Thursday, August 20, 2009
COLBIE CAILLAT, takes inspiration from FLEETWOOD MAC
Rumours of Colbie Caillat's talent are totally true
By ADRIAN THRILLS
For millions of fans, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours provided a soundtrack to the late 1970s. Topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, it is regarded as a rock milestone.
But, to the young Colbie Caillat, who wasn't even born when the album was made in 1977, Rumours was just a batch of songs that had something to do with her father and his mates.
Ken Caillat was in the producer's chair for many of the classic Fleetwood Mac albums of the 1970s and 1980s, including Rumours.
And Colbie, the younger of Ken's daughters, grew accustomed to the sight of Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks in her California home.
'When I was younger, I didn't know Fleetwood Mac were such a big deal,' says Colbie, 24. 'They would come to our place and hang out, and Dad sometimes took me along to the studio.
'I remember going to Mick Fleetwood's house in Hawaii and taking a ride on a boat owned by John McVie. I once borrowed a jacket that Stevie Nicks wore to the Grammys.'
As she got older, Colbie - now a fast-rising singer-songwriter in her own right - began to appreciate the reputation of Fleetwood Mac and the legacy of Rumours, an album recorded in a drug-addled haze of romantic discord and disintegration.
'It's only now that I'm starting to get the full story,' she says. 'But all the intrigue adds to the legend of that band.
'People liked Rumours because it was real and honest. The group were singing songs about their love interests, their affairs and even the drugs.'
A bright-eyed, all-American girl, Colbie says she learnt a lot from Fleetwood Mac. Sensible enough to have avoided drugs - she unwinds with nothing more than a cold beer - she admires the veteran band for their songcraft.
'On Rumours every song had its place. That's the kind of record I want to make. I wouldn't put my name on an album with two good tracks plus a load of filler.'
Caillat (the name rhymes with ballet) is already on the way to achieving her goal. Her first album Coco, released two years ago, sold two million copies in her homeland.
Titled after her childhood nickname, its progress was helped by a major hit single in Bubbly.
Now she hopes to build on her U.S. success by cracking Britain. Her second album Breakthrough, out next month, is a step in the right direction: its mellow, acoustic-based songs are perfect for balmy, late summer days.
Colbie, who sports a floral tattoo on her arm, tells me her laid-back style is a natural consequence of a childhood spent on the Malibu shore.
'It was always warm and sunny, and that's where my outlook comes from,' she says.
Although Fleetwood Mac are an influence, Colbie began singing aged 11 after hearing the Fugees' 'beautiful' version of Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly With His Song.
But, while she did well in school talent contests, her father told her that having a great voice wasn't enough: if she wanted to make a living out of music, she was going to have to write her own songs. With that in mind, she began piano and guitar lessons.
She penned her first song at 19 and, prompted by a friend, set up a MySpace site to make her material available online.
At first, nothing much happened. But after she added Bubbly, the reaction was spectacular.
'I was suddenly getting 50,000 hits a day,' she says, still incredulous. 'Within six months, I had become the number one unsigned artist on MySpace.'
Not for long, though. Impressed by her internet profile, the major labels were quickly on her trail.
A deal with Universal followed, and Colbie soon found herself on the road with college rockers The Goo Goo Dolls and singer-songwriter John Mayer, one of her idols.
'I got noticed because of the fans I picked up on MySpace,' she says. 'The record labels used to go to clubs to scout for new bands. Now, thanks to the internet, fans can choose who they want to be signed.
'I had nothing, no real foundation, when I put my songs online. I was lucky in that my fans found me and ultimately liked what they heard.'
For Coco, Colbie stayed true to the rough-and-ready spirit of the songs that first got her noticed. With Breakthrough, though, she has changed tack. Written in Hawaii and recorded in Los Angeles, it is a more considered affair.
'My first album was a raw collection,' she says. 'I'd write a song and put it on MySpace the same day. Those songs eventually ended up on the first album. With Breakthrough, I opened up to different kinds of music. I worked with five different producers.'
Now, having conquered the internet and the U.S, Colbie is touring again, with UK shows planned for next year.
'Having fans on MySpace is great, but there's something unreal about it,' she says. 'Seeing people at a show is much better. I'm starting to feel more comfortable on stage.'
Labels:
Colbie Caillat,
Fleetwood Mac,
Rumours
PRE-SALE FLEETWOOD MAC AUSTRALIA TICKETS
LINK TO PURCHASE PRE-SALE TICKETS:
Information on General Ticket Sales through Ticketmaster or Tickettek
is expected within the next week
December 1: Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena)
December 2: Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena)
December 5: Hunter Valley (Hope Estate Winery)
December 7: Sydney (Acer Arena)
December 8: Sydney (Acer Arena)
December 11: Perth (Members Equity)
December 12: Perth (Members Equity)
December 15: Brisbane (Entertainment Centre)
December 16: Brisbane (Entertainment Centre)
Pre-Sale Ticket Prices:
Melbourne - Dec 1
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Melbourne - Dec 2
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Hunter Valley - Dec 5
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Sydney - Dec 7
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$249.50 - A Reserve
$215.50 - B Reserve
Sydney - Dec 8
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Hunter Valley - Dec 5
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Sydney - Dec 7
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$249.50 - A Reserve
$215.50 - B Reserve
Sydney - Dec 8
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$249.50 - A Reserve
$215.50 - B Reserve
Perth - Dec 11
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 1st & 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Perth - Dec 12
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$249.50 - A Reserve
$215.50 - B Reserve
Perth - Dec 11
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 1st & 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Perth - Dec 12
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Brisbane - Dec 15
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$240.50 - A Reserve
$205.50 - B Reserve
Brisbane - Dec 15
(Front Row Reserve - SOLD OUT)
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Brisbane - Dec 16
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 1st & 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Brisbane - Dec 16
Tickets are priced from:
$495.00 - 1st & 2nd Row
$445.50 - 3rd -5th Row
$245.50 - A Reserve
$210.50 - B Reserve
Labels:
Fleetwood Mac,
Unleashed in Australia
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM (FLEETWOOD MAC) INTERVIEW SCHEDULED THIS WEEK IN NZ
Just like old timers
NZHerald.co.nz
NZHerald.co.nz
Fleetwood Mac are heading this way during the summer - but final dates and venues were not known before going to print.
TimeOut has an interview scheduled this week with the band's guitarist and pop genius, Lindsey Buckingham, to talk about the tour. So watch this space.
The band, currently made up of Buckingham, singer Stevie Nicks, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bass player John McVie, have just finished an American tour, are about to start a European jaunt, and it is understood they will then head down under.
Labels:
Fleetwood Mac,
Unleashed in Australia
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
FLEETWOOD MAC HOPE ESTATE WINERY TIX ONSALE 8/24
Fleetwood Mac at Hope Estate
Saturday December 5th, 2009
Accommodation Package price is $700.00 per two persons, per room, for accommodation Friday December 4th and Saturday December 5th 2009, including delicious hot country style breakfast served to your room, tastings of our own Patrick Plains Estate Shiraz, from our own working vineyard, and canapés made from a range of fresh local Hunter Valley Produce.
Fleetwood Mac at Hope Estate
Following on the heels of their hugely successful 55 city U.S. Tour, Fleetwood Mac are set to bring their “Unleashed” Tour to Australia later this year.
The tour, their first in five years, is a two-hour plus celebration of all the greatest hits from undoubtedly one of the most enduring, celebrated and influential rock groups of all time.
Fleetwood Mac – Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie – have received unanimous rave reviews on the US tour and have enjoyed themselves so much, they have added a two month stint through Europe leading into Australia starting December 1.
Don’t miss the chance to see this extraordinary, iconic band in what promises to be one of the musical highlights of the year.
Event Information
More Fleetwood Mac information available at www.hopeestate.com.au
Patrick Plains Estate is on the Pokolbin coach route for shuttles to and from the concert, simply wander down to the bottom of our driveway and hop on. Shuttle times and prices are posted in Reception on the day of the show.
Tickets are available from Ticketek at www.ticketek.com.au and on sale from Monday 24th August 2009.
Book Now – Availability is limited!
Your Fleetwood Mac accommodation experience is just a click away here
Labels:
Fleetwood Mac,
Unleashed in Australia
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