It is just a shade over 50 years since Fleetwood Mac - already regarded among rock’s elder statesmen - completely reinvented themselves, stepping away from the blues rock for which they were renowned, and throwing open the doors, instead, to a whole new brand of Adult Oriented Rock.
With new recruits Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks now on board, Mac’s re-emergence at the top of the charts was impressive from the outset - the first single from their eponymous 11th album, “Over My Head,” planted them in the Billboard Top 20 for the first time ever!
But it was “Rhiannon,” written and sung by Nicks, which truly set the band on course for superstardom, a #11 hit which also helped birth an entire new generation of witchy women . Coupled with Nicks’ eldritch stage demeanor, what she described in concert as “a song about a Welsh witch” became a deathless touchstone for all.
Now Femme Fatale’s Lorraine Lewis, Cleopatra’s Queen of Metal, breathes a whole new energy and impact into the song. Accompanied by the devastating power of George Lynch (Lynch Mob), Corey Parks and Greyson Nekrutman, the opening cut from the forthcoming tribute Steel Rumours - The Songs Of Fleetwood Mac Reforged In Metal harnesses all the mystique and power of Fleetwood Mac’s original, but alchemizes it, too, into a firestorm of electrifying intent and intensity.
Lorraine explains, “Stevie Nicks is one of those rare artists who doesn’t just sing a song, she creates an entire world around it. ‘Rhiannon’ has always had that magic for me. It’s mysterious, powerful, feminine and completely unapologetic.
“Stevie made Rhiannon into this unforgettable, almost mythical rock ’n’ roll woman, and as a female rock singer, I connect deeply with that energy. I love songs that allow you to step into a character and own the stage, and ‘Rhiannon’ gives you that opportunity in spades. Getting to put my own stamp on such an iconic Stevie Nicks song is an absolute honor.”
Guitarist George Lynch continues, “Anytime I’m asked to work on a classic rock song. I feel that I have a responsibility to strike a balance between honoring the original inspiration and arrangement, while at the same time adding something of myself that justifies attempting to record a tribute version of the song.”
He certainly succeeds! Indeed, this amazing version of “Rhiannon” exquisitely setts the stage for the remainder of this audacious collection.
Across a dozen tracks (including Candice Night (Blackmore’s Night)’s gorgeous acoustic reprise of “Rhiannon”), Holly West and Fred Aching (Dead Groove), Corey Parks (Nashville Pussy), Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, reprising one of that band's greatest covers), Ronnie Romero (Rainbow), Vinnie Appice (Black Sabbath) and more come together to rampage through the songbook.
It’s a no-holds-barred assault that takes us from such primal Mac classics as “Black Magic Woman” and “The Green Manalishi (With The Two Pronged Crown),” to “Little Lies” and “Everywhere,” via ““Gypsy,” “Dreams,” Stevie Nicks’s solo “Edge of 17” and more. The result is a breathless journey through the career of one of rock’s most remarkable institutions.
Steel Rumours - The Songs Of Fleetwood Mac Reforged In Metal is released on CD and black/clear/white splatter vinyl.
SINGLE: https://orcd.co/lorrainelewis_rhiannon
DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/steelrumours
Track listing
1. Rhiannon - George Lynch, Lorraine Lewis, Corey Parks, Greyson Nekrutman
2. Dreams - Alex Skolnick, Holly West, Fred Aching Rios
3. The Chain - Doug Aldrich, Candice Night, Corey Parks, Fred Aching Rios
4. Go Your Own Way - Doro, Joel Hoekstra, Greyson Nekrutman
5. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) - Tim "Ripper" Owens, Greyson Nekrutman, Brandon Ellis
6. Don't Stop - Vinny Appice, Ronnie Romero, Tommy Bolan
7. Little Lies - Chris Poland, Holly West, Fred Aching Rios
8. Everywhere - Cherie Currie, Chris Poland, Vinnie Moore, Chris Adler
9. Gypsy - Tiffany, , Vinny Appice, Charlie Parra del Riego
10. Black Magic Woman - Pat Travers, Ronnie Romero, Chris Adler
11. Edge Of Seventeen - Tiffany, Chris Holmes, Vinny Appice
12. Rhiannon - Marcus Nand, Candice Night
