Verhaal achter de platenhoes - Rumours (1977) - Fleetwood Mac
"I was head over heels in love. I was riding my bike, paying no attention, hit the curb and shot off the saddle with my private parts on the crossbar. Whenever I see the cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours", I think of that moment. A legendary album by a legendary band. Drummer Mick Fleetwood is depicted with two wooden balls between his legs. There are many rumors about this image by photographer Herbert Worthington. Why those balls? And why is Mick Fleetwood in the photo with singer Stevie Nicks in black robes? She had a relationship with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, right?
Those wooden balls is what intrigues me most. It also reminds me of those so called 'Clackers' toys from the 1970s. The trick was to move your hand very quickly back and forth, so that the balls hit each other and made a kind of rhythmic metronome sound. It often went wrong, resulting in a rather painful wrist. The toy was all the rage for a while, but has been discontinued due to too many injured children. Mick Fleetwood says in an interview that the balls were his personal good luck charm. He saw them dangling in an old-fashioned chain-flush toilet in a bar. He took them and decorated his drums with them. He also thought it looked funny for the photo for "Rumours". So it has nothing to do with a link to Roman culture, which is sometimes claimed. 'Men with balls' was a popular saying among Romans; it meant you kept your promise. For example if you had to take an oath in court. You then put your right hand on your crotch. Imagine Boris Johnson suddenly putting his hand on his crotch at the inauguration of his cabinet.
Remains the question why Mick Fleetwood is pictured here with Stevie Nicks. There are many rumors about the relationships in the band. Anyone would do it with anyone. We will probably never know whether that is really true. However, the relationship between Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham during the recording of "Rumours" ended after ten years. The relationship between guitarist John McVie and his wife, keyboardist Christine McVie, also crumbled at that time. All this relational stuff produced great songs like "Go your Own way", "Don't Stop", "You make loving fun". Whether Mick Fleetwood got involved with Stevie Nicks is left open: "The love for music was greater. That kept the band together."
Singer Stevie Nicks is portrayed on the cover as 'Rhiannon'; a mythical woman from a Welsh saga. Stevie Nicks was under the spell of Celtic myths and sagas at the time. Rhiannon was an attractive woman on a horse at walking pace. Every knight tried to court her, but no one could overtake her, even though she rode ever so slowly. Knight Pwyll came up with a cunning trick and seduced Rhiannon. He married her and they had a child together. The child died due to a nanny's carelessness, but the nanny rudely blamed Rhiannon. Pwyll believed the nanny and made Rhiannon pay for years. When he found out many years later that Rhiannon was innocent, Pwyll immediately cleared his wife of all blame. A beautiful mythical story that makes you think about life, with love, lies, deceit and regret as main themes. These themes can also be found in the lyrics of "Rumours". Stevie Nicks even wrote a song about Rhiannon that is on another Fleetwood Mac album.
I can look at this cover for hours and let my mind wander freely. For example, does that stool still have a meaning? Who knows, maybe I can ask Mick Fleetwood himself. In 2008 he played at the Boerderij with his Bluesband. It is said to have been one of the highlights in the history of the Boerderij. I wasn't there myself; I don't know if he had those wooden balls dangling from his drum set at the time. I've heard Mick Fleetwood spent nearly 2 hours after the show signing autographs and having photos taken. And who knows, Stevie Nicks will one day perform at the Boerderij. If she comes as 'Rhiannon', I'll make sure her horse gets fed a bowl of the best oats from all over Zoetermeer. One thing I know for sure: I will not visit the Boerderij by bike. I won't take any risks."
By Gerrit-Jan Vrielink
Translation: Alex Driessen
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