Posted by The G on February 4, 2012 under GNN | 
Photo of the album cover by G.
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. Released February 4, 1977
Happy 35th anniversary to one of the greatest albums of all time, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours.” If you only know the music (and not the back story) of Fleetwood Mac, you are missing out on one of the most intense Rock and Roll stories of all time about one of the most dysfunctional bands in history.
Fleetwood Mac, a British Rock/Blues band was enjoying success in the late 60s when several of their members left the band. Los Angeles based couple Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the group around 1975 and they released the successful self titled “Fleetwood Mac” album. During the recording of the follow up album that would become “Rumours,” Lindsey and Stevie were breaking up. Also, Fleetwood Mac’s co-lead singer Christine McVie was breaking up with FM bassist John McVie. Should we also mention that around this time, Stevie Nicks and drummer Mick Fleetwood also had an affair? The songs on this record were all written about what was going on in their lives, and that translated into mass appeal and global success.
The lyrics of most every song are jabs at their former lovers such as “When times go bad, if you can’t get enough, won’t you lay me down in the tall grass and let me do my stuff” (about Stevie’s infidelity to Lindsey on “Second Hand News”); “There you go again, you say you want your freedom, who am I to keep you down” (from Stevie to Lindsey in “Dreams,”) and “If there’s been a fool around, it’s got to be me” (from Christine McVie’s “Oh Daddy”). The album also features songs dedicated to drug addiction such as “Gold Dust Woman,” staying together as a unit in “The Chain,” and an inspiring song for the future “Don’t Stop,” and the ultimate kiss off in “Go Your Own Way.”
The book “Storms” written by Lindsey Buckingham’s girlfriend from 1977 – 1984, Carol Ann Harris begins during the Rumours tour and chronicles the massive amounts of sex, drugs, betrayal, love, abuse, rock and roll and is filled with so many juicy stories, you’ll wonder why Hollywood has not yet made a bio-pic of the Fleetwood Mac saga. I highly recommend the book as it will fill in the answers to so man unanswered questions and like I say to people with most biographies – if only one out of every ten stories are true – it’s still enough to make your head explode!
Never break the chain!
Posted by The G on November 5, 2011 under Encounters with G, G Reviews |
Photos by G.
Lindsey Buckingham at the 92Y in New York
Some people will always remember the 5th of November. I’ll always remember the 4th of November, 2011. It’s the day that I met one of my musical gods – Lindsey Buckingham. The 92Y in New York presented an hour and a half program called “A Conversation with Lindsey Buckingham,” and it was a die-hard fan’s dream come true. He was interviewed by Anthony DeCurtis, who is obviously a fan of Lindsey’s music, so the discussion was relaxed, open, honest and it really felt like eavesdropping into the mind of one of the biggest musical geniuses of my lifetime. So many questions I’ve been dying to know the answers to were answered as Lindsey Buckingham talked about everything from his love for the Brian Jones era of the Rolling Stones to the creative genius and madness of Brian Wilson to the changes of the marketability of music, some of his current favorites (including Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors), his kids listening to the music of Katy Perry to getting to and being in a place where his life is totally enriched by being a family man – which wasn’t always the case in the “glory days” of Fleetwood Mac. He was even asked what he would have done if Fleetwood Mac didn’t happen and though Lindsey found the question to be interesting, he said it was too hard to speculate but he also reiterated the magic event of himself and Stevie Nicks getting the opportunity to become members of Fleetwood Mac and how it changed the direction their lives took.
Lindsey has a new solo album, the excellent “Seeds We Sow,” and he talked about how the album came about, as well the differences between being a solo artist and being with a super group such as Fleetwood Mac – the small machine and big machine, as he put it. Lindsey Buckingham has clearly thought through his incredible journey and is incredibly optimistic about his outlook on life. This conversation was very intimate and from reading recent interviews, it’s interesting to see how his words can get twisted. For example, he prefaced rumours (pun sort of intended) of getting back together with Fleetwood Mac and he was honest by saying, Lindsey, Stevie, Mick and John are down for it, times are being scheduled for 2012 for the Mac to get together, but also things can change because that’s just how life goes sometimes. The press likes to turn that into definite statements.
Lindsey fans – read on – there’s info about Buckingham Nicks after the jump!
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Tags: 2011, A Conversation With Lindsey Buckingham at 92Y, Buckingham Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Interview, Lindsey Buckingham, New York, November 4, NYC, Possilbility, Recent, Reissue, Reunion, Review, Rumours, Seeds We Sow, Set List, Stevie Nicks, Talking about
Posted by The G on October 3, 2011 under GNN |
Photo by G.
Lindsey Buckingham
Happy birthday to one of my personal gods – Lindsey Buckingham. If you like his music with Fleetwood Mac, I recommend you check out his last 3 solo albums – “Under The Skin,” “Gift of Screws” and “Seeds We Sow.” The songs on these albums all fit together and they are a triple album, if you will, of perfection. Lindsey is an amazing performer who sounds great and will play you guitar solos that are sure to make your mouth drop open.
In other Lindsey Buckingham news, he’s releasing a live CD/DVD on October 31, 2011, entitled “Songs from the Small Machine.” The set was recorded in Los Angeles and features the following songs:
1. Shut Us Down 2. Go Insane 3. Trouble 4. Never Going back Again 5. Big Love 6. Under the Skin 7. All My Sorrows 8. In Our Own Time 9. Illumination 10. Second Hand News 11. Tusk 12. Stars Are Crazy 13. End of Time 14. That’s the Way Love Goes 15. I’m So Afraid 16. Go Your Own Way 17. Turn It On 18. Treason 19. Seeds We Sow 20. Interview
A live CD will accompany the package and will have the same track list except it will not contain: “Go Insane,” “Treason,” “Turn It On” or the interview.
Happy birthday Lindsey!
Posted by The G on June 24, 2011 under Celebrities |
Photo and autograph courtesy of the G Archives.
Mick Fleetwood
Happy birthday to Mick Fleetwood, drummer of my beloved band Fleetwood Mac. Their music has made my life better in so many ways, all I can say is thank you for the great tunes. I’m hoping the rumours (pun definitely intended) prove to be true and the Mac will be back in the studio next year.
Rocker Jeff Beck was also born on this day. Rock and roll is alive!
Posted by The G on June 14, 2011 under GNN |
Photo by G.
Lindsey Buckingham
I can’t even sit still with this news! NME is reporting that Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham will be releasing his 6th solo studio album on September 5, 2011! The record will be called “Seeds We Sow.”
He’ll be playing 31 US Fall 2011 tour dates as well, but as of press time, nothing is confirmed.
Fleetwood Mac will also tour in 2012 as soon as Lindsey and Stevie Nicks conclude promoting their solo albums. “In Your Dreams” by Stevie Nicks was released earlier this year.
The man is a guitar god, so I cannot recommend strongly enough to go see him live if you haven’t had the pleasure.
