Best Overall Rock Album

Music Talk Radio

     First off, I am not the biggest Fleetwood Mac fan. I do love their music, though. I have to say that "Rumours" is, to me, the best "overall" rock album. But why? you might ask. Is it the music? Is it the lyrics? Is it the sound engineer? No, not exactly. It's all of that and more.

    It's the commitment of all the members of Fleetwood Mac to honor the music above their own feelings. The artistic and creative release of each artist's mangled emotions amidst their incredible vulnerabilities with each other during the recording of "Rumours." Save Mick Fleetwood, who was facing divorce with his wife Jenny Boyd, sister to the famous Patti Boyd, who was married to George Harrison and Eric Clapton and was the muse for many a tune such as "Layla," "Wonderful Tonight" by Clapton and "Something" by Harrison. At least Mick Fleetwood didn't have to be in the same room with Jenny while that was happening. I can't say the same for the other 4 songwriting members.

    It's a famous story, and probably everyone knows it, but you had Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks on the outs during recording, as well as Christine McVie and John McVie. "Go Your Own Way," written by Buckingham and directed at Nicks, is one example. Then you have "You Make Loving Fun," which Christine McVie wrote about the lighting director for the band that she was dating while still married to John. Then there is Buckingham's "Never Going Back Again," which he wrote while starting to date someone new. He didn't want to repeat the mistake of his previous relationship mistakes and had no plans to go back to Nicks. I didn't forget Stevie Nicks's contribution of "Dreams" about Lindsey.

    "Rumours" was born of deep pain, confusion, and vulnerability. All four songwriters channeled their emotions brilliantly, and I can't say that about any other album in rock history. I'm not talking about a band member who had to be fired because they weren't pulling their weight, like Brian Jones of the Stones. I am talking about writing songs about the people still in your life—right there to listen and respond to songs about themselves and sticking it out anyway. 

    Oh ya, and the music and lyrics were magic, to boot! Brilliant. Revisit "Rumours" on Spotify.

Photo by Herbert Worthington, 1977.

Popular posts from this blog

The Rolling Stones Mick Taylor

Music Talk Radio
Image
     Mick Taylor was a great replacement guitarist for Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones. His keen sense of melody and ability to jam were fresh for the Stones. Think of the end of "Sway." Taylor joined the Stones in 1969.       Taylor played on the following albums from the Stones: Let It Bleed (1969), Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out (1970), The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970), Sticky Fingers (1971), Exile on Main Street  (1972), Goats Head Soup (1973) and It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974).       When Taylor was in the Stones, he fostered the best and most creative writing and guitar playing. Mick Taylor challenged Keith. They worked well together.       Keith is one of my favorite songwriters, and he upped his game, as did Mick Jagger when Mick Taylor was in the band. Taylor challenged them and intimidated them a bit. They got bluesy, too. Mick Taylor was a great slide player. If you haven't considered him a Rollin...
Read More - Your Two Cents!

Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath

Music Talk Radio
Image
    Did you know that Tony Iommi, guitarist of Black Sabbath fame, lost a couple of his fingertips on his right hand? His index and middle fingers, to be exact. Being left-handed, this would have been his fretboard hand. He worked in a sheet metal factory and accidentally cut them off. Ouch! It almost stopped Iommi from playing guitar, but a friend, seeing Iommi's depression from not playing, played Iommi a record of Django Reinhardt.  A guitarist of Jazz fame. Iommi didn't know until after hearing Reinhardt that Reinhardt had severely burned his ring and index finger on his left hand but kept playing. Iommi was impressed by the jazz great. His friend then revealed that Reinhardt could only use two fingers on his fretboard hand.       This got Iommi inspired and back on the saddle again. Tony used light guitar strings and even banjo strings , dropping the string tension to make them looser.  He dropped his tuning to C# Standard and D# Standard...
Read More - Your Two Cents!

Led Zeppelin II Album Cover Art

Music Talk Radio
Image
     I like Led Zeppelin's "Brown Bomber" album cover for Led Zeppelin II. David Juniper created the artwork. The whole story is at Rock Pop Gallery, but let me summarize it. The artwork was created by taking an authentic 1917 World War I photo of German air force pilots (The Red Baron's crew) and replacing some pilots' heads with the Zeppelin members, famous celebs, and some Zeppelin crew.      Interestingly, the Red Baron didn't make it onto the Zep II cover. In the original photo, he is sitting in the plane's cockpit. Juniper airbrushed him out. Remember that this art was created before the ability to quickly Photoshop the replacement faces. It was all done by hand. It's not as big a deal to make this now, but it was back in 1969.      The blond woman was Glynis Johns, the mother of Mary Poppins. I might add that she looks pretty crazy in this! Glynis Johns was a play on the recording engineer's name who recorded their debut album, Glyn J...
Read More - Your Two Cents!