Product Description

This is the definitive story of the making of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, with specially recorded versions of Christine McVie's "Songbird" and Lindsay Buckingham's acoustic version of "Never Going Back Again." 75 minutes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70247 in DVD
• Released on: 1998-12-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 75 minutes

Amazon.com
Oh, the heartache. Oh, the drug intake. And oh, the sales records they did break. It's all here in this 70-minute, 1997 chronicle of the making of one of pop music's biggest albums ever, Rumours. All five members of Fleetwood Mac's most successful incarnation are interviewed, and their comments are even more candid than the confessional songs ("Dreams," "Go Your Own Way" et al.) on the album itself; descriptions of the torturous process of making a record while John and Christine McVie's marriage and the Lindsey Buckingham- Stevie Nicks liaison were breaking up at the same time makes for compelling, if slightly discomfiting, viewing. Meanwhile, lest one forget that Rumours was terrific as well as revealing, plenty of attention is paid to the songs. Particularly fascinating (as with most Classic Albums packages) are the breakdowns of the separate instrumental and vocal components of individual tracks. A great tale, wonderfully told. --Sam Graham

From the Back Cover
Fleetwood Mac's multimillion-selling Rumours was recorded by the band in Sausalito and Los Angeles in 1977, at a time of intense inner turmoil. Rumours eventually went on to sell 15 million copies worldwide, spending a staggering total of 433 weeks on the U.K. charts and 130 weeks on the U.S. Billboard album chart. It was also voted Album of the Year at the 20th annual Grammy Awards in 1978. Fleetwood Mac had already been in existence for over a decade by the time Rumours came out. After several personnel changes, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie were joined by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. It was 1974, and the stage was set for a new chapter in the band's career. The eponymously titled Fleetwood Mac, the first album with the new lineup, went platinum in 1976 and gave birth to hits like "Rhiannon" and "Say You Love Me." However, its success was soon overshadowed by that of Rumours.
Released in February 1977, Rumours reached #1 in the U.S. album chart in April of that year and found equal success in the U.K. In January 1978, its hit singles included "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop, Dreams" (which reached #1 in the Billboard Hot 100), and "You Make Loving Fun." Ironically, Rumours was recorded during a period when John and Christine McVie were separating, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham's relationship was also breaking up. It was the album that almost never made it. This is the definitive story of the making of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, an album that has truly earned its place in the pantheon of rock music history. Also featured are specially recorded versions of Christine McVie's haunting "Songbird" and Lindsey Buckingham's wonderful new acoustic versions of "Never Going Back Again," along with "You Make Loving Fun," "Rhiannon," "Dreams," "Don't Stop," and "Gold Dust Woman."

Customer Reviews

This is a MOVIE, not an Audio DVD! (DVD-A)
First off, let me say that several people have reviewed this item incorrectly. The item above is NOT the AUDIO DVD of the Rumours album (DVD-A). The Audio DVD is a completely different experience than the item you are looking at. This item is a regular "movie" visual-type DVD that includes interviews with the band and that breaks down the music peice by peice. It's been on TV before...and, it's been available on VHS for quite a long time. With that said...

Being a huge FM and Stevie fan, I purchased this on DVD hoping that it might have additional footage or features that were not on the VHS (which, of course I have already). Well sadly, there is nothing additional on the DVD. However, this is still such a GREAT thing to have. It's absolutely amazing to listen to Stevie, alone at her candlelit piano, singing "Dreams". It makes me cry because it's so beautiful. That 30 seconds of video ALONE is worth the purchase price. It's incredible to hear the music "taken apart" at the soundboard, instrument by instrument, sound by sound, voice by voice. It really helps you understand and appreciate the painstaking process this was for all of them. If you've never seen it, you really should buy it - on either format - DVD or VHS - it really makes no difference.

Just as compelling as the album
The Good
Ahh, turmoil makes for good albums, but who didn't know that's what Rumours was all about. It's still quite interesting to hear Fleetwood Mac tell the stories themselves of how the songs that made up their landmark album came together. Why "Rhiannon" is included here is beyond me, it wasn't even on that album. The song was released when Buckingham and Nicks joint the group one album prior, so there's some significance. It was Christine that came up with the chunky riff that dominates "You Make Loving Fun", but together with Lindsey they made a masterpiece. Between a classic live performance of the song, John and Christine discuss their troubled relationship during the recording. Stevie Nicks reveals that she wrote "Dreams" in Sly Stones bed, and how Lindsey always had a way to make her songs sound great, when he was happy with her. The Scottish/Irish folk influenced "Second Hand News" was a Buckingham contribution. He reveals that he was listening to the Bee Gee's "Jive Talking" at the time he wrote it. Mick Fleetwood offers an interesting little tidbit here; he wasn't the odd man out when it came to dysfunctional relationship. Not only were Lindsey and Stevie & John and Christine on the skid, he was dealing with his best friend sleeping with his wife. They're still friends today though.

Mick breaks down the little pieces that make up "Go Your Own Way" in the studio to show how it all comes together. Lindsey demonstrates on an acoustic guitar how important the background riff to the song was. Some great stories come out of the discussion of "Never Going Back Again". Stevie and Christine always had each other to turn to, John emphasizes how drug use was common place back then, but realizes how bad they were, and the producers tell a hilarious story of mishandled drugs. You've gotta love Lindsey's afro in the video for "Don't Stop". The band goes into how the song is connected to President Clinton. The producer states that he felt "Songbird" sounded like a concert hall type song, so they booked a concert hall to record it. They set up a piano with flowers and champagne for Christine to play away. They include performance footage in which I can't tell if it's Christine back then or Christine today. She really hasn't aged a bit. The DVD covers the song "Silver Springs" which didn't actually appear on the album. The producers said they had to cut it due to time space. There's a live performance of "The Chain" from the eighties, circa Lindsey's funny hat days. The group reveals that the song was changed at the last minute to make it work.

The Bad
The group does their interviews separate from each other.

The Verdict
The stories are just as compelling as the album.

Worth Every Penny!
I've read several reviews of this DVD and have some advice. Learn how to operate your DVD player! I've heard people say they were expecting a documentary,and people expecting the Rumours album uninterrupted. This DVD contains both and is an excellent investment for any Fleetwood Mac or music fan in general.

For Fleetwood Mac fans, the opportunity to hear Go Your Own Way, followed by Silver Springs is priceless and the way that these songs were meant to be heard--point/counterpoint. For those of us out there who have been listening to this album since 1977, you will be astounded by the harmonies, the instrumentals, and vocals that have never been heard before, even on the highest quality CD.

For the general music fan, Fleetwood Mac fan or not, this DVD is pure musical craftsmanship! The sound quality, vocals, etc. are top notch and can be enjoyed by anyone with a love and/or knowledge of music that stands the test of time. The music on Rumours is not dated in any way. The theme of love lost, covered in Dreams, Go Your Own Way, and Silver Springs, to name a few, along side the theme of love found, covered by You Make Loving Fun, Don't Stop, and Songbird are as timely today as they were in 1977. In other words, something for everyone, and a cut above the rest.