Question for the regulars in this forum

[DavidMn]

I want to make it very clear before I go any further that I am not trying to troll the Christine room here. That being said, I've noticed that some of Chris' fans particularly dislike Stevie, which is perfectly ok because it's a free country. However, I havent noticed as much venom directed towards Christine fans by Stevie fans as I have the opposite. Personally I enjoy both very much, it's one of the reasons I love Fleetwood Mac so much, cause theyre both there. I guess the question I have is why some of you feel so strongly about this? I'm not trying to incite anything, It's more out of curiosity thatn anything. And, please feel free to express your opiion any way you wish.

[becca]

I haven't felt strongly about it, but there were quite a few years where I really had heard enough Stevie and yet I never got tired of Christine's music. Rhinannon is a memorable touchstone for me from the time it came out as are many other Stevie songs, but I really got to a point where like the Eagles or Creedence Clearwater or later Pink Floyd, I didn't want to hear it. The odd song like Outside The Rain was a rare exception where I could enjoy that again, but anything by Christine I have been able to enjoy all along.

I guess putting Stevie in with The Floyd etc. is a kind of praise. I can enjoy her music again lately but there must have been a dozen years where I would run from it. Christine is often unfairly lost in her shadow in many Christine fans' opinions, none of which is Stevie's fault. Success can breed a kind of contempt or resentment sometimes too. I can't count how many times someone who liked something that wasn't popular got mad at REM or Coldplay or The Strokes as being unworthy comapred to such and such.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by becca

I haven't felt strongly about it, but there were quite a few years where I really had heard enough Stevie and yet I never got tired of Christine's music. Rhinannon is a memorable touchstone for me from the time it came out as are many other Stevie songs, but I really got to a point where like the Eagles or Creedence Clearwater or later Pink Floyd, I didn't want to hear it. The odd song like Outside The Rain was a rare exception where I could enjoy that again, but anything by Christine I have been able to enjoy all along.

I guess putting Stevie in with The Floyd etc. is a kind of praise. I can enjoy her music again lately but there must have been a dozen years where I would run from it. Christine is often unfairly lost in her shadow in many Christine fans' opinions, none of which is Stevie's fault. Success can breed a kind of contempt or resentment sometimes too. I can't count how many times someone who liked something that wasn't popular got mad at REM or Coldplay or The Strokes as being unworthy comapred to such and such.

I appreciate your thoughtful response. Thank you.

[foxyluva]

Originally Posted by becca

Christine is often unfairly lost in her shadow in many Christine fans' opinions, none of which is Stevie's fault. Success can breed a kind of contempt or resentment sometimes too.

Wow, so true...

[GypsySongbird]

i love stevie, i really do, honestly as much as christine. sometimes its slightly annoying however the way christine is seen as second best, not really in the opinion of alot of stevie fans but just as an accepted fact, which we know is not true, theyre as amazing as each other!

[becca]

Originally Posted by GypsySongbird

theyre as amazing as each other!

The difference for me is the solo albums of Stevie's which have been such massive commercial successes, and her solo tours. Christine's music isn't as brassy but is equally excellent, just in quieter way. Commercially they have done as well with Mac recordings. I know how much Over My Head and Say You Love Me were being played when they were new and they were huge hits.

[Rickypt]

Even though I'm a huge Stevie fan, I can honestly say that I don't dislike a single Christine McVie song. Which I can't say about anyone else. She's a remarkably talented woman.

And I haven't participated in this forum, so I can't speak to the Stevie fan vs. Christine fan thing.

[eclipse]

I admire them both-for different reasons...
I think it must have been INCREDIBLY difficult for Christine to have Stevie placed in front of her and asked...."OK you decide if she stays"...
That said..It must have been very difficult for Stevie, to feel wanted and needed in this band that her boyfriend had brought her along to....

I am sure that there are many stories that we will never know-but I have always felt like Christine liked being the only girl in FM..
then came Stevie...
That said, I think there was a large part of Chris that was happy to allow Stevie to soak up the limelight (while Chris dealth with John and her music and watched Stevie grow from a "singing in the shadows background /harmonizing singer" to...STEVIE
I think Chris has a lot of pride in helping Stevie become so "frontline"
But back in the day, it must have been a bit of a struggle for both girls.
have also read many articles that state that they liked each other immediately ...who knows?
(perhaps somewhere in the back of their minds, they knew that they would end up depending upon each other)....
more than their husbands/boyfriends/managers/ et al, ______fill in the blank
More, much more than we will ever know.

I think it is a great story , the story of Christine and Stephanie- and one that not many bands can associate with, maybe no other bands, for that matter....ahh the MAGIC of fleetwood mac...

God, I miss them

[Gailh]

I am speaking solely for myself here and not anyone else.

I do not dislike Stevie.

I do however have some issues with some Stevie fans who seem to think that Stevie is Fleetwood Mac and some of their remarks are downright rude "I am glad that Christine left so we can get back to what we all want - Buckingham Nicks" "Christine is ugly - fact"

Fleetwood Mac was a very popular band because of the chemistry between five very different people. IMO Say You Will lacked the balance (and the hits) that Christine provided.

Stevie has had the most solo success - good for her.

I prefer Christine's more understated music and her down to earth attitude.

Gail

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I do however have some issues with some Stevie fans who seem to think that Stevie is Fleetwood Mac and some of their remarks are downright rude "I am glad that Christine left so we can get back to what we all want - Buckingham Nicks" "Christine is ugly - fact"

Those types of remarks are rude and downright unfair, both to other fans and to Christine's innumerable contributions to Fleetwood Mac.
Having been around these parts for quite some time, I tend to think those comments (and we should point out that it is still a relatively few Nicks fans who make them) are a kneejerk reaction to the often downright rude and disgusting things other fans in the Mac camp say about Stevie (and her fans).
I guess it's that old "eye for an eye" thing.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not excusing it. I just think sometimes it's born more out of retaliation than out of the actual feelings of the people making the comments. If we could all respect each others' tastes, rather than stubbornly adhering to these strict "we're right -- you're wrong" stances, we'd better be able to discuss our opinions without it dissolving into grade-school antics.

[Gailh]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

Having been around these parts for quite some time, I tend to think those comments (and we should point out that it is still a relatively few Nicks fans who make them) are a kneejerk reaction to the often downright rude and disgusting things other fans in the Mac camp say about Stevie (and her fans).
I guess it's that old "eye for an eye" thing.

I agree that we don't want to get into playground behaviour.

If the remarks of some Stevie fans are a kneejerk reaction to things said about them and Stevie then sometimes Christine's fans have kneejerk reactions as well. We do have to put up with cretins coming onto Christine's own website to slag her off. I know that we should behave as adults and ignore the little twerps and it's not necessarily anyone who posts on this website and it is a small minority of Stevie fans who do it but it does drive you round the bend at times.

We all have the right to free speech but with any right comes responsibility.

Here endeth the lesson!

Gail

[ragandbone]

Thanks for raising this question David. I have wondered, a little, about the animosity towards Stevie from some Christine fans, and it has seemed especially odd because I have never heard any nasty, or dismissive comments from Stevie about Christine, and rarely heard anything less than kind from Christine about Stevie. I think there are all sorts of valid reasons to prefer one singer/writer over the other, and loyalty towards Christine (who has not been given the swame attention as Stevie is laudable, but I don't understand the need to pit the two artists against each other, when they don't do that themselves.

Mostly, when I visit this forum, though, I hear interesting details about Christine, and great pics, and audio clips, I would never have otherwise seen, all presented thoughtfully, and with class, and little or nothing about Stevie, which is how it should be, IMO.

[Johnny Stew]

Originally Posted by Gailh

If the remarks of some Stevie fans are a kneejerk reaction to things said about them and Stevie then sometimes Christine's fans have kneejerk reactions as well. We do have to put up with cretins coming onto Christine's own website to slag her off.

I absolutely agree that it's a two-way street.
I didn't know there are trolls who visit Christine's official forum to post nasty things about her, but I guess I should have realized that'd be the case, since there doesn't seem to be a single message board in existence that hasn't been bugged by trolls.

But trust me, those "Stevie Fans" (if they really even are Stevie fans, or if they're just using that guise to fuel the response to their antics) don't speak for the majority of Nicks fans. Maybe in days gone by it was a different story, but no longer.

You and me, Gail, we need to help foster good relations between the Christine & Stevie fancamps! Our ladies love and respect each other -- we should follow their lead.

[GypsySongbird]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

You and me, Gail, we need to help foster good relations between the Christine & Stevie fancamps! Our ladies love and respect each other -- we should follow their lead.

totally agree!!! yaay for love and peace! phsycadelic........man.......


anyway we love christine and stevie!

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by Gailh

I am speaking solely for myself here and not anyone else.

I do not dislike Stevie.

I do however have some issues with some Stevie fans who seem to think that Stevie is Fleetwood Mac and some of their remarks are downright rude "I am glad that Christine left so we can get back to what we all want - Buckingham Nicks" "Christine is ugly - fact"

Fleetwood Mac was a very popular band because of the chemistry between five very different people. IMO Say You Will lacked the balance (and the hits) that Christine provided.

Stevie has had the most solo success - good for her.

I prefer Christine's more understated music and her down to earth attitude.

Gail

I totally respect where youre coming from. ANd I do appreciate the civility in this thread so far. I wanted to pose the question as someone who doesnt really have a huge bias towards one or the other, but I was still worried that it would blow up in my face. I'm glad it hasnt and that people have understood that I'm not coming at it from the standpoint of someone whos trying to stir up trouble.