Some Questions About "Tusk" (The Album)...

[Ghost_Tracker]

Have some questions that I'd like to ask about the album "Tusk" - I've been wondering about these things for some time now...


Where, exactly, does Lindsey use shoeboxes as percussion instruments??? What song(s), etc.???

I would SWEAR that it seems like there's places where Lindsey took out Christine's voice and substituted his own, but made it sound like her. But then it seems sometimes to "switch back" to Christine. ( For example, "Over and Over" and "The Ledge." )
Was he "up to his usual tricks" in the studio sometimes during Post-Production? Are there places where he "turned down" Stevie's voice?

Is it humanly possible for somebody to do the things Buckingham did with "Beautiful Child"and "Sara" in Post-Production and still not be in love with Stevie?

I would also SWEAR that I heard John McVie singing at at least one point, possibly two.

WHY is Tusk considered to be an example of "Post-Modernism?" And separate from the album, why is the album COVER
"Po-Mo?" (The picture of the dog biting the guy's pants leg.)

The actual song "Tusk" on the album seems to have some satirical elements to it - lots of farting noises etc. - Did Lindsey possibly mean that sincerely? As in, "Don't take this too seriously, it's just a brain fart." Or was he just blowing smoke with that, and in reality, truly enraged?....

Isn't "Brown Eyes" the most incredible song ever???

Was Lindsey right to stick to his guns? Does this album, more than any other, "secure Fleetwood Mac's place" in music history? Was it smarter over the long run to take a bath on the immediate profit?

More later - MUCH more - I think there's some really interesting "stuff" in "Tusk"...

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Where, exactly, does Lindsey use shoeboxes as percussion instruments??? What song(s), etc.???

I believe "The Ledge" is the most prominent example of Lindsey banging away on some kind of boxes.

I would SWEAR that it seems like there's places where Lindsey took out Christine's voice and substituted his own, but made it sound like her. But then it seems sometimes to "switch back" to Christine. ( For example, "Over and Over" and "The Ledge." )

That's certain possible/probable on his own songs, but I can't imagine he or anyone else would have done that on Christine's songs.

WHY is Tusk considered to be an example of "Post-Modernism?" And separate from the album, why is the album COVER
"Po-Mo?" (The picture of the dog biting the guy's pants leg.)

Is it? I always thought it was just a rocking good time.

The actual song "Tusk" on the album seems to have some satirical elements to it - lots of farting noises etc. - Did Lindsey possibly mean that sincerely? As in, "Don't take this too seriously, it's just a brain fart." Or was he just blowing smoke with that, and in reality, truly enraged?....

Lindsey was playing.

Isn't "Brown Eyes" the most incredible song ever???

I'm still waiting for your promised explanation of why you like it so much!

Was Lindsey right to stick to his guns? Does this album, more than any other, "secure Fleetwood Mac's place" in music history? Was it smarter over the long run to take a bath on the immediate profit?

1) Absolutely.
2) Well, that's a loaded question. Tusk secures the place of that particular line-up of Fleetwood Mac in the history of music criticism, proving that they were much more than just a California pop band, yes. But the public likely will always remember Rumours most.
3) Always. (But to be clear, Tusk was not a "bath." The album sold several million copies, and its release was followed by a year-long tour that kept everyone in Fleetwood Mac rolling in quite a bit of cash.)

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

I would SWEAR that it seems like there's places where Lindsey took out Christine's voice and substituted his own, but made it sound like her. But then it seems sometimes to "switch back" to Christine. ( For example, "Over and Over" and "The Ledge." )
Was he "up to his usual tricks" in the studio sometimes during Post-Production? Are there places where he "turned down" Stevie's voice?

I think there is NO chance in any way that Lindsey removed Christine's vocals from her own songs. I'm not sure there are any Chris or Stevie vocals on any of Lindsey's songs. I think most, if not all of the vocals on his songs are Lindsey.

[johnny4406]

I know for a fact Lindsey lowered his voice to sound like Stevies in "Love in store" because she was running around doing her White Winged Dove tour.

If you think about it, Stevie doesnt sing on many Fleetwood Mac songs.
Which, sucks.

[vermicious knid]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Is it humanly possible for somebody to do the things Buckingham did with "Beautiful Child"and "Sara" in Post-Production and still not be in love with Stevie?

No, it isn't.

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Isn't "Brown Eyes" the most incredible song ever???

Yes, it is! Well, the most incredible Christine song on Tusk, at least.

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Was Lindsey right to stick to his guns? Does this album, more than any other, "secure Fleetwood Mac's place" in music history? Was it smarter over the long run to take a bath on the immediate profit?

Yes, it was a very important album that secured their place in history.

[Miss Vicky]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Is it humanly possible for somebody to do the things Buckingham did with "Beautiful Child"and "Sara" in Post-Production and still not be in love with Stevie?

Forgive me while I go vomit.

[Peestie]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Is it humanly possible for somebody to do the things Buckingham did with "Beautiful Child"and "Sara" in Post-Production and still not be in love with Stevie?

What stuff did he do with BC and Sara? I've never really noticed anything, what did I miss?

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by Peestie

What stuff did he do with BC and Sara? I've never really noticed anything, what did I miss?

He arranged them, and produced them along with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut.

[David]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

Where, exactly, does Lindsey use shoeboxes as percussion instruments??? What song(s), etc.???

I don't think it's ever really been specified. It was probably on one of his "home" jobs like "Ledge" or "Save Me a Place." At some point, Lindsey mentioned using not a shoe box but a Kleenex box & the back of a hairbrush to get a kick drum sound. I don't necessarily think he was talking literally--or maybe he was. But I think he was really referring to his desire to think outside the box in terms of recording. It's the same thing he was doing on tracks like "Love From Here, Love From There" on his solo albums. He was bored with the everywhereness of traditional recording formats & methods. He felt it was all stifling & he wanted to reconceptualize. It may be that he started recording some of his Tusk material in this way but that doesn't even necessarily mean that these weird tools & devices even made it to the final mix.

I would SWEAR that it seems like there's places where Lindsey took out Christine's voice and substituted his own, but made it sound like her. But then it seems sometimes to "switch back" to Christine. ( For example, "Over and Over" and "The Ledge." ) Was he "up to his usual tricks" in the studio sometimes during Post-Production? Are there places where he "turned down" Stevie's voice?

The oscillator is the only device he ever claimed to use to tamper with the delivery of a vocal, & I don't know whether he used such a thing during Tusk recording. He did sing in various vocal styles--maybe sometimes to approximate the timbre of a bandmate. I don't know what you're talking about when you say Lindsey "took out" Christine's voice. What does that mean? Nor do I know what you mean by "turning down" Stevie's voice? you talking about the level in the mix?

Is it humanly possible for somebody to do the things Buckingham did with "Beautiful Child"and "Sara" in Post-Production and still not be in love with Stevie?

Yes of course. It's more an indication of being in love with the medium & the process, with one's craft. Why is Stevie "allowed" to love her craft but not Lindsey? Why is so much weight given to songwriting in Stevie' scase--why is that activity privileged among fans as being the "real" art & the exemplar of "emotion"--while the other band members are just considered as having done a mere "job"? Lindsey has used the analogy often enough that you should just accept it as his true feelings: he considers his arranging & production a form of painting. It *is* his art, his passion, & he is as fully devoted to that as Stevie is to her poetry journals.

I would also SWEAR that I heard John McVie singing at at least one point, possibly two.

John's never copped to it so who knows....ask him via Lisa.

WHY is Tusk considered to be an example of "Post-Modernism?" And separate from the album, why is the album COVER "Po-Mo?" (The picture of the dog biting the guy's pants leg.)

I don't consider Tusk po-mo. But I do consider it trendy to throw that label around these days.

The actual song "Tusk" on the album seems to have some satirical elements to it - lots of farting noises etc. - Did Lindsey possibly mean that sincerely? As in, "Don't take this too seriously, it's just a brain fart." Or was he just blowing smoke with that, and in reality, truly enraged?....

What does that mean? enraged? when was he enraged? when he wrote the words to the song? when he worked on the instrumentation? when he recorded his vocal? or are you saying he was in a perpetual state of rage? this whole thing is a fallacy, in my view--this ascribing emotions to the authors based on their work. The idea is that Miles Davis was forgetful or willfully ignorant when he recorded Rodgers & Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind"? or that Bette Davis was feeling murderous toward her lover when she filmed "The Letter"?

Isn't "Brown Eyes" the most incredible song ever???

glad you like it! it's not a particular favorite of mine but it's pretty.

Was Lindsey right to stick to his guns? Does this album, more than any other, "secure Fleetwood Mac's place" in music history?

I don't know! Who cares!

More later - MUCH more - I think there's some really interesting "stuff" in "Tusk"...

I have one for you: are you happy with the remaster on the reissue? I think the additional clarity & space gives the album more clarity & solidity.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by David

this whole thing is a fallacy, in my view--this ascribing emotions to the authors based on their work. The idea is that Miles Davis was forgetful or willfully ignorant when he recorded Rodgers & Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind"? or that Bette Davis was feeling murderous toward her lover when she filmed "The Letter"?

I rarely go for these types of acronyms, but: LOL. And I agree completely.

I have one for you: are you happy with the remaster on the reissue? I think the additional clarity & space gives the album more clarity & solidity.

You're right, David, the additional clarity does give the album more clarity.

[Peestie]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

He arranged them, and produced them along with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut.

I kew he did that, but how does that relate to anyone thinking he would be in love with her? Plenty of producers (or whatever) arrange peoples work and no-one would say they were in love with them, so I assumed there was something I'd missed in these songs that gave that impression.

[BTFLCHLD]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

I believe "The Ledge" is the most prominent example of Lindsey banging away on some kind of boxes

i can vouch for that!

[wondergirl9847]

FM would not have been able to win either way if they hadn't made Tusk. If they had done a Rumours Part Deux, people would be griping (ala Chris on American Idol) saying they were a one-trick pony. They'd be saying "They can only do one sound." People griped about Tusk that it was too weird and freaky for their taste and Rumours is their masterpiece.

Can't win for losing.

Tusk is greatness and Lindsey should be proud.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by johnny4406

I know for a fact Lindsey lowered his voice to sound like Stevies in "Love in store" because she was running around doing her White Winged Dove tour.

If you think about it, Stevie doesnt sing on many Fleetwood Mac songs.
Which, sucks.

Wait, you mean Stevie isn't singing on that song? That's all Lindsey doing some studio manipulation? If that's so, I'm bummed. I thought it was one of Stevie's best performances on the record! Is this really true?

[David]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

You're right, David, the additional clarity does give the album more clarity.

Oops.

....