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.
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."
Do you ever wonder what goes into the making of a song? I sure do. Whenever I am listening to the finished album cut of a song, I always wonder..."What does the demo sound like?" I always seem to like the rough cuts more than the clean ones. To me, they sound more authentic and raw. I like to hear what could have been in the song. You can hear vocals and instruments that never made the finished product and in all actuality, those extra bits made the song that much better. When I listen to demos, I make sure to listen to them the whole way through. Especially with a band like Fleetwood Mac, you always seem to hear tid-bits of interesting lyrics that give a better explanation to the song. Like I stated before, when listening to a Fleetwood Mac song, particularly from the Rumours era, it is like reading their diary. Within these demos are extra "pieces of the puzzle" that allow the listeners to experience what they were feeling at that very moment. Its like being a fly on the wall so to speak...(the one time when I would love to be an insect).
Lots of times in demo, you will get longer tracks for they simply did not have room to fit them on an album. A classic example of this would be when Stevie Nicks was denied to have her beautiful song, Silver Springs on the 1976 Rumours album. The song was recorded and then at the last second, she was told it would not make the album for it was too long. The song was replaced with a shorter upbeat song of Nicks' called I Don't Want to Know.-an awesome diddy might I add...
Thankfully, Silver Springs was finally released 25 years later on the Rumours expansion CD, but until then very few were exposed to album version of the song.
Alright so I'm a demo girl but who knows, you guys might like the finished product of a song better than the demo! We all have our differences...
You guys listen to these next few vids and you make the call. Demo or Album? ( Stevie Nicks has many demos, so I just focused on her songs. When I find more from Christine and Lindsey I will be sure to post them!)
Silver Springs Demo 1976 Rumours
Silver Springs1976- Sold now on: Rumours Expansion CD ( The recording that was cut at the last minute. This was the final cut)
Gypsy Demo 1983
Gypsy on 1983 Mirage Album
So those are a few comparisons of a demo versus and album track...
Now here are some songs that resurfaced a good twenty-plus years after they were first recorded. The first song is a song of Nicks' If you Ever Did Believe The song was written for the Rumours album and once again...a beautiful song that never made the cut. It resurfaced when Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crowe re-recorded this song in order for it to be in the 1998 film Practical Magic starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. Take a listen...
1976" Rumours-to be" Version (Demo-take)If You Ever Did Believe
1998 Music Video to Film Practical Magic Re-recorded If You Ever Did Believe
...And remember that other song that was supposed to be on Rumours? I wrote about it to you earlier, but it is the song Planets of the Universe. Its a haunting song that never made the album but it finally found its was out to the public when Stevie Nicks re-recorded it for her 2003 Trouble in Shagri-La Album. Check out the differences in these two versions...
1976 "Rumours to be" Version Planets of the Universe
2003 Trouble in Shangri-La Album: Stevie Nicks solo
And might I add that all four versions (both new and old) are in my currently Ipod-and I hope they will be in yours too!
I hope the next time you listen to an album version of a song, you will think of the process that went into making that recording what it is today. Who knows, maybe there are more songs out there that we have yet to hear. All we need to do is wait twenty plus years...
Stevie Nicks is known for her mystical ways and enchanting songs. Her hit song Rhiannon off of the 1975 self titled Fleetwood MacWhite Album album put her on the map as not only a pretty face, but a voice of a generation. Her choice of style and mystical dancing gave people the false conception that she could even be a WITCH! How ridiculous is that? In this 2007 CBS interview from mark 2:00 onward, she speaks of how she had to wear every color opposite of black in order for people to not think she was a witch. Her unique and flowy clothing style (chiffon, chiffon, chiffon,) added to her stage presence. She never showed too much skin and relied on her voice to make her sexy. Many people compare her to Lady Gaga in the way that she is spacey and different. I can agree with this fact, but I bet you wouldn't catch Nicks wearing next to nothing on stage in order to make a point. This blog post is going to be a short one, but it is to look at the leading lady of Fleetwood Mac and look at her styles from the mid seventies to present day. A step into her closet if you will...Enjoy!
Buckingham Nicks Album Cover: This was the band that Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham started, before it was dropped in 1974. Nicks was so upset with this cover for the fact that she wasn't wearing clothing. Check out this quote from the Boston Globe in 1990. It gives a background story on the dreaded photo shoot.
"Lindsey and I] were really poor when we took that picture [Buckingham Nicks album cover], and I went out and spent my last $111 on a really beautiful, very sexy blouse. And they agreed to do half the session in the blouse, and I thought 'Oh, I'll win. They'll love this blouse, and they're gonna love the way I look.' Well halfway through the session, one of the photographers came over and said, 'Okay, it's time to take off the blouse,' and I died. it was awful, you know...."
...Now do you think you would catch Gaga saying that?
White Album (Fleetwood Mac Album) 1975: She's dressed! Yay! This isn't my favorite look but it was definitely obvious that she was starting to form her style. She was 27 at this time and just hit the road with Fleetwood Mac. In my opinion, she hasn't hit the nail on the head but she definitely gave off that "cool chick" vibe. The top hat helps too.
Rumours 1976 (The Rock Gypsy):Now this is when she hits the nail on the head! This time era deserves a few photos because her style was just impeccable and are the definition of Stevie Nicks. This is when Fleetwood Mac was soaring and Nicks became known for that mystical, enchanting singer/songwriter. This was a time period in which Stevie Nicks and style became one in one. Women wanted to be her and men wanted to be with her. She gives off a cool rock star vibe while having the amazing ability to remain feminine. Here's what she had to say (from the same Boston Globe Interview) about her style choice at that time...
"Because I said, 'All right, that's it. We're gonna work this out so that I still have an image and a vibe, but instead of going in the direction that a lot of the women singers are going in now, I'll be very, very sexy under 18 pounds of chiffon and lace and velvet. And nobody will know what I really am. I will have a mystique. None of these other people will have a mystique, but I will.' And I have that mystique. That's one thing that I'm real proud of."
Needed to post this pic as a continuation of the Rumours topic. This picture defines Rock and Roll Gypsy.
Stevie on the 1980 Tusk Tour
Stevie on the 1983 Mirage Tour
The 1980's Tusk/Mirage Album and Solo Bella Donna: I'm going to wrap all of these time periods into one and give you a nutshell. This was a time where Nicks was still part of Fleetwood Mac while embarking on a solo career in 1981. Her first solo album was Bella Donna and she juggled both roles as a band member and a solo artist and still does to this day (We will talk more about her solo stuff later...) She was a definite style icon throughout the 80's just as much as she was in the 70's. The only thing that changed...maybe the hair.
Stevie performing on her 1981 Bella Donna Tour. Bella Donna was her first solo album.
1987. The hair definitely changed huh? I warned you!
The 1990's -Time of Change: During this time period, many things happened that we just don't have time to cover. But in a nutshell, Lindsey Buckingham leaves Fleetwood mac in the late 1980's right before they are to hit the road on the Tango in the Night Tour.(This causes once again drama in the band to say the least...) During the 90's many of the band members go their separate ways but then unite in an MTV taping of TheDance which was the bands first tour together since the original five broke up in the late 80's. The band takes another break after the tour and Stevie does some solo shows in the early millennium. The band reunites in 2003 to create their first studio album since 1987. This album is called Say You Will. The band goes on tour and then will take a break once again to regroup for another tour in 2009.-Fleetwood Mac Unleashed. Again this is a broad view on the changes, but it is to give you a background in why we skipped so many years in Stevie's styles. Phew that was long! Don't worry, you guys will get the inside scoop on what happened (or was speculated to happen) during those years! Until now...back to the style pics!
Stevie on the Dance Tour in 1997. Still beautifully rocking the chiffon
...And Present Day! As you can see from this picture, Stevie Nicks is still rocking it out at the age of 62 and still rockin' that top hat and chiffon. She is a timeless singer/songwriter whose shoes (in her case platforms) will never be filled by anyone else. Hope you enjoyed a Step into Stevie closet and got a taste of what the Queen of Rock and Roll would wear.
So I am now in the mood to watch a great Stevie performance that showcases not only her talented vocals and stage presence, but her incredible and natural eye for style. Lets check out this awesome interview (with Bob Welch, Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks) and then an amazing performance at the Cal Jam 1978 Festival. If you want to skip the interview and get to the live performance just go to mark 2:20.
Man what I would give to wear that out fit...Only Stevie could pull that look off.
