How coked out/stoned was Stevie back in ~the day~?

ryan8472 · #1 05-12-2007, 09:14 PM

I srsly want to know. Because I feel like it would be so difficult to perform under those "circumstances."

Maybe the question should be, "At what point do you think Stevie said "Ok guys, I srsly need to go *snort* sing now." Like, two joints maybe? Three lines? Waaaay more? Who knows.

Betsy · #2 05-12-2007, 11:43 PM

Answer: I Don't Know.

Back in the 70's my brother was big into FM. I inherited his vinyl albums of Fleetwood Mac and Rumours. Two years ago, I listened to them again and was hooked. So I decided to buy some of the newer stuff (i.e. anything that came after 1978.)

Before I buy a book or CD I go to Amazon.com and read the reviews.

I was surprised to see this one posted:

THINGS DON'T NECESSARILY GO BETTER WITH COKE, April 12, 2005
Reviewer: Crabby Apple Mick Lee (INDIANAPOLIS, IN USA)

It was a review of ENCHANTED - The 3 CD set.

I then began to read the reviews of Bella Donna, The Wild Heart, Rock A Little and by the time I got to Street Angel, the magic in the reviews seemed to be gone, but she wasn't.

She did produce Enchanted (my favorite) and Trouble in Shangri La - but by that time her voice appeared (to the reviewers) to be more nasal and not the sweet-young-country girl sound.

Then I read where Stevie did an interview and drew two noses. One nose was hers and the other was Christine's. She drew holes (due to Cocaine use) - and hers was much larger than Christine's. She supposedly told the interviewer that she could have surgery to fix the hole, but then her voice would not sound the same, and she could not do that to her fans.

I am sure that this doesn't answer your question, but reading the reviews and then going to the local library to read old magazine articles, it appeared that the music was a reflection of what was/was not going on in her life.

One last tidbit - the morning radio DJ's (yes, they are obnoxious) had a heyday recently with some article? quote? from Stevie about Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears. They were laughing about "Stevie's behavior back in the cocaine days" and said she was the last person to be giving advice, etc. etc.

So, to answer you question: Who knows? I don't.

DrummerDeanna · #3 05-12-2007, 11:46 PM

^^

Betsy, great to see you posting on the Ledge

And yeah, no clue as per what this thread is about...except to say that maybe the coked out/stoned status made her feel more at ease and more energetic and "alive" and that in turn helped the performance? I don't know....

Betsy · #4 05-12-2007, 11:59 PM

Hi Deanna!

I missed you at the Boulder concert! Next one we do together, OK?

DrummerDeanna · #5 05-13-2007, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betsy

Hi Deanna!

I missed you at the Boulder concert! Next one we do together, OK?

Definitely!

And are you going to see Stevie, I don't remember.

ryan8472 · #6 05-13-2007, 01:12 AM

Well maybe the drugs had to do with calming her stage fright?

DOUBT IT.

jannieC · #7 05-13-2007, 06:44 AM

I can see doing coke before a show (because I've done it and I can imagine how it would "help"), but the drinking/pot part gets me because both of those things make me sleepy. I guess the alcohol/pot was to chill out the coke a little. If you're looking for specifics, I would bet she did a few lines every chance she got (between songs, etc).

skuncles · #8 05-13-2007, 06:59 AM

Well I believe back in the day she was doing a line between songs on stage. Not ON stage really, but she used to always run off stage after each song. When I saw her 1986 my seat was to the right of the stage where she went to change. There's a bootleg of a Mac show from 1979 and Stevie is wiping her nose thruout the show.
She has said that it was during the RAL tour that she was getting nosebleeds on stage and couldn't figure out why. She was then told because she was doing too much coke and needed to stop now.
As for the pot smoking thing, that was probably most often done in the studio. I know there's a bootleg out there of Stevie recording "Bella Donna" and she says "Ok, I need a joint now!"

-Al

77Rumours77 · #9 05-13-2007, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skuncles

As for the pot smoking thing, that was probably most often done in the studio. I know there's a bootleg out there of Stevie recording "Bella Donna" and she says "Ok, I need a joint now!"

-Al

OH MY GO!
Who has this! I feel I NEED this (not want) If anyone has it to trade or can upload I would be so happy!

TheWILDheart · #10 05-13-2007, 01:15 PM

Yeh there's one of her and Lindsey arguing after recording something and she's going "give me the joint Lindsey. Just a little bit. Go On" or something like that. Tis very funny.

wheart · #11 05-13-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skuncles

Well I believe back in the day she was doing a line between songs on stage. Not ON stage really, but she used to always run off stage after each song. When I saw her 1986 my seat was to the right of the stage where she went to change. There's a bootleg of a Mac show from 1979 and Stevie is wiping her nose thruout the show.
She has said that it was during the RAL tour that she was getting nosebleeds on stage and couldn't figure out why. She was then told because she was doing too much coke and needed to stop now.
As for the pot smoking thing, that was probably most often done in the studio. I know there's a bootleg out there of Stevie recording "Bella Donna" and she says "Ok, I need a joint now!"

-Al

Wow! You actually saw her on the RAL tour? That's just when I was discovering Stevie but I would have given anything to see her on that tour (and the Wild Heart tour)

As for her drug indulgences, the only performance, to me, that she really looks out of it (aside from everything she did while on Klonopin) was the Saturday Night Live performance of Standback and Nightbird. I think it's the droopy eyes but she looks totally wasted there. I'm sure she was under the influence during many other performances but that one really stands out, also at the end of Nightbird when she's leaning up against Waddy and apparently isn't able to right herself until Waddy gives her a little push...all done with love, of course!

TheWILDheart · #12 05-13-2007, 05:22 PM

I think she's high as a kite at US Fest in '83 as well.

catinthedark · #13 05-13-2007, 06:54 PM

i think she was pretty much coked up for every show from the time she started doing coke, til she went into rehab. some shows, more so than others. i mean, it wasn't like she was a casual user. she was using everyday. there's no reason she wouldn't be using before and during shows (she has also admitted to this).

as for pot, my guess is that she used it after the shows - as opposed to during - or just during the day. there are lots of musicians who smoke up while they're performing, etc. some of them find it sharpens their creativity. i'm sure many also use it for stage fright. but stevie was a coke girl. i think that was her performance vice.

but this is all guesswork on my part. i'm just bored, so i'm thinking out loud.

skuncles · #14 05-13-2007, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheart

Wow! You actually saw her on the RAL tour? That's just when I was discovering Stevie but I would have given anything to see her on that tour (and the Wild Heart tour)

As for her drug indulgences, the only performance, to me, that she really looks out of it (aside from everything she did while on Klonopin) was the Saturday Night Live performance of Standback and Nightbird. I think it's the droopy eyes but she looks totally wasted there. I'm sure she was under the influence during many other performances but that one really stands out, also at the end of Nightbird when she's leaning up against Waddy and apparently isn't able to right herself until Waddy gives her a little push...all done with love, of course!

Yep, that was the first time I ever saw Stevie. It was awesome, however at this point I don't remember much of the show. I have a few memories, but they are growing fuzzy.
I would have loved to have seen her on the Wild Heart tour. I think the 1983/1986 tours were Stevie at her most coked up though. She is certainlly on something at the '83 US Fest. It's a great show, but you can see she's on something. Watch as she runs across the stage and jumps over the monitors in those platforms! Listen to her explain what "Stand Back" is about and how she and the girls will deliver the new album to everyone personally, like the girl scouts!! Great show, but she's really wasted.

-Al

jannieC · #15 05-14-2007, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skuncles

Yep, that was the first time I ever saw Stevie. It was awesome, however at this point I don't remember much of the show. I have a few memories, but they are growing fuzzy.
I would have loved to have seen her on the Wild Heart tour. I think the 1983/1986 tours were Stevie at her most coked up though. She is certainlly on something at the '83 US Fest. It's a great show, but you can see she's on something. Watch as she runs across the stage and jumps over the monitors in those platforms! Listen to her explain what "Stand Back" is about and how she and the girls will deliver the new album to everyone personally, like the girl scouts!! Great show, but she's really wasted.

-Al

RAL was my first show, too. I can remember laughing because she was going backstage so much- we totally knew what she was up to.