Get your Fleetwood Mac Fill with JDSkills! A blog on the classic band that is Fleetwood Mac. Here is where I dish out all my feelings on the band. After years of being a fan of their music, I'm going to want to talk about everything-so bear with me.
Friday, December 31, 2010
JDSkills post wisdom teeth extraction
Sorry I have been MIA for a week. I was too busy stuffing my face with all of the solid foods that I possibly could before I had to get my wisdom teeth out. I got them out yesterday and right now, I am a chipmunk. The pain isn't what hurts me the most. What hurts the most, is seeing my mom pull up to the house with tons of food...that I can't eat. Oyyyy I can't wait to eat solid food again! Having your wisdom teeth out the day before New Years Eve is an absolute tease.
I will be back in 2-3 days...I promise! Believe me, I am so drugged up on painkillers at this point, that I wouldn't really believe a word that came out of my mouth. Give it time, give it time...
Colbie Cailliat and Dave Stewart working on the song Bulletproof Vest
Take a look outside. Its a snowstorm...and I love it! Don't complain. You know deep down inside that you love it too! Its a late night/early morning the day after Christmas and I can't think of a better night to write a post about a new song that I have fallen in love with.
The song is by Dave Stewart and singer/songwriter, Colbie Cailliat. You may be asking to yourself "Why is JD writing about a song by these two singers? They have nothing to do with Fleetwood Mac!" Well, there is a connection. That soulful lady singer is the daughter of former Fleetwood Mac producer, Ken Cailliat. He produced various Mac albums including the classic Rumours album back in 1976 and this song goes to show that having your dad as a record producer definitely pays off! She is a creative singer/songwriter, who could fit back in with the music scene say, 20 to 30 years ago.
It is a beautiful song entitled, Bulletproof Vest. The song illustrates that no matter the age, love is universal. It is a feeling too precious to be analyzed and afraid of. Let that fear go. Just trust in the love and the rest will fall into place. It is an emotion that should be embraced and held without reservation, for as they say in the song, "Love is all you need". -(Both in the Beatles song and this one coming up!)
Bulletproof Vest :Dave Stewart and Colbie Cailliat
I swoon every time I take a listen to this song and am so impressed by the vocal harmonies between these two musicians. Its is an unlikely pair, but Cailliat's earthy style and harmonies blend beautifully with that of Dave Stewart's.
This song is expected to be on Stewart's highly anticipated collaborative album, in which our very own Stevie Nicks will sing on. The album is in the works and is expected to be released at some point next year. It is supposed to be a rockin' album that would have been under my tree on Christmas morning if it were released earlier.
I know it was just Christmas and I don't mean to be greedy but..I want it.
Ignore the "Love Joan" Replace it with...Love, JDskills.
It really IS the most wonderful time of the year isn't it? It is crazy town at my house because its my dad's birthday today, mine tomorrow and then Christmas. Dad. Jilly. Jesus. Thats just the way it goes...and I love it! I finished wrapping the presents and now I feel like I should post some sort of Mac video having to do with Christmas.
That youtube member has done it again. First she made a Thanksgiving Fleetwood Mac video and now she has made a Christmas themed one. This "Wench" (I'm not calling her that-that's her youtube name!) lady sure gets in the holiday spirit...
Little odd....but gives me a chuckle nevertheless...
Here is Stevie Nicks in a rare 1987 MTV interview. She talks about her upcoming tour with Fleetwood Mac, her favorite Christmas song as well as her Christmas memories. Mark 2:57 is a cute Christmas memory that she has from her childhood :)
I have lots of favorite Christmas songs, but these two take the cake. Take a listen and get in the Christmas spirit!
Trans Siberian Orchestra-Christmas Canon
Dan Fogelberg-Same Old Lang Syne
Both are so pretty aren't they? The second one makes smile/sigh every year. A song about memories and new beginnings that come with the new year. This is my favorite Christmas song by far.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year with family and friends. Again, its the most wonderful time of the year. Enjoy it.
I always had the "work hard, play hard" attitude-even at age four!
So I have been MIA (missing in action) for a good week now. Just finished a long week of exams and I'm ready to take a chill pill...but...
I can't. Other than being a college girl and a blogger, I work retail. It is the week before Christmas (yeaaaahhhhh!) and needless to say, I am much needed at the store. Some nights I will be working until...midnight. MIDNIGHT! Pretty nuts right? But hey, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I will just keep singing "Midnight Wind" in my head over and over. Good plan right?
I will be back soon....I promise!
Until then, here is a classic off the Rumours album....
Dreams 1976
Ah speaking of dreams...its time for me to shut my eyes and drift off into dreamland. I just got home from one of those crazy midnight shifts.
Oyyy I am being a pansy... I need to buck up. Its Christmas time! Yayyyy
I bet that little hint that I dropped earlier this evening makes sense now. Here is a song by John Stewart that has Stevie Nicks assisting on vocals and Lindsey Buckingham on electric guitar. Pretty amazing stuff...
Midnight Wind by John Stewart: Stevie Nicks on backing vocals and Lindsey Buckingham on electric guitar.
Wow. Speechless. The song starts methodical and slow, which only builds the anticipation of what is to come at the end of the song. From mark 2:40 onward, the listener can only expect the song to build into an intense explosion of vocals and intricate instrumental work. The culmination of Nicks' harmonies and Buckingham's guitar build over the course of seconds and then boom....3:15 onward is just pure passion.
Much like their own romantic relationship, both Nicks and Buckingham feed off of each other's emotion to create something magical. As Stevie's vocals intensify, Buckingham wails on his guitar as if it is a harmony to the vocal that Stevie is delivering. It is almost as if the two ex-lovers are competing with each other to somehow gain the upper hand in the relationship, both musical and personal.
I don't know which is more chilling. This unbelievable song or the fact that I posted a song entitled Midnight Wind at exactly 12:00 midnight. Chilling.
"There are dreams that fly in the midnight wind
Souls that cry in the midnight wind
Lovers who try in the midnight wind
You and I in the midnight wind"
I am following through with my promise and delivering some great demos this week. Here is one that I LOVE. Seriously, I am IN LOVE with it. This next demo was to be on The Rumours album, and Stevie is singing with musician Walter Egan.
Its songs like these that make the think "Stevie Nicks. You're amazing."-not that I ever doubted it of course. And hey, I know this blog is about the music, but don't you girls love her style? Even though she is living a man's world of rock and roll, she remains feminine. Her style brings me back to a post that I wrote earlier where I wrote about being subtly sexy. She proves that you don't have to bare all on stage in order to be sexy. Subtly sexystyle...thats the way to go.
And what do you all think about Walter Egan? He sure sounds like Tom Petty doesn't he? Anyways, don't you love how their voices seem to mold around eachother? Jam sessions rock (pun) because they are so natural. The talent just emerges and comes through with no effort whatsoever. Again, LOVE this demo. Its such a shame that it never made an album.
You guys are probably going to get more than one demo tonight...
I will return with more later tonight. I feel like I get more musical inspiration at night. Does that happen for any of you guys? It's like...midnight music.
Oooooh. I just got a sudden inspiration for my next blog post. You guys are going to like it. Come back later tonight to check it out! It will be posted at Midnight *hint*... (any idea what I am going to post?)
Ok, so the next few days I am going to post demos/unreleased gems from Stevie Nicks? Sound good? Good...
Some Become Strangers Demo (Unreleased)
This fast-paced gem has to be from the mid to late 80's. Afterall, the song opens with a blaring synthesizer. But listen to her voice. Hear how her voice is a little more rough? That was the way she sounded around that time. In my opinion, her voice sounds too forced rather than effortless like it did in the mid to late 70's, but that doesn't exclude this song from being a good little diddy to dance to!
Its seems to be that on nights like these-cold winter nights,- I like to cozy up in my bed and listen to demo tracks that I have never heard before. That is seriously my idea of a relaxing night. Throw hot chocolate in the mix and I'm golden...
Wind down with me and take a listen...
Lady from the Mountain (1978)
Ah, I love demo tracks like this. Her voice isn't perfect, but thats what makes it so awesome. Its the unpredictability of not knowing what she is going to say next that makes her demos so great. As the song progresses, she seems to only delve deeper into her creative mindset. Its as though shes having a jam session...with herself! The whole song is rockin', but take a listen at mark 4:00 onward. Chills.
Its sad to say that this song never made it onto an album. It was recorded in 1978, so I'm going to take a guess and say she was hoping it would be on the Tusk album. No luck Stevie...
I am going to go ahead and assume that we all know the song by Dave Matthews entitled Crash into Me. Its a song from his Crash album in 1996 that seems to draw a fine line between sweet and sexy. Matthews describes this song as "The worship of women" on his appearance on VH1's Storytellers. It remains a romantic song, but its that subtle hint of sexuality leaves the audience only wanting more.
We all have heard the song from a man's perspective, but what about a woman's perspective? I bet you will be shocked to know that Stevie Nicks did a live version of this song during her appearance on the Soundstage Sessions in 2008. "Crash through the eyes of a woman..." is how Nicks describes her version of the song. What do you guys think? I, for one...love it!
Stevie does a brilliant job at singing the woman's point of view of this song. Men, there ya have it. We are just as "bare boned and crazy for you" as you are for us! Those are the best songs. The ones that both genders can relate to. This song is pure genius. I mean, everytime I listen to it, whether it be Nick's version or the original by Matthews, I am blown away by the force of creativity. Its that creative force that is missing in the music industry today.
So, two words I will leave you with...Subtle Sexuality. Incorporate this into your song (who knows, maybe I have a few followers who are songwriters) and I will play it all night long. <Oh yeah... go to that link and you will get one of the best Warren Zevon songs of all time. Lets just say he isn't too subtle with his sexuality or anything else for that matter...but hey, thats Zevon! Gotta love him...
Whenever the song Gypsy comes on the radio, I am taken back to being five years old and watching VH1's Pop-Up Video on my living room floor. I would be sitting in my mom's pink silk robe, once again trying to dance and be like Stevie Nicks in her 1982 video. Whether I am driving on my way to school or work, I automatically forget the stress and feel warm inside when I hear the first cords of the song blare out of the speakers. Stevie Nicks' song Gypsy which comes off Fleetwood Mac's 1982 Mirage album, seems to be one of those songs that can never get old. Watch the video and it is as if you are taking glimpse into Stevie Nicks' world. In this world, you are forever young.
Stevie Nicks' says that this song is about going back to the person that she was before she joined Fleetwood Mac. If you go to this site, you will come across many different quotes by Nicks' regarding the song. This song is relateable to almost anyone and that is what makes a song great. Everyone can think back and remember a simpler time. A time when not every choice that you made came with a consequence. A time when we all were wide-eyed with excitement and wonder. This songs makes you realize that not everything has to be so complicated. Deep down, we are all children living in one crazy world and the journey is what makes it all worth living for. We need to look at every experience with that same wide-eyed mentality that we had when we were five. The lyrics that shape the meaning of this song are "Lighting strikes, maybe once, maybe twice." Life can be chaotic like a rainstorm, but when we see that flash of lightning rip across the sky, we realize that there is still light even during the most complicated times. Lightning can also represent chances that were missed and chances that we can gain within our lives. We don't know what the future will bring. We can't plan everything. So why not look at the world like we did when we were five and embrace whatever is thrown our way.
Gypsy: 1982 Mirage album
"I still see your bright eyes... ...your bright eyes."
So to continue with Lindsey Buckingham's solo work, I decided to give you some performances to take a look at. I wanted to give you readers a taste of what it is like to see him live...
Bleed to Love Her This is not off his Under the Skin album. It was recorded for Fleetwood Mac on the Say You Will album in 2003. One of my favorite songs by Buckingham. Such a pretty song.
"Somebody's got to see this through
All the world is laughing at you
Somebody's got to sacrifice
If this whole thing is going to turn out right..."
Down on Rodeo. This song is so beautiful live. If one word could describe this song, it would be smooth. The guitar work and vocals are all so fluid and it simply makes me want to swoon! Yup, thats right. This song is so good live that I actually swoon in the audience. No shame and no joke.
Trouble. Buckingham brings a song back from the dead in the best way possible by keeping it simple with just vocals and great guitar work.
"I should run on the double...
...I think I'm in trouble."
According to Buckingham's homepage, he is releasing a new solo album early next year. You know what that means? That's right. An incredible solo tour. Ill be there with bells on and hope you will too!
I have been in such a Lindsey Buckingham funk lately and I love it. Oh yes, when I say funk, don't take it as a bad thing. For the past week I have been listening to a lot of Lindsey Buckingham tunes-both with Fleetwood Mac as well as solo records. I happened to stumble across these amazing videos off youtube which show Lindsey Buckingham himself giving an exclusive guitar instructional video for Guitar World . Simply amazing...
Take a look!
Lindsey Buckingham has never used a guitar pick during his live performances. I have seen Buckingham play up close and personal during his solo concerts as well as Fleetwood Mac shows. No lie when I tell you that I can literally see the streaks of blood flying from his fingertips-Ouch!
In this video clip, Buckingham describes his early influences for his finger picking guitar style. He also analyzes his guitar picking style on Stevie Nicks' song Landslide. Originally, it was only played with the G cord and then evolved to more complex electric cords over time. The Smashing Pumpkins did a cover of the song and I believe that they too only used G cord in their recording of the song. If you are reading this and play guitar, I would love some imput as to what cords are used. I am a little bit of a foreigner when it comes to guitar cords-but that's why I watch these videos right?
Anyways, another interesting thing to point out, is that the last bit of the guitar introduction is a bit longer during live performances in order to give the song "lift" as Buckingham says. Although the lyrics to this song are beautiful and always will be, I truly believe that the guitar is the backbone to this song.
As I watch this next video, I am left with my mouth hanging wide open. I'm hypnotized by Buckingham's guitar work in the song Big Love...
...Seriously...AGAIN PLEASE! This video only reinforces my point that Lindsey Buckingham has magic fingers.
Again you ask? Here is a look at a live performance of Big Love...
After being an avid fan of Fleetwood Mac and watching video after video and listening to various recordings of Buckingham's work both solo and with Fleetwood Mac, I am only more compelled to say that Lindsey Buckingham's guitar work is vastly underrated. I have had the pleasure to see him on his two most recent solo tours, Under the Skin as well as Gift of Screws, and both of his CD's do not do him justice as to the great musician that he is. Although both CD's are great-and I recommend you take a listen- seeing him live is simply out of this world. I am taken to another planet every time I get the chance to see him perform. He has the amazing ability to make that connection with his audience which makes you feel like you are the only person in the room. Sometimes I literally have to to look around to actually remember that there are other people in the small venue. Make eye contact with the man and you become putty in the hands of an artist. He molds you and then you become involved in his artistic creation. His guitar playing and words ooze sensuality and passion and that is a quality is lacking in many musicians today. He has a distinct sound that I have yet to see matched and that is what makes a guitarist truly great. When you hear the cords of his guitar ring in your ears, you know that it is the work of a great guitarist. It is the guitar work of Lindsey Buckingham.
Man, I wish I had a guitar right now. Sad to say, I have never had the chance to actually play a guitar. How sad right? I have always wanted to learn how to play a guitar-that's why I watch these videos right Something to add to my Christmas list ....Maybeeee? "Mom, Dad, I would like a Gibson guitar for Christmas. Please and thank you..."
Well, I guess I'll leave now and let you lucky ducks who have guitars take some pointers from Buckingham. Have fun and until next time...
The ladies of Fleetwood Mac: Stevie Nicks (L) and Christine McVie (R)
Well, JDSkills has done it again. I have found some more amazing demos that I am seriously obsessed with and you my fellow Macters, will be able to get a quick listen. I found some really great demos that are written and sung by the ladies of Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks. These next couple of demos have never seen the light of day ...until now.
Here is one that makes me want to bust a move. This song is written by Christine McVie and was supposed to be on the epic Rumours album in 1977. After listening, I can hardly say I'm surprised. The song is full of drama and anger towards Christine's ex husband and fellow band mate-bass player John Mcvie.
Look at these lyrics...
"Even though you've stopped the sun from shining
Well I've tried my best, but it may not be enough...
What can you say to accuse me
When you know I'm not to blame?"
Now I'm guessing that these lyrics are directed at John for two reasons. 1.) It was written in 1977 and who else would she be talking about? 2.) These lyrics seem to make sense for John Mcvie who at the time was pretty much a raging drunk. Well, maybe not RAGING- I think that's a bit harsh. He just got drunk from time to time and Chris McVie simply grew tired of it. She tried, but there is only so much that a lady can do with a husband who has a drinking problem. Poor Chris...
And might I add, Stevie is also doing vocals with Chris on this song and together, they both sound awesome! Stevie can certainly relate to these lyrics. She herself was going through her own messy breakup with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. I like to think of this song as a mutual shout out towards both of their previous lovers in the band. The song perfectly fits the aura of the album at the time and I think it would have been phenomenal on the Rumours album.
Despite the sad lyrics, it is a rockin' song so go ahead and take a listen!
Believe Me Christine McVie
This next song, is probably one of the most beautiful songs that Stevie Nicks has ever written. This song was written in the 1970's,- it is hard to figure the exact date, but from the tone of her voice, I am guessing it would somewhere around 1976.
The name of this song is China Doll and was written about Lindsey Buckingham (or it has been speculated to be written about him.) It is song about the vulnerability of a relationship. She, or the relationship itself, is the China Doll in this song, for at any moment she could break. Nicks and Buckingham went through their many ups and downs throughout the years and this song perfectly describes the relationship limbo that Nicks was in at the time. Stevie Nicks has written hundreds of beautiful songs, but If I had to choose, this would be her most vulnerable and honest song yet. It is one of those songs that I don't think even belongs on an album. This song is almost too private to be shared with the world...
...But I am sharing it with you. Take a listen...
China Doll Stevie Nicks
So those are only two songs that I will share, but there are TONS more that I will post later on.Thank god for youtube.com or we would have never even known that these demos even existed! In my opinion, raw songs like these are the next best thing to going back in time. I am transported back to a time when songs were based off real emotion. It is refreshing to be able to listen to good music...
Real Music.
I'm on a demo high and need to check out more...maybe I'll post them later! Till next time...
In 1981, Nicks was riding high with her first successful solo album entitled Bella Donna. This album was released on July 27th, 1981 and sold over four million copies in the country. Four singles off her album, Stop Draggin' my Heart Around(ft. Tom Petty), Edge of Seventeen, Leather andLace (ft. Don Henley) and "After the Glitter Fades" made it in the Top 40 on Billboard Hot 100. Not too shabby for your first solo album right?
Right now you're probably thinking "It can't get any better..." Well, it did. Rolling Stone Magazine made Nicks their cover girl in 1981 and crowned her as "Queen of Rock and Roll". I went on youtube.com a few days back and found rare footage of Nicks' Rolling Stone photo shoot. You can actually hear legend photographer Annie Leibovitz giving Nicks' direction in these clips. And hey, its only appropriate that they play Rolling Stone's Beast of Burden on a Rolling Stone Magazine photo shoot right? Check it out...
"Pretty, Pretty, Such a pretty, pretty, pretty girl. Come on babyyyy.." Ah I love that song! :)
I love how shes trying to pose with Max the bird. Props to her! That bird looked a little out of control...
Sometimes, when an artist embarks on a solo career, they can lose who they are as an artist. Stevie Nicks had a brilliant way (and still does for that matter) of maintaining a strong career for both bands. I believe this is because she is aware that she needs to be somewhat different in both situations. If you happen to catch a Fleetwood Mac Tour (I hope to dear god its soon...) take a look at how she is able to be a focal point but able to work with her bandmates as well. She is aware that when she is on tour with Fleetwood Mac, she is one in five people. She is more inhibited in a sense. I'm not saying that she stands there like a stone. Sure, she still rocks the platforms, chiffon and twirls, but she definitely tones it down out of respect for her fellow bandmates. She is not only singing her own songs, but the songs of her other bandmates as well. Catch her on her solo tour and you will see how her stage presence is much different. She is less inhibited for she is her own boss in a sense. It is HER band so she can make her own descisions such as a change up of a set list, or maybe hitting a high note at the end of a song. With Fleetwood Mac, she doesn't have that luxury.
Whether on tour with Fleetwood Mac or on her own, Nicks is simply enchanting. She has an impressive ability to manage her performance in a way that makes everyone happy. She never was cocky with the fact that she was a successful solo artist, and never intended to rub it in Fleetwood Mac's face. What good would that do? That is class at its finest! Nicks is a perfect example of how to stay loyal to your band, while also maintaining a successful solo career. Fergie,Gwen Stefani...take notes!
My sister is home from Los Angeles for the holidays and now we need to BASH it. Want to know what a BASH is? Keep reading over the next few days and you'll find out...
I know I seem to always steer towards talking about Stevie Nicks, but it is only because she is just so gosh darn interesting! I just can't seem to help it! Anyway, after completing the Tusk Tour, she was left with somewhat a confused feeling. She had three great albums under her belt with Fleetwood Mac. However, there were only so many songs that she could have on each Fleetwood Mac record. You have to think, she wasn't the only songwriter in the band. You had Christine McVie as well as Lindsey Buckingham writing songs for each album. This might give you a better idea as to how limited Stevie's songs were for each album...
All of Nicks' songs will be in BOLD
Fleetwood Mac White Album (1975)
1.Monday Morning
2. Warm Ways
3. Rhiannon
4. Over my Head
5. Crystal (collaboration of both Nicks and Buckingham from Buckingham Nicks Record)
6. Say You Love Me
7. Landslide
8. World Turning
9 Sugar Daddy
10. I'm So Afraid (Total: 2 1/2) Rumours Album (1977)
1. Second Hand News
2. Dreams
3 Never Going Back Again
4. Don't Stop
5. Go Your Own Way
6. Songbird
7 The Chain
8. You Make Loving Fun
9. I Don't Wanna Know
10. Oh Daddy
11. Gold Dust Woman (Total: 3..thats a bit better...) Tusk Album (1979)
1. Over and Over
2. The Ledge
3. Think About Me
4. Save Me a Place
5 Sara
6.What Makes You Think You're the One?
7. Storms
8 That's All for Everyone
9. Not that Funny
10 Sister of the Moon
11. Angel
12. That's Enough for Me
13. Brown Eyes
14. Never Make Me Cry
15. I Know I'm Not Wrong
16. Honey Hi
17. Beautiful Child
18 Walk a Thin Line
19. Tusk
20. Never Forget (Total: 5...out of 20)
Wow, even writing this myself just now, I never realized how limited Stevie Nicks' songs were on each album. Think about it this way. With all three albums combined together, there were a total of 41 songs. Stevie Nicks got credit for writing 10 1/2 songs. 10 1/2 out of 40! For the record, (pun) that isn't a lot for a successful songwriter. Stevie Nicks was (and still is to this day) a prolific songwriter meaning that she writes songs constantly. Being able to only allow lets say, three songs on each album was simply not enough. She needed another outlet for her songs and that is the reason as to why she started a solo career after the making of the Tusk album.
Here is a video that clearly explains Nicks' thought process as to why she started a solo career... (PS. Try not to get distracted by the narrator's accent. It makes me laugh a little every time... )
So there you have it. A brief reasoning as to why Stevie Nick's "left" Fleetwood Mac in 1981. I put the word left in quotes because she never actually really left. She would go back and forth between her solo work and her work with Fleetwood Mac. She was constantly balanced between the two commitments and still does to this day. She will record and album when Fleetwood Mac is in their "downtime" and then tour with that album within the same time period. Once Fleetwood Mac decides to make another album, she is always there to rehearse and tour with the band. Obviously, this process has worked because she has been successful with her solo work and Fleetwood Mac for over twenty years now.
I wonder what the band members thought when she walked in the door informing them of her new idea to go solo. Want to know what I heard? I heard that when she finished making her Bella Donna album in 1981, she left a signed album for Lindsey Buckingham to have. I think she left it somewhere outside the studio or his house. Anyways, he never picked it up. Can we blame him? I mean if you put yourself in Lindsey's shoes then you could see as to why he was frustrated. Think about it. He was asked to join Fleetwood Mac in late 1974. They never asked Stevie if she wanted to join. They only needed a guitar player and they asked for him only. Fleetwood Mac already had a female lead and that was Christine Mcvie. It was Lindsey who suggested that they take his girlfriend into the band. They become a huge success with Fleetwood Mac and Nicks' seems to be getting a bit more attention than Buckingham. There were always ego struggles between the two band mates/lovers and it must have been hard simply as a man, to know that your ex girlfriend is getting all the attention on stage, and you are partially to blame. His ego must have been shot. He was ( and still is) an incredible guitar player who in my opinion didn't get enough recognition. Stevie was the focal point, for she understandable had that amazing stage presence and voice. She wore amazing clothing that screamed "Look at me!", and it must have driven Buckingham bananas! To wrap it up, if this speculation is true that Buckingham somewhat snubbed Stevie and her new album...I can't really blame him. Whether she meant the signed album to be a nice gesture or simply a big "In your face Buckingham!", I would have been peeved if I were in his boots.
I'm about to drop a BOMB on you. Steve Nicks and drummer Mick Fleetwood had an affair back on the last leg of the 'Rumours Tour". That's right, even these two got at it! I know, I was just as shocked as you when I first found out. When I look at these two I just don't "see" them together. I always thought the couples were Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham and Christine and John McVie. Those were the couples in the band and that was IT! Seriously, sometimes you take a step back and look at all the relationships within the band and think "Man, that is a band of incest right there". Well, it was bound to happen right? I mean you put rock stars on the road for over a year and its almost a guarantee that a new love affair/fling/experience is going to arise as a result.
When I first was informed of the love affair, I couldn't believe my ears. However, I had to be blind to not know that the affair was already well out in the open. There are plenty of texts and interviews out there of Stevie and Mick being fully open about their affair, but like most of you reading, I too was once a Fleetwood Mac Rookie. I didn't know the inside scoop on the relationship drama. In other words, I didn't know half of what comprises the band Fleetwood Mac.
So me, being the little snoop that I am, wanted to find evidence that these two got their "Mac" on. (haha pun intended!) I scouted out through my folder of vintage tour footage and found some awesome videos from The Rumours Tour. I fast forwarded to the last leg of the tour which was in 1977-1978. These videos are probably my favorites because you actually get a glimpse as to what touring with the band was actually like. The footage was done by some unknown film-maker who was simply just a friend of Mick Fleetwood himself. He tagged along on the tour simply filming as everyone went about their business. The footage is much like that of a home video. Very real, very raw, and a GOLDMINE to snoops like me looking for an affair in the works! Now, I obviously wasn't scouting out for intimate things-that's just a little freaky- but I wanted to catch hints and inklings of this shocking affair. Low and behold, I found a few clips with Stevie and Mick acting a little more "close" than usual.
Catch it at mark 1:18. TUSH GRAB!
Mick creeps in on Stevie doing her makeup at 22 seconds and Stevie could very well just be goofing around and giving Micks make-up a touch up....or we can think of it the "snoop/fun" way and think she is coming up with any excuse just to get her hands on him! She also seems to be very giggly and smiley when he comes into the picture...
Seriously, I only have two videos that I could find on YouTube.com that come from that footage which is torture for me since I know that there is much more out there! If I can figure out how to upload the footage that I have, then I sure will! There are little glances, looks, talks that happen that seem to verify that this love affair was indeed happening. I love it when I find little mischievous tid bits like that! It makes being a Mac fan all the more fun! It may not all be accurate, but that's the fun in speculating! Lets speculate for a few more minutes. Now knowing that there was a fling between Nicks and Fleetwood puts a whole new meaning to these following pictures. What do you think?
This comes from the 1977 cover of "Rolling Stone Magazine" The picture illustrates the different relationships within the band.
So its sweet isn't it? Two people who don't seem to fit the "mold" of a perfect couple suddenly do. They had a lively passionate romance, however there was a down-side. The sad part about this love game was the fact that he was married at the time to London-based model Jenny Boyd and had two little girls. I guess that's the sad risk of having a rock star as your husband. He is gone for months at a time and even when he isn't on tour, he is in the studio recording for his next album. I am in no way excusing Mick of his actions, but at the same time I need to ask Jenny "What did you expect?" Marrying a famous rock star has its consequences and unfortunately, the risk outweighed the marriage this time around.
There you have it Macsters. Mick Fleetwood. Stevie Nicks. Love Affair. I think the short romance was a bit "out there" but as a result, we the listeners received great music! This song that I will leave you with was written by Stevie Nicks and it was about Mick Fleetwood. The song was called Sara. "Why the name Sara?" you may ask. Well lets add a bit more drama to the already chaotic mix shall we? Sara Recor was a model and one of Stevie Nicks' closest friends. Recor and Fleetwood started a relationship whilst he was still being involved with Nicks. Recor claims otherwise and said that she and Mick started their relationship after he and Nicks called it quits. Regardless, the two fell in love and eventually married in the late seventies. You may think that Nicks would have been livid with the fact that Sara and Mick started something together, but the truth is that Nicks was more upset with Fleetwood than Recor. In fact, Sara Recor was actually in the room with Nicks when she wrote the song! Wow...Stevie sure was an understanding friend.
I'll let you all escape the drama by simply listening to the beautiful song Sara which is off of the 1979 album Tusk...
JDSkills
"All I ever wanted, was to know that you were dreaming..." -SN
Another busy weekend Macsters! (PS-thats what I will be calling all of you- Macsters....get it?) With that said, I'm going to be taking a break on the weekend. Here is something to give you a dose of " Mac Fill" until I get back...
Its the girls of the Mac (Christine and Stevie) having some fun in between recording the Tusk album. I love Fleetwood Mac funny clips! 3:05- "NO CLICK!" Ahhh its a hoot. -Enjoy! :)
We've spoken a lot about Fleetwood Mac's successful Rumours Album. But what happened after that? Where did the successful five some go from there? You would think selling over 8 million copies of your album would be a blessing for a band, but is it really? Sometimes when a band makes a really great and memorable album, they then can't find a way to top that success and that is when they become "stuck" and simply drop off the face of the earth. If anything, Fleetwood Mac wanted to make an album that wasn't a "Rumours 2" so to speak.
So after a short break, their following album entitled Tusk was made and let me tell you, the sound is far different from the Rumours album. All members of the band were involved with their vocal arrangements and instrumental work on previous albums, but this time around was a bit different. Lindsey Buckingham seemed to take control of the somewhat tribal sound of the Tusk album. The thing about Buckingham was that he had (and still does to this day have) a goal in mind when making an album. He, just like any other serious recording artist, never wants to make two albums that sound the same. Every band needs that type of band mate. A band needs to have a creative leader. Sure, Mick Fleetwood is considered the Big Daddy of Fleetwood Mac, but he only has an instrumental ear. Buckingham however has an ear for both vocal harmonies as well as music combined for he sings and plays lead guitar. He has personal experience. Take a look at this short clip that explains the making of the Tusk album...
If I could describe the Tusk album in three words it would be...hmmm...tribal,experimental,abstract. Before the recording of the album, Buckingham informed Fleetwood of an idea that he had for the album. He proposed recording a few tracks by himself before re-joining the band in studio. There were definitely mixed emotions among band members to this proposition. Mick Fleetwood's concern was the fact that his drums may not match the recording of Buckingham's vocals or guitar. Fleetwood thought it would be better suited for the band if they were all in one room recording the album. The recording was quite difficult in the studio for in the 1970's, studios were poorly built. A lot of artists had trouble getting an ambiance or echo on their tracks. The walls and floor were carpeted resulting in poor, flat sound. These rooms were like a recording artists' nightmare. Buckingham would actually record much of the album's material in a bathroom in order to gain a fuller sound. Here is a current video from 2007 describing Buckingham's slightly absurd/OCD-ish ways to record the Tusk album. Needless to say...fellow band members sometimes thought he was losing his mind..Stevie Nicks humorously interprets what Lindsey was like mixing the Tusk album..
I have mixed feelings towards this. I mean I definitely see where Fleetwood is coming from. If I were a drummer ( the essential "heartbeat" of the band's music) I would feel more comfortable having every single one of my band mates in the same studio and recording together. However, I can also see where Buckingham is coming from. He wanted to take a completely different approach to the album. He wanted to explore and go back to his creative roots that he had before he joined Fleetwood Mac. Everyone was looking at the making of this new album in a different way and all of those ideas are reflected in the sound of the album.
A lot of people hate the sound of Tusk. What's JDSkills opinion of this you might ask?
Well here it is...
I LOVE THE TUSK ALBUM! Yeah, its a little quirky and weird but that's why I love it! I loved the Rumours album (who doesn't?) but Tusk is so unique and different. This is when Stevie Nicks got to write songs that were more loose and less commercial. Lindsey Buckingham cut the Afro off his head and to top it off, he cut his pop-rock sound and geared towards the punk sound. Christine McVie is probably the only vocalist who seemed to sound the same. That's one thing that is different about Christine compared to Nicks. When McVie knows that an album needs to be recorded then she starts writing songs. Nicks on the other hand is constantly writing songs, giving a variety of different arrangements to choose from. Regardless, both musicians are excellent in their own right. It seemed as though each member from the band came back from the Rumours tour with a different way at looking at music. There was obviously still that raw tension and chemistry within the band. Actually, little tid bit- Midway through the Rumours Tour Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks had a fling. *Gasp* Yeah, I know right? I wonder what Buckingham had to say about that? Anyways, we will talk a bit more about that later...
Here are a few clips of the band actually mixing and recording the Tusk album...Enjoy!
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham recording one of my personal favorites from the album-Nicks' song, Angel. Also, a little bit of footage at the end to show Buckingham's mixing techniques.
Poor Stevie living in a mans world! She totally is making sense and they just make fun of her. Don't worry Stevie! I understand what you were trying to say...
A little background on Christine McVie as well as her recording "Make me Cry". Such a calm cool chick...reflects in her music!
