Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours (The Vinyl Frontier series) [Paperback]

Cath Carroll (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Vinyl Frontier series | Publication Date: October 1, 2004

This insightful behind-the-scenes look at the making of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours explores the strong personalities behind the band and the creative tensions between the members that helped to shape the lyrical content of this era-defying, classic album. Original research and new interviews with those who were there reveal the technical challenges and excessive drinking and drug abuse that went on during the album's production. The complex relationships within the group and each individual's contribution to the album are discussed. The two rocky romances within the band, including the breakdown of John and Christine McVie's marriage and the increasingly strained relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, are also discussed, as are the songs on the album they influenced. The stories that inspired and created one of the most popular and significant albums of all time are unearthed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An impeccable and very clearly, intelligently written story of the record’s creation." -- RichieUnterberger.com

"Chicago Review Press's Vinyl Frontier series sure beats VHI's Behind the Music." -- Chicago Sun-Times

"Precise, detailed account" -- Newsday

"You don't have to be a Fleetwood Mac fan to appreciate . . . invaluable insights into the processes of recording and musicmaking" -- Chicago Sun-Times

About the Author

Cath Carroll is a recording artist with the band Miaow. She is the author of Tom Waits and has written about music for such outlets as New Musical Express, Salon.com, The San Francisco Weekly, and Time Out New York. She lives in Chicago.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556525451
• ISBN-13: 978-1556525452
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #590,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, insightful and well-written, January 24, 2005

By 

John Grissim (Sequim, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

First, a confession: author Cath Carroll interviewed me for this book and when my Amazon.com copy arrived yesterday, I shamelessly looked up in the index the references to my name and read those parts first. Not only did she get everything right, she caught the spirit, the humor and the nuance of our conversation. What a hoot to see in print for the first time some of my favorite nuggets from my years as a Rolling Stone contributor.

More to the point, in addition to delivering the goods to Fleetwood Mac's fans, Never Break the Chain is entertaining, literate and, I submit, a significant contribution to pop culture letters. What is so impressive is that Cath Carroll has written a book about something that happened nearly 30 years ago, centered around an ostensibly small event, and yet she used it as a touchstone to beautifully capture the the energy, the gestalt and, strangely, a sense of relevance and importance of that special time that endures to this day.

The funny thing is, I don't think any of us at the time, neither FM or me, had a clue that what was going down was THAT significant. But I suspect in such times, few of any of us do.

No doubt part of my enthusiasm for the book derives from my having been there during that incandescent period, but my appreciation owes in far greater measure to Cath Carroll's skill as a journalist, her ear for a story, and her passion for her subject. Flat out gifted journalism. I hope the band reads this gem of a book. Highest recommendation.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fleetwood Mac .. a potted history !!, August 3, 2005

By 

Graham Coombs (Romford, Essex, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

An interesting & absorbing read. To a long-time fan like me a lot of the detail was already known & there were items that were clearly sourced from other publications but, to be fair, this was made clear & not hidden at all. I was pleased that some time was given over to other albums & not only "Rumours". Having said that I think the casual reader, drawn-in by the reference to "Rumours", would think it was an enjoyable & informative read & well presented. To be honest I found there were some elements that were new to me - which raised an eyebrow - so a "thumb's up" all round.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a decent read, September 8, 2004

By 

Night Owl (new hampshire) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised to have received this book about a week ago from Amazon. I wasn't expecting it until October. This book is well written and I learned a few new things about what went on during the making of Rumours. I was disappointed that there are so few photos in this book but it includes some I had never seen. If you are a Fleetwood Mac fan, this isn't a bad item to add to your collection.