Tag: Fleetwood Mac

Crying in H Mart — Michelle Zauner’s Memoir Helps Me Process the Loss of My Mother

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

mom-graduation-800
Lori Stratton with her mother Carolyn Barnard at her high school graduation in June 1994.

Each year, I look forward to the summer solstice. There’s something magical about the longest day of the year and the maximum amount of daylight that it brings.

But by June 20, 2020, at the age of 44, my outlook on the summer solstice changed unexpectedly. I awoke early that morning to sunlight streaming through my windows and felt excited about the day ahead.

My husband Brian and I were getting ready to visit my in-laws and celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with the rest of the family. We were just about the leave the house when we heard an expected knock on our door at 8 am.

I opened the door and saw my father on the front porch looking ragged and exhausted. There was an unrecognizable sadness on his face when he said, “L, Your mother passed away last night.”

Those words punched me right in the gut, and it took me a moment to process what he had just said. My father explained that my mother had a heart attack the night before; she had collapsed instantly and then died.

He tried to revive her before the paramedics came, but it was too late. I was surprised that a heart attack had taken my mother’s life at 75 instead of Alzheimer’s. She had been battling that disease for nearly a decade, and I had prepared myself for that outcome gradually.

Continue reading “Crying in H Mart — Michelle Zauner’s Memoir Helps Me Process the Loss of My Mother” →

Long-Distance Winner – Meredith Shock Goes Beyond ‘Trial Run’ in Latest Single, Video

Meredith Shock performs in Nashville. Photo by Skylar Stierwalt

Meredith Shock elegantly tests the waters in love and life.

The Nashville country-pop singer-songwriter beautifully plunges into her latest single and live acoustic video for “Trial Run,” a heartfelt ode to long-distance relationships.

“‘Trial Run’ was a song that I wrote about a girl I’m still dating. I’m in Nashville, and she ended up being here just for the summer, and I ended up really liking her. I was like, ‘Crap, what are we gonna do because I want to keep talking to you and seeing where this goes,’” Shock said.

“One of my best friends was like, ‘Why don’t you give it a trial run or something?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, we should,’ and we started calling it a trial run, and then that just sparked the idea for the song.”

“Trial Run” single artwork by Autumn DiScala

Shock’s fervent single wraps bright intermittent synths, climbing electric guitars, clicking finger snaps and vibrant acoustic guitars into a soaring cinematic sound as she sings, “Oh, I know you’re in another state/Maybe the miles and space will give you time to think about what you need/You can give me all the excuses/I know you got your reasons/But if you’re asking me, here’s what I think.”

Initially, Shock wrote “Trial Run” as highly personal track meant solely for her partner’s ears. It started out as a raw voice memo on her phone and later morphed into mesmerizing studio and acoustic versions.

“I played it for her, and she really, really liked it. I wanted to show her how I felt, and it was directed toward her. It’s not a story, it’s really just about her. People can tell I’m singing about a specific person and not just about any experience. I’m singing to someone, which is another big thing, too,” she said.

Shock released the studio version of “Trial Run” in February and dropped a live acoustic video version for her third single today. Filmed at Nashville’s Beyond The Loops studio in December, the video features Shock performing a poignant stripped-down version of “Trial Run” with an acoustic guitar.

“When I sing live, I think there’s always a little bit more feeling rather than like a recorded produced version. I think it’s cool to see the difference between how I wrote the song with just me and my guitar versus how the song eventually played out and how it was produced,” she said.

Continue reading “Long-Distance Winner – Meredith Shock Goes Beyond ‘Trial Run’ in Latest Single, Video” →

Musical Dichotomy – Jonathan Something Explores Conflicts of Human Psyche on ‘Outlandish Poetica’

Jonathan Something

Deep beneath Jonathan Something’s vintage-inspired rock lies the complexity and beauty of the human psyche.

The Brooklyn, Conn., singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer explores the dichotomy between a person’s emotionally turbulent interior and their serene façade on his latest release, “Outlandish Poetica,” which dropped last week via Solitaire Recordings.

Throughout “Outlandish Poetica’s” honest, eclectic and thought-provoking nine tracks, Something, aka Jon Searles, purposefully mixes upbeat, electrified ‘60s-fueled music with ironic, contemplative lyrics. It’s a clever and humorous way to musically and lyrically characterize the growing conflict most people experience when they mask their true self.

“I think I’m sort of a self-deprecating human being as a whole, and I think it’s an interesting vibe. I think a lot of people take themselves a little too seriously when it comes to music,” Searles said. “I like stuff that I can get a good laugh out of, especially stuff with dry humor, and on the surface level, wouldn’t necessarily be funny, but when you take it into the context of how they’re saying and what they’re saying, it packs a little punch.”

Continue reading “Musical Dichotomy – Jonathan Something Explores Conflicts of Human Psyche on ‘Outlandish Poetica’” →

Fleetwood Mac, Eagles Fuel Musical Nostalgia at Dodger Stadium for The Classic West

Fireworks explode over Dodger Stadium after Fleetwood Mac’s performance at The Classic West.

LOS ANGELES – Brilliant-colored fireworks exploded over Dodger Stadium as Fleetwood Mac closed out their two-hour set for The Classic West Sunday night.

Hues of red, green, yellow and blue popped over the crowd while the legendary band performed a spirited version of “Don’t Stop.”

The “Rumours” hit single served as the perfect ending to The Classic West, a new two-day classic rock music festival based in Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium featuring the Eagles, Steely Dan, Journey, The Doobie Brothers and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Curated by Irving Azoff in response to last year’s profitable Desert Trip, The Classic West is the ultimate recipe for whipping up a memorable dish of music nostalgia – early 1970s classic and folk rock fused with jazz-inspired tunes, southern California harmonies, groovy R&B, disco and arena rock anthems.

It also served as the perfect time musical time machine for nearly 50,000 attendees and me. I was ready to board a mythical aircraft similar to the one featured on the cover of Journey’s 1981 album, “Escape,” and travel back to a bygone era.

Continue reading “Fleetwood Mac, Eagles Fuel Musical Nostalgia at Dodger Stadium for The Classic West” →

Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie Prove Musical Bonds Never Break at Detroit’s Fox Theatre

Christine McVie, left, and Lindsey Buckingham perform at Detroit’s Fox Theatre on July 2.

It was time to leave, but something kept me there.

I turned around to catch a final glimpse of Mick Fleetwood. He saw me, smiled and blurted out, “Lindsey and Christine are going to tour this year. You should go see them!”

“I will!” I said. My emphatic response was my way of promising Fleetwood.

Fleetwood shared the perfect parting words as Brian and I left the reception room at the Hilton Austin Hotel on March 15. We had traveled to Austin to see Fleetwood discuss his upcoming book, “Love That Burns – A Chronicle of Fleetwood Mac,” at SXSW.

After the session, we attended a private reception hosted by Genesis Publications to meet Fleetwood and receive his autograph. It was a true honor to meet one of my five musical heroes.

Fleetwood’s comments were in reference to a recent announcement about Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie teaming up for a new album and tour as a duo.

I left the room smiling because my musical hero had ended the conversation on the right note — encouraging me to see the other members of Fleetwood Mac in concert was utterly perfect. For years, it felt like I had known Fleetwood. In that final moment, it felt like he knew me.

Four months later, I was ready to attend not one, but two Buckingham McVie shows – July 2 at Detroit’s Fox Theatre and July 6 at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Continue reading “Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie Prove Musical Bonds Never Break at Detroit’s Fox Theatre” →

Local Natives Summon Spirit of Fleetwood Mac in ‘Tusk’ Cover

 

Kelcey Ayer performs with Local Natives at Royal Oak Music Theatre on March 31.

Local Natives know how to properly channel the primal energy of Fleetwood’s Mac “Tusk.”

The Los Angeles-based indie rock band recently covered “Tusk” as part of Spotify’s “Music Happens Here” video series, which highlights how “local culture has inspired music throughout history” and kicks off with an inaugural 26-minute episode about Los Angeles.

“To say Fleetwood Mac has a huge influence on our music is a bit of an understatement,” the band wrote March 21 on their Facebook page. “As part of a new Spotify series called Music Happens Here, we covered Tusk in the same room, same studio as Fleetwood Mac covered it.”

I was elated the moment I read those words on Local Natives’ Facebook page. If you’re a Fleetwood Mac fan, then it’s not stretch to like Local Natives’ music, which features lush harmonies, adventurous percussion and multiple singer-songwriters.

Continue reading “Local Natives Summon Spirit of Fleetwood Mac in ‘Tusk’ Cover” →

‘Rumours’ – Fleetwood Mac’s Blockbuster Album Doesn’t Stop 40 Years Later

Fleetwood Mac's 2013 reissue of "Rumours."
Fleetwood Mac’s 2013 reissue of “Rumours.”

My mom retreated to her bedroom to unearth a classic rock album from her 1970s era vinyl collection.

She flipped through the dusty Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon and Eagles albums to locate Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours.”

There it was. The original copy she had purchased when I was a baby.

She quickly grabbed the album and brought it downstairs to play during a family listening party one night in April 1987. She plopped the album down on my grandma’s large wooden stereo system, which featured a 1972 era record player inside and was adorned with large golden knobs.

My brother, Steve, and I requested the listening party after picking up a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s “Tango in the Night.” We wanted to hear the band’s mega hit album from a decade earlier in its entirety.

Continue reading “‘Rumours’ – Fleetwood Mac’s Blockbuster Album Doesn’t Stop 40 Years Later” →

‘Walking On A Dream’ – Empire of the Sun Collaborates with Lindsey Buckingham on New Album

A new Empire of the Sun album, “Two Vines,” will feature contributions from Lindsey Buckingham, legendary Fleetwood Mac guitarist, vocalist and producer.

The Australian electronic music duo announced the Oct. 28 release of their third studio album Monday and debuted a new single, “High and Low,” on KROQ’s Kevin & Bean show in Los Angeles today.

“Two Vines” will feature “High and Low,” a new mix of the 2008 smash “Walking On A Dream” and 13 other tracks, including “To Her Door,” which includes guitar and harmonies by Buckingham.

Back in April, I stumbled across a black and white photo of Buckingham on Empire of the Sun’s Facebook page that immediately caught my eye.

The photo featured Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele demonstrating a guitar chord for Buckingham in a Los Angeles. I smiled instantly at the thought of a newer artist working with a legendary guitarist and singer like Buckingham.

In a June 3 article from The Western Australian, Steele recounted how he recruited Buckingham to play on Empire of the Sun’s new album.

Continue reading “‘Walking On A Dream’ – Empire of the Sun Collaborates with Lindsey Buckingham on New Album” →

Cornucopia of Music: Artists, Songs and Albums Abundantly Fill My Life

For me, music abundantly fills my life with a repertoire of endless possibilities.

There’s always a new artist, song or album to study, digest and experience. Each musical encounter slowly satisfies my hunger until the next one comes along. I live for musical abundance, and there’s still more for me to see, hear and do.

Each week, my life is a flurry of concerts, albums, family, friends and professional commitments. The energy I draw from concerts and albums replenishes me in a way I never thought possible. I recharge the most when I can combine music and people together. It’s truly what makes me tick.

One of my greatest joys is to discover new musical talent that leaves a sonic imprint in my mind. I constantly monitor satellite radio and social media for new artists, songs and albums. I keep mental and physical lists of artists and albums handy when I visit record stores and merch tables at concerts.

As a music aficionado, it’s not uncommon for me to randomly hear my favorite parts of different songs in my head throughout the day. Tony Banks’ iconic piano solo in the beginning and middle of Genesis’ “Firth of Fifth” is on repeat. Mick Fleetwood’s gentle drumming in Fleetwood Mac’s “Sara” is another. I hope these beautiful instrumentations never vanish from my mind.

My abundant love of music also allows me to draw musical connections between different artists. I often say to my husband that’s a Geddy Lee bass line or Steve Hackett guitar tap. It’s gratifying to form those connections and see how artists truly influence other musicians.

I just wish they all knew how much they influenced me.

Genesis, “Firth of Fifth”

Fleetwood Mac, “Sara”

‘Frozen Love’ Crystallizes Longstanding Buckingham Nicks Partnership

Back in 1988, my mom brought home a coveted copy of the 1973 “Buckingham Nicks” self-titled album. She found the copy at a Detroit area record show and proudly brought it home to me.

As a budding Fleetwood Mac fan, I was awestruck. I had read about this commercially unsuccessful, but critically acclaimed album in Rolling Stone, Creem and other rock magazines as a kid.

For me, it was the crown jewel in my Fleetwood Mac vinyl album collection. I couldn’t wait to hear what Lindsey Buckingham’s and Stevie Nicks’ material sounded like before they joined my favorite band.

The album felt like a preview to Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 white album, especially because it features “Crystal.” I loved the folky, ethereal groove the album carried throughout its 10 tracks, but there was one track that stayed with me and still does today – “Frozen Love.”

Continue reading “‘Frozen Love’ Crystallizes Longstanding Buckingham Nicks Partnership” →