[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of the fun things about being a music fan for the long haul is seeing how bands can come in and out of vogue. When Bill Clinton basically ruined Fleetwood Mac by using “Don’t Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)” in order to secure the Big Chill/‘mom jeans’ vote during his 1994 presidential campaign, no one could have guessed that the Mac would be hipper 20 years later than perhaps they ever were in their prime. Somehow through the magic of time, Stevie Nicks has become the patron saint of indie queen fashion, Lindsey Buckingham is a cooler guitar player than Jimi Hendrix (who was, on the other hand, everywhere in 1994), and Fleetwood Mac’s double album Tusk, panned at the time of its 1979 release, has somehow become more talked about in record-head circles than Mac’s epochal 1977 break-up album, Rumours.
Fleetwood Mac’s current touring edition is never going to play the sprawling, diffuse, chaotic Tusk in order – and nor should they. But thankfully, the Lindsey Buckingham Appreciation Society (TLBAS) will step up to the challenge tomorrow night at Johnny D’s in Davis Square, Somerville.
TLBAS brings together folks like guitarist Tony Goddess of Papas Fritas (who understood cool Mac during the Clinton years) and drummer Patrick Berkery (of Mass-rooted bands the War on Drugs and the Pernice Brothers) who chatted with Vanyaland about all things Tusk and the upcoming performance.
This edition of TLBAS also includes guitarist Charlie Hall (Jens Lekman and the War on Drugs), guitarist Birdie Busch (a Philadelphia-based singer and songwriter), bassist Dave Hartley (the War on Drugs, Nightlands), and keyboardist Eliza Hardy Jones (Buried Beds).
Jonathan Donaldson: Knowing what huge fans of Tusk you must be, do you guys at least begrudge that Rumours is a better album? Or do you refuse?
Tony Goddess: I think in terms of arrangement/production, Rumours is “perfection” and Tusk is “process.” Both are completely valid. Both are pretty emotionally draining and exhilarating listening experiences. I also gotta say Rumours sounds a lot more expensive than Tusk to me, though I know that’s not the case. Tusk was kind of the Water World of its day — insanely expensive and considered a flop.
Patrick Berkery: Rumours is Fleetwood Mac at their most universally appealing. I’ll bet if you looked at the iPods of Sarah Palin, Kanye West, and a dude from Vampire Weekend, you’d find Rumours on there. Tusk would probably just be on the Vampire Weekend dude’s iPod.
Fleetwood Mac somehow strangely became a retroactive Pitchfork band. For example, Cut/Copy did a remix of Tusk’s “Never Forget.” How do you think that happened? Is their music really that appealing? Your average Urban Outfitters shopper might think they love Mac, but would want nothing to do with “That’s All For Everyone.” What’s going on here? And do you think Stevie Nicks’ wispy mystical flakiness makes her an inspiring role model for kids today?
Goddess: That and her coke/Klonopin problem. Definitely! I think people are getting a bit more omnivorous in their listening and thus opening themselves up to more mainstream stuff. The Mac are like the Beach Boys—lots of hits we all know, sounds good on the surface, but the catalog has a lot of fucked up shit. It just took people a while to realize it.
Berkery: I hear a lot of ‘nods’ to Mac among younger bands—both Nashvillian country-pop bands and indie acts. Have you heard that Pure Bathing Culture song “Pendulum?” It sounds like the lost fifth single from Tango In The Night – it’s brilliant! Tusk, in some ways, has the feel of a lo-fi-ish indie pop record (especially the Lindsey Buckingham tunes) years before that template was even a “thing.”
Coming off an album with like five hits, is there a real hit off Tusk?
Berkery: “Sara” and “Tusk” were Top 10 hits. I think “Think About Me” was Top 30. But, no, those songs aren’t as ubiquitous as the songs of Rumours or even the first Lindsey/Stevie Mac album (1975’s self-titled LP). I really don’t think Tusk is that “weird” at all once you get past the diffuse production – particularly the drum sounds. Yeah, it’s weird stacked against its predecessor, especially sonically. But a lot of those songs are beautiful pop rock songs in the vein of things that came on the records before it — with the exception of the title track. That’s weird. I’ll give you that.
What side of the album do you guys think is best?
Berkery: Best side? Good question. Side 3, maybe? But “Walk a Thin Line” is probably my favorite song on the album. So I change my answer! Side 4 is my favorite.
Goddess: Wow, I don’t know about that… I quite dig Side 1 kind of has it all. Side 2 is the tits also but there’s no Christine (McVie) on there, and “Sisters of the Moon” is not my fave. I love “That’s All For Everyone” though.
“That’s All For Everyone” is bat shit crazy, Beach Boys Love You kind of shit. It sounds like the record is skipping…
Goddess: Yes, exactly on the Love You tip — which previously held the title of most fucked up record by a mainstream band until Tusk.
There’s another weird one on Side 2, “Not that Funny.” It sounds like a more respectable nod to punk than that thing the Stones did, “Shattered.”
Berkery: Yeah, “Not That Funny” is Lindsey trying to be Talking Heads as channeled through Phil & Don Everly. It works on record. But, man, you ever see the 10-minute version with a drum solo from the Mirage tour? You Tube that shit. Very unfortunate.
When I first heard Tusk, I only liked the weird shit. I had to learn to be a Christine fan. Until eventually, she became to me the soulful Dennis Wilson of the band. Still waters run deep.
Berkery: You have no idea how close this thing came to being called The Christine McVie Appreciation Society. No idea…
What is Christine’s shining moment on Tusk?
Goddess: I love “Honey Hi” and “You’ll Never Make Me Cry.”
Berkery: Shining moment for Chris? “Never Make Me Cry” as well.
What is it like performing an album from start to finish that was never written or performed in that spirit? Do you guys add cohesion where it wasn’t there, or do you guys revel in the chaos?
Goddess: Revel in the chaos! I find it hard in that it’s so loose. There are not a lot of specific parts to cop. There are tons of guitars hidden in the either so I just try and play in the moment. Though Mirage (which TLBAS did without me) would have been a bitch too.
What’s the highlight of the set?
Berkery: Probably “Tusk.” It’s just so maddening. And when we played it before, people really went nuts during that one. That’s not really a song you “nail.” If you nail it, you’re probably doing it wrong!
What you guys have learned from all this?
Goddess: Don’t do drugs and don’t get a perm!
THE LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM APPRECIATION SOCIETY + BOB PERNICE :: Thursday, September 19 @ Johnny D’s, 17 Holland St., Somerville, MA :: 8:30pm, 18-plus, $12 :: advance tickets
