fell ill in April, ahead of the album launch at the very beginning of May, and pneumonia can quite easily be an end-result of a longstanding low-key viral onslaught weakening the immune system and leaving it open to bacterial infection.

Having said that, I'm not an idiot so here's my new position: I accept that Rod might not have given Stevie the actual infection that led to the pneumonia, because of course that could have come from anywhere, including him but not only. I liked trying to get away with blaming Rod because I don't like him, but you caught me. Oh well.

But we'll just have to agree to disagree on the artistic merits of the H&S tour itself, which I felt was beneath her - not a lot, perhaps, but when I stack it up against what she was about to put out with IYD, there's no contest where I think all her focus should've been. Pretty sure Dave Stewart agreed, too, if his Twitter feed from Jan/Feb '11 is any guide.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

Actually it can make perfect sense. Stevie fell ill in April, ahead of the album launch at the very beginning of May, and pneumonia can quite easily be an end-result of a longstanding low-key viral onslaught weakening the immune system and leaving it open to bacterial infection.

Having said that, I'm not an idiot so here's my new position: I accept that Rod might not have given Stevie the actual infection that led to the pneumonia, because of course that could have come from anywhere, including him but not only. I liked trying to get away with blaming Rod because I don't like him, but you caught me. Oh well.

But we'll just have to agree to disagree on the artistic merits of the H&S tour itself, which I felt was beneath her - not a lot, perhaps, but when I stack it up against what she was about to put out with IYD, there's no contest where I think all her focus should've been. Pretty sure Dave Stewart agreed, too, if his Twitter feed from Jan/Feb '11 is any guide.

It was beneath her. But it made her a lot of cash. Very smart.

[ragrsrocalot]

How was it beneath her? Stevie herself said when asked about this in an interview,
" I am proud to open for him, I am honored to open for him." She has also stated how much fun she had, and how grateful she was to do it. Sounds like the whole experience was pleasurable for her, for many different reasons. It also made her fans happy to have yet another opportunity to see her in concert.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

It was beneath her. But it made her a lot of cash. Very smart.

Perhaps- but I think it was very good for Stevie in ways which were probably entirely unforeseen to her going into it. She was performing for Rod's audience... not her dyed in the wool fans for the first time in a very, very long time. This meant that much of the audience showed up late, then were rather unamused by her. As a reaction Stevie really had to go in swinging every night & up her game; which I think she did. I think the whole thing kinda reinvigorated her as a performer.

[mikephxaz]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Perhaps- but I think it was very good for Stevie in ways which were probably entirely unforeseen to her going into it. She was performing for Rod's audience... not her dyed in the wool fans for the first time in a very, very long time. This meant that much of the audience showed up late, then were rather unamused by her. As a reaction Stevie really had to go in swinging every night & up her game; which I think she did. I think the whole thing kinda reinvigorated her as a performer.

i soooo agree with this!! this year was a huge year for stevie....she was forced to work within the world of Rod Stewart during that tour and then she worked EVERY main stream television show from Oprah to Dancing with the Stars..from Americas Got Talent to Glee....it was a big year...I'm so sorry it ended with the passing of her mother....unfortunately that seems the way life goes..

[studyinscarlet]

I didn't know that Stevie had lost her mom. When did this happen? I lost my mom this past year too.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Perhaps- but I think it was very good for Stevie in ways which were probably entirely unforeseen to her going into it. She was performing for Rod's audience... not her dyed in the wool fans for the first time in a very, very long time. This meant that much of the audience showed up late, then were rather unamused by her. As a reaction Stevie really had to go in swinging every night & up her game; which I think she did. I think the whole thing kinda reinvigorated her as a performer.

Money is always good, especially when your at the end of your career and the tour came off as a success.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by studyinscarlet

I didn't know that Stevie had lost her mom. When did this happen? I lost my mom this past year too.

Lost my mom too. I wonder just how many people lost a parent over this past year.

[windbecame]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Lost my mom too. I wonder just how many people lost a parent over this past year.

I'm sorry for your loss... well let's see i lost my dad in 2000 (i was 30) mom in 2003, brother in 2009.... then this year, one week after "In Your Dreams" came out my sister had a massive brain aneurysm.... she's alive and knows who i am but effectively gone(i'm her primary caregiver)... the ONLY good thing is Stevie or the Mac had an album come out either right before it all or within months after!!

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Money is always good, especially when your at the end of your career and the tour came off as a success.

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Perhaps- but I think it was very good for Stevie in ways which were probably entirely unforeseen to her going into it. She was performing for Rod's audience... not her dyed in the wool fans for the first time in a very, very long time. This meant that much of the audience showed up late, then were rather unamused by her. As a reaction Stevie really had to go in swinging every night & up her game; which I think she did. I think the whole thing kinda reinvigorated her as a performer.

I agree with both of you.It was nice to see her come around as always.The tour probably help her finance the recording of IYD by paying the bills.

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by ragrsrocalot

How was it beneath her? Stevie herself said when asked about this in an interview,
" I am proud to open for him, I am honored to open for him." She has also stated how much fun she had, and how grateful she was to do it. Sounds like the whole experience was pleasurable for her, for many different reasons. It also made her fans happy to have yet another opportunity to see her in concert.

Well, I can look at that statement two ways. Either she meant it, in which case I personally find it frustrating that she really thinks that opening for a vapid lounge act like Rod Stewart is an appropriate ambition. Or she was saying that because she knew very well that it was a step down and she was choosing to put the best spin on it.

But really, all it is is that I'm as guilty as the next person of wanting 'Stevie' to be what I want her to be, and this didn't fit my picture. I want her to be an artist, and a poet, and a seer. I want her to sit alone at a piano in jeans and a jumper and play an endless medley of 'Sara' and 'Rhiannon' and 'Dreams' and 'Blue Water', and I don't want it drowned out by the ringing of cash registers.

I know I won't get what I want, but I do still want it, and I cannot ever be happy JUST BECAUSE she's making money. I mean, if that were the case, why does she bother performing at all? She could just hire a venue and show us her bank statement. Which, by the way, as a fan based in the UK, would still be a **** sight more than we've seen of her for 20+ years. 'Good to see her come round again'? If only, darling.

[MrStevie]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

Well, I can look at that statement two ways. Either she meant it, in which case I personally find it frustrating that she really thinks that opening for a vapid lounge act like Rod Stewart is an appropriate ambition. Or she was saying that because she knew very well that it was a step down and she was choosing to put the best spin on it.

But really, all it is is that I'm as guilty as the next person of wanting 'Stevie' to be what I want her to be, and this didn't fit my picture. I want her to be an artist, and a poet, and a seer. I want her to sit alone at a piano in jeans and a jumper and play an endless medley of 'Sara' and 'Rhiannon' and 'Dreams' and 'Blue Water', and I don't want it drowned out by the ringing of cash registers.

I know I won't get what I want, but I do still want it, and I cannot ever be happy JUST BECAUSE she's making money. I mean, if that were the case, why does she bother performing at all? She could just hire a venue and show us her bank statement. Which, by the way, as a fan based in the UK, would still be a **** sight more than we've seen of her for 20+ years. 'Good to see her come round again'? If only, darling.

I agree with a lot of your sentiments. This one hits it perfectly:

I cannot ever be happy JUST BECAUSE she's making money. I mean, if that were the case, why does she bother performing at all? She could just hire a venue and show us her bank statement.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by jellyman10

Well, I can look at that statement two ways. Either she meant it, in which case I personally find it frustrating that she really thinks that opening for a vapid lounge act like Rod Stewart is an appropriate ambition. Or she was saying that because she knew very well that it was a step down and she was choosing to put the best spin on it.

I understand you're not a Rod Stewart fan, but here's why opening for him was not beneath her: She can't headline an arena as 'Stevie Nicks', she only gets to play those as a member of 'Fleetwood Mac'. The tour with Rod Stewart allowed her the opportunity to promote IYD before massive amounts of people and up her visibility to the demographic who is most familiar with her name, even if they aren't 'Stevie Nicks' fans, per se. It was a very smart move, coupled with the television appearances. Just because you want to sell tickets and albums and have a good business sense, it doesn't make you any less of an artist. She's never claimed a desire to be a starving artist - in fact she's always made it clear that making a living and making money from her art is extremely important to her. I respect that - it's honest.