Rock Book Denounces Colostomy Rock

[michelej1]

I was just reading reviews of NY Times editor John Strausbaugh's book and this excerpt caught my eye. The book is 7 years old, but I didn't see this until now:

ROCK 'TIL YOU DROP
http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Til-You-D...9342260&sr=8-2

The Decline From Rebellion To Nostalgia

Were you, for instance, a Fleetwood Mac fan? I never quite got their massive appeal myself. To me, Fleetwood Mac - the mid-to-late-1970s edition of Fleetwood Mac, 'Rhiannon' and all that - was just Abba with a decent drummer. Be that as it may, if you were a fan of Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s, why on earth would you want to see them reunited as middle-aged has-beens in the late 1990s, performing a nostalgia stage act of 25-year-old hit songs? How could you look at the once-svelte Stevie Nicks and not cringe to see her overweight and stuffed like a sausage into some girdle or corset torture device so constricting she literally could not move in it, her pancake make-up thick and hard as china, her hair a straw fright wig, her once fetchingly crackled voice a scary croak?

Or how about the middle-aged Eric Clapton? Were you still thinking Clapton was God by, say, 1980? How about after the easy-listening Miller Beer commercials? How about after his son died and he wrote that hideously mawkish song for him and then would not stop playing it everywhere he went, year after year?

[GoldDustOrphan]

Just to nitpick -

The Dance was released in 1997, only 22 years after the release of The White Album, so not even the band's earliest Top 40 hits were 25-years-old.

Isn't it also predictable that the writer references Stevie's physical appearance - despite the fact that she looked gorgeous - but not that of the group's male members?

His opinion can be dismissed because he's playing loose with the facts used to support his proposition.

Oh, and he's a douche.

[SortaSavageLike]

Originally Posted by GoldDustOrphan

Isn't it also predictable that the writer references Stevie's physical appearance - despite the fact that she looked gorgeous - but not that of the group's male members?

How could one look at the once-slender Mick Fleetwood and not cringe to see him overweight and balding, grotesquely stuffed like a sausage into the frightening costume he wore on the cover of Rumours?

How could one look at every young girl's fantasy, Lindsey Buckingham, and not cringe to see him sweaty and emaciated, his bushy 'fro now reduced to a mockery of it's former glory, his strongly emotive voice now reduced to a froggy groan?

How could one look at the once-homely Christine McVie, her face stretched into a texture-less fright mask from multiple plastic surgeries, her stage presence strongly diminished from the glory days of Tusk into a piddly mockery of an emotionless robot, and not keel over in a puddle of vomit?

Wait. None of them are cute and blond. Never mind.

[Moz]

Originally Posted by michelej1

To me, Fleetwood Mac - the mid-to-late-1970s edition of Fleetwood Mac, 'Rhiannon' and all that - was just Abba with a decent drummer.

ROFL.

[dnightshade]

I'd like to see what this guy looks like. It's easy to hide behind the printed word. Regardless, he must be a severely shallow individual to judge a performer soley on their looks. Stevie (and those in her generation) remain Living Legends because their music has risen above the shizz that's out there now and continues to entertain and inspire and awe. Everyone ages and if it means a bit more pounds, a bit less hair and lots more wrinkles, so be it. We love these artists for their music and how their music has touched us. This guy sounds likea miserable loser who misses the point.

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by GoldDustOrphan

Isn't it also predictable that the writer references Stevie's physical appearance - despite the fact that she looked gorgeous - but not that of the group's male members?

Oh, and he's a douche.

It's so typical of (some) male writers. Female artists are apparently only valued for their looks.

Gail

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by SortaSavageLike

How could one look at the once-slender Mick Fleetwood and not cringe to see him overweight and balding, grotesquely stuffed like a sausage into the frightening costume he wore on the cover of Rumours?

How could one look at every young girl's fantasy, Lindsey Buckingham, and not cringe to see him sweaty and emaciated, his bushy 'fro now reduced to a mockery of it's former glory, his strongly emotive voice now reduced to a froggy groan?

How could one look at the once-homely Christine McVie, her face stretched into a texture-less fright mask from multiple plastic surgeries, her stage presence strongly diminished from the glory days of Tusk into a piddly mockery of an emotionless robot, and not keel over in a puddle of vomit?

Wait. None of them are cute and blond. Never mind.

I don't think that "journalist" was right, or fair, about singling Stevie out, either. However, I strongly disagree that Christine was "strongly diminished from the glory days of Tusk" into a piddly mockery of an emotionless robot." She's definitely had work done on her face and was using a lot of makeup to cover wrinkles, but she still looked real to me. And as far as her stage performance, she was in top form--just more reserved at the mic in between numbers than she might have been during the cocaine years.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

However, I strongly disagree that Christine was "strongly diminished from the glory days of Tusk" into a piddly mockery of an emotionless robot." She's definitely had work done on her face and was using a lot of makeup to cover wrinkles, but she still looked real to me.

During the Dance, Christine looked great live. It's only the photos of her that are very problematic. During the Dance, it was clear that she had plastic surgery, but she still looked very much like herself and her body was so trim, I was mad with envy. I saw a video interview (VH1 I think) of her during ITM where she was wearing jeans and she still looked fantastic.

Michele

[bucklind17]

Originally Posted by michelej1

During the Dance, Christine looked great live. It's only the photos of her that are very problematic. During the Dance, it was clear that she had plastic surgery, but she still looked very much like herself and her body was so trim, I was mad with envy. I saw a video interview (VH1 I think) of her during ITM where she was wearing jeans and she still looked fantastic.

Michele

I remember loving at the time, and still now, that for Behind the Music, Christine was sitting indian style on the floor instead of on the chair behind her (were the flowers there because Christine wasn't or vice versa ?) And I remember thinking then, and still now, that she looked absolutely fabulous. I loved her Dance look.

[SortaSavageLike]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I don't think that "journalist" was right, or fair, about singling Stevie out, either. However, I strongly disagree that Christine was "strongly diminished from the glory days of Tusk" into a piddly mockery of an emotionless robot." She's definitely had work done on her face and was using a lot of makeup to cover wrinkles, but she still looked real to me. And as far as her stage performance, she was in top form--just more reserved at the mic in between numbers than she might have been during the cocaine years.

I was simply pointing out the logic flaws in the reviewer's writing by further extrapolating his criticism to the other members.

Besides, it's not surprising he devoted so much time to ridiculing Stevie's appearance. Typical of a lot of middle-aged men - viewing women like sex objects, or puppets with boobs. He probably didn't understand what was so great about Silver Springs because Stevie was "fat," but was probably masturbating to Britney Spears videos a couple years later because she was "hot."

[DavidMn]

It used to really bother me when I'd read stuff like this, but I just dont give a damn anymore. I love Fleetwood Mac and whatever some critic says means absolutely nothing to me because their music makes me happy and that's all I care about.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

It used to really bother me when I'd read stuff like this, but I just dont give a damn anymore. I love Fleetwood Mac and whatever some critic says means absolutely nothing to me because their music makes me happy and that's all I care about.

I second that. For example I just saw Stevie in concert last week and she was fabulous but the local newspapers gave her bad reviews. I don't give a flunk what they say--I know great when I see/hear it.

[dnightshade]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I second that. For example I just saw Stevie in concert last week and she was fabulous but the local newspapers gave her bad reviews. I don't give a flunk what they say--I know great when I see/hear it.

Viv, why the bad review? I thought this tour was getting positive reviews?

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Or how about the middle-aged Eric Clapton? Were you still thinking Clapton was God by, say, 1980? How about after the easy-listening Miller Beer commercials? How about after his son died and he wrote that hideously mawkish song for him and then would not stop playing it everywhere he went, year after year?

That is just f***ing lowlife & classless. This "journalist" should be beaten to within an inch of his life in a dark NYC alley. I take that back, go the extra inch.

[Peestie]

Originally Posted by chiliD

That is just f***ing lowlife & classless. This "journalist" should be beaten to within an inch of his life in a dark NYC alley. I take that back, go the extra inch.

I almost made the same post but decided against it. And besides, I thought Eric had stopped playing Tears in Heaven because he decided it was time to heal or move on or whatever.