Tag: Women In Rock

*****

Interviewed in Los Angeles, on May 11 1985, a few months before the release of her 3rd solo LP ROCK A LITTLE, Stevie Nicks – the Rolling Stone-anointed “Queen Of Rock & Roll” – takes on a myriad of subjects.

In part 1, Stevie discusses the hopefully-imminent release of ROCK A LITTLE and what that means, working with her band and the recording of a few of the tracks in a Dallas church, with Jimmy Iovine, music videos (at this point, the first single wasn’t even chosen – eventually it was “Talk To Me”, which hit #4 on Billboard’s Hot 100) and touring, the surge of women in Rock N Roll that year and how Fleetwood Mac helped her become the rock star she is and how they protected her as “the little sister.”

In part 2, Stevie discusses her influence on other artists and how she hopes that, through her energy – if not her singing – those artists could learn something; her fashion influences (Madonna gets out of such comparative influences easily, Prince does not!), the admiration she has for up-and-coming newbie Cyndi Lauper’s strength and Tina Turner’s tenacity and fortitude. She also happily discusses her back-up singers Lori Perry and Sharon Celani (and “Minnie” – you have to watch) and how having them as friends and support make her life so much easier, and the relations and alleged competition between women in general, in music and in life.

She also discusses where her passion for her love of painting comes from, how it sedates her and grounds her and how it’s never been an innate ability or desire until only a few years prior.  She opens up about how this passion started due to the sickness of her friend Robin (whom she doesn’t mention by name) and how she started drawing so, when Stevie could not be with her, the image of her drawings kept them connected.  She “summons” Sister Honey for the interviewer (which can be seen in the next part of the video), a painting that has become a favorite over the years for Nicks’ fans.

The video is damaged around the 7 minute mark in part 2, but it’s only briefly – and you can still hear the audio.

In the final part, her painting Sister Honey is brought into the room and Nicks explains her origins and again states that this is all (painting, that is) still very new to her. Stevie is then asked about her “book that is coming out”, called “The Wild Heart” and its contents:

“A lot of poetry, it’s some journalistic stuff; it’s a lot of the actual nights of recording of THE WILD HEART and the experiences that happened during that 2-3 year period. There are some things from my Fleetwood Mac stash of 10 years of writing….the real essence of that isn’t in this book because that’s a book in itself…it’s my life, and it’s very honest.”

The book has a lot of “advice” and “philosophy” and a way to “give a little bit more of me”.  She’s “very excited about them (her fans) receiving it” more than actually putting it out. (We fans have been wishing for years for any book from Stevie – but sadly, “The Wild Heart” was never published.)

She talks about what she does in her down time – which is a foreign concept to her. She’s been working non-stop for over a year and a half, and hopes to take a vacation when it’s over. She talks a little about love, and the possible resurrection of Fleetwood Mac and the bond they share…and how she liked Christine McVie’s solo album and loved the video for McVie’s “Got A Hold On Me” video.

Before the interview is over, Stevie wants to add an an addendum to her earlier philosophy of love, and how she doesn’t want anyone to misinterpret that it’s an  impossible ideal – she does believe one can find it…one just has to look hard.