Interesting factoids (add your own!)

louielouie2000 · #1 12-06-2010, 05:50 AM

I don't think I ever really put this together until tonight:

Bella Donna sold twice the amount of copies that Mirage did

Wild Heart and Mirage actually had the same sales figures. I guess I never considered the fact Stevie actually outsold the Mac during her heyday. It certainly puts some perspective into why Fleetwood Mac went so long between recording Mirage and Tango. It was all about egos! Following her breakout solo success, Stevie more than likely felt like she had substantial bargaining power for the first time. The other members of the band saw how successful Stevie's album was, and figured it they should throw their hats into that ring as well. Why deal with all the Mac drama when you can outsell the band on your own? It had to be humbling and even threatening to the other Mac members that Stevie's solo career was substantially outselling the Mac itself. No wonder Fleetwood Mac took 5 years off after Mirage! This just puts an entirely new spin on the way I view Mac/Stevie history.

Are there any Stevie or Mac factoids that you find intriguing?

Jondalar · #2 12-06-2010, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

I don't think I ever really put this together until tonight:

Bella Donna sold twice the amount of copies that Mirage did

Wild Heart and Mirage actually had the same sales figures. I guess I never considered the fact Stevie actually outsold the Mac during her heyday. It certainly puts some perspective into why Fleetwood Mac went so long between recording Mirage and Tango. It was all about egos! Following her breakout solo success, Stevie more than likely felt like she had substantial bargaining power for the first time. The other members of the band saw how successful Stevie's album was, and figured it they should throw their hats into that ring as well. Why deal with all the Mac drama when you can outsell the band on your own? It had to be humbling and even threatening to the other Mac members that Stevie's solo career was substantially outselling the Mac itself. No wonder Fleetwood Mac took 5 years off after Mirage! This just puts an entirely new spin on the way I view Mac/Stevie history.

Are there any Stevie or Mac factoids that you find intriguing?

Yes, she was the only female artist in the 80s to have a #1 album with a group (Mirage) and solo (Bella Donna)

louielouie2000 · #3 12-06-2010, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Yes, she was the only female artist in the 80s to have a #1 album with a group (Mirage) and solo (Bella Donna)

I never knew that either! I also just noticed:

Other Side Of The Mirror sold twice as many copies as Behind The Mask

also:

Bella Donna sold more copies than even Tango In The Night

and:

Bella Donna sold twice the copies Tusk did!!

I guess I've just never compared Stevie's solo career to the Mac, and never really realized her albums outsold Fleetwood Mac's contemporary ones.

Artemis · #4 12-06-2010, 08:40 AM

Woah, thanks for posting this. I never knew that, and it certainly puts Stevie's solo career into perspective! I wonder how threatened the band really were by her solo career then.

If we count all the albums, after Rumours, (apart from The Dance) Tusk, Mirage, Tango, BTM, Time and SYW, and all of Stevie's solo albums, who has sold more? I think it would be much closer than I would have originally thought!

MacMan · #5 12-06-2010, 08:44 AM

You're comparing US sales right?

Jondalar · #6 12-06-2010, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacMan

You're comparing US sales right?

Yes, they are talking U.S. only. Tango was a huge hit oversees. Infact, it's sold around 8 million copies. Stevie didn't fair as well as a solo artist. However, her popularity has definitely picked up oversees the last 15 years.

Nikolaj · #7 12-06-2010, 12:06 PM

Those were some pretty major figures and interesting conclusions Louie came up with that must have taken some energy from him. The following is a pale, tiny 'factoid,' comparatively.
I always found it interesting that in 1977, Rolling Stone compared Barbra Streisand to Stevie Nicks in a review of the BS album 'Streisand Superman'- Babs tried 2 rock songs (for her) on the album- 'Cabin Fever' and 'Don't Believe What You Read' and the Rolling Stone critic wrote that her vocal on the latter seemed to be inspired or 'derived' by Stevie Nicks. It had something to do with her phrasing, I think, on 'Don't Believe'.
I just found it interesting that Stevie's impact in the late 70s was big enough to possibly influence Streisand in the recording studio, and that Rolling Stone noticed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y79w5TW0HPg

Nikolaj · #8 12-06-2010, 12:35 PM

Thought of another one- Circa 1991, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell made a joint guest appearance on the Arsenio Hall late night talk show. Must have been around the time they filmed the Penny Marshall 'A League Of Their Own' movie. During the interview, Rosie launched into a brief impersonation of Stevie singing 'Edge of 17' that seemed to amuse Madonna. It was kind of funny, Rosie doing a ragged chorus ala 'Red Rocks' version, barking out 'Just like the white winged dove, Oh baby, Oh baby' instead of "Oooh baby"- it seemed to be a slight put down, but maybe it wasn't. The "Oh Baby" readings were intentionally rough (butch, really) and it was a decent parody, I think complete with a spin/twirl- Rosie stood up to do it- wonder if it's around online anywhere.

mezzoforte · #9 12-06-2010, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

Thought of another one- Circa 1991, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell made a joint guest appearance on the Arsenio Hall late night talk show. Must have been around the time they filmed the Penny Marshall 'A League Of Their Own' movie. During the interview, Rosie launched into a brief impersonation of Stevie singing 'Edge of 17' that seemed to amuse Madonna. It was kind of funny, Rosie doing a ragged chorus ala 'Red Rocks' version, barking out 'Just like the white winged dove, Oh baby, Oh baby' instead of "Oooh baby"- it seemed to be a slight put down, but maybe it wasn't. The "Oh Baby" readings were intentionally rough (butch, really) and it was a decent parody, I think complete with a spin/twirl- Rosie stood up to do it- wonder if it's around online anywhere.

I have no idea how to embed videos (I'm obviously new), but if anyone's curious, here's the link. Starting at about 7:00, Madonna asks Rosie what she's wearing, and Rosie answers that it's a cross between Morticia Addams and Stevie Nicks. She then does a little Stevie impression.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_hjlaoUd7A

Nikolaj · #10 12-06-2010, 01:39 PM

^
Welcome, mezzoforte, and thank you. Instant access to a random memory, such a long time ago. Can you help find my keys when I misplace them, too?

Fun to watch- obviously, my recollection was a bit off- there's nothing mean-spirited in Rosie's SN impersonation- and I didn't realize she sang 'one winged dove' and the 'Oh baby' wasn't as 'rough' as I remembered. And Madonna probably wasn't interested either way in anything that didn't have to do with her, that night.
That night?
Kidding.

CreepingDeath · #11 12-06-2010, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mezzoforte

I have no idea how to embed videos (I'm obviously new), but if anyone's curious, here's the link. Starting at about 7:00, Madonna asks Rosie what she's wearing, and Rosie answers that it's a cross between Morticia Addams and Stevie Nicks. She then does a little Stevie impression.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_hjlaoUd7A

Speaking of a cross between Stevie Nicks and Morticia Addams, Madonna was sporting a very similar look in her video for Frozen. It's always been one of my favs for that reason.

LukeA · #12 12-06-2010, 04:59 PM

Are you basing this on actual sales figures or just RIAA certifications? It seems to be the latter, which is rather specious criteria.

PenguinHead · #13 12-06-2010, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeA

Are you basing this on actual sales figures or just RIAA certifications? It seems to be the latter, which is rather specious criteria.

I just love your "specious criteria" phrase. Nice choice of words!

silvasprings · #14 12-06-2010, 09:14 PM

This Factoid doesn't fall in the same category as the previous ones; (it's also not really a factoid)

Stevie said that the Red Rocks concert was the last night she ever did cocaine.

Red Rocks was filmed on the 20th August 1986.

Stevie Performed at the Tough on Toxics benefit on the 28th August. ( I believe she worked in the studio with Fleetwood Mac after this.)

So did she go to rehab after this?

Because the Austrailian dates of the RAL tour started on the 24th September and finished on the 6th of October.

I know a lot of people have said that she went to rehab twice, when on earth did she get the time to go twice? Since she was back in the studio with Fleetwood Mac in Jan '87.

Nikolaj · #15 12-06-2010, 10:59 PM

^^
Interesting factoid, Matt, about the RAL Australian leg of the tour happening after The Red Rocks concert. I never knew that. My guess is that by the time of her flight to Australia, she was fulfilling an obligation made long before. Had she gone to Betty Ford between the Red Rocks filming and the Australian dates? GOOD queryoid. I have no idea.
It could be that she was aware it would have been a severe risk to travel internationally with cocaine, and those dates were performed not under the influence of it. I have no idea.
This leads to another factoid: Stevie usually isn't great at keeping her stories and timeframes accurate. Yawn, but I still say those are her real breasts dancing and not implants during the last 2 minutes of 'Angel' from the Tusk documentary. Opinionoid: SN's breasts danced.