Stevie Challenge - Days 24 & 25

Day 24 - Favorite Stevie Nicks tumblr

Don't know any.

Day 25 - Favorite Stevie Nicks song character

This is one I had to tweak a little from the original challenge, since Stevie is not an actress and doesn't have any "movie characters". There have been film characters inspired by Stevie, namely Gypsy from the movie Gypsy 83, but I don't consider that to be close to the same thing. So, I decided to do a song character. Stevie has lots of these. From Jane (Goodall) to Greta Garbo (who has two separate Stevie songs named after her) to Alice (in Wonderland) to Juliet, the list goes on and on. My favorite of these characters, however, has to be Rhiannon, from the song of the same name. The real Rhiannon is a mystical creature, an enchantress, with a basis in mythology. But, in song, Rhiannon is irresistible, beautiful, bewitching - the one you can never have but still can't help but long for. And I for one, would "love to love her."

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2011 nominees have been announced:

http://www.popeater.com/2010/09/28/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-2011-nominees/

And my predictions are:
Neil Diamond
Donovan
J. Geils Band
Chic
Tom Waits
Darlene Love
Dr. John

But I do have my fingers crossed for Donna Summer, and the Beastie Boys are a really solid possibility. I just don't like them.

Stevie Challenge - Days 22 & 23

Day 22 - Favorite tour

Gold Dust Tour, 2005, because I got to see her during that tour! First time!

Day 23 - Favorite performance

I loved her live version of "Beauty and the Beast" during this tour. It was incredibly moving.

Stevie Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 - First Stevie Nicks item you ever got

I'm pretty sure it was the DVD of Destiny Rules or Fleetwood Mac's two-disc greatest hits compilation.

Stevie Challenge - Days 19 & 20

Day 19 - Favorite Stevie Nicks magazine cover

It is so hard to find these! Bette sites have these things archived. Stevie sites do not. I was able to find a couple of decent Rolling Stone covers.

Here's one from 1981 that I would consider to be an "iconic" Stevie image.

But I prefer this 1997 cover:



Smoldering!

Day 20 - A Stevie Nicks-related dream you've had

Can't think of one right off-hand. My dream state has been blurring with reality lately due to my weird sleeping habits. I'll get back to you on this one.

Stevie Challenge: Day 18

Day 18 - Favorite album or single artwork



1982, Fleetwood Mac's Mirage

Stevie Challenge - Days 16 & 17

Oh noes! I is behind!

Day 16 - Favorite physical feature of Stevie Nicks'

Oh, her hair, without a doubt.

Day 17 - Least favorite Stevie Nicks song

Difficult question, seeing as how I love pretty much all of them. I think I will say "Docklands" from Street Angel. Not a bad song, but I just don't connect with the lyrics. Of course, Stevie didn't write this, so that could be why. It's a weak album anyway, so I'm not surprised that I would go with a song from this as my least favorite.

Stevie Challenge - Day 15

Day 15 - Favorite Stevie Nicks-related website

For archival stuff, The Nicks Fix is king. Photos, lyrics, articles, links to buy merchandise, Stevie journal entries. For news updates, I'm visiting Stevie Nicks News now. Sometimes there are big lulls (especially compared to Bootleg Betty, which is literally updated almost every day, and often multiple times a day), but all in all it's a very helpful site, especially now that Stevie's working on a new album. I know what articles are where without having to search for them. It's great.

Stevie Challenge - Days 13 & 14

I was away from a computer all day yesterday, so it's catch-up time!

Day 13 - A song that makes you cry

Almost any day, the song that makes me cry the easiest would be "Silver Springs". This song was the B-side to "Go Your Own Way" but was cut from the initial release of Rumours. It gained a little popularity when featured on The Dance, but that version is different and I definitely prefer the earlier recording.

Day 14 - A song that forces you to dance

No matter where I am or what I'm doing, I always have to dance to "Stand Back". The opening bars are irresistible. You can't help but move!

Stevie Challenge - Day 12

Day 12 - Your favorite music video

I can't embed this video because it's an "official" video, but here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG2r3MMzm2Q

I love this video for a couple of different reasons. First of all, the video is just very well done. Conceptually and visually, it's pretty stunning. (This video is from 2001.) Also, the peach dress that Stevie wears looks PHENOMENAL on her. Unfortunately the quality of the linked video isn't that great. Stevie's skin is too reflective. She isn't supposed to look like a white blob.

This video deserves honorable mention. Watch the breakdown that begins around the 3:26 mark.

D-Listed

D-Listed CAPTION THIS for September 14th - runner up right here!

http://www.dlisted.com/node/38839

UPDATE: I did it again for the 20th!

http://www.dlisted.com/node/38920

Stevie Challenge - Days 10 & 11

Day 10 - A Stevie Nicks-related video

Love this!



Day 11 - A Stevie Nicks-related photo you took

June 19, 2009 - Nashville, TN

Stevie Challenge - Days 8 & 9

Day 8 - A photo that makes you go UNF


Um, hello.

Day 9 - Your favorite era

Difficult question. Vocally and physically, Stevie was at her finest in the early years. But even with weight gain, she was still smoking. Creatively, there have been fluxes, but that's the case with every artist. I'm very fond of '80s Stevie. She made her largest transitions during this decade also. Additionally, I am a huge fan of big hair. HUGE. The mid-late '80s are boosted for me because of Stevie's fantabulous hair. I also like the Stevie of the '00s because she has really pumped up her image again over the last five years or so. Touring, working on new music, and getting her voice back - this is the Stevie of now. Taking all of these things into consideration, I have to say that my "favorite era" is probably the '80s. Her solo career began, hit its stride, flopped; a lot of changes were happening professionally and personally. This decade was full of change for Stevie, and things started and ended so differently that you have to respect all the things that happened to/for Stevie during the 1980s.

Stevie Challenge - Day 7

Day 07 - A photo that makes you laugh



Oh Grammy producers, what were you thinking?

Stevie Challenge - Day 6

Day 06 - Least favorite Stevie Nicks album

As I believe I mentioned in an earlier post, all of Stevie's albums fit to certain moods. Having to choose a least favorite, I guess I'd have to go with 1994's Street Angel. It's not a bad album at all; I actually like quite a few of the songs. It's just not full of bona fide hits. Plus, this was after Stevie left Fleetwood Mac and during the time she was addicted to Klonopin. Having just left Fleetwood Mac, she should have had stronger material built up for this album because her good stuff wasn't being saved for the Mac, but the pill addiction had her sort of sedated so she wasn't quite up to par energy-wise. "Blue Denim" just about single-handedly saves this album though. Fan-fucking-tastic song.

Stevie Challenge - Day 5

Day 05 - A photo of Stevie Nicks in the year that you were born


From the liner of Rock a Little. Photo by Herbert Worthington via The Nicks Fix.

Stevie Challenge - Day 4

Day 04 - Favorite homage to Stevie in film

This is, without a doubt, the scene in School of Rock where Joan Cusack's school principal drunkenly sings "Edge of Seventeen" in a bar. Priceless!

On a sort of Stevie-related note, I'm considering enrolling in an audio engineering certification program of some kind. It's something I've been interested in since watching Destiny Rules, the Fleetwood Mac documentary I mentioned in an earlier Stevie challenge. I'm looking for a change in my life, and pursuing this may be just what I need. I have yet to decide where or when to do this, but I'm looking at SAE in Nashville as a strong possibility. The financial aspect of all this is going to be the major decider, so we'll see what sort of info I can find out about scholarships and financial aid before I make a decision.

Stevie Challenge - Day 3

Day 03 - Favorite quote

Stevie's best "quotes" are song lyrics, but I did find this one on http://inherownwords.com/, a great little compilation of Stevie quotes. The following is from Musicians in Tune in 1992.

"I believe I was definitely sent down here to take people away for a little while, to make them happy."

Stevie Challenge - Day 2

I'm bored, so I'll go ahead and get a jumpstart on the next entry.

Day 02 – Favorite album, and favorite song off that album

Aaaahhh! This is sooo hard. The absolute best thing about Stevie is her songwriting, and it is so hard to pick a favorite album because they all really fit well together. While I love the fact that Bette's style can go all over the place, and with such ease on her part, Stevie's albums always have a similar sound as a whole (sometimes with the exception of one or two songs). The fact that her albums are so cohesive makes it really hard to choose between them. Each one means something to me based upon a mood or situation taking place at a certain time. There is no doubt that her first two albums are her best. She was at a high point both creatively and vocally, and those two albums came before her addictions really started to overwhelm her (cocaine first, then Klonopin later on). Don't get me wrong; I love cocaine-addled, electro-pop Stevie as much as I love Stevie as rock goddess, but the "rock goddess" part in her does contain a certain mystique. Keeping all of these things in mind, I shall now make my decision on favorite album.

Bella Donna, 1981. Stevie's first solo album. This was the beginning of "Is Fleetwood Mac breaking up?", that age old question. 30 years later, and they're still intact, for the most part. Bella Donna featured a lot of great songs, and when it came time for Stevie to release a boxed set 17 years later, eight of the ten tracks on this album made it onto the compilation. While the timeless "Edge of Seventeen", "Leather and Lace", and "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" are on this album, I have to choose "After the Glitter Fades" as my favorite song. It sums up the rock and roll lifestyle so beautifully, and contains this line: "Even though the living is sometimes laced with lies, it's alright. The feeling remains even after the glitter fades." Perfect.

30 Day Stevie Nicks Challenge - Day 1

I am going to have to tweak this challenge just a little bit so that it will fit Stevie since she is not an actress, but I think I can make it work.

Day 01 – When and how were you first introduced to Bette Midler Stevie Nicks?
Day 02 – Favorite album, and favorite song off that album
Day 03 – Favorite quote
Day 04 – Favorite Bette Midler movie character Favorite homage to Stevie in film
Day 05 – A photo of Bette Midler Stevie Nicks in the year that you were born
Day 06 – Least favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks album
Day 07 – A photo that makes you laugh
Day 08 – A photo that makes you go UNF
Day 09 – Your favorite era
Day 10 – A Bette Midler Stevie Nicks-related video
Day 11 – A Bette Midler Stevie Nicks-related photo you took
Day 12 – Your favorite music video
Day 13 – A song that makes you cry
Day 14 – A song that forces you to dance
Day 15 – Favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks-related website
Day 16 – Favorite physical feature of Bette Midler Stevie Nicks’
Day 17 – Least favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks song
Day 18 – Favorite album or single artwork
Day 19 – Favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks magazine cover
Day 20 – A Bette Midler Stevie Nicks-related dream you’ve had
Day 21 – First Bette Midler Stevie Nicks item you ever got
Day 22 – Favorite tour
Day 23 – Favorite performance
Day 24 – Favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks tumblr
Day 25 – Favorite Bette Midler movie Favorite Stevie Nicks song character
Day 26 – Favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks interview
Day 27 – Your favorite outfit/fashion statement
Day 28 – Favorite Bette Midler Stevie Nicks photo
Day 29 – How has Bette Midler Stevie Nicks inspired you?
Day 30 – Whatever tickles your fancy

Let the games begin!

Day 01 – When and how were you first introduced to Stevie Nicks?

Being the music aficionado that I am, and considering my father is a lover of all things classic rock, I had been aware of Stevie Nicks for some time. I knew about her affiliation with Fleetwood Mac and really enjoyed many of their songs. Stevie really became a notable presence in my life in 2003. Fleetwood Mac was releasing a new album and embarking on a world tour, the first in six years. I watched a lot of Vh1 back then, and promos for a new documentary about the making of this album were all over the place. I recorded the documentary, Destiny Rules, and watched it late one night in my room. This was a turning point for me. I was already more than intrigued by Stevie; her voice and her drive, and her sense of humor, in this documentary are why I fell in love with her. This was the beginning of my obsession with both her and Fleetwood Mac. I now have all of her albums in addition to all Fleetwood Mac albums of which Stevie was a part.

Bette Challenge - Days 27-30

Okay, I am a few days behind on my Bette Challenge. It has been a really busy week at work. We just had one person in our department move on to other ventures, one person's wife had a baby, and another person is on vacation. Being short-staffed + end of the month rush = agony. But I digress. I suppose tonight I should finish up the Bette Challenge, but seeing as how it's already past 8:00, I don't know that I can complete my assignment in time.

Day 27 – Your favorite outfit/fashion statement

Bette's been an entertainer for over 40 years. I can't choose one outfit to sum her up. I love Bette as the trashy rocker and the demure humanitarian, but I have to say that I do enjoy my trashy Bette quite a bit. So, in the spirit of the foul-mouthed version of our diva, I shall post this picture. I always did love this dress on her.



Day 28 – Favorite Bette Midler photo



Surely this one needs no explanation.

Day 29 – How has Bette Midler inspired you?

Bette Midler has inspired me to be whatever I want to be, to not take criticism or shit from anyone. She has inspired me to love deeply and passionately with abandon, to think of the legacy I am leaving behind, and to give back to the world in any way that I can. She has inspired me with her humor in every role she has played. Her smile puts love into the world. Bette has inspired me with her voice, one that is not technically perfect but that contains amounts of raw emotion that most singers are not even capable of. She has inspired me in the way that she has raised her daughter, with an appreciation of fine art, hard work and intellect, and a sense of self that is astonishing in people our age. Bette has inspired me in her charity work, and the fact that she is not afraid to get in and get her hands dirty when necessary. She has also inspired me by just being human. She has had messy breakups, personal disappointments, professional failures, and of course has put her foot in her mouth many times (something that I know all too well). Yet she triumphs, through all of this, and I suppose that is the greatest inspiration of all.

Day 30 – Whatever tickles your fancy

I will end my Bette challenge with these lyrics, which I find to be entirely appropriate for the occassion.

"Every Road Leads Back to You"
from the soundtrack to For The Boys

Old friend, here we are,
after all the years and tears
and all that we've been through.
It feels so good to see you.
Lookin' back in time,
there've been other friends and other lovers,
but no other one like you.
All my life, no one ever has known me better.

I must have traveled down a thousand roads.
Been so many places, seen so many faces,
always on my way to somethin' new.
Ohhh, but it doesn't matter,
'cause no matter where I go,
every road leads back,
every road just seems to lead me back to you.

Old friend, there were times
I didn't want to see your face
or hear your name again.
Now those times are far behind me.
It's so good to see your smile.
I'd forgotten how nobody else
could make me smile the way you do.
All this time, you're the one I still want beside me.

I must have traveled down a thousand roads.
Been so many places, seen so many faces,
always on my way to somethin' new.
Ohh, but it doesn't matter,
'cause no matter where I go,
every road leads back,
every road just seems to lead me back to you.

I must have traveled down a thousand roads.
Been so many places, seen so many faces,
always on my way to somethin' new.
Ohh, but it doesn't matter,
'cause no matter where I go,
every road leads back,
every road just seems to lead me back,
every road leads back,
every road just seems to lead me back to you.
Every road just seems to lead me back to you.