Wednesday, September 18, 2013

UK REVIEW | PHOTOS: Stevie Nicks had reason for a London fanfare of her own

STEVIE NICKS: IN YOUR DREAMS UK PREMIERE
Review and Photo by Imelda Michalczyk
Fleetwood Mac may be the very definition of rock royalty and astounding longevity. Just prior to the band embarking on a UK arena tour this month (a full 46 years into their career), front woman Stevie Nicks had reason for a London fanfare of her own.

In Your Dreams, a documentary about the making of Nicks’s last album (of the same name) was given its UK premiere at Curzon Mayfair cinema on 16 September. The album was co-written and co-produced by Dave Stewart, who also largely filmed and directed the documentary. Stewart, donning a hat and dark glasses, was in attendance at the premiere, alongside Mick Fleetwood (who appears in the film) and former bandmate Christine McVie.

The album was recorded at Nicks’s own house, Tara, in California, giving the viewer a peek into her home as well as the recording of the music. The film breaks down the album song by song, showing the inspiration, the trials and tribulations of writing and recording and clips of elaborate music videos for some of the tracks.

The heavier topics of inspiration such as the devastation wrecked on New Orleans by hurricane Katrina are balanced with lighter musical anecdotes. One such being Nicks’s admission that she once stole a tune from Mike Campbell (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) from a demo cassette she heard. She added lyrics, recorded it with Fleetwood Mac – claiming to have written the whole thing – and then presented it to Petty as a finished work. Understandably, he flew into a rage and demanded she confess to Fleetwood Mac and scrap it. Petty later turned the tune into Runaway Trains.

In a Q&A session with Nicks and Stewart after the screening, she spoke of how this album was her first experience of writing with someone who was in the same room at the same time. She also highlighted how important she felt documentaries are in both revealing the process of artistic creation but also as a tribute, citing the documentary of The Travelling Willburys and how poignant and precious that was when two of the band members passed away.

On a lighter note she joked that it was good for people to finally see her “doing something” in a studio setting. In the film, she’s depicted as fully involved with all aspects of the musical process, explaining ideas, directing musicians and arguing for rearrangements of songs. In contrast, footage of her in the studio with Fleetwood Mac over the years, tends to show her drawing or writing in her journal whilst she hangs around waiting for her turn to sing!

She clearly found the entire project refreshing and deeply enjoyable and advocated that everyone make their own documentary footage of their lives in whatever way they could.

As the event drew to a close, the audience got to their feet to applaud and Nicks waved goodbye to her fans, disappearing back into her ethereal world of dreams.

Review via RockShot

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

UK REVIEW: Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams "The film is enchanting but at the same time is entirely real"

"For fans of Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, this film is an enjoyable voyage through a life that is usually kept quite guarded outside of the lyrics of her songs."

By Emma O'Brien 

Last night I sat in a room with Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Dave Stewart. I had to pinch myself several times because if you had told me 18 months ago when I was sat playing Fleetwood Mac and Eurythmics songs on student radio that I would be sitting less than 3 metres from some of my musical heroes, I would have probably thought you were on crack.

Being my first experience of a premiere you can well imagine my excitement at finally being one of the people walking up the red carpet, not just one of the mere mortals standing on the wrong side of a metal barrier clamouring for the chance to meet their idols. Once inside and safely installed in my front row seat, I cracked open the goodie bag which included a much appreciated cocktail and bag of popcorn and awaited the start of proceedings. When Stevie, Dave and Mick entered the room the audience went wild, demonstrating that this was not an ordinary premiere full of slightly indifferent industry moguls just there for the free night out, this was a room full of fans much like little old me who just lucked into the chance to spend the evening with Stevie and Dave.

Stevie Nicks maybe the only woman who can make Beyoncé seem ordinary #FleetwoodMac


Stevie Nicks — maybe the only woman who can make Beyoncé seem ordinary — has finally openly doled out praise for the singer in an interview. Queen B might as well hang up her sparkly stage costume and retire now, because there is no higher career summit to which she can ascend. In a recent interview with the Telegraph, Nicks raved about Beyoncé's levelheadedness and general awesomeness: "Beyoncé's great. She's got her alter ego [Sasha Fierce], but Beyoncé the girl, the woman, is very sweet and nice and polite. She's a good role model. She's not skanky. I'm glad we have her," she said. How lucky, because we know what happens when Stevie is not glad to have you. We're looking at you, Nicki Minaj.


BY ALLISON P DAVIS

Stevie Nicks talks Fleetwood Mac, feminism and romancing Prince ahead of O2 gigs

By Jim Palmer, Leisure Editor
This is Local London

FLEETWOOD Mac are back touring for the first time in four years and heading for the O2 arena for three dates at the end of the month.

The classic line-up includes iconic members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Christine McVie is rumoured to join up with her old band.

Singer Stevie Nicks said explained now was right to bring the band back.

She said: “I thought Fleetwood Mac should stay off the grid for three years. It’s a good idea; it’s just smart to keep us out of the spotlight for three years. Everyone went along with it.

“We were gone long enough that it was us coming back.

“I told the press last year that 2013 was going to be the year of Fleetwood Mac. And I was just hoping with all my heart that this big statement was gonna come true.”

And the show is not to be missed, the singer said.

“When people in Britain see the show they’re gonna be blown way,” she said. “Honestly, rock bands that are 30 years old would baulk at this schedule and at the amount of songs we’re doing and the length of the show.

"she offered and we were thrilled" Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks on Christine McVie's Return To The Stage

"I think she's going to come and do the last two shows in London,"



Fleetwood Mac have opened up about their upcoming reunion with former keyboardist Christine McVie at their upcoming London shows.

"I think she's going to come and do the last two shows in London," said drummer Mick Fleetwood. "It's going to be great - Christine's music is so much part of Fleetwood Mac. She's been gone now for many, many years and she's like my sister.

"We're going to make her feel comfortable and have fun and I think people will love it. She's always honoured by the nature of her songs and the depth of that. When she decided to leave 14 or 16 years ago, we were sad and thought that maybe she'd come back, but she made that choice." 
He continued: "A lot of people are saying 'is she going to come back?' and the answer to that is that she would be welcome, but that would be her choice. We will see. At some point we're going to knock it on the head, I'm not sure when, but in that context it would be something that would be entertained." 
Frontwoman Stevie Nicks added: "She's coming to do two nights here and probably do 'Don't Stop'. I'm not sure, but she's coming to Dublin to rehearse whatever song she's going to do. We never wanted her to leave, so for us it's amazing that she is going to come."
by Andrew Trendell 
Gigwise

Stevie Nicks 'thrilled' by Christine McVie's Fleetwood Mac London return
Stevie Nicks has told Digital Spy that Fleetwood Mac are "thrilled" Christine McVie will rejoin the band for a special appearance in London.
McVie, who last performed with Fleetwood Mac in 1998, will rehearse with the band in Ireland this week. She is tipped to appear at two shows in the capital later this month.
Nicks told DS at the UK premiere of documentary Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams that McVie had approached Fleetwood Mac about joining up with them again, explaining: "Well, she said she'd do it. She did not say she would do it on the last two tours.

"So, she offered and we were thrilled, and it's great to have her back and to do a song. She's been very, very missed, so even to have her back for a little while is going to be good.

"And it will be good to see her, I mean, we never see her, you know? We're all so far away. I mean, London to California is far. So it's really great that she's decided to hang out with us for a little bit."
McVie and Mick Fleetwood joined Nicks at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair on Monday night (September 16) for a screening of In Your Dreams, which was directed and produced by Nicks and Dave Stewart.
By Kate Goodacre
Digital Spy

Monday, September 16, 2013

"Stevie Nicks would like to play in Italy" - Mick Fleetwood told Gigwise [Video]

Mick Fleetwood spoke with Gigwise about Glastonbury and doing more work in interesting places...

When gigwise asked drummer Mick Fleetwood if the band had any plans to play festivals next summer.

"I hope so, I would love that," he said. "This has been a tough year on the road, but having said that, the boys in the band are hoping that our lady will think kindly about doing a few of the festivals." 

He continued:

"We've been thinking of doing some more work in interesting places. On this tour we didn't play in Italy, but Stevie said 'ah, I'd like to play in Italy' and I said 'well, maybe we can', so we were joking about that. 

"We were asked to do some lovely festivals this year and it didn't work out. Once you do the festivals then you can't really do a tour of the other towns. We were asked to do Glastonbury this year and hopefully they'll ask us again." 

When asked about the possibility of playing Glastonbury 2014, Fleetwood replied:

"I don't know - they've probably got fed up of asking us!"

Check out the video at Gigwise by Andrew Trendell

First Public Photos of Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks Together in 15 Years! Amazing!

Stevie Nicks: In Your Dreams - Screening and Q&A
Curzon Mayfair, London - September 16, 2013
Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, Dave Stewart and Stevie Nicks Arrivals






 Christine looks awesome!!... So excited for everyone in the UK!
Pictures by Chris Joseph Image Collect and Contact Music

The After Party was held at The Arts Club

More Photos on Facebook

NEW Fleetwood Mac 3CD Live in Boston 1970 Available October 28th

The live recordings on this new three-CD set feature the classic blues line-up of Fleetwood Mac (Mick
Fleetwood, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Jeremy Spencer) and date from February 1970 when they played three nights at the Boston Tea Party venue.


3 CD Set in round box remastered vintage live recordings of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. Earlier this year the current incarnation of Fleetwood Mac embarked on a massive world tour. Dates in North America are being followed by gigs around Europe, Australia and New Zealand. These dates will see the band playing sold-out shows to huge arena crowds and are sure to create another surge of interest in this much-loved band. Boston is a 3CD set which collects live recordings from an earlier era of the band's colourful history. The set features the classic blues line-up of Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, John McVie and Jeremy Spencer. Originally recorded at the Boston Tea Party venue over three nights in February 1970, for a planned release later the same year, these recordings were left in the can, unissued, following leader Peter Green's sudden decision to leave the band a few weeks after the dates. Tracks from the shows were eventually released in various forms in the mid-80s but these releases were blighted by poor sound sources. The discovery of the original 8-track tapes and a number of previously unreleased tracks in the late 90s allowed the material to be re-mixed, re-mastered, and substantially overhauled for release on 3 separate CD volumes. This new set brings together all of these re-mastered recordings a 3CD set to present a complete document of these historic shows. 

The set is packaged in a round box with a 24 page book and 5 beer mats. The booklet contains new sleeve-notes and reworked artwork.

Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart agree to host special shows on Absolute Radio + WIN Fleetwood Mac Tix

Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart will both be part of Absolute Radio's fifth birthday celebrations after agreeing to host special shows.

The two will present an edition each of Absolute Radio Icons, a brand new mini series launching on September 23 and going out at 11pm from Monday to Thursday that week in which a different star will host each night. Fleetwood Mac star Nicks will kick off the series next Monday (September 23), while Arctic Monkeys will present next Tuesday (24), Kings Of Leon on the Wednesday (25) and Dave Stewart on the Thursday (26).

In the cases of the Nicks and Stewart episodes, the programmes will also go out on their respective nights at 8pm on Absolute's Absolute Classic Rock digital station. Nicks will talk about her new documentary In Your Dreams made with Stewart, her work with Fleetwood Mac, including their current world tour, and her solo work. Stewart's show will include him discussing his new album Lucky Numbers, which is due out in October, and him writing Ghost the Musical plus his work on Nicks' film.

Other specials taking place to mark five years since Virgin Radio became Absolute Radio include Primal Scream playing the Hard Rock Cafe this coming Thursday (September 19) and a broadcast at 9pm next Sunday (September 22) of Kings Of Leon playing at The NIA in Birmingham. This was recorded exclusively just after the station's launch in 2008.

Music Week

Win Fleetwood Mac tickets
In anticipation of the upcoming Absolute Radio Icons show with Stevie Nicks, Absolute Radio is giving away tickets to the highly anticipated return of the unstoppable Fleetwood Mac. John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks are back in the UK for a run of live shows and you could win a pair to the sold out show at Manchester Arena on Tuesday, 1st October.

More details at Absolute Radio