How did you become a fan?

[louielouie2000]

I think it was February of 1993, and my Mom and I were in the car on the way to a shopping day in Raleigh, NC. Our local classic rock station was having one of those Two For Tuesday things, and they played Gold Dust Woman and The Chain back to back. I was just immediately hooked and blown away. At the time, all my peers were listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but I just couldn't get hugely into either... I didn't like how depressing they were. I'd always loved the mystical... I grew up on stories of magic by Tolkein, John Bellairs, and always loved the supernatural, ethereal, and witchy. So when I heard both those songs back to back, I knew I had finally found MY band. At the time, Fleetwood Mac couldn't have been LESS cool to my peers. I'd never really cared what was in style, and was a weird little person (still am). Anyway, my parents have a huge music collection, so when we got back home I made my Mom try to find some Fleetwood Mac stuff. The second she pulled out Rumours, it just further cemented that these guys were my band. They actually LOOKED the part! Then she dug out Bella Donna too, and I knew for sure that Stevie would be my icon. I must have listened to those albums nonstop for a decade lol. My Aunts gradually began supplying me with more Mac music over the years, and the instant obsession with the Mac just grew and grew and grew.

I remember hearing about the upcoming Going Home documentary on Disney in 1994, and waiting what seemed like AGES for it to air. I couldn't have been more captivated. I always wondered why Stevie had voiceover commentary in that show, but didn't have any on camera shots like the other band members. Then I saw this interview late one night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCZ7ockvw4M
I was just so shocked at the change in Stevie's speaking voice and appearance. I guess that's why I never ended up going to any Street Angel shows. Let me tell you though, for any of us who were fans before The Dance, it seemed like some sort of unfathomable miracle sent from the heavens that the Rumours crew reunited. I guess it can also coincide with the advent of the internet, but I've been especially active in the Mac community since then. And that's my not so abridged story!

[chriskisn]

It would have been around 1993 or 1994 that I started buying music. I remember getting my first payday and going to the shops and buying Kenny G's Breathless and R.E.M's Automatic For the People (eek bad choices! don't own either of them now).

I was very much trying to discover a musical taste (I was 19/20 at the time) as I had never bought my own music or even liked any bands when I was a teenager. So I would hear a song on the radio and like it and go out and buy the album by the artist. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't!

Back then you used to get catalogues sent in the mail and you would get several cheap CDs but then had to buy a further six or so over the next 12 months at full price. I remember getting one of these and selecting FM's Greatest Hits and Stevie's Timespace as two of my cheap CDs (I think they were like 4 or 5 CDs for $10 or something).

I had heard Rhiannon on the radio and liked it although as I have mentioned in a previous post, I always wondered who the woman was and why she was singing about Yemen.

When I played the FM greatest hits, I realised that I actually quite a few of the songs from the radio, really liked this blonde chick singer (you have to think about the pics in Timespace and then forgive me but I was a young red-blooded male), and started buying other FM CDs through the catalogue. I bought all of Stevie's solo albums except "The Wild Heart" which wasn't available. It was a year or so later before I managed to find it. I had to import Lindsey's solo albums from the US through a record store as they weren't available in Australia (and still aren't I think). I found second-hand copies of John's solo album, Christine's second solo album and Mick's second Zoo album all in the same store!!!

When I was 21/22 I walked into a second-hand record store where I found three pre-Stevie/Lindsey albums (Penguin, Mystery to Me, Heroes Are Hard to Find) for A$27 each (scarily expensive but back then CDs were harder to find - though not as scary as the A$60 I paid for Dave Mason with Cass Elliot and then listened to twice).

That was the point when it went from just liking a band to becoming a crazy obsession. I went out and bought Bob Welch albums, pre-Bob FM, then Peter Green albums and so on. So, 15 years later and here we are (listening to Bekka' Bramlett's brand new solo album as I type).

[daniellaaarisen]

First of all, I adore this thread and I love hearing everyone else's stories. Whether extremely unique or relatively mundane, each tale has one very important commonality: Fleetwood Mac hit, and it hard. It lasted, too-- we're all here for a reason

In many ways, I was a born Fleetwood Mac fan. My mom was very into them during the 70's and ironically revisited her old albums in the months she was pregnant with me. I have known Rumours fairly well for as long as I can remember.

When I was five, my mom bought The Dance and she would listen to it constantly, especially in the car. The day she bought it, we listened to the entire album through. When "Silver Springs" played, I loved the beginning immediately-- at five years old, I didn't quite understand the meaning behind her imagery, yet I adored the way her words molded together to create something beautiful to both ear and eye. By the time she really got going in the ending portion of the song, I was crying and I had absolutely no idea why. I suppose the message was simple enough, even to a 5-year-old: this chain will never break and I will make sure of it for the rest of your life.

My mom didn't really know what to do with me. Her daughter was literally bawling for absolutely no reason, so she tried to comfort me in whatever ways she could. I was so, so far from upset-- I had just been seriously moved for the first time in my life, and I automatically attributed it to Stevie Nicks' lyrics.

I wrote my first "song" that night with my tiny toy guitar

[BombaySapphire3]

I'm 47 years old, that put me in middle school and high school from 1974 -1980..nuff said.

[SteveMacD]

It was either become a Fleetwood fan or get a** r**ed, f**kin' gym teacher. She was f**kin' crazy.

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

It was either become a Fleetwood fan or get a** r**ed, f**kin' gym teacher. She was f**kin' crazy.

Oh, Steve. We just love your drunken, sarcastic, profane, late night posts.. they've almost become a staple of these boards as of late.

Keep up the ****** ***** work!

[tuigirl]

Originally Posted by David

I was at a performance of Pelléas and Mélisande quite some time ago in New York. During Act III the Mélisande entered, attired in diaphonous chiffon & silk opera hat. Next, the Pelléas appeared (a tenor), wearing a kimono & bell-bottom denim.

Something just clicked in my head.

haha..ur so funny!!! Me? I've been a fan off and on for years without realising..keep coming back and forth on them. On one of my "off " spells at the moment, but expect I'll return at some point.Lindsey did get me back into playing guitar again to which I'm really grateful.

[Hartbreakkid]

Thanks for asking, it's great read the stories posted!

I knew who Stevie was as the girl that said "I want my Mtv" when Mtv first started, and my 4 year older brother had Bella Donna, but I never listened to it.

In on 4th of July1982, I was 12. My brother's girlfriend's sister was sort of a rocker chick and her band was playing at the town celebration before the fireworks. I watched thinking she was a great singer and was blown away by this song Rhiannon. My brother told me she loved Stevie and taught herself how to sing listening to her. I went home and listened to his Bella Donna over and over again, later I got Wild Heart and never stopped playing it.

I sort of lost touch with Stevie as the years went on, always stopping to listen if she was on the radio. Until the first night in my new apartment, I was going to bed and the Dance was on. wow, Stevie! It was had been so long since I was a huge fan as a kid...I remember thinking I was going to watch and see how she was doing and how she has aged, I was hooked again after seeing that. The Dance was actually the first time I really understood about Fleetwood Mac, and it was my first time hearing Landslide and Silver Springs! Before that Lindsey was that guy that sang that annoying Holiday Road song in my eyes lol.

A few years later I was bartending in a dance club in Boston. The owner asked me if he should book Kimberly Locke. I was like hell yea she's a great singer. So, he spent way to much money to have her show up for two songs. Well, a month before she was coming another bartender there knew I was a Stevie fan and asked if we should go see her for her first Vegas show! Four of the best bartenders at the club decided to go and we left the poor bar owner high and dry with no bartenders for Kimberly!

It was my first time seeing Stevie, we had 2nd row! I called my brother right before it started and told him he'll never believe where I am, he was so excited for me! Near the end it was strange that everyone was rushing the stage, so we went up...I watched the last couple songs pushed up against the stage and noticed Stevie doing her walk! She shook my hand and I told her I loved her! While still shaking my hand, she took her other hand and rubbed my arm and said she loved me too! I can die happy now lol!!!

After the show I had to climb up on a Ceasers column that had a Stevie poster on top to have my picture taken. One of my very cute friends came up with me. We ended up taking our shirts off and hoisted girls up to have their pictures taken with us (we may have been drinking some lol). Well, Ceasers wasn't to happy with us and sent over some goofs in gladiater outfits for pictures, but the girls liked us better haha!

Anyway I've seen Stevie in concert countless times since and it was awesome to finally be able to see Fleetwood Mac this year!

My brother passed away a few years ago and I always want to call him before the concert to brag where I am and thank him for making me a Stevie fan!

[Lala]

These are so fun to read. The similarities are really interesting.

And now for me...

My earliest memories of the Mac are looking at my dad's cassette of the White album. For some reason, it was kept next to Alice Cooper's Welcome To My Nightmare. I remember that the combination of that title, and Mick and John's picture really creeped me out as a 6 year old. I think I confused which album was which for a long time.

When I was 14 I was bored and looking for songs with my name in them. I came across Sara, and even thought it was spelled "wrong" I decided to give it a listen. It had to be better than Jefferson Starship's Sara anyway.

So I listened to it...and it was okay, but didn't blow me away. I put it aside and went on with my day.

A few months later, I returned from a summer camp I was working at and was again searching for something new to listen to. I came across the mp3 of Sara I'd downloaded and thought "Hey, I didn't give this much of a chance...let's try again."

And that time I got it. And I wanted to know more about this band. I wanted to hear more of their music.

I got my hands on the essentials right away...Dreams, GYOW, Don't Stop...and some randoms like Angel, Honey Hi and Silver Springs. And I had the realization that I'd heard many of their well known songs before, but had no idea that THIS was Fleetwood Mac.

From there, I was hooked. Within a year, I had all the Buckingham/Nicks era albums, and some of Lindsey and Stevie's solo work. Part of the reason it took so long was because I heard the remasters were in the works, and being a jobless 15 year old, I didn't want to buy the albums twice.

It was around the time I turned 16 that I started to have some drama in my life. I remember one night, after getting some terrible news, just lying on the floor and listening to Gypsy on repeat. As the drama went on, the lyrics really started making sense to me. It was really a comfort to hear something I could relate to. In some of my darkest moments, it made me feel like I wasn't alone.

I credit this band with saving my life. I love them for it. And I'm fascinated and inspired by their story. The whole "never break the chain" thing.

And I guess it's lucky that Stevie has such great taste in names

[Gypsycat999]

Well when I was about 12 I got into Classic Rock and nearly all my fathers CDs mysteriously disappeared out of the living room and found their way into my room where they still are. I remember looking at a CD one day what was black and white and had a really strange guy on it with balls hanging from his pants and a woman who laid one leg over the guy's leg. The whole thing was really weird to me and I put the CD back in the shelve and looked for others. Some months later my Dad asked me if I could show him how to save songs from his CDs (which weren't many anymore...) to his computer. So I went to the living room, turned his computer on and told him to give me a CD. He stood before his shelve and said "lets take Fleetwood Mac". I had never heard of them and I didn't care much, I just wanted to get finished soon. I put the CD in the computer and it started to play Second Hand News. I heard the very first second and was like "what the hell did I do this 12 years of my life without this music???". Immidiately after I showed my Dad how to save tracks on the computer I took the CD and put it into my player where it stayed for weeks. It was, and still is, the best I ever heard. That's how I became a fan of the forever best band of this world and every other one. Thank you Daddy!!! I'm forever grateful.
Some weeks later I taped "Fleetwood Mac" into youtube and found all the great stuff there. I really got into Stevie then, Edge of Seventeen blew me away and she's my inspiration ever since then. But luckily FM has also a blues history, I find me getting into all the eary stuff currently. There's always something to discover it seems.

[starshine]

Well I first be came a fan of Fmac first than Stevie....it was like 1988 or so 1 yr after graduting HS in '87....and for some reason my brother rented the Mac video for Mirage (VHS I mind you no dvds yet)....I might have asked him cause I really didn't know alot about Mac than. So when I saw The Chain & of course my favorite of all 'SOTM' with crazy Stevie it just blew me away. I was off and running & hooked.....the hunt was on to collect Mac/Stevie stuff (as well as Eagles/Henley since I liked them as well)....I got Goldmine magazine looking for all I could find .....the days way before ebay.....those snail mail days .....all the Stevie/Mac fanazines....that was the only way to get 'news' back than or MTV....not like now with the Net....if we'd only had the 'Net' back in those days wow....just think.....I've got tons of posters in tubes of Mac/Stevie/Eagles/Henley....I used to change them but its not easy to do.....I probably have more than I need ......the interest isn't like it was in those 'beginning' days yrs.....I guess cause I've gotten older and they have too. I'll always love the music though.....as I do love other music too......its easy to say don't let it consume you.....but it did me.....but all things have there ups & downs don't they.....so Stevie & Mac etc....will always be a part of me.....no matter what....but life does go on.......as it should......sometimes I long for those early days that I was so crazy about stuff....but that time is gone........enjoy what you love.......

[Musicman408]

Thanks to everyone for sharing stories. I love hearing how fellow Mac fans fell in love with the music!!!! I'll have to post my story here in a little!!

It's amazing to read these stories, especially those from fans so much younger than me, and at what point they discovered Fleetwood Mac. I actually don't remember a pivotal moment for me. I just have the feeling it was a natural part of my being, my spirit, my blood, and it was meant to be that way. I was quite young when Stevie and Lindsey joined the band, and most likely the immense success of the White Album brought them more to my attention and it grew from there. My Mom had the Bare Trees and Christine Perfect LP anyway, and we always adored Hypnotized on the radio, so it was a natural progression. Furthermore, Stevie was a reflection of everything i loved, so that was that. And then she went solo! I do remember watching the HBO special every day like a drug, before school and after school, during the time it was being aired. I have deep affections for many musicians, but Fleetwood Mac/Stevie has been IT! Probably too much.

[bucklind17]

For me, it was definitely The Dance. I was 15 in 1997 and addicted to VH1 and MTV. At the time, VH1 was running "Artist of the Month", which was what had gotten me into the Bee Gees earlier that year (Still Waters had just come out, "Alone" was on high rotation, miss those days). I had just realized how much I really enjoyed classic rock and was starting to convince myself that I was born into the wrong decade when I first saw The Dance. I remember thinking it was weird that the guy was Lindsey and the girl was Stevie. I remember the first time I heard "Bleed to Love Her" and not knowing if that was a "classic" song or if it was on the CD, which I didn't get for a few more weeks. I remember thinking that now that I had The Dance, I didn't need to buy any more albums because I had all the "best" songs. That lasted about three weeks and I bought Rumours, then Tusk. I was studying for my sophomore geometry exam to Tusk and was re-writing the songs so I would remember stuff for my test, leading to lyrics like "what makes you think you're an equilateral triangle" and "said Sara, you're a parallelogram!" And the rest came soon after too. Live, somehow the Mirage video before Mirage itself (I think around this time I had found The Ledge and started collecting), Tango, boots, the much anticipated "Oh Oh Tee Cee" and much more. I started taking guitar lessons because I loved Lindsey so much. I got flack from my friends because my favorite band was comprised of people old enough to be my parents (but it was a step up from the Bee Gees, in their eyes, so it was okay enough). It's so much fun to look back on this period of my life even now, knowing that except for a few hiatuses, I still love this band as much as I did then. Oddly, most of my favorite bands to this day are bands that I first started listening to in or around 1997, so one could say that is just when my brain turned on.

[SorcererJP]

Well my memory is a bit blurred, but back in 1987 TITN came out and I knew the single of the album (Big Love).

So, to make a little pocketmoney I was cleaning the balcony of my uncle of tons of pigeon-drop. He had quite an impressive collection of CD's back then and meanwhile I was cleaning, I recorded dozens of CD's. He suggested TITN and The Wild Heart to me and I quite liked them...later that year the concert video was on TV and I taped it and played it 1000000times. In june 1988 they came for a concert in The Netherlands, I, 18 years old, went to my first big concert...of course I knew songs like GOYW and the songs of the TITN-video but I also heard lots of songs i did not knew...the day after I got Rumours and a year later I had all of the back catalog up to the White-album and Belladonna on CD and saw Stevie during her first and only Dutch solo-concert (OSOTM) and became a die-hard fan already.