Ruined Fleetwood Mac's sound as soon as she came in. - Stevie Nicks Discussion

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Don't forget that she sounds like a goat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGBqB_k84Ms

And no, I'm not saying that because of that stupid South Park episode (who were a day late and a dollar short with that joke). I've always disliked her voice because of that weird vibrato or whatever the term is for her singing style.

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[–] samoanjoes (53176) 3 years ago

It's not just the voice, it's the fact that the band had a completely different sound. They should have just performed under a different name.

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[–] RebelBlood (213) 3 years ago

I started to like her sound as I got older, but I do agree about changing the name. Same thing that should have happened after Lindsey left in the 80s. It's false advertising, much like INXS without Michael Hutchence.

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[–] Mulletor (524) 3 years ago

I get choked up every time I think about INXS without Michael Hutchence

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[–] strntz (11302) 2 years ago

South Park was late with that description..

Nicks' voice is ridiculously bad. I'll never forget the first time I heard her sing Silent Night. I thought the station was doing a parody of the song. While not religious, I thought it was in bad taste anyway (I admit to liking Christmas carols) and was even thinking about contacting the station when the song finished and identified the "singer" as Nicks.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

that was the trend back then. happened with chicago and the doobie brothers.

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[–] duckofprey (1557) 3 years ago

YES! Michael McDonald’s voice ruined the Doobies. 😖

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[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 3 years ago

It's funny you mention Chicago. I had just posted about them a couple of days ago in the thread started by BillHicksFan concerning bands about whom you must specify that you only like their early stuff.

By the early 1980s I gave up on them for the same reason.

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[–] RebelBlood (213) 3 years ago

Isn't that a usual pattern in entertainment? Artists generally start their careers with vigor and intense creativity, then grow old, contented and run out of great ideas. I like the early stuff for nearly every band I listen too. Maybe inspiration is a temporary gift.

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[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 3 years ago

Fame, with the accompanying big money, can lead to complacency.

There's also the problem of landing that big contract with a major label. The industry now dictates what a group can or cannot do, stifling creativity. Musicians become consumer products rather than artists.

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[–] RebelBlood (213) 3 years ago

Oh, yeah. That's a major hurdle too. The producers want uniformity even if trying a different style would help make better songs. Musicians can get trapped by becoming popular.

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[–] strntz (11302) 2 years ago

Chicago? I don't think they added anyone unless you mean Bill Champlin, and I thought he fit OK.

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[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

the music got more mellow.

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[–] strntz (11302) 2 years ago

They did have a lot of ballads in later years, but Hard To Say I'm Sorry really kind of took them from the oldies tour back to headlining, so I get the switch even if it wasn't my favorite direction.

Here's a little story: back when Chicago was having trouble selling tickets, I bought tickets to see Chicago at a local tented venue in Connecticut. They were available cheap on a "summer saver" promotion. Several weeks after I had bought the tickets, Hard To Say hit the charts, and suddenly Chicago was a hot commodity again. I remember some friends asking how I managed to score great seats to the Chicago show.

Well, even though they were back on the charts and back in demand, they not only fulfilled the date at this hole in the wall theater, but they knocked the place OUT.

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[–] TearofLys (2411) 3 years ago

Purely a subjective opinion. Yes, some whites have tried to co-opt the genre, but Blues is a genre unique to black americans from the south. Additionally, the great blues musicians were from the early 20th century when discrimination and anti-black prejudice was still very real. Their music communicated their plight. No privileged whites from Great Britain would ever be able to truly tap into that. The best they could do was mimic the music of those who had truly struggled. Stevie Nicks gave them an original vibe and sound that propelled the band to fame. Without her, they would have been largely forgotten, and of those few British fans they had, Fleetwood Mac would have been remembered as imposters, writing music about things they never experienced themselves.

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[–] samoanjoes (53176) 3 years ago

She made them more popular, but they lost their blues sound with her.

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[–] jonathan_k80 (6436) 3 years ago

Another example of a band member's girlfriend ruining the group.

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[–] Stratego (29567) 3 years ago

Yeah, but she did bring Lindsey Buckingham with her and he wrote Fleetwood Mac's best song. Also, was their 80s pop sound also her fault?

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[–] samoanjoes (53176) 3 years ago

You're right. I blame both Americans.

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[–] Stratego (29567) 3 years ago

Was it Buckingham's fault that Christine McVie went pop in the 80s?

I despise blues, so I much prefer their later sound.

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[–] samoanjoes (53176) 3 years ago

No but their sound changed in the 70s.

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[–] Stratego (29567) 3 years ago

For the better, in my opinion. Although I'm definitely not a fan of Stevie Nicks' voice.

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[–] diezman (1909) 3 years ago

I love the original Peter Green Fleetwood Mac. I believe the Buckingham/ Nicks version is also very good.

Two different eras. There is room for both in my music collection.

The same can be said about the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Doobies, Chicago and many other bands that lost key members.

None are better or worse. It's a matter of opinion.

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[–] diezman (1909) 3 years ago

BTW- Stevie recorded many excellent tunes with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.

Many of these songs weren't "lame soft rock" as you claim in my opinion.

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[–] samoanjoes (53176) 3 years ago

When I say "lame soft rock", I mean in comparison to their previous sound. As I said in a response above, they should have just changed their name.

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[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

Maybe for some, but for others she actually defines the band’s sound. Rumours wouldn’t be the album it is without her and for me it’s a damn fine album, soft rock or not.

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