Dave mentions Stevie's "forthcoming album" in new Billboard article

[michelej1]

Even 40 year old artists can't go mainstream, so there's no fear on Stevie's account. But if she did that would just give her focused fans a lot more stuff to collect. We'd have loads of new pictures, music (official and unofficial), interviews and memorabilia.

Then, after a year or two passed and she was no longer hot, her fanatics would still be rejoicing in these items while the rest of the world has moved on.

So, the masses are not going to take her from her fans, even if -- by some miracle --they borrow her for a little while.

Michele

[mikebise]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

I've been a fan for 17 years. Let me describe to you the phases of getting new Stevie material:

1) You think it's the best material in the history of the world and universe

2) You start to see a few songs you don't like as much as the others

3) You get so burned out on listening to the music 3,652 times a day that you shelve the album for a while

4) You listen to the album some time later, and can FINALLY look at it a bit more objectively and assess it's strengths and weaknesses

This whole process takes a couple of years, by the way. To address your main worry: you'll love what you hear... at first.

You forgot:
5) You Bitch incessantly on Stevie message boards about how horrible Stevie's music is and how her tour is going to suck.

6) You exhibit ZERO faith in Stevie being able to put out anything other than ****ty material, and you make it your life's mission to go on and on about just how crappy she's become and how little she cares for her fans.

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by mikebise

You forgot:
5) You Bitch incessantly on Stevie message boards about how horrible Stevie's music is and how her tour is going to suck....

...because she ignores the new tunes, and plays the same ol' "war horse" tunes ad nausem

Originally Posted by mikebise

6) You exhibit ZERO faith in Stevie being able to put out anything other than ****ty material, and you make it your life's mission to go on and on about just how crappy she's become and how little she cares for her fans....

...so why doesn't she give up her solo career that keeps Fleetwood Mac from being a working, thriving entity.

[CADreaming]

New album info -

So, we have these players:
Dave Stewart
Mike Campbell
Steve Ferrone
Mike Rowe
Mike Bradford
Waddy Wachtel
Mick Fleetwood

These songs/titles:
Everybody Loves You
Italian Summer
New Orleans song / Vampire song (alleged, but based on David Wild's visit to the studio)



Anything I missed?

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Even 40 year old artists can't go mainstream, so there's no fear on Stevie's account. But if she did that would just give her focused fans a lot more stuff to collect. We'd have loads of new pictures, music (official and unofficial), interviews and memorabilia.

Then, after a year or two passed and she was no longer hot, her fanatics would still be rejoicing in these items while the rest of the world has moved on.

So, the masses are not going to take her from her fans, even if -- by some miracle --they borrow her for a little while.

Michele

I wouldn't say even 40 year old artists can't go mainstream, it is just that they usually don't. But sometimes there are those flukes, such as Cher, Madonna, and Susan Boyle (Yes, she was a new artist and shocked the world on TV, but 3.1 million in 2009, making it the number 2 album for the year is a lot for some random 49 year old woman from Scotland.)
I doubt Stevie is going to blow up the charts and have the top selling album of the year, but I do believe she could kick some ass and get some recognition by a lot of people. And if she is lucky, one of her singles may get a lot of radio play. However, you are exactly right with what you say about the masses not stealing her from us, but just borrowing her for a while.

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

New album info -

So, we have these players:
Dave Stewart
Mike Campbell
Steve Ferrone
Mike Rowe
Mike Bradford
Waddy Wachtel
Mick Fleetwood

These songs/titles:
Everybody Loves You
Italian Summer
New Orleans song / Vampire song (alleged, but based on David Wild's visit to the studio)



Anything I missed?

That female violinist whose name I cannot remember.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

That female violinist whose name I cannot remember.

Ann Marie Calhoun. I think we can also safely assume that Sharon and Lori are on there, but Jana is not.

[Phil]

I'm somewhat bemused by all this talk of Stevie "going mainstream" for this album due to the fact that she and Fleetwood Mac have basically always been a commerical force within the music industry (ie mainstream). That said, Stevie has nearly always retained her eccentricity and uniqueness as a songwriter and vocalist (it did seem to go walkabout for "Street Angel").
I'm also surprised that there is an assumption that having Dave Stewart at the helm of proceedings will automatically result in an adult contemporary, mainstream record when in fact he is an extremely inventive, creative artist. Have you guys actually listened to the first few Eurythmics albums? Dave is obviously capable of masterminding "hits" - he has done this for an array of artists, some desperately lacking in talent - but he is also an accomplished and innovative musician who always works outside of the box. I have absolutely no doubt he will nurture and exploit every one of Stevie's eccentricities for this record. He's already on record as saying he is impressed by her lyrics which he describes as "poetry" so I am certain he will tease out every ounce of "Stevieness" possible and then some. He obviously adores her and as another poster has stated, "he gets her". This is crucial to Stevie when making an album - if the producer doesn't understand and support her vision, then all bets are off.
Additionally, he more than knows how to "rock a little" - he's not just some weird, nutty synth-professor standing in the shadows of Annie Lennox. I can guarantee there will be a few uptempo numbers to have the likes of "Fall From Grace" quaking in it's boots. Wait and see.
PS Dave and Annie were responsible for most of Eurythmics videos throughout their career from their inception to the direction and to this day, Dave retains an interest in the video medium. I have no doubt he will encourage Stevie to make at least a couple of film-clips for this album, most likely with him story-boarding and directing them. If this comes to fruition, I can promise they will be anything but "mainstream"!

[Jondalar]

we also know this album is going to be extremely introspective and deeply personal.

[SandyMac]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

New album info -

So, we have these players:
Dave Stewart
Mike Campbell
Steve Ferrone
Mike Rowe
Mike Bradford
Waddy Wachtel
Mick Fleetwood

These songs/titles:
Everybody Loves You
Italian Summer
New Orleans song / Vampire song (alleged, but based on David Wild's visit to the studio)



Anything I missed?

I believe Annabel Lee is on there.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

we also know this album is going to be extremely introspective and deeply personal.

...but isn't "introspection" kind of her blindspot? Introspection seems to imply some degree of self-awareness, which is what makes Stevie alluring and annoying at the same time- she has no self-awareness. I have loved the fact that Stevie has always hovered above the clouds somewhere while she narrates the travails of these characters who symbolize things going on in her real life. She's not an "I" or "me" person. She doesn't look at herself in the mirror to look for flaws. Rather, she turns the mirror on others and only occasionally peeks in it just to see whether her lipstick needs to be retouched.

So what are "introspective" Stevie songs? There aren't too many, I suspect...

"Doing the Best I Can"
"Landslide"
"Storms"
???

[Phil]

HejiraNYC, the lipstick comment was piss-funny! Good work.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

So what are "introspective" Stevie songs? There aren't too many, I suspect...

"Doing the Best I Can"
"Landslide"
"Storms"
???

SISTER HONEY!!

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by Phil

I'm somewhat bemused by all this talk of Stevie "going mainstream" for this album due to the fact that she and Fleetwood Mac have basically always been a commerical force within the music industry (ie mainstream). That said, Stevie has nearly always retained her eccentricity and uniqueness as a songwriter and vocalist (it did seem to go walkabout for "Street Angel").
I'm also surprised that there is an assumption that having Dave Stewart at the helm of proceedings will automatically result in an adult contemporary, mainstream record when in fact he is an extremely inventive, creative artist. Have you guys actually listened to the first few Eurythmics albums? Dave is obviously capable of masterminding "hits" - he has done this for an array of artists, some desperately lacking in talent - but he is also an accomplished and innovative musician who always works outside of the box. I have absolutely no doubt he will nurture and exploit every one of Stevie's eccentricities for this record. He's already on record as saying he is impressed by her lyrics which he describes as "poetry" so I am certain he will tease out every ounce of "Stevieness" possible and then some. He obviously adores her and as another poster has stated, "he gets her". This is crucial to Stevie when making an album - if the producer doesn't understand and support her vision, then all bets are off.
Additionally, he more than knows how to "rock a little" - he's not just some weird, nutty synth-professor standing in the shadows of Annie Lennox. I can guarantee there will be a few uptempo numbers to have the likes of "Fall From Grace" quaking in it's boots. Wait and see.
PS Dave and Annie were responsible for most of Eurythmics videos throughout their career from their inception to the direction and to this day, Dave retains an interest in the video medium. I have no doubt he will encourage Stevie to make at least a couple of film-clips for this album, most likely with him story-boarding and directing them. If this comes to fruition, I can promise they will be anything but "mainstream"!

To be honest, I have never been particularly impressed with Dave Stewart as an instrumentalist. Yes, he can certainly play guitar... but it has never seemed to be particularly distinctive or otherwise memorable. As a producer he's also kind of hard to pin down since he has swung from one extreme to another. But if I had to give one defining Dave Stewart characteristic, it would have to be strings. Whether real or synthesized, he loves to use strings at every possible opportunity. I fully expect to hear lots of strings and big sounding keyboard parts on Stevie's album, which would be kind of neat!

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

I wouldn't say even 40 year old artists can't go mainstream, it is just that they usually don't. But sometimes there are those flukes, such as Cher, Madonna, and Susan Boyle .

It's been a long time since Cher's Believe. I don't think she and Tina Turner could enjoy the revial today that they did then.

Of course, you do always hope for a Carlos Santana long shot. I was reading an interview with Macy Gray and she was saying that she couldn't get the popular producers today to return her calls. She said she doesn't know why the record companies think only young people buy records. She also pointed to Susan Boyle and said that proves that there's a need out there that needs to be filled.

Certainly, if Stevie made a memorable appearance on a popular tv show, she could have a fluke hit.

Michele