Rock A Little

Time to spend some time with my first girlfriend, Stephanie Lynn Nicks. At least that's how my parents referred to her, because I was hot for some Stevie Nicks back in the day. Stevie Nicks was da bomb, looking slammin' with her gypsy woman hotness. Sure she could get a little girly with her fantasy lyrics, ballet spins and preoccupation with shawls, but that just made her hotter. Fleetwood Mac's resident welsh witch Rhiannoned her way into a solo career by being the superstar of the band. After years of being paired up with Lindsey Buckingham's production touches, could she make it on her own? The answer was given swiftly by the public with the release of her debut album...

Bella Donna (1981)

Nicks had saved up a wealth of "A" material for her debut and wisely hooked up with Producer Jimmy Iovine. Iovine kept Nick's sound earthy and grounded with deft arrangements and meaty performances. Maybe taking into consideration how her voice was often linked with Buckingham, the album features two duets: The Tom Petty outtake "Stop Draggin My Heart Around" and the quiet harmonious "Leather & Lace" with Don Henley. The Petty song was a smash hit, combining the bare knuckle power of the Heartbreakers and allowing two nasal vocalists really go at it. A great sing along song. The other duet, the Waylon Jennings inspired "Leather & Lace", had a nice Country tinge and Henley's rasp compliments most singers.

Although I liked her music I also thought I liked it because of her looks, so I surprised myself in the early 90's by playing her tapes and finding it was really the songwriting and performance that drew me. Album tracks like the mysterious "Outside The Rain", the swoony "Kind Of Woman" and the large scale "Bella Donna" are all excellent. And of course I can't forget one of Nick's biggest hits, the rocker "Edge of Seventeen". That jittery guitar lick matched with a barking Nicks and a big beat amounts to big rock and roll thrills (and a memorable sample into a Destiny's Child song). Nicks had arrived as a star in her own right, her mystic combination of symbolism and personal emotions intact.

Wild Heart (1983)

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I once read a book that said this was one of the worst album covers ever. Looking at it, I can't defend it too much. It's like a time lapse photo of watching a wiccan sit on the lawn. The sequel to the debut, Nicks lined up Iovine to Produce again. While not as consistent as Bella Donna, cuts like the rollicking "Enchanted" and the Fleetwood Mac-ish "Nightbird" were equal in quality. Yet in a sign of things to come, Nicks became more interested in synthesizers which paved the way to her signature solo hit, "Stand Back". You know, though I like the tune "Stand Back" is not one of my favorites of hers - I thought it was too dance oriented and the video reeked of Fame dancer cheese. The other hit song, "If Anyone Falls", was cushioned by even more synths as it more or less wafts on a keyboard line. One of my favorites off this album has been buried by time, that's the Tom Petty / Nicks sequel duet "I Will Run To You". I've never seen this one show up on best of comps for either performer which is too bad, its a good song. What really makes the album worthwhile is the opening title track, where Nicks lays out her "Wild Heart". I didn't play this one as much as Bella Donna, but it was still good.

Rock A Little (1985)

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It's no secret that Stevie Nicks had a love affair with Cocaine and at this stage in her career she was cutting a bunch of white winged doves with a razorblade on a mirror. I'm pretty sure around this time she even fell off a stage while performing. Rock A Little was the next phase of "Stand Back", an album packed with synth rockers. The songwriting began to deteriorate, masked by a pile of electronic noise. Chas Sandford was brought in for "Talk To Me", hot off his success helping John Waite create the smash "Missing You". While it was a Top 10 hit, I found it disappointing and much of this album left me cold. Only the clangy rocker "I Can't Wait" held my attention with it's overkill arrangement and urgent Nicks vocal. For some reason hearing that song on the way to the ski slopes in Lake Tahoe has stuck with me over the years. Other than that, Ms. Nicks was rocking too little for me.

The Other Side Of The Mirror (1989)

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Following a big Mac reunion in '87, Nicks returned to her solo career with an album that brought the attention back to plainer arrangements. She actually had some good songs too, the hit "Rooms On Fire" was on the radio a lot and I have nice memories of driving through the hot Sacramento weather listening to it. "Ooh My Love" had a strong melody and the low down rocker "Whole Lotta Trouble" had a nice bit of swagga. If only the rest of the album was as memorable, it drifts by pleasantly except for the over indulgent duet "Two Sides Of Love". Teaming up with Bruce Hornsby and saxophonist Kenny G, Nicks ballad felt stuffed with too much Hollywood to connect for me. And given her drug troubles, was it smart to give an album a title with the word "Mirror" in it?

Timespace...The Best Of Stevie Nicks (1991)

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It was in...the liner notes of this CD...that I learned...Stevie Nicks loves ellipses...Her first greatest hits collection rounded up the usual suspects - "Edge of Seventeen", "Stand Back", "Talk To Me", etc. Like many greatest hits comps of that time, a couple of new tracks were recorded to try to give Nicks career renewed visibility. Bizarrely, Nicks decided to go hair metal. Recording songs written by Bon Jovi and Bret Michaels among others, Nicks went for the hairspray sound just as Grunge was coming in to wash it all away. The Jon Bon Jovi penned "Sometimes It's A Bitch" is supremely annoying when I hear Nick's voice on it. Just plain sounds wrong.

Street Angel (1994)

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After that misstep and by her account struggling with anti depressants (the story was included in her tour program), Nicks returned to the limelight with the Adult Contemporary angled Street Angel. Notably, the song publishing dates had its widest range since her debut record - an indication of a lack of new material. Still, it wasn't too bad of an album. The midtempo "Blue Denim" I liked a lot as well as the searching "Destiny". Curios like a cover of Bob Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" and "Rose Garden", a song Nicks wrote as a teen, keep interest up. Maybe it was the lack of current pictures in the tape cover mixed with the older songs, there is a feeling of hiding within this album. I saw Nicks on this tour, she had noticeably gained weight (which happens, I've gained weight over time too) that may have explained the lack of new photos (at least they didn't seem new). She still could rock in concert though, seeing her on the big video screen croon out "Destiny"was a highlight.

Enchanted (1998)

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Hot off the Fleetwood Mac reunion The Dance, Nicks doled out a three CD box set of her solo material. Given that her albums tended to be spotty in quality Enchanted may seem like a so-so proposition. Instead, the set mixes the big hits, good album tracks and B sides / unreleased material with flair. Previously unreleased tracks like the Warren Zevon written "Reconsider Me" and the lively "Gold and Braid" kick things up a notch. Even tossing in a track from the yet to be released in digital format Buckingham Nicks album boosts its value. Plus, my favorite Stevie Nicks song "Sleeping Angel" from the soundtrack to that landmark in American cinema, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, is included. Used to play these discs a lot while my wife and I lived in a smaller space, good thing she likes Stevie Nicks too. Enchanted is easily the best set of Nicks solo material outside of Bella Donna.

Trouble In Shangri La (2001)

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After a creative dry spell that was the 90's, Nicks released a new solo album for the 21st Century. Shangri La showed a revitalized Nicks, the performance was sharp and had a feel of mixing the current with the past. Two songs written in the 70's, "Sorcerer" and "Planets Of The Universe" were high points effectively capturing the early magic. The single "Every Day" was decent while she rocked up a storm on "Fall From Grace". Trouble In Shangri La was a disc I played often that year, it was great to hear a good Stevie Nicks album again.

Crystal Visions - The Very Best Of Stevie Nicks (2007)

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After another successful run with the Mac, Nicks dove back to the vaults for her solo career. This time it seemed to feature a lot of remixes and live versions to put a new coat of paint on the old warhorses like "Dreams" or "Landslide". Angled at fans Nicks may have picked up over the past ten years, I decided to skip this disc since I already had Enchanted. I did see her live at her tour kickoff in Concord and she put on a great show on a cold cold night.

Since then Stevie Nicks has been involved with another Fleetwood Mac tour in progress right now. Her solo career has seen its ups and downs, to me she'll always be that uniquely talented beauty who can warble with charisma and power. One of my favorite clips of her is what looks like a backstage shot of her practicing "Wild Heart". She recently released a live album that includes a cover of Dave Matthews "Crash Into Me", it'll be interesting to hear her on that song. I'm the king of the castle, you're the dirty rascal...

I Heard A Rumour

Up to Number 2 on my 100 Favorite CD list, it's one of the first tapes I ever bought-

Number 2: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977)

It's not an understatement to say I practically worship this album. The first Fleetwood Mac tape I got was Mirage (1982) and I liked it enough that I felt like a little more Mac leading me to picking up Rumours at the local Payless. My adventure with this album started with it being a great bunch of songs and my crush on Stevie Nicks. As time went on, I learned more about the story behind the album - the relationships of the band members to each other, the art of the production, the piles of cocaine they consumed and the first album to have four Top 10 singles. While I love the multitude of factoids and stories that go with Rumours, what makes it my second favorite all time album is that it just sounds good.

1. Second Hand News

When I bought the tape, this song was placed on the second side and not the start so it threw me when we hit the CD era. Lindsey Buckingham had a slight Country twang that fit his California rocker image well. This type of a song, a fast stiff beat with alternately driving and jangly guitars anchoring his nervously urgent singing would become a hallmark for Buckingham's style. While every song on this album became a hit of some type on the radio, this one always draws a sly smile for the line "Won't you lay me down in the tall grass and let me do my stuff."

2. Dreams

I think this was Fleetwood Mac's only #1 hit. There's a lot to read into with the back story of Nicks leaving Buckingham, there's a sense of poetic resignation to the tune. I always liked how the part about a "Heartbeat drives you mad" is echoed by Mick Fleetwood's heart beat like percussion. The band does a great job of keeping it soft while still giving a pulse to the groove. Along with the elemental lyrics, Stevie Nicks created a song that was memorable and interesting without being too literal.

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3. Never Going Back Again

Easily the funnest song on the album, even if it probably isn't written from a positive place. Buckingham is finger pickin' good on this track, taking the acoustic guitar and setting it to his famed herky jerky beat. This song often pops in my mind if there is somewhere I don't want to go back to. Though my strongest memory is bebopping to this song in a supermarket while shopping with my wife about ten years ago.

4. Don't Stop

Christine McVie's optimistic blues rock romp has become a standard of sorts, particularly after it was used as Bill Clinton's theme song for his initial Presidency. "Don't Stop" is one of those definitive feel good songs, I live how tight the rhythm section of drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie is on this track. Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham's vocals get entangled in a way where I have a hard time distinguishing who is singing when. The song is such a classic that Fleetwood Mac still plays it without Christine McVie, who left the band a few years back. To think this all started with Christine McVie hooking up with the band's lighting guy...

5. Go Your Own Way

One of the first songs I ever truly loved, "Go Your Own Way" is a blast of high flying harmony vocals, lurching rhythms and some fired up guitar soloing. A bitter kiss off from Buckingham, no doubt directed towards his ex Ms. Nicks, "Way" packs some fury in it's few minutes on. Up there with Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty" for 70's Cali rock traveling songs (highlighted by their back to back usage in the jogging segment of Forrest Gump), I was facinated with Buckingham's unique guitar style. Lindsey Buckingham's biggest hit, when I saw the Mac live the first time in '87 it still held the set closer position in the set list though he had left the band (Billy Burnette sang it).

6. Songbird

Christine McVie alone at a piano is a beautiful, soothing thing. Being from the Bay Area, I liked the fact that this was recorded in Berkeley. Maybe as close as this album gets to sentimentality, "Songbird" provides a moment of peace and grace to close out side one.

7. The Chain

Side two kicks off with "The Chain", a dark song that starts with a chanted style verse as Nicks and Buckingham play off each other leading into a brief bass solo and then a racing guitar frenzy finish. The first time I heard this was on the HBO special for the Mirage tour, where Buckingham and Nicks really dig into the verses almost like actors. It was the show opener and created a lot of drama with the two almost sparring vocally and Nicks unleashing her sexy witchy woman mystique. That tour seems to be the only time this arrangement was used, as the album arrangement keeps the group singing fairly tight without too many jabs at each other.

8. You Make Loving Fun

Though arguably the least famous of Fleetwood Mac's three singer / songwriters from this period, Christine McVie had written the most chart hits. McVie's bouncy ode to rediscovering the thrill of love rides on a supple beat from the famed rhythm section. For me, my favorite part is those incredible background vocals. Once those "Ahhh Ahhh" backgrounds kick in I'm hooked, it's airy brilliance supports McVie's lead vocal perfectly. It's a weird thing to get into, I love the backgrounds on this song.

9. I Don't Want To Know

This was the tune that led off side one on the tape I had! I always thought this song was slight, nothing great nothing bad kind of category. It seems Nicks really wanted "Silver Springs" but was told there wasn't room on the record or something to that effect. "Silver Springs" was relegated to a B side on a single, still years later Nicks still had faith in the song. She tried to claim it for a Greatest Hits comp of her solo stuff in the early 90's but Mick Fleetwood denied it to her, keeping it for a Fleetwood Mac box set instead. That set was the first time I heard "Springs" and I thought it was killer. When the Rumours lineup reunited in '97, "Silver Springs" was resurrected again and became a highlight of their first show which featured Nicks staring down Buckingham on stage while belting out in the final moments. Now it's one of their best known songs!

10. Oh Daddy

A song for Mick Fleetwood, this is probably the most pleasantly dated piece on the record. The slow downbeat groove sets the mood and contains one of my favorite John McVie bass parts. He's all over this bad boy like a monster.

11. Gold Dust Woman

Despite the lyrics allusions to groupies and drugs, the imagery in my mind was of a nomadic weathered faced woman walking through the desert with a spoon in her hand. And so goes my mind! When my wife and saw them on The Dance tour, during this song Nicks let out a huge wail and physically shook that drew a big pop from the audience. Though it wasn't one of the singles from Rumours, this ranks as high in recognize ability to most people as those hits. For me, the best Stevie Nicks number on the album. I dig the hypnotic rhythms and spooky sense of drama.

Fleetwood Mac is one of my all time favorite bands so it makes sense they would have an all time favorite record of mine. Rumours is a convergence of talent, inspiration and maybe even fate leading to a fantastic record from start to finish.

Numbers 25, 24 and 23

Rock On Gold Dust Woman: Stevie Nicks warns people about the Sister of the Moon. Yeah, you read that right, the moon has sisters. Is that weird or what?

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Time to add three more to my 100 Favorite CD list and shake it like a Polaroid picture (sorry, Outkast is playing on the IPOD). On this round we have Bay Area Punks, Beantown Blues Rockers and a Gypsy Woman to throw on the CD player.

Number 25: Green Day American Idiot (2004)


When Green Day exploded on the rock scene with Dookie (1994) they were revered as the return of Punk. Then when they couldn't match Dookie, they were dismissed as one hit wonders. It didn't seem likely that a Pop Punk band writing a concept album would make a comeback vehicle, but the Berkeley trio bucked the odds when they returned with a vengeance on American Idiot. The story of a disaffected suburban teen who gets lost in his outsider world of drugs ("Give Me Novocaine") and infatuation ("Extraordinary Girl") connects as the music pounds out a feeling of unfocused rage. A slew of hits spawned from this disc, the sardonic punk of the title track, the up-in-arms Holiday and the depressed Boulevard of Broken Dreams. It's all topped off with the poignant ballad Wake Me When September Ends complete with a topical video of young love and war. A real challenge and accomplishment artistically, Green Day even puts the Punk ethos of short-fast-loud on its head with two ten minute multi segment tracks ("Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming"). A complete and cohesive album from a Punk band.

Number 24: Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic (1975)


When music critics hail the best this Boston based band has to offer, they almost universally cite Rocks (1976). That is a great album, no doubt, but my preference is the slightly goofier Toys in the Attic. In any case Aerosmith was in full swing by the mid 70's and Attic contained 9 cuts of limber blues rock. The classic rock staples Sweet Emotion and Walk This Way groove and shake providing an anchor for the rest of the album. The band shows range between the rampaging Title Cut and the retro blues of Big Ten Inch Record. For me, the highlight is the straight ahead Arena Rock of No More No More. Yes, Aerosmith would rock harder and sell more records after Attic but this album has the right mix of indelible riffs and sleazy fun for me.

Number 23: Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna (1981)


I think I've mentioned before I was so into Stevie Nicks as a teenager that my parents referred to her as "my girlfriend". Back in the day I was hot for Ms. Nicks with her warbly voice, low cut lace tops and witchy woman ways. I even followed her through her late 80's slump of illegal drug addiction followed by her early 90's slump of prescription drug addiction. It's funny, but in 1990 I had a sort of epiphany as I played this tape in my car - I really liked her singing and songwriting separate from her looks. Now this is probably not the most macho thing I can write, Nicks writes in all these metaphors about snow covered mountains, white winged doves and maybe even little ponies that ride on candy colored rainbows for what my memory is worth. And one of the best put downs of her famous voice I've heard included the phrase "Black and Decker Vibrator". Yet in her best work (meaning Fleetwood Mac and her first two solo albums) at the center of her mystique is real emotion and artistic originality.

Bella Donna is one of the best examples of what Nicks is capable of, hooking up with Tom Petty Producer and future Interscope Records guru Jimmy Iovine (both figuratively and literally) Nicks rock sound toughens up and has a little more twang than her Fleetwood Mac work. The jittery guitar of Edge of Seventeen launches Nicks into a fanciful eulogy of death and remembrance of youth. To ensure some chart action, Nicks stacked the deck by having two duets: the first being the Tom Petty penned Stop Draggin My Heart Around performed with the man himself. The second is the ballad inspired by Waylon Jennings and his wife, Leather and Lace, trading lead vocals with the slightly less raspy Don Henley. Other album tracks hold up well, like the countryish "After the Glitter Fades" and the slow trance like "Kind of Woman". The extended length Title Song serves as a mission statement even if I can't make literal sense out of the lyrics. Stevie Nicks channels both sensitivity and fury with a touch of bittersweet resignation. And she looked great on the album cover too.

To close I think I will write out one of those Stevie Nicks sentences...that have a...lot of...ellipses...now...

Chris Isaak / Stevie Nicks

Last night I saw Chris Isaak and Stevie Nicks perform at the Concord...er, Sleep Train Pavilion on a cool northern California night. It was the fourth time I was seeing Stevie Nicks live (if you include Fleetwood Mac) and the first time I saw Chris Isaak. In fact, I only knew a few Chris Isaak songs so a few weeks ago I bought his "Best of" disc to prepare. A good thing I did that, because he pulled most of his material from there. The songs I remember are:

Dancin' (I think it was that song)/unknown rockabilly song/Somebody's Crying/Wicked Game/other unknown songs/I Want You To Want Me/Blue Hotel/Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing-Don't Be Cruel-I'm Gone medley/Only The Lonely/unknown rockabilly song/Forever Blue (acoustic)

The Best of Chris Isaak CD showed a tasteful roots rocker with a love of Roy Orbison's haunted crooning and an armful of ballads. The disc had some exciting moments but for the most part was respectable lite rock. It gave me a sense of his music, but gave no warning of his live performance.

Live, Chris Isaak is a different animal. Isaak can sing every bit as well as on disc and he was backed by a crack band of talented musicians. The surprise was in place of the somewhat dull crooner on CD stood a 50's influenced rocker with a true sense of showmanship and engaging personality. Right after sitting down in my seat, Isaak left the stage and ran with his guitar from the front row to the lawn section to rock with the crowd. He joked with his keyboard player after the organ solo in "Somebody's Crying" by singing "I know when...Somebody's Drinking". Before his encore a masked wrestler with a silver cape ran around the stage ranting in Spanish. Isaak joked and told raunchy stories between and during his songs. To top it off, Isaak finished his set in a suit made of disco ball mirrors that projected spots of light in all directions. For a guy who sings torturous romantic ballads he was really funny! By the end of his set, I was wondering why he didn't have a bigger career.

After a set change was the original witchy woman herself, Stevie Nicks. This was the second solo Stevie Nicks concert I attended, the first was about 12 years ago when Nicks was bloated and tired from antidepressants. It was still a good show and a few years later she got herself together for a Fleetwood Mac reunion that was one of my favorite concerts of all time. The set list I think went:

Stand Back/Dreams/If Anyone Falls/Piano Solo/Rhiannon/Enchanted/Gold Dust Woman/I Need To Know/Landslide/Fall From Grace/Sorcerer/How Still My Love/Drums, Percussion & Guitar Solo/Edge Of Seventeen/Rock & Roll (encore)

The show starts with the band revving up "Stand Back" and Stevie Nicks makes a slow entrance from the rear right of the stage to the microphone. When she reaches the mic, Nicks belts out the vocal with a power I haven't heard from her live. Usually, the Bay Area is near the end of her tours so she usually is worn physically and vocally when I've seen her. Not this time. This is the Stevie Nicks that I've heard about but never really saw, the fiery belter and mystical show woman performing with unclouded focus and power.

Smartly, Nicks brought back guitarist Waddy Watchtel along with her usual troupe of background singers to bring back the Bella Donna groove of '81 (only two songs performed came after '83). Ace percussionist Lenny Castro is also along for the ride along with an expert band of talented musicians. Together, they bring together the "classic" Stevie Nicks sound of her first two solo records (basically the Tom Petty sound with studio musicians). Watchtel's ragged guitar playing a central role, giving the songs a harder rock edge and looser feel missing from Nick's later solo work.

The highlights were many, some that stood out: Enjoying "Stand Back" live (never liked the song live, it always seemed flat when played with Fleetwood Mac) including a huge crowd pop when Nicks performed her first spin. An epic "Rhiannon" with a heavier guitar riff thanks to Watchtel and a great guitar solo with Stevie shadowing behind him with her shawl stretched out. Like a lace Batgirl. Fantastic visual effects during "Gold Dust Woman" with a screenful of falling gold. A sentimental "Landslide" with clips and photos of past performances and her family. Lastly, a killer "Edge Of Seventeen" with Nicks trading off the vocals on the bridge with Sharon Celani.

All in all a great show. I went with my Mom who bought the tickets and had a great time. Thanks Mom!