No Mirage... Fleetwood Mac Returns With New Songs

"We just made the decision to put a few of these songs on iTunes," Fleetwood said - the EP is expected to drop any day.

Boston Herald - April 12, 2013

Bob Lefsetz showing "Christine McVie" a little love

Lindsey Buckingham gets all the credit. Stevie Nicks gets all the attention. But Christine McVie was the glue. She bridged the gap from obscurity to fame. Nicks twirled, but it was Christine with her understated beauty that enraptured us. And it was Christine's track that broke the new Fleetwood Mac. Yes, "Over My Head" paved the way for "Rhiannon." And Bill Clinton's theme song, "Don't Stop," was not the work of an American, but a Brit, Christine McVie.

And for a while there, Christine was part of the Fleetwood Mac reunion, but then she dropped out. And too often band names are brand names and individuals are forgotten, but in Christine's case, this is unjust.

But all her Fleetwood Mac tunes stay in rotation. And if you loved those, maybe you missed her 1984 solo

album, produced by Russ Titelman, that had some traction but then disappeared, as if it were never made, but there are a few tracks that I'll never forget, that titillate me to the core.

Like "So Excited"...

"Well, I'm so excited

My baby is on his way"

It's the jangly guitar part and then the pure voice. The track exudes honesty, which is the heart of great music. You really feel like Christine has been waiting all day, cleaning the house, prepping her look, waiting for him to show up.

Who hasn't done this?

It's the essence of love. The anticipation!

REVIEW: Stevie Nicks: "In Your Dreams" Documentary

Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams

Two and a half stars out of five
by Katherine Monk
Canada.com

Starring: Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart
Directed by: Dave Stewart
Running time: 100 minutes
Parental Guidance: coarse language

They say the creative process can be like riding a rabid bull, eager to gore you in a moment of distraction one minute, and likely to stampede in a rush of inspiration the next.

Unpredictable, fiery and completely random, creativity can reduce the bravest, most decorated left-brained soldier into a puddle of nervous mush.

For singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks, this seems to be a natural state — a lacy palace of romantic thoughts and swirling melodies that complements her actual abode, a sprawling mansion with a mega-rotunda in suburban Los Angeles.

The house and Nicks’s ephemeral creative muse are essentially the two stars of In Your Dreams, a new documentary from multi-hyphenate producer Dave Stewart.

Part video diary of the production process, and part artist portrait, In Your Dreams chronicles the conception, gestation and eventual birth of Nicks’ latest studio offering, which shares the same title as the movie.

In many ways, it feels a lot like a generic outing from the folks at VH1 or MuchMusic — a slick collage of music videos and talking head interviews cut within an inch of looking like a straight commercial.

Yet, for all the generic filmmaking device, In Your Dreams is not a generic experience because Stevie Nicks is not your average pop star.

Easily one of the more compelling figures to occupy a stage at the height of the arena-rock era while a member of the record-breaking, iconic act Fleetwood Mac, Nicks always smacked of difference.

With her black cloaks, spinning dance moves and sulky, notoriously nasal voice, Nicks became a cryptic sex symbol, and part of the pop culture soap opera as the world followed her affairs and heartbreaks with the likes of Lindsey Buckingham and others.

Rumours of everything from substance abuse to witchcraft were also thrown into the cauldron of talk, and while In Your Dreams doesn’t exactly denude the singer’s quirky personal curiosities, it does bring the icon into clearer focus.

And frankly, that’s not always a good thing.

On the up side, we are given unprecedented insight into how Nicks creates her signature tunes. Without the structure of a formal musical education, Nicks simply sits at the keyboard and plinks around on the keys until she finds the right sounds to fit the melody in her head.

As the musicians in the room make abundantly clear, she breaks the rules of music all the time, often changing the number of beats in a bar, the time signature and the verb tense of the lyrics.

At times, we hear expert production staff tell her “she can’t” do something, to which Nicks responds in a perfectly diva-esque drawl, that “of course she can” — because it’s art, after all, not a term paper.

Her self-possession is obviously one of the big reasons why she became as successful as she is, but we also hear how success created fear at the bottom of her creative well, making her dread the possibility of fabricating a complete dud.

Stewart helps her get through all these creative traps because he not only understands the musician’s headspace and the female mind (having worked with Annie Lennox as the other half of Eurythmics), he’s a natural observer.

At the top of the film, Stewart tells us he’s been a man with a movie camera ever since he found a gold chain on the street, turned the corner to find a pawn shop, and traded the chain for an 8mm consumer model. He loves making movies, and we can feel his passion behind the frames as he completes a two-pronged project: the record, and the movie about making it.

The best parts come after the midway point, once Stewart has established Nicks as a serious artist worthy of icon status, because once he’s dispensed with her legacy, he can get down to brass tacks — and offer up the real face of the Phoenix-born daughter named Stephanie Lynn Nicks.

Conjuring a feeling somewhere between nutty cat-collector and esteemed oddball sculptress Louise Nevelson, we hear Nicks tell us she was so moved by the plight of Katrina victims she “needed to take action.” So she wrote a poem.

She also tells us: “If my father were still the president of Greyhound, he would have had every bus in the country” converging on the deluged bayou to help move people.

These are lovely sentiments, and writing a song for the suffering is a nice gesture. Similarly, she tells us how much the Italians are going to love the ballad she wrote about Italy because it’s “the most romantic song (she) has ever written.”

And then, she talks about how much she loves Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series because she feels a soul connection to the fictional Bella Swan — because she, too, fell in love with a beautiful boy at 16 who eventually dumped her.

This stuff all feels a little too self-indulgent to spur feelings of sympathy, but it’s undeniably real and speaks directly to who Stevie Nicks really is: A well-intentioned, high-minded woman who feels great waves of empathy for others, but also has a healthy sense of ego to ensure she never feels like a wishy-washy waif.

Stewart captures the woman in fits and spurts, but he’s a rather random director and for all the technical prowess he brings to the booth, the songs feel overproduced. In fact, one of the most illuminating moments involves a demo track for an old unrecorded song that was found on the Internet.

The song is so cool, they decide to record it with all the bells and whistles. Yet, it doesn’t take a thick-rimmed music geek to realize the track sounded better as a haunting acoustic number. Stewart seems to turn everything into a Sting solo album, which may be manna to some people’s ears, but make mine hide under the bed.

As a slice of L.A. life, In Your Dreams succeeds beyond caveats because it captures all the ego and chandelier crystal of the fame-enabled lifestyle, but as a music doc and straight biography, In Your Dreams feels a little bleary-eyed.

Eurythmics’ Stewart wowed by Night of 1,000 Stevies
by Jane Stevenson
Jam ShowBiz!

Eurythmics’ guitarist Dave Stewart, who co-wrote and co-produced Stevie Nicks’ 2011 solo album, In Your Dreams, also directed a documentary of the same name about the experience which begins exclusive engagements across Canada starting April 15 in Toronto.

Stewart told QMI Agency he came away from the exprience impressed by the diversity of Nicks’ fan base.

“What’s amazing about Stevie’s audience is that it ranges from 12 years old to 60 odd years old,’ said Stewart.

“I mean girls of 16 are obsessed with the look, the feeling, the words, and then you get soldiers – it’s amazing – you get a cross-section audience, age-wise, gender-wise.”

Like the Night of 1,000 Stevies, an annual event bringing together Nicks lovers and look-and-sound-alikes staged in New York, with this year’s 23rd event happening on May 3 at Highline Ballrom.

“It’s a huge sort of gay gathering that all worships Stevie. It’s another huge part of her audience,” said Stewart. “They all have a great time and every single one is dressed as Stevie.”

In Your Dreams Canadian screenings.

• Toronto / TIFF Bell Lightbox April 15 (7 p.m and 730 p.m. with Stevie Nicks Q&A afterwards) and then April 16–18.
• Ottawa / Mayfair Theatre - April 19 & 20
• Winnipeg / Winnipeg Cinematheque - May 2,3 & 5
• Saskatoon / Broadway Theatre - May 13
• Edmonton / Metro Cinema at the Garneau - May 14
• Calgary / Globe Cinema - May 16
• Vancouver / Vancity Theatre - May 18
• Montreal/ Cinema du Parc - June 14-17

4 Contests: WIN Tickets To See Fleetwood Mac Live - TULSA, LONG ISLAND, LAS VEGAS, NEWARK

TULSA, OK

Mix96 Tulsa Contest

Mix96 Tulsa is currently holding an on-line contest for you to register to win a pair of tickets to see Fleetwood Mac Live in Tulsa, Ok on May 1st at the BOK Center.

The contest ends on April 26th... If you are in the area, what do you have to loose... Go ahead and register.

Register at Mix96 Tulsa

Tulsa World Contest

Check out Tulsa World reporter Jennifer Chancellor's Barrelhouse Beat blog through this weekend for your chance to win a pair of tickets to Fleetwood Mac's May 1 concert at the BOK Center. 

Starting Friday morning, answer band trivia - the more days you participate, the more chances you have to win. Plus, if you answer the daily "bonus" question, that counts as another entry. The contest ends Sunday at midnight. 

tulsaworld.com/barrelhousebeat

NEWARK, NJ

Enter now for your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Fleetwood Mac performing on April 24th at the Prudential Center.

Deadline to enter is April 17, 2013. There will be 5 winners chosen. One entry per person. You do not need to be present or listen to win. Odds of winning are dependent on the total number of entries received. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Approximate Retail Value of prize is $100. To purchase tickets go to livenation.com.

Register at WCBSFM

NEW YORK CITY
Q104.3 - New York City
Enter below for a chance to win tickets to see Fleetwood Mac at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater in June.
Contest ends: 6/13/2013 11:59 PM
Details at Q104.3

LAS VEGAS
Enter To Win Tickets To See Fleetwood Mac At The MGM Grand Arena In Vegas (USA only), Trip Includes Air+Hotel & Tickets For 2.
Enter Here : http://musicandprizes.com/contests/FleetwoodMac/entry.htm
Contest/Giveaway Details : One time entry only
Contest/Giveaway Ends : April 25th 2013

REVIEW: "Fleetwood Mac can still hold audiences rapt with their emotional baggage" - Washington 4/9/13

Photo by: Buster Harvey liveshotsphotography.com

Return of the Mac
Review: Fleetwood Mac debuts new song, rocks Verizon Center

BY: CJ Ciaramella
Washington Free Beacon
Photos by: Buster Harvey, liveshotsphotography

Ten thousand drunk women agree: They still love Stevie Nicks.

That was the news from my seat Tuesday night in the 400-level of the Verizon Center, where Fleetwood Mac returned to the stage for the first time in three years.

The calls rained down from the crowd: “I love you, Steeeeeevie!”

Like any number of other aging rock acts, Fleetwood could have just slapped together a tour and slogged through their old hits. According to the Internet, which is always correct, the Eagles are hitting the road this summer in support of a “career-spanning documentary” the band released in February.

Warner Bros. recently released a 35th anniversary “super deluxe” edition of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 mega-hit “Rumours,” which is as good an excuse as any for a tour. Instead, Fleetwood debuted new material amidst a solid mix of deep cuts and hits from across its catalogue.

“One of the things we thought would be a great thing to do this time before we hit the road was go into the studio and cut some new material,” guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said.

An EP of the new material is expected to drop sometime in the imminent future, and the band played one of the new cuts, “Sad Angel,” Tuesday night.

Mawkish title aside, the song sounded like vintage Fleetwood—driving mid-tempo drums, nice harmonies between Nicks and Buckingham, and catchy guitar lines.

The band also played a couple cuts from the new-wave tinged “Tusk,” as well as a forgotten demo from its early days.

From my high perch overlooking stage left, I could make out the general form of Nicks as she shambled about the stage in her gypsy woman outfit, tambourine in hand.

Photo by: Buster Harvey liveshotsphotography.com

Nicks can’t hit the high notes anymore, something most noticeable on songs like “Dreams” and “Rhiannon.”

Buckingham’s voice has also been grizzled by age. Without the tempering alto of Christine McVie, who left the band in 1998 (and also the only one who didn’t sing about having one’s heart shoved in a garbage disposal), the whole outfit sounds leaner and angrier.

A stripped-down yet 8-minute-long “Gold Dust Woman,” propelled by Mick Fleetwood’s drums and a fierce performance from Nicks, was one of the highlights of the night.

Buckingham remains a seriously underrated guitar player, as evidenced by his scorching solo on “I’m So Afraid.”

And it wouldn’t be Fleetwood Mac without some excess. Cue two encores and a drum solo. (Can we stop here for a moment and acknowledge that drum solos are to concerts as impromptu, drunken toasts are to weddings? Sometimes done well, but most often politely endured?)

But the real show, as always, was Buckingham, Nicks, and their tortured relationship. Even after all these years, they still hold some strange spell over each other and audiences.

It was fitting, then, that Buckingham didn’t end the show with a hit, say “Second Hand News” or “Go Your Own Way,” but rather obscure downer: “Say Goodbye,” a 2003 song he said was about closure with Nicks. “Once you said goodbye to me, yeah / Now I say goodbye to you,” the chorus goes.

“I just feel like they’re soul mates, y’know?” a tipsy woman behind me said to her friend as I was leaving the Verizon Center. “Like, maybe you don’t have to end up with someone to be soul mates with them.”

The existence and nature soul mates aside, what’s clear is that Fleetwood Mac can still hold audiences rapt with their emotional baggage, of which they will never lack. News broke recently that Mick Fleetwood has filed for separation from his wife.

Photo by: Buster Harvey liveshotsphotography.com

More liveshotsphotography.com Photos

REVIEW: Stevie Nicks 'In Your Dreams' Documentary

When someone co-creates a cinematic love letter to herself, you can’t expect an edgy portrait complete with flaws.

So In Your Dreams, a chronicle of the recording sessions for Stevie Nicks’s 2011 studio release of the same name, offers few deep, revealing insights into the rock diva, but it does have some surprises.

Who knew Nicks was smart, for example – I mean really smart? She’s crystal clear about her artistic vision, and uses the film to explain the inspirations for the tunes – everything from Edgar Allan Poe to Hurricane Katrina. 

Recording session sequences, shot under the co-direction of former Eurythmics guy and film freak Dave Stewart, who produces and plays guitar, track the creative process revealingly. I kind of love how Nicks throws her weight around, artistically speaking, making demands and getting her way. 

She can get whomever she wants to play with her – Waddy Wachtel and old Fleetwood Mac pals Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham – so the quality of the musicianship is high.And archival photos of her childhood give the film some historical flavour. 

Less interesting are the ways the doc incorporates music-video-like footage. Stewart is an expert at creating this kind of material, but it feels like unnecessary filler designed to solve the editor’s problems, who otherwise gives Nicks exactly the celebration of her diva-ness she was looking for. 

Fans’ll go nuts.

STEVIE NICKS: IN YOUR DREAMS (Dave Stewart, Stevie Nicks). 100 minutes. Opens Monday (April 15) at the TIFF Bell Lightbox. The special screenings on April 15th of In Your Dreams with an appearance by Stevie Nicks are now sold out. 

Tickets are still available for the regular screenings on April 16, 17 & 18 at 8:30pm. HERE

website: inyourdreamsmovie.com

By SUSAN G. COLE
Now Toronto