Little Lies 35 Years Ago

[Villavic]

I'm a huge fan since 1982. My first album I bought was Live. But I had a copy of Mirage, taped from a friend's album, too. Later I got the other albums (Rumours lineup).

I knew the names of the 5 members, Rumours lineup again. But it was until 1992, when I read Mick's first book, that I finally learned John and Christine were a divorced couple; until then I always wondered if they were a couple, or brother & sister, cousins, etc. And until then I hardly knew there was a previous lineup (I didn't know that there were several.

So I don't know if outside fans nobody knew who John or Chris were, but yes I agree sure a lot of people didn't.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I'm a huge fan since 1982. My first album I bought was Live. But I had a copy of Mirage, taped from a friend's album, too. Later I got the other albums (Rumours lineup).

I knew the names of the 5 members, Rumours lineup again. But it was until 1992, when I read Mick's first book, that I finally learned John and Christine were a divorced couple; until then I always wondered if they were a couple, or brother & sister, cousins, etc. And until then I hardly knew there was a previous lineup (I didn't know that there were several.

So I don't know if outside fans nobody knew who John or Chris were, but yes I agree sure a lot of people didn't.

Which is why “Rumours” initially shipped with 800,000 albums, over double what the band had been selling not even two years prior, and was selling about 800,000 a week for months. Pretty impressive for a band nobody outside of fans knew anything about.

[SteveMacD]

Obviously nobody knew who they were, which is why “Sentimental Lady” was a Top 10 hit in 1978, six years after the original version went nowhere… Hmmm…

Anyway, nobody knew Bob Welch had been in Fleetwood Mac. Hell, nobody outside of fans knew who Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie were, much less that they played on the song. Of course, nobody knew who Bob Welch was for that matter… Hmmm…

It was such a great song on its own, except…when it wasn’t??? Hmmm…

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I agree news of Lindsey’s leaving wasn’t viral, because it couldn’t have been back then, but where you and I disagree is where you say it was underplayed by the band. It was definitely not underplayed- Fleetwood Mac did a ton of press the second they signed Billy and Rick up. They were very open about Lindsey leaving- probably because they didn’t want fans to think he was fired. Lindsey was mum but FM did all the talking. There was no “put a hat on Billy and no one will notice it’s not Lindsey.” That’s disrespectful to Lindsey, for any fans to think most concert goers wouldn’t notice it wasn’t Lindsey on stage. FM had a huge press conference introducing Billy and Rick to the public, they took out full page ads in all the major newspapers promoting the tour with a big picture of Mick, John, Christine, Stevie, Billy, and Rick and the tour dates, and there were big, long articles in music press magazines.

No, Lindsey’s departure definitely wasn’t underplayed by the band.

Disagree. I remember this first hand and couldn’t believe how they were trying to carry on without really talking about it. Even later, when Mick spilled the beans in his book about Lindsey quitting, the enormous drama of the event was undermined by the sentiment that “no one really asked ‘Where’s Lindsey?”’ (when he spoke about the Tango Tour.) They did his songs, replicated his parts, but didn’t really call attention to his absence or the lack of band chemistry that remained because of it. Was it a big deal? Of course it was—to FM fans, but my comments stemmed from the claim that Little Lies charted as high as it did by benefitting from news of Lindsey’s leaving, and that is just not true. People sang the words, hummed along to the melody, and even today it is one of the band’s most definitive hits. It would not have survived beyond 1987 if its enormous success hinged on a publicity stunt.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Disagree. I remember this first hand and couldn’t believe how they were trying to carry on without really talking about it.

Disagreed. I remember this first hand watching MTV religiously and reading countless articles at the time.

The reason nobody asked “Where’s Lindsey” is because the story had been thoroughly discussed in the press.

Billy and Rick even did the Today Show.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Disagreed. I remember this first hand watching MTV religiously and reading countless articles at the time.

The reason nobody asked “Where’s Lindsey” is because the story had been thoroughly discussed in the press.

Billy and Rick even did the Today Show.

I remember some press. But it didn’t strike me as catastrophic, which Lindsey’s leaving really was. I found it all very underplayed.

We could go in circles about this. I guess I don’t care that much.

But to say Little Lies was the huge hit it became because it benefited from whatever press Lindsey’s leaving afforded is just not true. Sorry. The song was killer, and people without a care in the world about the band’s dramas were loving it.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I remember some press. But it didn’t strike me as catastrophic, which Lindsey’s leaving really was. I found it all very underplayed.

We could go in circles about this. I guess I don’t care that much.

But to say Little Lies was the huge hit it became because it benefited from whatever press Lindsey’s leaving afforded is just not true. Sorry. The song was killer, and people without a care in the world about the band’s dramas were loving it.

I guess it all depends on where you were at the time. I’d just turned thirteen and was glued to MTV that summer. I knew nothing about them aside from vaguely recalling Stevie Nicks was in the band (which “Seven Wonders” obviously confirmed).


Anyway, that’s exactly what that story was for me. That's what piqued my interest to the point where I had to buy the album AND the single. So, to dismiss it, to me, is kind of out there.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I guess it all depends on where you were at the time. I’d just turned thirteen and was glued to MTV that summer. I knew nothing about them aside from vaguely recalling Stevie Nicks was in the band (which “Seven Wonders” obviously confirmed).


Anyway, that’s exactly what that story was for me. That's what piqued my interest to the point where I had to buy the album AND the single. So, to dismiss it, to me, is kind of out there.

Well I was 13 when my older cousin moved in with her 8 tracks, and I FELL IN LOVE WITH RUMOURS. I didn't know about their f*cking relationships, or cheating, or whatever. I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THAT SH*T. It was all about the music. Nothing else.

People get too wrapped up in the shipping aspect of their career. I just want and like good music.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Well I was 13 when my older cousin moved in with her 8 tracks, and I FELL IN LOVE WITH RUMOURS. I didn't know about their f*cking relationships, or cheating, or whatever. I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THAT SH*T. It was all about the music. Nothing else.

People get too wrapped up in the shipping aspect of their career. I just want and like good music.

Which is as it should be, but even Lindsey understood that at some point the massive success Rumours went beyond the actual music.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Which is as it should be, but even Lindsey understood that at some point the massive success Rumours went beyond the actual music.

Which is why most $tevie fanatics bug the sh*t out of me. Because ~the persona~ is more important than the music. $he can fart out OSOTM, and they still lap that crap up like it's filet mignon. Trust me, it ain't! "Oh, but $he's twirling round and round, and I just LOVE her!!!!".

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Which is why most $tevie fanatics bug the sh*t out of me. Because ~the persona~ is more important than the music. $he can fart out OSOTM, and they still lap that crap up like it's filet mignon. Trust me, it ain't! "Oh, but $he's twirling round and round, and I just LOVE her!!!!".

You know I don’t disagree in the slightest on that. Especially OSOTM Stevie. I doubt many were happier than me when she left and Bekka joined. I never got that appeal. However, it’s real.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

You know I don’t disagree in the slightest on that. Especially OSOTM Stevie. I doubt many were happier than me when she left and Bekka joined. I never got that appeal. However, it’s real.

I love me some Bella Donna and Wild Heart $tevie.

The end.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I love me some Bella Donna and Wild Heart $tevie.

The end.

Shipper.

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Which is as it should be, but even Lindsey understood that at some point the massive success Rumours went beyond the actual music.

He understood it too well. I feel the "outlier/overshoot" portion of the Rumours sales, or at least the endless and still ongoing press attention on the narraitve drama, gave him a bit of a complex, such as making him unable to see that most people who like the songs like them sufficiently on their musical merits alone.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Shipper.

Just like the Rumours couple's drama, I couldn't care less.

It all comes down to the songs for me.

At the beach, I kick sand in the 90 lb shipper's faces.