Lindsey calls Christine and Stevie solo concerts lounge acts (1984)

[Macfan4life]

I was reading about Christine's solo tour and how she was introduced to her future husband Eddy by Todd Sharpe while making her solo album. Todd supposedly ran into Eddy at some bar. Because the Mac's work was delayed and nowhere in sight Chris decided to take her show on the road. It stated that Lindsey attended one of her solo concerts in the audience and called her concert a "lounge act." He said she relied too much on Fleetwood Mac material. Being that Chris performed 9 songs from her solo album plus an unreleased song (10 solo songs) from it made me scratch my head. Chris also performed 2 vintage Mac songs. Of course she is going to throw in her Mac signature songs.
I was wondering where the quote came from and it comes from a 1984 Rolling Stone article. He really slams Mick in the article too. He called the music Mick was playing in his studio embarrassing and had a flashback to all the downsides of being in Fleetwood Mac when Mick came over to his house and stayed up till 5 am. Total precursor what was going to happen in 3 years.

Here is the article. I had not ever heard this before.

https://www.fleetwoodmac-uk.com/articles/FMart54.htm

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Being that Chris performed 9 songs from her solo album plus an unreleased song (10 solo songs) from it made me scratch my head. Chris also performed 2 vintage Mac songs. Of course she is going to throw in her Mac signature songs.

And, she had Todd play “Guitar Bug” (which ended up on a Billy Burnette album) so she could adjust her makeup.

For all his lounge act talk, Lindsey was the first one to play “The Chain” as a solo artist.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

And, she had Todd play “Guitar Bug” (which ended up on a Billy Burnette album) so she could adjust her makeup.

For all his lounge act talk, Lindsey was the first one to play “The Chain” as a solo artist.

He came off angry in that interview. It was sort of the canary in the coal mine of what was to happen in 3 years. Stevie said that during Tusk Lindsey cut his hair and became angry. He came across angry in the 1982 Cream magazine article too claiming he would never tour once he turned 40 and bitter claiming radio was not playing his Mirage songs.
When this article came out Go Insane had already been released. I am sure he was disappointed with the sales and no big hits while Stevie was playing arenas. Was he still jealous of Stevie's solo career where she was phoning it in on the Wild Heart tour. I totally see Lindsey going to Chris's concerts especially since he worked on her solo album. But I can't believe he went to a Stevie solo concert coming from someone that would not even listen to Bella Donna but who knows. Maybe he saw her HBO show.
It all brings back memories of the mid 80s when Mac fans were biting their nails wondering if the band would reunite again. These swipes at fellow band members did not help. Stevie was calling herself the "baby sister" and how the Mac never used her full potential. Chris saying her and Stevie are not friends and that she lives in a fantasy world. Lindsey saying Chris and Stevie solo shows are borderline lounge acts. Stevie saying in 1985 that it "depends on how nice everyone is" if she would record with the Mac again. It all brings back the memories of the mid 80s.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

He came off angry in that interview. It was sort of the canary in the coal mine of what was to happen in 3 years. Stevie said that during Tusk Lindsey cut his hair and became angry. He came across angry in the 1982 Cream magazine article too claiming he would never tour once he turned 40 and bitter claiming radio was not playing his Mirage songs.
When this article came out Go Insane had already been released. I am sure he was disappointed with the sales and no big hits while Stevie was playing arenas. Was he still jealous of Stevie's solo career where she was phoning it in on the Wild Heart tour. I totally see Lindsey going to Chris's concerts especially since he worked on her solo album. But I can't believe he went to a Stevie solo concert coming from someone that would not even listen to Bella Donna but who knows. Maybe he saw her HBO show.
It all brings back memories of the mid 80s when Mac fans were biting their nails wondering if the band would reunite again. These swipes at fellow band members did not help. Stevie was calling herself the "baby sister" and how the Mac never used her full potential. Chris saying her and Stevie are not friends and that she lives in a fantasy world. Lindsey saying Chris and Stevie solo shows are borderline lounge acts. Stevie saying in 1985 that it "depends on how nice everyone is" if she would record with the Mac again. It all brings back the memories of the mid 80s.

You really think SN was "phoning it in" on the WH tour?

Stars go see other stars' shows all the time. Personally, I find it surprising, though not unbelievable that LB would've gotten a ticket to see see her in '83 at one of the many shows she played in LA that year.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Nathan

You really think SN was "phoning it in" on the WH tour?

Stars go see other stars' shows all the time. Personally, I find it surprising, though not unbelievable that LB would've gotten a ticket to see see her in '83 at one of the many shows she played in LA that year.

I can only personally speak from the show I saw June 28, 1983, Pittsburgh Civic Arena. My local paper called the concert "What happened to Stevie Nicks Game Show since she kept disappearing her band seemed just as confused as her."
She could have been sick because she made cryptic comments and claimed she did not like they way she sounded on the microphone. It was a hot mess.
According to David she got better and her west coast shows were much better. The Fargo, MD show that is professionally shot on Youtube is about a week after I saw her. You see how dazed she is then in parts of it.

IMHO I don't believe Lindsey bought a ticket to see Stevie's solo show. My bet is he saw her HBO show or something or one of her mass events with other artists like the US Festival or the show she did with other acts and Tony Basil. He is clear he saw Christine from the audience but is not as specific with Stevie. If he refused to listen to Bella Donna, I cant imagine him secretly going. But that would be a hoot if he went secretly. Maybe he saw the What happened to Stevie Nicks Game Show that I saw

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I can only personally speak from the show I saw June 28, 1983, Pittsburgh Civic Arena. My local paper called the concert "What happened to Stevie Nicks Game Show since she kept disappearing her band seemed just as confused as her."
She could have been sick because she made cryptic comments and claimed she did not like they way she sounded on the microphone. It was a hot mess.
According to David she got better and her west coast shows were much better. The Fargo, MD show that is professionally shot on Youtube is about a week after I saw her. You see how dazed she is then in parts of it.

IMHO I don't believe Lindsey bought a ticket to see Stevie's solo show. My bet is he saw her HBO show or something or one of her mass events with other artists like the US Festival or the show she did with other acts and Tony Basil. He is clear he saw Christine from the audience but is not as specific with Stevie. If he refused to listen to Bella Donna, I cant imagine him secretly going. But that would be a hoot if he went secretly. Maybe he saw the What happened to Stevie Nicks Game Show that I saw

Hmm. I'll have to go back and listen to the Pittsburgh show. I do know that the night before that, 6/27, in Philadelphia, there was nothing 'phoned in' about it. Seriously, one of her best, and others have expressed that opinion, as well.

Of course, I have seen the Fargo show, and "dazed" is not an adjective that comes to mind for me. I seem to recall Sara and Gypsy from that show, and BATB, and my recollection is that she was engaged and present during those. We are talking about the Fargo show, though, and the quality of that is pretty low, as are the variety of angles. Perhaps you have a superior copy.

Frequently disappearing from the stage, to me, does not equate to phoning it in as much as it does to getting 'tuned up.' The WH tour was basically a nonstop party, and SN has said as much in interviews.

You may be right about him meaning the HBO or US Festival shows, rather than going to see it in-person. This is something someone should ask him, if/when he does any future meet and greets. I was too nervous when I met him a few years ago to ask anything substantive, lol.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

And, she had Todd play “Guitar Bug” (which ended up on a Billy Burnette album) so she could adjust her makeup.

For all his lounge act talk, Lindsey was the first one to play “The Chain” as a solo artist.

Her show was far superior to his. Hers had an arc and a journey. His was all over the place and he also played FMac songs.

Her band's take on "Ask Anybody" is something I listen to weekly. I have no desire to listen to anything of his from his tour back then.

His music is hardly anything "out there" or different. Being weird and having a crazy EQ in your mix doesn't make you a different genre. Sorry LB... There's a reason you sound pretentious. And I don't believe for one second you listened to The Clash at any decent length.

[WalkAThinLine.]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Her show was far superior to his. Hers had an arc and a journey. His was all over the place and he also played FMac songs.

Her band's take on "Ask Anybody" is something I listen to weekly. I have no desire to listen to anything of his from his tour back then.

His music is hardly anything "out there" or different. Being weird and having a crazy EQ in your mix doesn't make you a different genre. Sorry LB... There's a reason you sound pretentious. And I don't believe for one second you listened to The Clash at any decent length.

Christine played a few Fleetwood Mac songs on her 1984 solo tour such as "Say You Love Me" and "Just Crazy Love", but I still largely agree with your point regarding Lindsey's music still being relatively mainstream, albeit with a few signature production quirks. His Out of the Cradle Tour is one of my favorites of his given the spectacle of the large ensemble, the musicianship, and relatively unique setlist that Lindsey really would never emulate on any future tour. The small machine would later become a leaner operation with fewer theatrics and a greater degree of standardization.

[michelej1]

I think Lindsey's first solo tour with the guitar Army was creative and unique. I think it brought some songs to life that were flat on the album, for instance Doing What I Can.

I do not think his criticism of Christine's set was valid, however, but he always has/had something like that to say. I mean, in recent times, when he has been hungry for FM collaborations, he has been complimentary. But back in those days, he was king of flippant remarks and backhanded compliments.

[aleuzzi]

I remember this interview. It came at a time when he was terrifically unhappy and all-over-the-place regarding his feelings about being in the band.

To say that Christine and even Stevie did not "try" hard enough (his words) to offer something new in their shows is rather silly, honestly. Christine co-wrote six of the ten songs on her album, and authored another one by herself. She also teamed with a crack backing band that killed in the live shows that are available on YouTube. That sightly less than half her show drew on HER FM material is natural and expected. Her songs and style express consistency. There isn't a heck of a leap (in terms of style or manner) from "Just Crazy Love" to "Got a Hold on Me." But that's part of the thrill: she is able to draw so many inventive melodies from the strict parameters she sets for herself. Robert Cristgau called this "unimpeachably sensible." I call it sound practice for a person whose creative outlet was tied strongly to her income. She didn't have the luxury to "go insane" on her record--nor would she have had the inclination. "One in a Million" and "Smile I Live For" rank (for me) among her best work.

Nicks' albums by 1985 showed a pattern: call in big-name producers to help her stay commercially on top of her game. This means her solo music is a little less distinctive (in my book) than her 70s FM material--but this is out of necessity. In the band, she could function from a pretty defined, narrow role as the resident mystic. Songs like "Gold Dust Woman" and "Storms" are unique, but you couldn't have a whole album of them. She needed to be relax and extend her style a bit (as did Christine). The results WORKED. And for what it's worth: "Stand Back" is an all-out masterpiece by any standard. A huge hit that sacrifices nothing in the way of originality.

Lindsey's first album is a favorite. I love the LEVITY of it, the screwball sensibility at play. Go Insane lacks any of that and sounds self-important. The title track sounds best when he does it live with an acoustic guitar.

So, in short, Lindsey's rant was bs, but also not bs: he simply didn't want to be commercial anymore. But like any misunderstood man-child he took his frustration out on those nearest and dearest to him. I'm sure Christine did not see the meeting backstage as "inconsequential." And Mick's persistent craziness has always been the perfect foil for Lindsey's self-proclaimed tortured artist.