THE POWERFUL, ENDURING PRESENCE OF STEVIE NICKS

STEVIE NICKS

The Soundstage Sessions (Reprise)
US release date: 31 March 2009
UK release date: 30 March 2009

By Christian John Wikane
PopMatters Contributing Editor

I miss new albums by Stevie Nicks. Tearing the plastic off a Stevie Nicks record that contains completely unknown material is a thrill that listeners have only truly experienced six times since her 1981 solo debut, Bella Donna. Compilations occasionally fill those long gaps with a new song here and there, but they do not summon the same charge as a whole set of songs that Nicks is introducing for the first time.

Scanning the track list of The Soundstage Sessions, portions of a concert Nicks recorded in October 2007 for the PBS Soundstage program, there are eight titles familiar to anyone with a cursory knowledge of Nicks or Fleetwood Mac, plus a cover of “Crash” by Dave Matthews Band and Bonnie Raitt’s “Circle Dance”, which Nicks sings with Vanessa Carlton (a misstep). How does it all add up?

First, irrespective of current record sales, Nicks has every reason to record a new album. She has a wealth of material and her voice remains a uniquely expressive instrument. Whatever the record label prognosticators may argue, there is a demand for a Stevie Nicks album that doesn’t include “Stand Back” or “Landslide” for the umpteenth time. The Soundstage Sessions has both but, to its credit, it also includes gems like “How Still My Love” and “Fall From Grace”, songs that have not yet been tossed into the compilation spin cycle. Disregarding the missed opportunity of a new Stevie Nicks album, The Soundstage Sessions is mostly satisfying. Nicks sounds damn good on all of these tracks, even if the world did not necessarily need another version of “Landslide”.

CONTINUE TO FULL REVIEW

Fleetwood Mac End Of Tour Specials!

Live Nation(link)

RUMOURS REVISITED

Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
Records Revisited
By Jason Andreasen
Tigerweekly.com

When Fleetwood Mac released Rumours in February 1977, it was an immediate hit. It perched itself atop the Billboard charts for a staggering 31 weeks and garnered four top-10 singles. But not everybody loved it. Some dismissed the album - and the band - as nothing more than a practice in pandering to mainstream pop audiences.

But why? The album has all the quintessential rock storylines caged within its 39 minutes including love and betrayal, sex and drugs, hatred and optimism - all delivered with an expertly orchestrated peek-behind-the-curtain touch. How could an album with such groundwork have been seen as just pandering to pop?

Full Blog Article

STEVIE NICKS AND MICHELLE BRANCH ON THE BEACH

I was looking for the actual published photo from this photo session - but couldn't find it. I also can't recall what magazine this photo session was for... Was it Instyle just a few years ago? This is an outtake shot from that session on the beach. Posted by Michelle Branch

PEACEKEEPER ALTERNATE FLEETWOOD MAC VIDEO

Well this is new! I think I like it... The video's a little bit busy with the constant split screens, but the live footage from what looks like either a live show or the live dress rehearsal they performed at before the Say You Will Tour, is really great to see!!



[NOTES FROM YOUTUBE]
Fleetwood Mac- Peacekeeper Video. Directed by Lindsay Buckingham, Matt Baumann and Kyle Einhorn. The team that brought you FLEETWOOD MAC- DESTINY RULES. This gem has sat on a drive since 2004. Edited by Matt C Burnett. Assistant edited by Ryan Zuttermeister.

ELLE MAGAZINE SCANS

This is basically a repost: These are the two pages of Elle Magazine from July, 2009 that Stevie appeared in: