New Stevie Nicks article ... in my school magazine

[Sahara]

Written by me!

Not the best article I've ever written but I thought I'd stick it up here if anyone's interested in reading. Introducing a school full of girls to Stevie isn't easy but this is a start.

Our magazine at St Vincent's Secondary School, Dundalk is called BluePrint [because we have a blue uniform] and has been running annually since the 80s. There was a bit of a gnome theme running through it this year [don't ask, Mr Kieran took this funny notion and it sort of grew into something bigger than all of us] so that's where the illustration in the corner comes from. An honest-to-goodness Stevie Nicks gnome, copyright my mate Gemma 2006.

Disclaimer -- yeah, my opening paragraph was indeed more or less nicked [zing!] from a review in The Australian last February. But I thought it was a fairly accurate and rather hilarious introduction to Stevie. So I nabbed it. So sue me! The rest is all me, though. Watch out for the Ledge plug at the bottom.


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b372/EO17/Picture.jpg


PS: Damn! Sorry the edge is cut off. Lousy scanner. Never mind, you get the idea.

[jannieC]

I can't read the font- too small. I'm old, what can I say?

[Sahara]

Sorry, my bad. Here's the text:

For some people, the sight of a woman almost sixty years of age, draped in a lace shawl with sequins, sporting a tall black top hat with feathers, layers and layers of black chiffon, and killer platform boots with six inch heels, blonde hair flying as she twirls arms outstretched, like a dervish round the stage while belting out one rock song after another in a hoarse, wild voice that sends shivers down your spine, would be a bit bizarre. But not for fans of Stevie Nicks, the gypsy queen of rock and roll who has cast her magical spell over the music industry for over 30 years.

But underneath the mystical chanteuse image, the fantasy aura and the fabulous stage clothes, lies the ultimate rock survivor and a truly strong woman who has beaten off crippling drug addiction and depression and who always tells the truth in her songs.
Born in Phoenix Arizona and beginning her songwriting career aged just sixteen, Stevie joined rock supergroup Fleetwood Mac in 1974 along with her musician boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham. Their 1977 record Rumours, which charted the painful breakup of that relationship as well as that of their bandmates John and Christine McVie, went on to become one of the biggest selling albums of all time, selling in excess of 30 million copies and catapulted the group into international stardom.

Stevie released her debut solo album Bella Donna in 1981, which hit number one, sold over 5 million copies and started a massively successful solo career, the most recent album being “Trouble in Shangri-La” of 2001.
Her string of top ten hits includes renowned rock tracks such as Stand Back, Edge of Seventeen and Talk to Me, and with Fleetwood Mac she released hits like Seven Wonders, Gypsy, Dreams and the legendary Rhiannon.

So what is it that makes Stevie Nicks the queen of rock and roll? In my own opinion, it is not solely the image she possesses of rock’s mystical lady who weaves her magic through haunting melodies and strange, indecipherable lyrics, nor is it the distinctive fashion sense. It is the fact that underneath all the fairy dust and smoke, in her songs and lyrics she is honest with her listeners. It is in these songs that she charts her life experiences, about her abuse of cocaine and the tranquilliser Klonopin, addictions she only kicked for good in the mid nineties, about her tumultuous relationship with Lindsey Buckingham, about the death of her best friend. When you search deep enough you will find the truth in her songs, and it is this that makes her music for me so very compelling.

And of course, the clothes.

When Stevie sat down in the 70’s to put together an image, she had an idea of something half Greta Garbo, half Dickensian street urchin. The result has followed her though the years, sometimes fairy princess, sometimes gypsy, sometimes witchy, but always distinctively Stevie. “I’ll never be in fashion, but I’ll always be different.”

One word that immediately springs to mind is atmosphere. Stevie Nicks has the aura that she’s just stepped out of a fantasy novel, Alice in Wonderland maybe, and on stage she makes it her mission to create an atmosphere for every single song. It is this utterly captivating presence that leaves her fans “hopelessly enchanted.”

For more information on Stevie, Fleetwood Mac and their music:
www.nicksfix.com -- The official Stevie website
www.fleetwoodmac.net -- A comprehensive fan site with a huge discography, lyrics archive, biographies and The Ledge, the Fleetwood Mac message board of choice.
www.fleetwoodmac-uk.com Go Your Own Way – the UK Fleetwood Mac resource
www.fleetwoodmac.com -- The official Mac website, which has been under construction for the last bazillion years.

[Nixxxed]

Nice job!!

[BTFLCHLD]

Awesome Sahara!

Why am I not surprised you didn't write an article on Lindsey? All the "gasps", "groans" and "drools" are sometimes hard to articulate!! Plus all of your schoolmates would be made aware of your inner perviness and you've a sweet reputation to uphold! Right? Right!

[amber]

Cool. You should include a free CD single with every paper. I recommend Edge.

[GODDESS6]

that was awesome!!!~

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by jannieC

I can't read the font- too small. I'm old, what can I say?

I just got a new prescription on my glasses a month ago at 35!

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by BTFLCHLD

Awesome Sahara!

Why am I not surprised you didn't write an article on Lindsey? All the "gasps", "groans" and "drools" are sometimes hard to articulate!! Plus all of your schoolmates would be made aware of your inner perviness and you've a sweet reputation to uphold! Right? Right!

Right! As far as teachers are concerned anyway. Most of my classmates know about the inner perviness. I frequently have them shrieking in horror and disgust at certain, er, comments. There was a large argument last week about whether or not Lindsey has a receding hairline. Naturally I just grossed them all out and won by default. Bwahahahahah!

I was in Mr Kieran's English class for three months before I found out that not only was he a fan of Fleetwood Mac but he'd also MET John and Christine in a restaurant in Belfast in the 60s. I was partly awestruck and partly furious at him for not informing me sooner! He's a great guy, a real gent. Hope he's my English teacher for another while to come.

Stevie this year. Lindsey ... next year.

[goldustsongbird]

Cool. The year I got to write on the school newspaper, they decided to make it more school focused, so I didn't get to write about what I really wanted to... music reviews. Go figure, they change it when I get there.

PS: love the banner in your sig!

[Angelick Witch]

Originally Posted by goldustsongbird

Cool. The year I got to write on the school newspaper, they decided to make it more school focused, so I didn't get to write about what I really wanted to... music reviews. Go figure, they change it when I get there.

That is the story of my transition year! "Um, no, we've stopped doing that, actually", "No, sorry, not this year" "No funding" "You think we can afford a plane??" Foolish school.

Cool article, anyway, Sahara. Love Gemma's gnome, pass on the kudos there!

[goldustsongbird]

Originally Posted by Angelick Witch

That is the story of my transition year! "Um, no, we've stopped doing that, actually", "No, sorry, not this year" "No funding" "You think we can afford a plane??" Foolish school.

Cool article, anyway, Sahara. Love Gemma's gnome, pass on the kudos there!

I hate that. What was worse, they allowed music reviews, but only if you reviewed "local talent". Well, it's not my fault there was no one to write about in that category. Our local bands sucked... still do!

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by goldustsongbird

PS: love the banner in your sig!

Why thank you!

[gypsysoul]

Hello Sahara
I have sent you a private message.