September 25, 2020 -- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer Mick Fleetwood released today a new recording and video for Mick Fleetwood’s Da*da*ism “These Strange Times,” available on Rhino Records. Originally released on Fleetwood Mac’s 16th studio album Time in 1995, the song was re-recorded adding thirty seconds of Peter Green’s “Albatross” to the end of the song and set to a brand-new video.
Inspired by an eighteenth-century painting, the newly released video and accompanying single artwork are centered around the idea of something greater than us, which lies at the core of our very human struggle to be our best selves.
“The project is about the energy of choice, of deciding if you want to be a part of the dark or the light when push comes to shove, which seems very apropos at this moment in history,” Fleetwood says. “It’s about how you read things, which is very important today. Everyone needs to be carefully paying attention to the information coming our way. There is subtext to everything and we need to be aware of that. When I first encountered the painting that inspired the photoshoot, it was a soul-searching exercise that I was driven to do but I didn’t know when would be the time to release it. Now I know why: the when is now.”
The spoken-word poem at the center of the song finds the narrator, Fleetwood, questioning his feelings and his thoughts, as he has found himself stuck between the dark and the light. The video is meant to be as thought provoking as the song is hypnotic, as the lyrics detail the struggle of the narrator.
“I hope the song conveys that life is about choice,” Fleetwood says. “God is everything, no matter what your belief system is. Being in love is God, no matter your creed. There’s a rejoicing at the end of the song when the narrator chooses the side of the light. The song is about all of us making that choice ourselves and the relief we feel when we are no longer caught in the middle.”
“This is something I wrote many years ago,” Fleetwood says, “and I want it to be nothing more than thought provoking. I want people to see and hear what they will in it. My hope is that by haring these thought-provoking moments in my world that I can somehow open the eyes of others to things in their world and to the existence we all share, which is more and more endangered with each passing day.”
Song Credits:
Title: These Strange Times
Artist:
Mick Fleetwood’s Da * da * ism Composers:
Mick Fleetwood, Ray Kennedy and Peter Green Executive Producers:
Mick Fleetwood and Carl Stubner Produced by:
Lynn Peterson, Mick Fleetwood, John Jones and Ray Kennedy Recorded and Mixed by:
Lynn Peterson and John Jones Additional Engineering:
Jimmy Hotz Recorded in the USA
Vocals:
Mick Fleetwood & Bekka Bramlett Lead Guitars:
Rick Vito Acoustic Guitars, Drums & Percussion:
Mick Fleetwood Bass Guitar:
John Jones
Keyboards:
Ricky Peterson & John Jones Background vocals:
Lucy Fleetwood
GOD IS NOWHERE/GOD IS NOW HERE
This statement is the essence of the artistic journey at the heart of Mick Fleetwood’s new single, “These Strange Times.” The song isn’t about God in any conventional way according to the tenets of any particular creed. Rather, God represents the divine, in other words, the idea of something greater than us, which lies at the center of every religious belief in one way or another and is at the core of our very human struggle to be our best selves. “The project is about the energy of choice, of deciding if you want to be a part of the dark or the light when push comes to shove, which seems very apropos at this moment in history,” Fleetwood says.
Inspired by an eighteenth-century painting, the photographical homage included in the album art addresses subtext and language. The phrase “God is nowhere” has been drawn on a blackboard by a devil-disguised Fleetwood, but interpreted by his pupil, an innocent child, as “God is now here.”
“It’s about how you read things, which is very important today,” Fleetwood says. “Everyone needs to be carefully paying attention to the information coming our way. There is subtext to everything and we need to be aware of that. When I first encountered the painting that inspired the song and the photoshoot, it was a soul-searching exercise that I was driven to do but I didn’t know when would be the time to release it. Now I know why: the when is now.”
The spoken-word poem at the center of the song finds the narrator, Fleetwood, questioning his feelings and his thoughts, as he has found himself stuck between the dark and the light, a condition he regards as a living hell. The beautiful video that accompanies the song juxtaposes images from nature evoking light and dark, the best and worst elements of man’s impact on Earth and the legacy we are leaving for future generations. It is as thought provoking as the song is hypnotic, as the lyrics detail the struggle of the narrator, lost and yearning to be in love, as he is led to the light in the end by the angelic voice of a child showing him that God is in fact now here.
“I hope the song conveys that life is about choice,” Fleetwood says. “God is everything, no matter what your belief system is. Being in love is God, no matter your creed. There’s a rejoicing at the end of the song when the narrator chooses the side of the light. The song is about all of us making that choice ourselves and the relief we feel when we are no longer caught in the middle.”
We are caught in strange times indeed, growing stranger and harsher with each passing day. It is a time for looking within to find answers, and to make sense of the world around us. “This is something I wrote many years ago,” Fleetwood says, “and I want it to be nothing more than thought provoking. I want people to see and hear what they will in it. My hope is that by sharing these thought provoking moments in my world that I can somehow open the eyes of others to things in their world and to the existence we all share, which is more and more endangered with each passing day.”
Mick Fleetwood Releases Apt Video for ‘These Strange Times’
Nineties Fleetwood Mac track gets new recording featuring sample of “Albatross”
LIVE IN CONCERT STEVIE NICKS THE 24 KARAT GOLD TOUR
In Cinemas Two Nights Only, October 21 & 25 Tickets are on-sale beginning on Sept. 23 at StevieNicksFilm.com
Trafalgar Releasing announced today that Stevie Nicks, two time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, legendary Grammy winning recording singer/songwriter supreme, will debut Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold The Concert, which will be released for two nights only on October 21 and 25 at select cinemas, drive ins and exhibition spaces around the world. With this film Nicks, long considered one of the most iconic live performers, provides music fans with a virtual front row seat to the magic Stevie brings to the stage in concert.
The film features a set-list of fan favorite Nicks songs from her solo career and as a member of Fleetwood Mac including “Rhiannon,” “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” “Edge of Seventeen,” “Stand Back,” “Landslide,” and more as well as rare gems from her platinum selling catalog. The film also reveals intimate storytelling and inspirations for some of the most famous and timeless songs and lyrics in music history which to this day remain part of the soundtrack to the lives of generations of music lovers. Directed and produced by Joe Thomas during Nicks’ fabled 67 city sold out 24 Karat Gold Tour, filming and recording took place in Indianapolis and Pittsburgh in 2017.
“The 24 Karat Gold Tour was my all-time favorite tour. I not only got to sing my songs but I was able to tell their stories for the first time. I love having the opportunity to share this concert with my fans. From me to you – 24 Karat Gold,” Said Stevie Nicks.
Kymberli Frueh, SVP for Programming and Content Acquisitions for Trafalgar Releasing said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with BMG and Stevie Nicks’ team on this landmark global cinema event which is sure to delight fans. Stevie’s legendary career has spanned over four decades, creating legions of fans across the generations. Her 24 Karat Gold concert tracklist features some of her greatest solo hits as well as Fleetwood Mac classics.”
The event will be screened in cinemas around the world on Oct. 21 and 25. Tickets are on-sale beginning on Sept. 23 at StevieNicksFilm.com, where fans can find the most up-to-date information regarding participating theaters and sign up for event alerts. Dates are subject to change based on the status of local cinema re-openings.
The 2CD & digital/streaming releases will be available on Oct. 30 via BMG, featuring 17 tracks of Stevie’s greatest hits live; including “Stand Back,” “Gypsy,” and “Edge of Seventeen,” as well as the first ever live recording of “Crying In The Night,” and other live rarities. The 2CD will be available exclusively at Target on Oct. 30, and the digital release will be available everywhere on the same day. A limited-edition 2LP 180-gram version will be available on “Crystal-Clear” vinyl exclusively at Barnes & Noble, while a 180-gram black vinyl version will be available everywhere.
The 2-CD & Digital
Available digitally October 30, 2020. Physical 2-CD version available exclusively at Target on October 30, 2020. Available at Amazon in other parts of the world.
CD1
1. Gold and Braid 2. If Anyone Falls 3. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around 4. Belle Fleur 5. Gypsy 6. Wild Heart / Bella Donna 7. Enchanted 8. New Orleans 9. Starshine 10. Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)
CD2
1. Stand Back 2. Crying in the Night 3. If You Were My Love 4. Gold Dust Woman 5. Edge of Seventeen 6. Rhiannon 7. Landslide
2-CD Available October 30, 2020 (Target Exclusive) USA 2-CD & Vinyl Available October 30, 2020 (Amazon) UK 2-CD & Vinyl Available October 30, 2020 (Amazon) Canada 2-CD & Vinyl Available October 30, 2020 (Amazon) Germany 2-CD & Vinyl Available October 30, 2020 (JB Hi Fi) Australia
2-LP 180 gram Crystal Clear Vinyl Available November 20, 2020 exclusively at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon
2-LP Black Vinyl Available December 4th or January 15th at Amazon
DVD/2-CD Package Available January 15, 2021 - Barnes & Noble
DVD/2-CD Package Available January 15, 2021 - Amazon
Blu-Ray Version also available January 15, 2021 - Amazon
Disc 1
Gold and Braid
If Anyone Falls
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
Belle Fleur
Gypsy
Wild Heart/Bella Donna
Enchanted
New Orleans
Starshine
Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)
Disc 2
Stand Back
Crying in the Night
If You Were My Love
Gold Dust Woman
Edge of Seventeen
Rhiannon
Landslide
Disc 3 (DVD)
Gold and Braid
If Anyone Falls
Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
Belle Fleur
Gypsy
Wild Heart/Bella Donna
Enchanted
New Orleans
Starshine
Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream)
Stand Back
Crying in the Night
If You Were My Love
Gold Dust Woman
Edge of Seventeen
Rhiannon
Landslide
PBS is offering a 24 Karat Gold Tour Collection with a donation to PBS. Donation levels will get you either the DVD/CD or the 2-LP Gold Vinyl or the 11x17 Lithograph... Or all 3 together.
Watch Lindsey Buckingham Sing for First Time Since Heart Surgery
Former Fleetwood Mac guitarist sang four songs via Zoom, including “Never Going Back Again”
Lindsey Buckingham has kept a low profile since he was sidelined by emergency heart surgery in February 2019, but he re-emerged on Friday for a four-song acoustic set via Zoom for the tech company Nutanix.
Buckingham played the Fleetwood Mac songs “Never Going Back Again” and “Big Love,” along with his solo cuts “Trouble” and “Shut Us Down,” marking the first time he’s sung in public since the operation.
“This [pandemic] has been like a couple of years previous in which things occurred that I did not see coming,” he said. “One was my split from Fleetwood Mac. Another one was having a bypass operation, which I did not expect to happen. You could say that this makes it a trifecta of events that were completely off the charts.”
Buckingham’s vocal cords were damaged during the bypass operation. “While it is unclear if the damage is permanent, we are hopeful it is not,” Buckingham’s wife Kristen said in a statement at the time.
His first post-surgery appearance took place at his daughter’s high school graduation ceremony where he played “Landslide,” but the students handled all the vocals. He also announced a solo tour in February 2020 for April and May but had to cancel due to the pandemic.
“There are things that are going to happen that you cannot control,” Buckingham says. “There certainly is a lesson in acceptance there, but there’s also a lesson in looking for what is really essential within those circumstances. Yes, I’ve got my talent and my artistic process that I value greatly…Beyond that, I’m here every day with my wife and my children and that is the gift that is essential to all of this. That becomes the silver lining. You are gently, or not-so-gently, reminded of essentials.”
Near the end of the broadcast, Buckingham gave an update on his solo record. “I do have an album coming out,” he said. “We’re waiting to see where this is all going. We don’t have a release date. I was meant to be out on the road now promoting it. It should be out in the spring sometime. It’s just self-titled: Lindsey Buckingham. We’ll see where that goes.”
Stevie Nicks shared a recent journal entry that basically encapsulates how many of us are feeling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken more than 660,000 lives worldwide, with more than 150,000 dead in the U.S. to date, and cases continue to surge. As scientists and other health experts have been stressing to help stem the deadly tide, Nicks implores everyone to “wear a mask and stay in” and also addresses the emotional ups and downs that many music and concert lovers who are adhering to health guidelines can relate to in these isolated, insomnia-inducing times.
In her July 17th journal entry, which she shared Wednesday via Twitter, Nicks references Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s “Our House” and the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.” She writes the entry when she’s still awake at 6:50 a.m. and is listening to music, which makes her happy. “Feeling slightly euphoric and inspired to be alive and still be able to feel young and safe here,” she writes. However, the “goodness” she is experiencing is fleeting as she explains that her early-morning hope dissipates once she reads the news of the day.
“If everyone could just wear a mask and stay in as much as possible — you might be able to find this magical place I have found, in the early morning when everyone sleeps,” she continues.
“In order for us all to get back to our former lives — we must all change into spiritual warriors. We must make it our mission to fight the virus; otherwise there is nothing left,” she adds, noting that there is no way to “rewind” and emphasizes the necessity to take preventative measures immediately for a promising future. “I want to go back on the road. I want to sing for you again. I want to put on those high black suede platform boots and dance for you again. I want you to forget the world and sing with me.
“Please don’t throw this world away,” she implores. “Please don’t give up on humanity and let this virus win this war. It is up to us now.”
Blues guitarist Peter Green, a co-founder of the band Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 73.
Representatives from the firm Swan Turton released a statement from Green's family on Saturday saying, "It is with great sadness that the family of Peter Green announce his death this weekend, peacefully in his sleep. A further statement will be provided in the coming days."
Green was known for his blues guitar sound even prior to the forming of Fleetwood Mac. He replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in 1965. Just a couple years later in 1967, Green and fellow Bluesbreakers members, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, formed Fleetwood Mac, along with guitarist Jeremy Spencer.
Mick Fleetwood released a statement on Saturday noting Green's fundamental place in the band's history.
"For me, and every past and present member of Fleetwood Mac, losing Peter Green is monumental! Peter was the man who started the band Fleetwood Mac along with myself, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. No one has ever stepped into the ranks of Fleetwood Mac without a reverence for Peter Green and his talent, and to the fact that music should shine bright and always be delivered with uncompromising passion!!!
Peter,
I will miss you, but rest easy your music lives on. I thank you for asking me to be your drummer all those years ago. We did good, and trail blazed one hell of a musical road for so many to enjoy.
God speed to you, my dearest friend.......
Love Mick Fleetwood"
Green's direction can be heard on the group's early albums including their self-titled debut in 1968. He wrote "Albatross," the group's only No. 1 hit on the United Kingdom's singles chart. Green was also behind "Oh Well," "Man of the World," and "Black Magic Woman," the last of which Santana popularized with a cover version.
Green left the band in 1970 following a period of erratic behavior and drug use. His behavior was later diagnosed as schizophrenia and he was hospitalized for some time. Green returned to music in the late '70s, composing and recording albums on his own.
Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, alongside seven other members of Fleetwood Mac.
In February, before the coronavirus shut down large scale gatherings, Mick Fleetwood held a tribute concert for Green in London, featuring a lineup of artists who were influenced by Green's work.
Fleetwood told Rolling Stone that he put the tribute concert together because "I wanted people to know that I did not form this band — Peter Green did. And I wanted to celebrate those early years of Fleetwood Mac, which started this massive ball that went down the road over the last 50 years."
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