Never Break The Chain
Jeff McDonald talks to Fleetwood Mac singer and pop-culture icon Stevie Nicks about old rumours, the new dance and her life as a “living adjective”
WHEN I FIRST RECEIVED THE ASSIGNMENT TO interview Stevie Nicks — who’s my all-time rock n’ roll idol, not to mention a pop-culture icon of legendary status — I was nervous. But upon my arrival at her West LA home, I found Ms. Nicks not to be the mystical, witchy, other-wordly pop diva I’d expected, but rather a casual, articulate and very down-to-earth person. As she opened the door barefoot wearing a thrift-store-type vintage dress, she invited me into her home and offered me fresh cherries and ice-water. Immediately, I got the feeling that if I had needed a place to stay, Stevie would’ve let crash on her couch. She’s a very cool woman. As you know, Stevie Nicks is Fleetwood Mac’s charismatic lead vocalist, who brought ballet (along with Freddie Mercury, that is) and brilliant pop poetry to the masses. On the 20th anniversary of their mega-platinum-selling album, Rumours, Fleetwood Mac have reformed for the most-anticipated tour of the year. Along with this nationwide string of appearances, the band which includes guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, keyboardist Christine McVie, bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood- have just released a new CD, The Dance, which is a live recording of their already legendary MTV special.
I’m not a rock journalist so I’m a little nervous.
Don’t be nervous.
When I get nervous I get chapped lips.
Want some Chap-Stick?
I think I’ll be OK.
Are you sure? We’ve got a whole house of women here, we’ve got everything.
I had a little problem with Chap-Stick-I got addicted to it so I’ve had to give it up, but thanks anyway. Let’s start with the MTV performance that you taped earlier this spring. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go, but a friend of mine who went told me her hair actually stood up on her arms. And I know that Courtney Love cried three times during the concert. It was so unfair that I had to miss it.
I’m sorry you had to miss it, too.
I did see one song, “The Chain,” on video. It sounded so cool, so vital. Not at all “oldies” music.
From the first day on April 1st, I said to myself, if I go up there and it feels like some kind of retro thing, I’m off the stage, I’m out of the hall, I’m not going to do this. But it never felt like that. It felt like we were getting back into rehearsal, just starting up again. Like maybe we’d been off for a year. That’s how it felt.
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