Stevie's choreography

[Macfan4life]

I was reading the article where Ann Wilson of Heart stated in the 1980s the record company sent over Paula Abdul to teach the band and especially the sisters choreography. Ann said it would not work and thought performing should not be a "rehearsed act." The Mac never was a rehearsed act. Even Stevie would be very different night after night.
However, she is the only member that got caught doing horrific and cheezy choreography in her RAL videos. She and her back up sings and brother do some very bad choreographed dancing in both Talk To Me and I Can't Wait. Being that Stevie could barely get through talking and promoting MTV's one night stand and I want my MTV, I bet these basic steps were amateur hour. But she still went through with them. The worst part was during I Can't Wait and her weird hand dance. I imagine someone walked her through these steps. Its all very cringe IMHO. I was 15 and at the peak of my worship and when I saw Stevie doing these second grade talent show square dances with half gloves on I cringed like crazy. Ann and Nancy Wilson knew better
I would pay money to hear anyone who was on the set that had to teach them these steps. Stevie really got sucked into this plastic 80s world and surrendered her authenticity.
Anyway, here is the article I was referencing.
https://people.com/ann-wilson-paula-...moves-11729290

[BLY]

I know this was not Stevie’s best years as we look back…….but at the time, she was Rockin it in my opinion as she was heading towards her sober years. I loved her Talk to me and I can’t wait videos… hilarious. If you listen to her commentary on the Crystal Vision set she laughs it off. Not the best chapter but one I totally enjoyed And so very happy she survived it.

[sleepless child]

Those were the days

[Macfan4life]

Since she really struggled with lip syncing her own songs I imagine these steps were equally hard. She is a free range chicken on stage. To confine her with other people to be in sync with steps must of been like herding cats. If you notice they play the clips of them dancing in I Cant Wait in reverse to sort of extend the dancing She also looks uncomfortable during the hand dance

[sue]

I’m not a big fan of Stevie’s solo work apart from Bella Donna,
Which I love
The choreography in these videos is childish to say the least.
As if a group of 6 year olds had put it together.,

But she looks fabulous, absolutely fabulous….wasted or not she looks amazing.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by sue

I’m not a big fan of Stevie’s solo work

Me neither, but I do like several singles. And I've never been interested in going to a Stevie concert, but in early 2000s I was invited to an Oracle sw conference, which I couldn't attend due to complications in the work schedule. But I learned Stevie gave a short show with Mick in the last night party. Destiny prevented me from seeing them.

Anyway my favorite solo videos are Stop Draggin' and If Anyone Falls.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by sue

I’m not a big fan of Stevie’s solo work apart from Bella Donna,
Which I love
The choreography in these videos is childish to say the least.
As if a group of 6 year olds had put it together.,

But she looks fabulous, absolutely fabulous….wasted or not she looks amazing.

The close up shots on Talk To Me she looks great. But everything else was filmed far away to not see her face. The first Talk To Me set was dismantled because she did not show up because she was "sick." When she finally got her act together to show up they had to throw the set together which looks very skimpy for a video in the peak of MTV. The video was so late that the song was already in the top 20 when it debuted on MTV. To have a stunt double of her in the video is sort of cringe
I think I Can't Wait is the only video of hers where she looks high. I think she even commented she was high in all her videos but during I Can't Wait she revealed it because I think its the most obvious. Don't even get me started on Mick's slick shoe moves
I think Stand Back and Rooms on Fire are her best videos. Stand Back was racing up the charts at the same time Flashdance was a huge movie. Those dancers were so Flashdance it was perfect timing. That block glass window wall is so 80s I love it. Every time I see a shower wall made from block glass I want to recreate the Stand Back video. Walking on the tread mill was so cheezy but it worked wonderfully.

Did you know that Lita Ford's Kiss Me Deadly video was inspired by Stand Back. Lita said her inspiration was to mock the Stand Back video. But I think there is a little I Cant Wait inspiration too because the fans are blowing her hair like crazy. Instead of block glass there is block ice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIt3OGra3Lo

[WatchChain]

The two music videos to promote "Rock a Little" are horrendous.

As previously stated, it took forever to get the video for "Talk To Me" released.
With a new album dropping, it was customary to have the video for the first single released several weeks before the album as a promotion tool. The single was all over the radio, but I remember thinking, "Where is the video?".

I watched the world premier of the video for "Talk to Me" on MTV. The song was already falling back down the charts as the video was being released.
Terrible promotion tactics, as usual.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by WatchChain

The two music videos to promote "Rock a Little" are horrendous.

As previously stated, it took forever to get the video for "Talk To Me" released.
With a new album dropping, it was customary to have the video for the first single released several weeks before the album as a promotion tool. The single was all over the radio, but I remember thinking, "Where is the video?".

I watched the world premier of the video for "Talk to Me" on MTV. The song was already falling back down the charts as the video was being released.
Terrible promotion tactics, as usual.

The videos were definitely lower budget than her Wild Heart ones. I would not call it bad promotion but no promotion. She was kept away from interviews and promoting the album. In a MTV book released several years ago MTV would edit or not air interviews with her to not embarrass her. Poison got to record their debut album in a studio she rented but never showed up. Instead of promoting her album she was a tag along on Heart's tour in December 1985 through Arizona and California. Then she went to Australia with Tom Petty. Her management forced her to rehab to save her life and career which she retaliated against them. Its sort of a miracle they got 2 videos out during these years. Its crazy to think she was scheduled to do a concert video recorded for Showtime and then commercially released and it was so bad it had to be edited and close up visuals layered in. That's pretty bad.
I think this is why there will never be a RAL reissue and why she does not perform much from this album in concert. It was a very bad time which she does not want to remember.
Forget about the drugs and both Stevie and Lindsey got pulled into the slick 80s look and sound. Chris may have had some 80s clothes but her solo music did not chase the synth 80s trends. She did not need to show off her boobs and do hand dances. She kept her integrity and authenticity. Stevie, Lindsey and Chris all released solo albums in the mid 80s. Only Chris's holds up IMHO.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Forget about the drugs and both Stevie and Lindsey got pulled into the slick 80s look and sound. Chris may have had some 80s clothes but her solo music did not chase the synth 80s trends. She did not need to show off her boobs and do hand dances. She kept her integrity and authenticity. Stevie, Lindsey and Chris all released solo albums in the mid 80s. Only Chris's holds up IMHO.

I wouldn't criticize musicians who wanted to "evolve" and tried to avoid being labeled as dinosaurs during the 80s, the music had changed radically, but I agree those albums weren't great choices in the case of Stevie and especially Lindsey. I bought Go Insane and I think I listened it twice and I think then it was left gathering dust in the attic. I don't even remember the songs beyond the title track.

When he released OOTC, I thought Oh! he has seen the light again!

However I do like the 80s touch he applied to the Tango album.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I wouldn't criticize musicians who wanted to "evolve" and tried to avoid being labeled as dinosaurs during the 80s, the music had changed radically, but I agree those albums weren't great choices in the case of Stevie and especially Lindsey. I bought Go Insane and I think I listened it twice and I think then it was left gathering dust in the attic. I don't even remember the songs beyond the title track.

When he released OOTC, I thought Oh! he has seen the light again!

However I do like the 80s touch he applied to the Tango album.

To each their own. I understand what you are saying but when you try to be something you are not it comes off as not authentic. Stevie prided herself as a prolific writer and stated she needed a solo career for all her songs yet RAL only had 4 songs written exclusively by her. There is a reason Heart turned down dancing like Janet Jackson. Its not authentic of who they are. Stevie said herself she got mad at Tom Petty for calling her a "pop star." When the record company passes on your garbage demos and brings in professional song writers with synth programmed tracks is not something to be proud of IMHO.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by sue

The choreography in these videos is childish to say the least.
As if a group of 6 year olds had put it together.,

But she looks fabulous, absolutely fabulous….wasted or not she looks amazing.

I agree, Stevie looks beautiful in Talk to Me. In the clips where she’s wearing the purple/lavender dress, she resembles Heather Locklear. I love that she’s wearing different dresses besides her usual black attire, and wish she would do that now. But of course she won’t.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Forget about the drugs and both Stevie and Lindsey got pulled into the slick 80s look and sound. Chris may have had some 80s clothes but her solo music did not chase the synth 80s trends. She did not need to show off her boobs and do hand dances. She kept her integrity and authenticity. Stevie, Lindsey and Chris all released solo albums in the mid 80s. Only Chris's holds up IMHO.

I don’t know, Chris looks horrible in Love Will Show Us How- her make up is like pancake batter and her shoulder pads are straight out of Dynasty. I love that the video is a parody of 1980s videos, but then it falls into the trope that it’s mocking. Christine is beautiful, so it’s actually painful to see her so made up and out of her element.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I agree, Stevie looks beautiful in Talk to Me.

Oh yes, she usually looks great in videos. I think she looks so beautiful in As Long as You Love Me. She looks good also in Save Me and Skies, but those sleepy eyes, sure because of klonopin, make her look not so well in Rooms on Fire and specially in the Tango live video.

[BLY]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I don’t know, Chris looks horrible in Love Will Show Us How- her make up is like pancake batter and her shoulder pads are straight out of Dynasty. I love that the video is a parody of 1980s videos, but then it falls into the trope that it’s mocking. Christine is beautiful, so it’s actually painful to see her so made up and out of her element.

I agree. I always thought she looked like Boy George from The Culture Club in that Video.