48 to 54 years must signal physical decline

[jeffs]

This 6 year period since the Dance seems to have aged Stevie and Lindsey 15 years. Maybe LB lost too much weight or something and Stevie - i don't know what is going on there. Watching the Dance DVD - it is like watching two completely different people. They are like remnants of what they were just 6 years ago. Maybe too many wheat thins did them in.... Is there a known thing that goes on between the ages of 48 and 54?

[dissention]

Menopause.

[nae]

Originally posted by dissention
Menopause.

True, true, very true!

N.

[Phil]

Maybe this explains Stevie's recent resemblance to Sally Spectra? Of course, that's not a bad thing... if only Stevie possessed Miss Spectra's sense of gusto and enthusiasm!

[gldstwmn]

Jeffs,
I can tell you that I've noticed that things have been different for me physically the last two years. I take good care of myself and I'm going to be 40, so I can't really imagine what 8 years down the road is going to be like.

[BombaySapphire3]

I can't help but remembering that Grace Slick quip "Old people should not be on a Rock and Roll stage'I love Stevie and Lindsey .I am 40 myself and have grown up wth these people .I am vacillating about even going to the show.I saw them in the 70s and 1982 and the Dance tour all were vibrant exciting shows.The new album is great and Stevie has done great work on this and TISL but I can't help but thinking are they nearing that point that Grace was referring to?

[beach~gypsy]

the alternative would be that the band set mandatory retirement age at 45, and we never saw their faces or heard their music again.

before commenting on how much 'energy' one should have at age 55, wait until YOU are that age. believe me, by then no one will care when you do.

emotion? stevie has given 'the public' more emotion both in concert and in song, than some of us will ever know in a lifetime, for nearly 30 YEARS NOW.

Menopause? do you know what it's like? maybe women should just lie down and die when that happens?! (or be hopelessly ridiculed) should stevie become a 'Garbo' recluse now? would that make you happy???

stevie's current comments (Q&A) in People regarding this, for inquiring minds that want to know:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Stevie Nicks hits the road this month, donning her platform shoes to tour with Fleetwood Mac following the release of their new album Say You Will. PEOPLE talked with Nicks, 54, late one night after band rehearsal in L.A.

How's rehearsal?
If I sound like I'm spaced, I'm not. I've been listening to really, really, really loud rock and roll since 2 o'clock, for almost eight hours now. But that's how it is — very long hours.

And you still love this?
I will like it if I'm having fun out there. I think we need to go out and make music that makes people happy.

How do rock and menopause mix?
Well, it has not been easy. I fight it every day. It takes over your life. It makes you not feel good. I've heard women say menopause is wonderful, the "change" is great, but it's not. It sucks. It forces you to make a choice — whether you want to get old or you want to stay young.

And you?
I have a 40-city tour starting on May 17. I can't give in.

At what age do you start worrying about falling off your platform boots?
I was trying to prepare everyone that I wasn't going to wear them on this tour, and I got a terrible reaction. So I guess they're back.

What do you think of the new crop of female rockers?
I just met Michelle Branch. Pretty impressive. I told her to write her own songs. That's where you make the money. I also laughingly said, "Don't ever gain 20 lbs."

Out of curiosity, have you seen American Idol?
Whenever I can. I love it. It makes me laugh. If I was 20, I'd be down there trying out.

If Simon said you couldn't sing, how would you react?
I could handle him.

And if you were a judge?
I'd be just like him. "Get another job. Next!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Janet]

IMO everyone needs to lay off Stevie just a little.

We need to be a bit understanding that the woman has lost alot of weight but will never be 100 pounds again. She is going through the change of life which isn't easy.

Alot of times it just really hard...your hormones go crazy and you gain a bit of weight...and now she has to go through this on tour. She must have recently started this.

I don't think she looks that bad...her hair just needs a change...her outfits...I am sorry, through the years I have hated many of them...she just has eccentric taste..and Im sure she's not so confident so she wants to wear things to make her feel better.

If she were to read these boards, she'd probably cancel the tour. Words hurt and Im sure she doesn't want people thinking shes some old fat has-been.

My grandmother is 69 years old. She's 5'7, weighs 120, she exercises every day. Shes in peak physical condition and you would think she was 29 really.
Age has nothing to do with anything...Im sure Stevie will rock out totally...at 55, at 65 even. She just probably had a bad day for Leno...it happens.

We just all need to lighten up on her. She's been through ALOT!! I think she does good.

I think she will light a fire underneath her for this tour..there is alot riding on this tour.

[beach~gypsy]

thank you Janet, yes. we can critique/discuss with empathy, without being cruel.
<3

[KathyD]

menopause sucks, according to Stevie:

People

[strandinthewind]

I have to say that in The Dance, Stevie looked so good due in very large part to the lighting and the lens used to film it. Not to say she is very good looking - she is without a doubt. However, the camera and lighting enhanced her greatly. I base this on candid, unedited shots from that era.

[EnchantedStorms]

When I saw FM on the Dance tour in Indy....fourth row....I thought Stevie looked awesome. No camera lenses or editing then....

The woman is beautiful. She always has been....always will be. She has a youthful look to her face...almost a baby face, but yet she's still able to look sexy at the same time.

I hope I look half as good as she does now when I'm her age. I don't think it'll happen though....I fear I don't look that good NOW.


~Angela~

[DeeGeMe]

A word of advice for the younger Ledgies out there: Enjoy your youth! I'm 38 and it's true, things do begin to fall apart the older you get. I've seen quite a noticable decline in my own health from 35 to 38 even though I take very good care of myself.

I think Stevie will eventually feel great again after she gets through the worse parts of menopause. The same thing happened to my mother and she was miserable for at least two years.

You don't sleep well, you gain weight, your hormones are fluctuating like crazy--it's like permanent PMS from what I can figure out. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for Stevie to have to face the prospect of hitting the road and doing the tour thing all the while going through these symptoms. Hopefully she'll begin to move past the worst of it before too long!

I'm beginning to think Stevie's constant wearing of "the black dress" is more about how she feels and her mood than it is about being stuck in a stylistic rut. I went through a rough patch a few years ago where I was in a job that I hated, my grandmother was dying, and I broke off a long-term relationship. For two solid years, everything that I wore was black, grey or brown. I was dressing to match what was going on in my life! I'm happy to say that now I'm back to wearing color again, and that my life is indeed, bright and vibrant once more. Until menopause hits me too, I suppose. . . .

[Rhapsody]

Sally is a figment of someone's imagination...along with Storm
or Thorn....Twig....Ridge...whatever. Stevie is a real ...flawed...
spectacular....person...just doing what she does...the best that
she can.