Thursday, June 07, 2007

Soundscan Sales Update for Crystal Visions

Update on the Soundscan Sales for Crystal Visions.

Date / Chart # / Sales / Total Sales
04/14/07 #21 - 33,944
04/21/07 #52 - 20,884 = 54,828
04/28/07 #49 - 13,384 = 68,212
05/05/07 #71 - 9,687 = 77,899
05/12/07 #73 - 9,531 = 87,430
05/19/07 #91 - 7,829 = 95,259
05/26/07 #116 - 7,421 = 102,680
06/02/07 #138 - 5,535 = 108,215
06/09/07 #131 - 5,705 = 113,920
06/16/07 #108 - 6,558 = 120,478
06/23/07 #152 - 5,212 = 125,690

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Stevie Nicks Stand Back EP Released on itunes

A total of 9 Remixes of Stand Back which was a top 5 hit for Stevie Nicks back in 1983 have been released on a 4 track EP and also as single downloads on itunes. The following is available now:

EP: $3.96
1. Morgan Page Edit - 4:30
2. Ralphi's Beefy Retro Radio - 4:30
3. Tracy Takes You Home Mixshow - 6:54
4. Tracy Takes You Home Radio - 3:51

Singles: (sold seperately for 99 cents each)
1. Ralphi's Beefy Retro Mix - 11:11
2. Ralphi's Beefy Retro Edit - 7:30
3. Tracy Takes You Home Dub - 11:32
4. Tracy Takes You Home Mix - 11:26
5. Morgan Page Vox Mix - 7:01

Lindsey Buckingham Live on KLOS 95.5 FM June 5, 2007

Lindsey was interviewed on the Mark and Brian show on KLOS in Los Angeles today. He was interviewed from his home about his current tour in support of Under The Skin and the upcoming shows in the LA area.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Stevie Nicks "Vision Quest" Performing Songwriter Article

Daniel over at Stevie-Nicks.INFO typed out the entire article from the June, 2007 edition of Performing Songwriter. Click the picture to be taken to his site and the article...

Stevie Nicks Houston Review June 2, 2007 - Woodlands Pavilion

June 03, 2007
Nicks sends Woodlands fans into a frenzy

Stevie Nicks' book of spells hasn't changed much since her halcyon days as a gypsy rock goddess. But there's a good reason--actually, several decades' worth--why scores of fans still turn out for shows. Nicks' alluring mix of mood and music still weaves considerable magic.
The faithful were there Saturday night at the Woodlands Pavilion. Some in lace, some in shawls and still others in khaki shorts and polo shirts. Several brought flowers. Many scooped up several souvenir shirts and posters as they waited for their queen.

Nicks appeared soon enough, looking trimmer than usual in the requisite black, her blonde hair (still) cascading down her shoulders. She charged through opening number Stand Back and began twirling early in her hour-and-40-minute set, inciting rapturous cheers from the sizable crowd.

The song packed a glossy punch despite being more than two decades old, and it has recently resurfaced via fresh club remixes from DJ Tracy Young. (Coming soon to a dance floor near you, no doubt.)

Fleetwood Mac classics (Dreams, Gold Dust Woman) flowed seamlessly into solo hits (1983's If Anyone Falls) throughout the evening. Nicks has an easy, unfussy grace with her material. It's a familiarity that can only come with time and extensive touring.

She made slight changes to arrangements, and stretched some songs out into formidable showcases for her band and singers.

And for all the otherworldly gypsy drama that marks her image, Nicks comes off surprisingly warm and accessible onstage. Kind of like a really groovy aunt. She thanked the crowd repeatedly for its enthusiasm and chattered casually with her ten-piece band.

A lovely piano intro preceded Rhiannon, which also made time for a quick outfit change. (More flowy black, of course.) Enchanted was a nice change of pace--a jangly, rootsy gem that inspired the title of a 1998 box set.

Nicks introduced Sorcerer as a tune she had written (and demoed) more than three decades ago. It eventually found its way onto 2001's Trouble in Shangri-La, Nicks' last studio disc. The song required more vocal punch than much of the evening's material, and she proved up to the task.

The sly gallop of Gold Dust Woman was like welcoming back a mischevious friend. Images of mystical women and dancing lights flickered on the backdrop.

Nicks described the ubiquitous Landslide as simply being "about family." It still shows no signs of age, and accompanying photos of her late father only added to the tune's bittersweet shimmer.

Extended drum and guitar solos gave way to the sexually charged groove of Edge of Seventeen, the evening's unofficial closer. Nicks disappeared backstage and returned in what looked like schizophrenic wedding wear--a white dress and black tails with fringe. She did her usual meet-and-greet at the foot of stage, making off with several bouquets of flowers and cards.

Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll was the first of two encores, and a top-hatted Nicks played it like a freewheeling karaoke number. Better was Beauty and the Beast, a dramatic ballad accompanied by arresting black-and-white images from Jean Cocteau's 1946 French film. The stark beauty was matched by Nicks' own soaring vocals, and it proved a captivating closer to a familiar, feel-good set.

Show opener
Chris Isaak was crooning and cutting up well before the announced 8 p.m. start time. Many were still mulling over Nicks merchandise and standing in line for beer and nachos.

His 70-minute set teetered toward alt-country, but it was peppered with rock, blues and plenty of wry comedy. He tore the front of his pants early in the evening and jokingly tried to cover the hole with his pink jacket and a stage towel. "The kids are getting scared," Isaak cracked. "Mommy!"

Moody breakout tune Wicked Game drew cheers of familiarity, its guitar still sexy and evocative. And Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing (famously used in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut) should have been--but wasn't--another monster smash.

Isaak's voice is a wonder: low and smoky one minute, high and piercing the next. He played up the Roy Orbison influence with a sincere take on Only the Lonely and had the crowd singing along to Cheap Trick's I Want You To Want Me. (Both are on a recently issued Best Of collection.)

He tempered the noirish Blue Hotel with a light touch--literally. As his band Silvertone started the song, Isaak sauntered onstage in a discoball suit that reflected light from every angle. It was the perfect encapsulation of Isaak's crazy-sexy-cool
credo
.

NEW Date added to Stevie's Tour


A new date has been added to the Crystal Visions Tour:

Thursday - July 26th - Paso Robles , CA - Mid-state Fair

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Stevie Nicks - Red Rocks Review (Denver Post)


In Nicks of time, Isaak pulls double bill into 2007

By Ricardo Baca
Denver Post Pop Music Critic
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated:05/30/2007 03:21:09 PM MDT

Stevie Nicks - the rock star of few facial expressions - is nowhere near her prime.

The singer-songwriter who gained fame via Fleetwood Mac and furthered her career through a successful solo outing can't help being a little bit of an anachronism.

She's a legend from another decade, and while some of her music stands the test of time, most of it falls into the category of so-1980s. It doesn't help that her witchy wardrobe, including the free-flowing, black get-up she wore Monday night at Red Rocks, looks like something out of an episode of "Electric Company" or "Charmed."

While Nicks has refused to conform to many modern trends, don't ever let her rabid fans hear you call her anything but a goddess. Her fan base is one of those notorious groups - not all that unlike Jimmy Buffet's "Parrotheads" - known for their unconditional love. And as they applauded and worshiped their way through Nicks' co-headlining set Monday night, they failed to recognize the singer's main fault, which is her inability to move into the contemporary realm.

Nicks was one of the great American songwriters, but then she failed to evolve. Songs like "Landslide" and "Stand Back" remain powerful tracks. But as she sang "Stand Back" at the beginning of her set Monday night, the song's aged sentiment was obvious. About an hour into her set, "Landslide" encouraged an impressive singalong, but it was the only song of the night that resonated with any honesty in 2007.

And even then, it was obvious she was just going through the motions.

More entertaining was the always-effervescent Chris Isaak, who co-headlined the evening. His songs "Wicked Game" and "Somebody's Cryin"' were thoughtful meditations on love in the 21st century.

He later covered Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me" and Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel," but they weren't nearly as exciting as his own "Bad Bad Thing" and the humor that littered his set. Isaak, sporting a hot-pink suit and later a mirror suit on Monday, stole the show with his very modern charm and affability.

Nicks, with a ribbony mic stand that looked as if it had been through a long Mardi Gras weekend, was left telling stories about the early '80s. The most modern element of her time on stage was the set-opening intro of a Destiny's Child song that heavily sampled "Edge of Seventeen." That actual song ended up unimpressively closing her set.

Contact pop music critic Ricardo Baca at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Crystal Visions Sales To Date

Date / Chart # / Sales / Total Sales

04/14/07 #21 - 33,944
04/21/07 #52 - 20,884 = 54,828
04/28/07 #49 - 13,384 = 68,212
05/05/07 #71 - 9,687 = 77,899
05/12/07 #73 - 9,531 = 87,430
05/19/07 #91 - 7,829 = 95,259
05/26/07 #116 - 7,421 = 102,680
06/02/07 #138 - 5,535 = 108,215
06/09/07 #131 - 5,705 = 113,920

Stand Back Morgan Page Vocal Mix

Here is Track #6 from the promo disc: Stand Back - Morgan Page Vocal Mix. I like this one although the vocals on it seem a little to upfront from the music.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Jumping Directly To Gig With Fleetwood Mac


Conservatory graduates Phil Nichols (left) and John Haley (right) bookend Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and Engineer Mark Needham.

Imagine stepping out of recording school and having your first session be with Fleetwood Mac. That's exactly what happened to CRAS students John Haley and Phil Nichols. Haley and Nichols found saw their ship come in at Cornerstone Studios where they both were interning after graduating from the Conservatory.

"They were amazingly well-prepared, considering the situation we've thrown them into," remarked mix engineer Mark Needham, of Cake, Chris Isaak, and Elton John fame. "You've got 112 tracks of Pro Tools, a 48-track Sony 3348 digital machine, analog decks, and Neve automation all to lock up. They've handled every task I gave them, which is pretty sharp."

Student Phil Nichols comments. "I felt confident coming to work here in LA. The instructors made it clear exactly how it would be in the real world. They have the experience and want to make sure that you understand that and are prepared. In class, in sessions, in tutoring, the entire approach gives us a good foundation for working in the real world of recording music."

"The whole process of learning and coming up now is different than it was 20 years ago," explained Lindsey Buckingham "when rock and roll and the world around it were not as organized. There was a certain amount of luck, and I think you need the same amount of luck now, or even more. But there was also a certain amount of spontaneity that came from a lack of real understanding of what is correct and what isn't in the recording process. There is probably a good side and a bad side to having all of that harnessed, but I do admire the younger kids who are going in an learning a lot more, in a real sense of having a context of what it means to a broader understanding of music, and the techniques involved in recording music. I think that can only be a good thing. It certainly doesn't insure success anymore, though. It's just tough out there."

Haley offered the following advice: "Work harder than the guy who came before you. You are still proving yourself, so you have to have a really good work ethic. Be willing to put in lots of extra hours, all the time. You will be on the job as much as possible. Do your best to really help out."