Caillat Says Christine Likes Book

[michelej1]

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Rumours Producer Ken Caillat Recalls Fleetwood Mac’s Studio Squabbles
23 May 2012

In his new memoir, Making Rumours, veteran producer Ken Caillat tells the story of his eventful year-long experience helping Fleetwood Mac record one of the most acclaimed and successful albums of all time, 1977′s Rumours. Caillat began the project as an engineer, but as the band members observed the important contributions he was making to the recording sessions, he was promoted to co-producer along with close collaborator Richard Dashut.

Fans familiar with the history of Fleetwood Mac know that all five band mates were going through major personal turmoil during the making of Rumours. At the time, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were in the process of breaking up, John McVie and Christine McVie were headed for a divorce, and Mick Fleetwood‘s own marriage also was on the rocks. Caillat gives an eyewitness account of some of the dramatic group conflicts. He also shares fascinating details about the studio techniques and tricks used to mold the record’s many classic tunes.

Caillat tells ABC News Radio that being a part of the volatile and passionate sessions was unlike any other recording project he’s ever experienced.

“I had this minor position in the record as it started out [but eventually] I grew to be a part of the family and…got to have a lot more opinions,” he explained. “But when they started throwing Champagne in each other’s face and yelling at each other, I said, ‘This is not normal.’”

The producer also admits that he may have inadvertently instigated some fights amongst the band mates by simply asking them to sing the lyrics of the new tunes they were writing for the album, many of which, of course, were inspired by the group members’ relationship woes.

“It never dawned on me that the lyrics were painful to another person in the room,” he says. “I never caught the connection that while I asked them to sing the song, normally a fight would break out somewhat after that, and it became contagious with the other breaking-up band members.”

Caillat tells ABC News Radio that one of the most impressive things about the entire experience for him was how Fleetwood Mac’s members were able to persevere through the conflicts to create an iconic recording.

“It’s the great American story about a bunch of kids, really, getting together and saying, ‘You know what? We’re gonna push all the adversity aside,” he explains. “‘We’re gonna forge on and make a great record because that’s what we need to do and that’s what we want to do.’”

Caillat’s book doesn’t always paint the group in the most flattering light. For example, he recounts a number of occasions when Buckingham’s behavior is abusive and immature, and also details John McVie’s struggle with alcohol abuse.

Meanwhile, Caillat admits that he’s only heard feedback about his book from one Mac member, Christine McVie, who gave the Making Rumours a big thumbs-up.

“Christine, about a month ago, called me and she said, ‘Ken, thank you so much for writing the book,’” he reports. “She says, ‘I just love it…It really put passion back into music for me [and] I love how you portrayed me.”

Visit MakingRumours.com to find out more about the book. The site features photos, a sample chapter, and a schedule of Caillat’s book-signing events.