Making Rumours by Ken Caillat

[Silver Springs]

Originally Posted by MrStevie

I doesn't hurt for Ken to know what fans are thinking. I mean, who does he think his audience is? Is he selling books only to sound geeks and musicians? If he's peddling to the masses he should know some fans won't appreciate the way he cherry picks personal anecdotes in a way that taints his credibility. As a sound geek and musician I really wanted to buy the book before I read this intervew. I thought Ken was writing a serious book about the recording of Rumors, not the same old canned dirt we've read about in previous Mac tell alls. How is a card game in Tahoe relevant to recording Rumors other than finding a way to inject dirt that the publishers wanted in the mix? Didn't I read Ken refused to do that before the manuscript was rejected? Now this? The way the question was asked and answered, I'm not sure Ken said the blackjack incident was in the book or not, but the fact that he tossed that anecdote into the interview tells me he's on board with the standard FM marketing plan. Am I surprised he's dished the standard dirt using the same time tested script assured to only offend a marginal part of the fan base? Not really. But based on his own words before the book was rejected, I guess I expected more than that from Ken. I'm seriously disappionted. On the other hand, the masses will love it! Ken hasn't drifted very far off the reservation with his stereotypes of the band members. So far I haven't read anything new or enlightening. Nothing I didn't know before. Major bummer.

It's refreshing when I read of people actually noticing that there is a formula with every Fleetwood Mac dish we're served. Each book, no matter who the 'disher', is little more than timetabled gossip that wouldn't be out of place in a magazine. I never had any ambition to buy the book, because I knew what to expect. It's the same reason I stopped reading Mick's book when I bought it (for 50 pence, I feel I need to interject with) and didn't even bother cracking open Carol Ann's little serving. I'd love to hear even a collaborated effort, rather than one sided stories that could easily be refuted if another member could be bothered (or indeed find the financial incentive) to do so. I'd much rather hear about the music, the different routes the could have taken with the work, the struggles they've encountered in marketing and acquiring interest in order to sell their creations. Even the little myths and legends behind the lyrics. Not literary tit for tat. I just wish John would write a book on the Fleetwood Mac history, because given his stoic nature it could be exactly the route he chooses to take. After all, you never hear of him releasing these little tales and chinese whispers, do you? It's obvious with him that his unwavering passion is the music, not the band politics.