Thoughts on Mick's New Book

[Tango]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

I always found Stevie's outfit at Mick's wedding a bit….curious. Wearing white to a wedding is always a bit tricky, and then wearing a rather foofy big white dress and huge white hat..well…I think there's something passive/aggressive going on there. Just sayin'

I agree there is some sort of "message" in the dress Stevie wore to the wedding. And another sort of message in wearing a "black" sort of dress to her own wedding to Kim Anderson. Or she was just plain crazy.

[michelej1]

Well, Mick and Stevie both say that Stevie was mad at Sara, so I don't guess the message in Stevie's dress was meant to be subtle. In fact, Mick says his other bandmates were mad at him at him too. Sara's friends took Jim Recor's side and it sounds like it was a complete mess.


Michele

[Newzchspy]

Originally Posted by michelej1

It's interesting that Mick says that before Tango, he'd filed bankruptcy but all it took was the royalties from record sales of their catalog to keep him comfortable and get him financially back on his feet, because the band wasn't doing anything for those 5 years to make new money.

So, although if you keep spending you keep needing money, it seems like those royalties are really, really lucrative if all you need to do is maintain. I'd like to know how much they all get a year from catalogue royalties.

Michele

Then or NOW?? The real money $$ NOW is in touring and writing music (although tours can be very expensive, there's the Band's Guarantee that each person gets even before expenses.) The promoters and venue gets the rest from Beer sales, part of the merchandise, tickets sales, sales tax etc.

Then? Well the money has always been in owning the songs and publishing and to a certain extent the TOUR. The long term "annuity" and money for the band is in music publishing, rights and song "ownership."

Catalog royalties ONLY occur if the music is used or sold and depend upon who/whom owns the rights?? Often its the record company that owns it once the artist/author signs away their rights for $$.

[tabruns]

Originally Posted by michelej1

It's interesting that Mick says that before Tango, he'd filed bankruptcy but all it took was the royalties from record sales of their catalog to keep him comfortable and get him financially back on his feet, because the band wasn't doing anything for those 5 years to make new money.

So, although if you keep spending you keep needing money, it seems like those royalties are really, really lucrative if all you need to do is maintain. I'd like to know how much they all get a year from catalogue royalties.

Michele

The three songwriters would get significantly more than Mick, so for Mick to be comfortable purely on catalog royalties, well, it's no wonder that Stevie is "financially stable" (i.e., no recession could put a dent in her fortune).

[Neal]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I hope he writes much about the post Lindsey era. The band started to decline sales and Stevie was really isolated with Klonopin in those days. But the band played on. There is an interview with Stevie on youtube from 1991 where she claims her management told her to quit Fleetwood Mac because they were a sinking ship and it could hurt her career. But Stevie refused to hurt the band and continued to tour and play with the band. I just find this era interesting because there was so much going on toward what would seem to be the end of Fleetwood Mac.

I'd love more info in general on 1987-1996, but I'm not expecting to get it from this book (which I plan on picking up this weekend!).

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

Then or NOW?? The real money $$ NOW is in touring and writing music (although tours can be very expensive, there's the Band's Guarantee that each person gets even before expenses.) The promoters and venue gets the rest from Beer sales, part of the merchandise, tickets sales, sales tax etc.

Then? Well the money has always been in owning the songs and publishing and to a certain extent the TOUR. The long term "annuity" and money for the band is in music publishing, rights and song "ownership."

Catalog royalties ONLY occur if the music is used or sold and depend upon who/whom owns the rights?? Often its the record company that owns it once the artist/author signs away their rights for $$.

not so sure that writing your music earns you much these days. I watched an interview with David Byrne from Talking Heads and he said most bands putting out music now will never actually make money off their music (i.e. support themselves personally). He said the whole issue of trying to get people to pay for music is killing everything. He said the *only* money is touring.
(maybe unless you give permission for some company to use it in a commercial or something).

[lovethemac1]

Originally Posted by lovethemac1

I pre-ordered and paid for mine ages ago. Kinda forgotten about it. I will be watching the mailbox eagerly. Can't wait.

Got an email from Amazon saying my order has shipped and I should have by Monday......

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by wheart

Maybe I'm in the minority here but I frankly am over rehashing the wild days of Fleetwood Mac. It was a long time ago. I'm far more interested in what the band is doing today, in 2014. Enough with the glory days.

I agree. They've played that card for way too long; Stevie, in particular, continues that narrative. I know of no other band that obsessively panders their forty-something years past. In many of Stevie's songs, she implores us to "remember." No problem! She never lets us forget.

[louielouie2000]

So is there ANY reason to buy this book? I've had his first book for many years, and it was enjoyable enough. But if this new one isn't forging any new territory, I just don't see the point in lining Mick's pockets any further. Especially if my money will simply be lost to his next bout with bankruptcy. My local independent bookstore has the book in stock, I just cannot summon any legitimate reason to give this band any more of my money at the moment. Not until they start giving us something that hasn't been regurgitated over and over, decade after decade.

I don't know, this whole damned thing just seems suspect to me. Remember when Mick was asked about his new book at a meet & greet last year, and he didn't seem to know what the fan who asked him was talking about? Did Mick's management just pay this Anthony Bozza to regurgitate his last book so Mick could have a fresh infusion of cash to help pad bottom line after his divorce settlement/alimony? I have my doubts as to how involved Mick was with the whole thing. He's done almost no press for it, after all.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by Tango

I agree there is some sort of "message" in the dress Stevie wore to the wedding. And another sort of message in wearing a "black" sort of dress to her own wedding to Kim Anderson. Or she was just plain crazy.

Wearing an overblown white gown at someone else's wedding is just insane and thoughtless. Perhaps ego took over and she didn't want to be upstaged by the bride.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

So is there ANY reason to buy this book? I've had his first book for many years, and it was enjoyable enough. But if this new one isn't forging any new territory, I just don't see the point in lining Mick's pockets any further. Especially if my money will simply be lost to his next bout with bankruptcy. My local independent bookstore has the book in stock, I just cannot summon any legitimate reason to give this band any more of my money at the moment. Not until they start giving us something that hasn't been regurgitated over and over, decade after decade.

I perused over the book at Powell's "City of Books" Bookstore, the most amazing bookstore in the world -- a massive four stories! I could not justify paying $30 for it. I read a few of the passages from the ensuing years since his last book. I found nothing of any worthy depth and insight. I'll wait a year or two until I can find it in the bargain bin.

[redtulip]

I just finished it. I didn't really get anything new out of it and he glossed over the most recent period starting after his last book left off. The only really new information I got from it was learning a little more about Lynn, his ex-wife, since I knew nothing about her before. Basically it's a pointless Mick money grab.

[jbrownsjr]

Royal Air Force
Peter did drugs
Jeremy did drugs
Christine joined
Danny did drugs
Danny got fired
Welch took over
Welch left
Buckingham/Nicks joined
Sales started to grow
Rumours had a lot of break ups but sales.
Christine hooked up with the lighting director.
I hooked up with Stevie.
Linsdey was mad.
Stevie hooked up with various Eagles.
Tusk was a commercical failure.
I went bankrupt.
Mirage somehow is Rumours II
I was married a few more times.
Lindsey left.
Stevie left.
We got together for the Dance.
Christine left.
We had a SYW tour.
Christine came back.


The End. Thirty Dollars, please!

[Johnny Stew]

From the new book:

"All of this, of course, is in preparation for Stevie, who will join us in the studio later this year after she finishes her last solo album for Warner Brothers. She won't be distant from the process; rather, we will be ready for her. The truth is that Stevie is a vocalist, while the rest of us are musicians, so we will set the stage for her entrance, and together we will work out what I believe will be a fitting return for this line-up of the band."

[nicole21290]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

So is there ANY reason to buy this book?

I got it this morning. Just finished while the Fleetwood Mac show was on. I doubt you'll find anything particularly illuminating in it - it covers all the time periods but often in a quite perfunctory way. I've screencapped and written out parts of it relevant to my own interests as well as regarding Christine's return so you can check those out if you want. I'm happy to copy out anything else you want to read about - whether it's just the Time period or the Zoo stuff or whatever.

A few random quotes about Christine, John, Christine/Lindsey [x]

Christine's return and the end of the book [x]

The Dance through The EP [x]

Lindsey leaves the band [x]

Mick and Stevie saga Pt 1 / Richard & Liz [x]

Mick and Stevie saga Pt 2 / Mick & Jenny [x]

Mick and Stevie saga Pt 3 / Mick & Sara [x]

Beginnings for SnL in FM [x] [x]

Meeting Buckingham Nicks [x]

Hearing Buckingham Nicks [x]

And then some random quotes about Stevie and Lindsey. Again, apologies for the focus but this is my primary interest, oops...

"That good-looking couple with all that talent..." [x]

"Stevie had broken up with Lindsey and he’d taken it very, very hard." [x]

"It wasn’t easy on Stevie either..." [x]

"So I went to Lindsey’s house and I told him about it..." [x]

"A few weeks after announcing that Fleetwood Mac had officially disbanded..." [x]

"His self-sufficiency proved to be a bigger problem for Stevie..." [x]

"Lindsey began writing differently than he had in the past..." [x]

"Lindsey’s vision for Fleetwood Mac without Christine became fully realised..." [x]

"New versions of songs like ‘Second Hand News’ and ‘Without You..." [x]

"He [Lindsey] wrote a number of songs for the EP that didn’t make the final cut..." [x]

"Overall, the last few years have been a wonderful return to form..." [x]

And have a bonus picture of Mick with his girlfriend...