Stevie's new/old mantra

[Christopher]

I was thinking the other day, on the sometimes infuriating topic of songs and whole albums Stevie ignores on stage, that we all desperately would LOVE her to perform again. I've concluded that Stevie has not forgotten these songs at all. But rather, she's very consciously and righteously chosen not to revisit that place or time. All those songs that were inspired or written during the crazy drama for days time period. Basically ignoring most of RAL through Street Angel!

I think Stevie is not particularly proud of her behavior and/or her songwriting during this timespan. She even said at one point, looking back specifically at the klonopin years, stating she didn't feel she wrote any memorable songs during that time! And as far as RAL goes, Stevie was spinning out of control during this era (which is why it's so fascinating) there were fights, ego power struggles, drug and alcohol binges, dangerous romantic trysts, her unreasonable stubbornness, just drama after drama. So ultimately from TISL till now, I believe Stevie is following a simple mantra - which was not so hidden after all - and literally evident in her empowering line from "That Made Me Stronger":

"Once more I tell the shadows of my soul to stay back.~ Everything has changed now!
and I don't want to go back....and nothing you can say can change my mind."


What do you think? Is there really any other reason to ignore a decades worth of material??:

[Silver Springs]

In my humble opinion, Stevie has every right to ignore stages of her life and music she feels brings back unwanted memories. She isn't fodder to perform for us whatever we see fit and put herself back through her personal hell in order to entertain us. She's a human being with every right we feel is allowed to us too. I think it's actually very brave of her to draw a line under that stage of her life and move on, instead of constantly re-living her mistakes.

[DashingDan]

Originally Posted by Silver Springs

In my humble opinion, Stevie has every right to ignore stages of her life and music she feels brings back unwanted memories. She isn't fodder to perform for us whatever we see fit and put herself back through her personal hell in order to entertain us. She's a human being with every right we feel is allowed to us too. I think it's actually very brave of her to draw a line under that stage of her life and move on, instead of constantly re-living her mistakes.

I was always surprised when "No Spoken Word" didn't pop its three heads up on one of the aughts-era tours. I always thought that would be a setlist keeper for some reason, not unlike Outside the Rain (and before I'm schooled, yes, I know Outside the Rain goes into Dreams which is probably why it has the legs it does).

[tbaker3]

Didn't someone (A precious lie?) just (within the last couple weeks) post that when a fan had asked Stevie's drummer or bassist why she doesn't do these songs, he said that it was because she didn't care for that period of her life? I'm sure I've read it recently.

[wheart]

well I suppose that's really the only logical, rational explanation for why she would ignore 3 complete albums. I mean, who does that? And the more I think about it the more it does make sense to me. However, it does seem like a stretch at times. I can fully understand her wanting to ignore SA being that she was ultimately unhappy with the finished product and recording that album during the final horrible years of her klonopin addiction. I get that. And I guess I can understand her relating The Mirror album to bad times as well, though she had said in interviews that she loved that album. And I suppose RAL represents the final years of her first addiction to coke. It does make sense but it seems like a lot of years and a lot of music to be running away from. But Stevie's life is her music so I don't really know if she can seperate the two and since her songs are so personal and autobiographical, they really are her life. So I suppose singing them would be revisiting a lot of things she would just as soon leave in the past.

[Artemis]

Stevie, and Fleetwood Mac actually, are certainly unique in that they may be the only group of people I can think of who ignore nearly 20 years of music in their concerts.

Stevie, for example, apart from her TISL / IYD / Cover stuff, doesn't seem to sing anything released after 1983. And Fleetwood Mac, apart from Big Love, and Gypsy don't play anything post-Tusk, unless I'm remembering wrongly.

It's weird and incredibly frustrating for us fans who WANT to hear those songs, but at the same time, I can understand why Stevie won't play anything she will associate with those bad memories. It's just odd how this seems to be a rather recent trend for her, since she was still doing RAL and OSOTM stuff before TISL was released... I think.

[SapphireSister]

I've come to the conclusion that she must have some legitimate excuse for not doing Rooms on Fire anymore. It's just an outrage . Yes it was the Klonipin years but it was a huge hit and it was in her set for a while. I guess I should just give up on ever hearing that song live .

[tilthefirefades]

Even if she doesn't do new songs, I don't get why she hasn't done some of her less tired songs in a long time. Blue Denim, No Spoken Word, Talk to Me, and Whole Lotta Trouble would be really cool to hear these days. Why the excuse of reminding her of bad times? She was on coke when she wrote most of the songs she plays.

Another thought, what is Stevie's excuse for playing her Fleetwood Mac hits when she tours solo? I understand the idea that the casual fans want to hear them, but isn't that the point of Fleetwood Mac?? We have literally heard Dreams almost every year since it came out.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by tilthefirefades

Another thought, what is Stevie's excuse for playing her Fleetwood Mac hits when she tours solo? I understand the idea that the casual fans want to hear them, but isn't that the point of Fleetwood Mac?? We have literally heard Dreams almost every year since it came out.

On Oprah, Stevie said she's been singing Dreams since the first FM album, which rather surprised me.

Michele

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by michelej1

On Oprah, Stevie said she's been singing Dreams since the first FM album, which rather surprised me.

Michele

I guess Stevie's not lying when she says she has crystal visions. She was singing that song before she even wrote it!

[starshine]

Personally I think its sad that she ignores most of her songs for live concerts. First of all she does herself a disservice by NOT doing more songs or unusal choices for songs. Second, she must have loved or liked the song at that point and time or why record it?? Third, when your performing on stage I don't think you can really start 'thinking' about why you wrote this song etc because you'd get too emotional. So to me thats an excuse to not even try to perform any song. Just like I've heard her say in interviews that a certian song can't be done 'live'. Why , I say? Have you tried it live? If not than how do you know. To me if the song was recorded theres no reason it can't be performed 'live' other than that artist not really wanting to do it. Which to me thats strange. The reason I say she does herself a disservice is because I'd think she'd get really really tired of doing the 'same' songs over & over & over again. I'd get really sick of it. So thats why I think we have so many discussions over the yrs about the 'set lists'. Heck, if you go back and see all the live recordings that people have taped through the yrs and look at all the listed songs you can see that certian songs have been played many many many times over and over again. Yes, maybe there are 'some' that need to be played but what I say is any said artist can perform whatever they/he or she wants but with that said they would help themselves out and make there audience happier if they spice things up some, does it really do any harm. I've always wanted her to perform more of 'her' own songs. I loved the SA tour live and I loved the Enchanted tour live but she could've still changed those setlists up more frequently esp during the Enchanted tour since it was in support of the Box set. Stevie has some really wonderful songs that all of us would love to hear live but its sad that it'll not ever happen. I think its something she has learn from her Fmac days. They also got in the same set list rut too. Which is a shame that some lesser known songs didn't get some live play in concert. Oh well, sorry for such a long post. I guess thats one reason why I don't want to see her live in concert anymore same with Fmac--price is another reason. Maybe others too.

[wheart]

Originally Posted by tilthefirefades

Even if she doesn't do new songs, I don't get why she hasn't done some of her less tired songs in a long time. Blue Denim, No Spoken Word, Talk to Me, and Whole Lotta Trouble would be really cool to hear these days. Why the excuse of reminding her of bad times? She was on coke when she wrote most of the songs she plays.

Another thought, what is Stevie's excuse for playing her Fleetwood Mac hits when she tours solo? I understand the idea that the casual fans want to hear them, but isn't that the point of Fleetwood Mac?? We have literally heard Dreams almost every year since it came out.

Talk To Me was so kick ass on the Street Angel tour I wish so badly that she would bring it back. It has a wonderful spirit on stage! Didn't Stevie mention this song as a possibility for her Vegas run back in 2005? I know she under delivered big time for those shows but I'm pretty sure she discussed doing Talk to Me. And No Spoken Word would be amazing to hear again.

[Christopher]

I Agree, I think Stevie does herself a disservice by not performing at the minimum her hit singles from RAL & OSOTM! The last time any songs from these were performed was 99' for Rooms on Fire & 01' for HAEWAFY. And Stevie obviously gets bored, why else would she throw in the covers!? Perhap's my theoretical reasoning (her new mantra) as to why she does the covers instead of digging into her catalog from 1985-1994 is way off, but I sense not, what really finally convinced me was her last radio interview on Kink FM 101.9 Portland-http://podcast.kink.fm/kink/2878904.mp3
Stevie is asked directly if Joe Walsh is really the love of her life? Stevie's response is very telling of where she's at in her life. Stevie reply - "probably not"! Not only does she denounce JW (thank god) but Mick as well, but she's looking back on her life in a different way, towards those relationships that were just passionate read: DRAMA. Painting a picture that these were not true relationships but more like days of intense passion with many many more days of drama thrown in, not years..

I really do think Stevie has put to bed/retired that "era", the years of drug and bad relationships/questionable decisions culminating during RAL, all the way through the haze and fog klonopin years ("no memorable songs written" -Stevie's words, not mine) which culminated with Street Angel. And yes, I personally mourn the loss of those songs on stage (and I hope I'm wrong), but it's the only rationale why she hasn't performed any of these songs in 10 years or more. So Thank God for "In Your Dreams" - or I suspect one more tour w/o a new album would have sent many more of us declaring all out mutiny You can only survive on demos/outtakes and dreams and chains for so long.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I Agree, I think Stevie does herself a disservice by not performing at the minimum her hit singles from RAL & OSOTM! The last time any songs from these were performed was 99' for Rooms on Fire & 01' for HAEWAFY. And Stevie obviously gets bored, why else would she throw in the covers!? Perhap's my theoretical reasoning (her new mantra) as to why she does the covers instead of digging into her catalog from 1985-1994 is way off, but I sense not, what really finally convinced me was her last radio interview on Kink FM 101.9 Portland-http://podcast.kink.fm/kink/2878904.mp3
Stevie is asked directly if Joe Walsh is really the love of her life? Stevie's response is very telling of where she's at in her life. Stevie reply - "probably not"! Not only does she denounce JW (thank god) but Mick as well, but she's looking back on her life in a different way, towards those relationships that were just passionate read: DRAMA. Painting a picture that these were not true relationships but more like days of intense passion with many many more days of drama thrown in, not years..

I really do think Stevie has put to bed/retired that "era", the years of drug and bad relationships/questionable decisions culminating during RAL, all the way through the haze and fog klonopin years ("no memorable songs written" -Stevie's words, not mine) which culminated with Street Angel. And yes, I personally mourn the loss of those songs on stage (and I hope I'm wrong), but it's the only rationale reason why she hasn't performed any of these songs in 10 years or more. So Thank God for "In Your Dreams" - or I suspect one more tour w/o a new album would have sent many more of us declaring all out mutiny You can only survive on demos/outtakes and dreams and chains for so long.

She has championed Landslide to death and look what has happened. She should concentrate on Leather and Lace and Edge of Seventeen, get those songs to gold status.

[tbaker3]

I think she should do a bare minimum of 2/3 songs from each album. Because surely she gained fans on each album, and you need to keep those people engaged. But 1 of those songs should be a random album track. Something like this:

Bella Donna: Edge of Seventeen, Stop Draggin My Heart Around, then Bella Donna or Outside the Rain, or even Gold and Braid or Julia

The Wild Heart: Stand Back, If Anyone Falls, then Nightbird or Beauty and the Beast

Rock a Little: Talk to Me, Has Anyone Ever Written..., then Sister Honey

The Other Side of the Mirror: Rooms on Fire, then Juliet

Street Angel: Blue Denim, Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind, and I personally wouldn't mind hearing Jane live...

Trouble in Shangri-La: Fall From Grace, Sorcerer, then maybe I Miss You



I think she has enough solo stuff to cut out the FM tunes from her set. And despite not loving certain parts of her life, those parts shaped who she is today, and shouldn't just be dismissed. There's always someone who can relate...