Fleetwood Mac gives us a fly-on-the-wall view with their documentary “Destiny Rules”

A friend of mine said once that Fleetwood Mac is a band of solo artists – or something like that. Currently, you have Stevie Nicks – the lead singer, In this case he is right on the money. His proof: the documentary Fleetwood Mac: Destiny Rules.

Destiny Rules is a candid documentary that follows the making of the band’s 2003 studio album Say You Will. It was the first album without longtime member and keyboardist Christine McVie and the first record with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham back in the band. Buckingham left the band shortly before the tour for their 1987 album Tango In the Night.

What Destiny Rules shows us is that, while a considerable amount of healing has taken place among the band – particularly between the notoriously stormy relationship between Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks, there are still some caveats. For starters, they are somewhat worlds apart in their approaches to their craft – in particular the overall style.

For starters, Buckingham wanted their latest album to be a double album. A sordid Tusk 2.0 if you will. Nicks and the rest of the band see a double album as career suicide. She is right in her assessment that younger people, their target audience, will not buy a double album in 2003. After all, she would know because her solo efforts have, for the most part, consistently sold well despite her own age. Buckingham’s albums haven’t sold as well as hers.

To further drive home this point, when I saw Nicks in August 2011, her audience was a pretty full house. It consisted of young

women, families with children, some men and older women. It was at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion in the Woodlands – just outside Houston, TX. When Lindsey Buckingham came to the Verizon Wireless Theater in downtown Houston, it was a smaller audience that consisted of older men and women. I and my friend Javier both joked that the audience was “the Woodstock generation” because we are in our mid-twenties.

But one of the best things is that it shows the actual production process that the album went through. Such as the scene where Stevie and Lindsey converse about Throw Down and the possibility of editing out a verse. Also the idea of choosing the right mixing person to mix the songs is shown.

However the biggest complaint with this DVD is that there are absolutely NO extras. It is bare bones. It says on the back that the documentary was culled from over 500 hours of footage. You mean to tell me that you couldn’t make some extras out of that?!

B+

 

Video Tuesday starring……..THE YOUNG ONES (from the BBC hit tv show)

I think I maybe in love with this show. I mean, a) who goes insane like Rick does for the Human League? I had a boss once who considered the Cars to be the greatest rock band of all time – but he was an evil, annoying jerk who wasn’t as funny as Rick. Finally, b) who dances to the Human League like that? Funny!!!

Word to the guys reading: if you see a tampon, which usually looks like what Rick holds in the clip, please don’t play with it. Better yet, just leave it alone because you’ll make yourself look straight-up creepy.

Stevie Nicks shows her demons with “Live At Red Rocks”

In the mid-80’s rocker Stevie Nicks was at the top of her game with her multiplatinum-selling albums (1981’s Bella Donna &  1983’s The Wild Heart). However, by 1986, her “game” was being threatened by a deadly cocaine habit which greatly affected her then-latest album, Rock A Little, and its subsequent tour. Her 1986 concert, Stevie Nicks: Live At Red Rocks chronicles her concert at the beautiful Red Rocks Ampitheater tucked away inside the Colorado Rocky Mountains in Denver.

While this dvd is far from Nicks’ worst performance, it’s not up to par with her post-drugs performances such as her 2009 dvd: Live in Chicago. Nevertheless, there are some redeemable parts of this concert. For example, she opens the show with the Bella Donna-era classic, Outside the Rain with a nice fade-into her Fleetwood Mac classic Dreams. 

However, one of the best parts of the concert is when she performs Talk To Me from 1985’s Rock A Little. Her vocals sound amazing just as they do on the album.

One of the cutest moments of the film is after Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You. Someone in the audience releases a white-winged dove. The dove is then handed to Nicks (who tries to get the bird to speak into the mic) and she tries to release it, but the bird doesn’t leave.

Unfortunately Nicks’s performance of No Spoken Word is an absolute disaster in both sound and film. The closeups of her face are obviously retouched due to her drug issues. She looks tired. Additionally, her vocals sound tired. It gets even worse with Beauty and the Beast. On the ever-popular Edge of Seventeen, she performs a completely unnecessary vocal solo. At times, she even looks like she’s, as the great George Costanza once said on Seinfeld, in “a full-fledged body heave set to music.”

Overall, it’s an okay dvd due to the fact that it contains rarer songs that Nicks nowadays doesn’t perform live. However, it shows her in the worst part of her drug-fueled days. Fortunately after this tour she checked into rehab and has been off cocaine ever since.

B-.

Slash: Rocks with ‘Phineas and Ferb’ | Rolling Stone New and Hot Videos

Image via Wikipedia

Slash: Rocks with ‘Phineas and Ferb’ | Rolling Stone New and Hot Videos.

Since the best friend of the Wild Heart loves Phineas and Ferb (she’s a graphic designer just so you know) I thought this was rather amazing!

ABBA misses the mark of their own careers with “Greatest Hits”

Bands often don’t have the distinguished honor of having both a musical AND 2 movies, one of which starring Oscar winner Meryl Streep,  celebrate their songs – not to mention is still widely popular. For a band that survived the tacky disco era of the 1970’s, this is quite an an accomplishment.

With their 1976 album, Greatest Hits, ABBA shows those that reside in the US that they are most definitely star-worthy with catchy songs such as Ring Ring, Mamma Mia, Waterloo, and Fernando. For those that are more familiar with the film rather than the actual group, this is a great way to get into the music of ABBA. However, only 3 songs that were used in the film are present. One of these songs is I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do – which contains a unique blending of band members Agnetha and Frida’s beautiful voices with a sound reminiscent of the Beach Boys hit single Wouldn’t It Be Nice. If you remember from the film version of Mamma Mia, this is what is sung when Donna’s ex lover (played by Pierce Brosnan) proposes to Donna (played by) Meryl Streep.

Though there is some great tracks such as Ring Ring and Fernando, I cannot recommend this album. ABBA is great for downloading, but they are not an album artist. Their music, though at times creative, is somewhat formulaic and that formula goes bland when you flip it to side 2. However, I do highly recommend the film version of Mamma Mia. The music is more entertaining due to the fact that there is a different track selection than the this piece of junk.

 

Glee leaves Fleetwood Mac fans wanting more

Glee has nailed it when it comes to the personification of Fleetwood Mac and their ever-popular Rumours album. All the infighting, breakups – which really made the band great.

So here is a recap of the best of what happened last night:

Overall it did the album justice, but there was a bit that was left out

The ever dumb Brittany now has her own web show called “Fondue For Two” where she invites guests, or in this case Tina Cohen-Chang and Mercedes Jones to eat fondue and do what people like her do best: gossip. She reveals that Santana is a lesbian by saying she “plays for the other team.”

However, Sue Sylvester gets quite a bit of airtime this time – something that the Wild Heart absolutely loves! Her outrageous disguises ranging from David Bowie to conservative commentator Ann Coulter within one take, are nothing short of classic.

But the special appearance by Kristen Chenoweth as April did not seem to fit. Her performance of Dreams does not even begin to touch the original by Stevie Nicks. It seemed overall fake. However, this is quickly kicked out of the ballpark by Artie’s performance of Never Going Back Again – albeit with a chorus of acoustic guitars. The performance of the songs of Rumours is made even better by Rachel’s performance of Go Your Own Way. It almost makes you think that during the original album, either Stevie Nicks or Christine McVie should have sang the lead vocals – not Lindsey Buckingham.

Overall B+ because it was still rather funny.

in celebration of the Glee “Rumours” episode….

I will post what the Wild Heart considers to be the 20 best Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks songs.

1. This is the sole song that was written by the entire band.
2. This song was apparently written for Christine McVie‘s then-boyfriend, Dennis Wilson of  the legendary Beach Boys. Their relationship ended in 1981 due to his alcoholism. Unfortunately he passed away in 1983 when he drowned somewhere in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles when he was once again drinking heavily, jumped off his yacht and tried to retrieve stuff he had thrown out 3 years prior. 
3. This was the song that introduced me to Fleetwood Mac.
4. This is, at least for me, one of those songs you occasionally hear on the radio, but you don’t know what it is. When I first put in the album that this is on, Tango In the Night, I called up my now ex-boyfriend (who gave me the album on a trip to San Antonio – we found in in an antique shop and it is one of the few things I still look at or listen to since the relationship ended) and ecstatically exclaimed that this was the song that I was looking f0r from Stevie Nicks. It is one of her best with Fleetwood Mac – even though most people don’t like this particular album. 
5.  When I was a young girl, my father used to tell me the rumor about Stevie Nicks being a witch or was a member of a family of witches as truth. As a Christian, it is wrong to perpetuate rumours. Though yes, some of her beliefs I do question, I still enjoy her music, buy her albums and dance around to her music. If anything, I would rather pray for her.
6. Every single time I hear this song I think of my friend that is currently in a bad relationship. She is currently pregnant with his child. Kinda haunting, but great at the same time.
7. I love how Stevie changes the lyrics from the original recording in this song. Also, her voice is much more raspier, which brings the song to a whole new level of amazing!
8. One of the best duets I have ever heard.
9. This is what happens when you mix Inception, a fun house, “love grunts” and a really cute Lindsey Buckingham. By the way, every other time that they try to do this song live, they never do this song justice: its always stripped down and acoustic. So here is my plea: STOP DOING IT ACOUSTIC! It sounded better when done in the studio. Ever heard of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well Lindsey it wasn’t broke so why are you fixing it?
10. I frequently quote this song. At least in my head.
12. Also written for Dennis Wilson.
13. Some bands don’t age well when they put out later material. Say You Will, released in 2003, the album entered the Billboard 200 charts at #3. They also had a very successful Unleashed tour in 2009. They have aged very well, don’t you think?
16. This is perhaps Nick’s best-known song even to the point that Destiny’s Child sampled the guitar riff for their 2001 hit Bootylicious. Stevie even makes a cameo in the video for the song as the woman playing the guitar riff. 
17. Everytime I hear this song I either want to get up and dance with sashes upon my arms and/or sing.
18. I once tried to dedicate this song to a friend of mine who was about to get married. It was my own little way of saying “Congrats, he’s a good guy.” Sadly  Oprah didn’t pick my name as the “Ultimate Stevie Nicks Fan.”
19. About a week ago, due to some some personal issues that have been going on in my life, I listened to this song and broke down crying. 
20. Finally, one for those that love the Soundstage Sessions, aka “Live in Chicago” dvd: Enchaaannteedd!

Some “Rumours” about Glee

It’s not a “rumour” anymore folks! The hit television series Glee will be airing an entire episode devoted to one of the greatest rock albums of all time: Rumours by

The "Rumours" episode will air on May 3rd on FOX with guest star Kristen Chenoweth

Fleetwood Mac.

Here is some SPOILERS and hopes that the wildheart has about this episode:

• A duet between Will and Emma where they sing You Make Lovin’ Fun: Though I don’t know if this will happen, I really would like to see it. Ever since the show started, they have been dancing around the fact that they love each other. Heck, they loved each other when they were with other people. That is what the original author basically wrote it as: keyboard player Christine McVie was secretly dating a member of the bands road crew while still in a terrible relationship with Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie. To me this would be alot like that scene from the Rocky Horror Picture Show-themed episode where Emma sings Touch A Touch A Touch Me to Will Schuster. 
• More Sue-scheming! Let’s be honest – Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) shines whenever she is plotting against the glee club. I can just see her doing something extremely evil this time – more than the time she tried shoot Brittany out of a cannon!
• Rachel singing Dreams. Dreams, on its own, is a beautiful song. I think that the only character that can pull off such a beautiful song is Rachel. It matches her voice very well.
• The Warblers and New Directions sing The Chain: Though they are rivals, it is time that they unite in song.
• A cameo by Fleetwood Mac – all members from the Buckingham-Nicks era: Though this maybe next to impossible because Christine McVie is in retirement somewhere in England, it would send the ratings through the roof. They have not been together at least publicly since the bestselling live album The Dance.

“Vision Quest” lacks excellence

Vision Quest, though it has some gems, falls flat on its face

Ahhhh Vision Quest.  A movie I never saw that nevertheless has a rather strong soundtrack. Either way it is a soundtrack that has a little something for the balladiers, headbangers, rockers, and the pop princesses.

The soundtrack to Vision Quest is one that screams more 80’s than Flashdance ever did. The album starts out very strong with a track by classic rock greats Journey with Only the Young. Unfortunately it falls flat in some areas, such as the disco-themed Shout to the Top by the Style Council.  Even worse is I’ll Fall In Love Again by Sammy Hagar. It sounds too bland. However, it quickly redeems itself with Madonna’s The Gambler, a dance-oriented synth-happy track where the material girl exclaims “YOU CAN’T STOP ME NOW!”

This soundtrack even will please the rockers in the form of Don Henley’s She’s On the Zoom.

However, Vision Quest takes flight and goes off into its rocketing orbit with the late Ronnie James Dio‘s Hungry For Heaven. Dio proves himself to be worthy of a rock god.

One of the best tracks is Foreigner’s Hot Blooded, which has been covered a few times in concert by country rocker Gretchen Wilson.

Unfortunately, tracks by F0reigner, Journey and Madonna cannot even save this soundtrack. A good soundtrack should be able to tell the story of the film without seeing it. Vision Quest falls flat on its face.

Debbie Gibson and hate mail

This was too funny a quote to not put up on the Wild Heart, thus the Wild Heart had to put it up from tonite’s episode of Glee:

“I spent three years sending hate mail to Debbie Gibson until she wrote me back and said that the stress of my letters was giving her alopecia and then I felt terrible because I realized it was just my jealousy that she could fill a mall with her adoring fans.” — Holly

This was too funny to not pass up. First of all, if you send 3 years of hate mail to Debbie Gibson, you have no life and probably no friends. You are creepy. You need to have a restraining order and be quarantined.

Though I love Debbie Gibson and the work that she has done musically, I now cannot stop laughing about that. I also cannot stop thinking of that one episode of How I Met Your Mother that Robin was a Canadian teen idol much in the style of both Tiffany and Debbie Gibson.

Rebecca Black meet your match!

However, I like Debbie Gibson as I stated earlier. She’s talented.