Songbird - Lesley Ann Jones

[Tusky]

Hiya - has anyone read it yet?

[jbrownsjr]

Reading it now. However, go one thread below. We are all arguing about it.

Good times!!

[jbrownsjr]

Tusky, have you read it yet?

[aleuzzi]

Hi, Tusky.

The top review on Amazon says this:

“This person didn't really know Christine
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
I started reading this and realized. This person had no idea who christine is or was. She found information on the internet. Yes she had met her, but I doubt that she was a real friend to Chris. Stock photos from the internet and stories I don't think are even accurate. I am angry I bought this book. Save your money. Maybe Christine's brother and nephew will write a book about her. They knew her and loved her!”

Based on what I’ve observed in a recent Jones interview and from the sampling shared in another thread, I’m inclined to agree.

[sleepless child]

I got it the other day and skimmed through it. Very disappointed.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Hi, Tusky.

The top review on Amazon says this:

“This person didn't really know Christine
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
I started reading this and realized. This person had no idea who christine is or was. She found information on the internet. Yes she had met her, but I doubt that she was a real friend to Chris. Stock photos from the internet and stories I don't think are even accurate. I am angry I bought this book. Save your money. Maybe Christine's brother and nephew will write a book about her. They knew her and loved her!”

Based on what I’ve observed in a recent Jones interview and from the sampling shared in another thread, I’m inclined to agree.

This.

There are far too many opportunists out there these days. A fool and his money are soon parted.

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Hi, Tusky.

The top review on Amazon says this:

“This person didn't really know Christine
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2024
I started reading this and realized. This person had no idea who christine is or was. She found information on the internet. Yes she had met her, but I doubt that she was a real friend to Chris. Stock photos from the internet and stories I don't think are even accurate. I am angry I bought this book. Save your money. Maybe Christine's brother and nephew will write a book about her. They knew her and loved her!”

Based on what I’ve observed in a recent Jones interview and from the sampling shared in another thread, I’m inclined to agree.

hmm, why does that review not surprise me? i'll read the damn book because i can't not read it, but as i think i said in another thread somewhere, i got google vibes from her listening to her in that interview w those 2 guys. Probably the details of stuff she *actually* heard in her talks w chris over the years could maybe fill one chapter, but she needed to dig up a hell of a lot more stock info to write a book.

and unfortunately, I don't think her brother or nephew or anyone *truly* close to her who loved her would ever write a book... BECAUSE they loved her!

--Lis

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Reading it now. However, go one thread below. We are all arguing about it.

Good times!!

I would not think we are arguing about it. Discussing it is more like it
Unauthorized biographies are usually one of three types: Ones that reveal deeply sensitive information about scandal that is exaggerated to sell books, ones that reveal nothing and is a rehash of what everyone already knows, and lastly ones that are nothing but a cheerleader praising someone over and over. I also believe that no one should ever criticize a book without reading it first. What I pointed out seemed to rub some people the wrong way which confused me because I believe the book contains 90% of things we already know or strongly inferred about her life. Chris has already discussed her dependence on pain killers until she had a "wake up call." The book only reveals what the wake up call was. We all knew her days in Kent were rather dark. Nothing new there. We knew her career choices changed in a major way in 1990. The book only suggests the death of her dad had a bigger impact on her than some people may have realized. Maybe its the affairs part that is irking some people. We all imagined how hard it must have been to be the only woman in a band that was a major touring band. The Mac albums were not big sellers and they made their money on the road. We knew about the groupies and John's drinking. We knew it had to be a tough time. The parts of the book that detail this time is sort of what you would imagine a woman would see and go through in her position. We already knew the band gave Chris veto power of hiring Stevie. The book only suggests more detail on how Chris was more against the idea of Stevie in the band than just giving her veto power.
I suppose the juicy part is the allegation that Stevie and Dennis hooked up. A surprise but is it really? The two most drugged out, crazed rockers of all time hooking up in a band that slept with everyone is not a bridge too far to believe in my book. I also dont understand why when Chris found out matters. Whether it was 1980 or 1997. There is a boundary some should not cross. The military has it. No solider or officer will ever mess with another enlisted's spouse. Fleetwood Mac had that with Bob Weston because he slept with a band member's spouse. As crazed as they were that was forbidden and an unspoken rule. If Chris was depressed during the Dance and was a reluctant touring warrior. She was on a tour she did not want to partake, her marriage was failing, and her fear of flying was bothering her. In that fragile state she found out its not the affair that would bother her, its the disloyalty. So if it was true I can see why it bothered her even though it was so long ago in their crazy days.
I may nor may not buy the book but I have yet to read anything that is unfair, scandalous, or impossible to believe. It appears to be a book that 90% of it is going to be stuff we already know. I have to pinch myself sometimes because there are times I swear I am on an Air Supply message board and not Fleetwood Mac.
If Chris's brother or her surviving family had any issue with the book they would have publicly said so. Their silence is seen as an endorsement IMHO. The only one that looks bad in this book is Stevie. She is her drug crazed, sexed crazed self. John could have been portrayed as a real scoundrel but he's not. Its implied they were both "doing it to each other." We have empathy for both of them.

Now who wants to fight about this book? Please let me be Stevie so I can throw watermelon and pineapple chunks in all of your hair. If anyone dances behind me I am kicking you in your shins.

[SpyNote]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I would not think we are arguing about it. Discussing it is more like it

Same. Now that I'm older, I enjoy reading everything about the band, even the dissenting and unpopular opinions of them. I think most fans who like to have these discussions are on Reddit now, but I'm glad to see some fans still like to discuss on The Ledge.

I borrowed the ebook from the library, which gives me a chance to see if it's worth buying the book. Since there haven't been any good books on just Christine, I'll end up buying it.

I suppose the juicy part is the allegation that Stevie and Dennis hooked up. A surprise but is it really? The two most drugged out, crazed rockers of all time hooking up in a band that slept with everyone is not a bridge too far to believe in my book. ... In that fragile state she found out its not the affair that would bother her, its the disloyalty. So if it was true I can see why it bothered her even though it was so long ago in their crazy days.

The Stevie-Dennis revelation was a shock to read, but I wasn't surprised given the crazy rock and roll bubble that was their existence. The people they hooked up with were also in that bubble, so it was inevitable if Dennis was truly everything Christine described him to be. I'll bet hooking with Dennis was one of those "forbidden" and "outrageous" affairs that Stevie wrote about. But there's a line not to cross among good friends, and unfortunately, it was crossed. So Jones provides a sound argument for why Christine eventually left the band. And if you factor in that Christine's personality type was probably more on the introverted side, her flight response to cut all ties made perfect sense. You basically retreat to a time and place that was safe and secure. For Christine, that was her beloved England and family who ended up protecting her from the band at the end.

The book only reveals what the wake up call was. We all knew her days in Kent were rather dark. Nothing new there. We knew her career choices changed in a major way in 1990. The book only suggests the death of her dad had a bigger impact on her than some people may have realized.

I think the grief of losing her father accelerated her decision to return to England. So, the years from 1999 to 2004 weren't initially dark. They were mainly about reconnecting with friends and family, like her brother and nephew for the recording of In the Meantime. From interviews I'd read, this seems to have been a very fun and healing time for her. But over the next 7-8 years, it sounds like she realized a quiet country life of baking cookies and attending community events wasn't how her story should end. Perhaps therapy helped clear her mind, face her demons, get over the fear of flying, and ultimately see what should come next.

We already knew the band gave Chris veto power of hiring Stevie. The book only suggests more detail on how Chris was more against the idea of Stevie in the band than just giving her veto power.

It would have only been natural to have those reservations since she had led the band as its sole female member for almost five years, putting up with A LOT of sh*tty men along the way. But Christine could always see the bigger picture and set aside her own personal feelings for the sake of the band, another introvert quality! So she'd often buy into the best narrative, that she-Lindsey-Stevie had musical chemistry.

[Nathan]

^^
I'm not familiar with anything on Reddit except fawning, adoring opinions. Those who have been fans for any length of time, aren't there, based on my view... I spent some time there after that last RS interview came out, reading what they had to say. Most of it strikes one note only, as I recall.

[Villavic]

The book reviews at Amazon are varied. From “horrible, it’s more about the history of England during the war”, to “LAJ takes us on her journey with Fleetwood Mac, her ups and downs in love and marriage but most of all her incredible talent that was the glue that kept the band together.” The average is 3 stars. I'll wait a little longer to decide whether to buy it.

In the meantime, excerpts from the book would be welcome here.

[Villavic]

Just out of curiosity, cause at this point it is not important at all, I was looking for articles about the Dennis-Christine relationship, and I found this one with this funny episode. It really made me laugh, while I imagined someone digging a big hole in my garden. Though I think Christine was not amused.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/18/1

An early sign of Wilson's lack of control came when, as a token of his love for McVie, he hired a team of people to dig up her back garden into a giant heart shape. He was intending to fill the heart-shaped hole with roses, but he never got round to it. "My lawn was now just a big pile of dirt. He had all these people holding a candle around the edge of it, slowly sinking into the mud. Then he got up on the balcony and proposed to me. Then he sent me the bill for the work. I suppose his heart was in the right place."

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Just out of curiosity, cause at this point it is not important at all, I was looking for articles about the Dennis-Christine relationship, and I found this one with this funny episode. It really made me laugh, while I imagined someone digging a big hole in my garden. Though I think Christine was not amused.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/18/1

An early sign of Wilson's lack of control came when, as a token of his love for McVie, he hired a team of people to dig up her back garden into a giant heart shape. He was intending to fill the heart-shaped hole with roses, but he never got round to it. "My lawn was now just a big pile of dirt. He had all these people holding a candle around the edge of it, slowly sinking into the mud. Then he got up on the balcony and proposed to me. Then he sent me the bill for the work. I suppose his heart was in the right place."

You and that book. You know, while perusing the infernets yesterday, I came across one gallon jugs of lubricant. I'm ordering one with your name on it.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

You and that book. You know, while perusing the infernets yesterday, I came across one gallon jugs of lubricant. I'm ordering one with your name on it.

What? I don't understand your point, I didn't quote any book. Please explain.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

What? I don't understand your point, I didn't quote any book. Please explain.

"The heart shaped garden" story is from Mick's first book.