Since 2012 Roxanne Roll and Smooth Sailing have been celebrating the music of Fleetwood Mac by hosting parties using a curated and created assortment of remixes and edits. To celebrate 40 years of the legendary album Rumours, the husband and wife DJing duo bring their Rumours Rave to Rescue Rooms on Friday 24 November. We put some questions to Roxanne Roll to find out more...
Could you describe the basic concept of Fleetmac Wood?
A remix project and a party that brings the music of Fleetwood Mac and solo projects to the dance floor. It's a polarizing concept, but there in lies the beauty as the crowd is either really into it or not at all, so it creates a celebratory environment. It's a playful environment and safe place for Fleetwood Mac fans to sing their lungs out and dance their socks off.
Obviously, your title is a play on the classic Fleetwood Mac. What originally drew you towards the band?
Their music really covers many eras and styles. With three contributing songwriters and distinct voices, they really are a supergroup of talent and what a rhythm section! It's great dance music and people have many emotional connections to the music. We don't just play the greatest hits, we dig deep into their extensive back catalogue, which is a magical rabbit hole of treasures.
How has the project grown since your first performance in 2012?
The first party really was an experiment and a creative itch that I needed to scratch. We didn't set out to make it a long-term thing, it still is a passion project and too much fun to stop. We have way more edits and remixes than we did then and I think we are better at putting it all together. It's a DJ jigsaw puzzle musically with a lot of different styles and tempos to wrangle. That's also I think why people enjoy it – there's variation and a sense of a journey.
You’ve performed in amazing locations like London, NYC, LA. What’s been your favourite show so far?
San Francisco is one of our favourite places to play, the crowd there feel like family now. They just embrace it on all levels. We also got to do a set at Burning Man on the Robot Heart Art Car this year which was pretty mind-blowing.
Do you have a favourite song to DJ?
We both have a real connection to Gypsy. It's the perfect pop-song and Stevie's vocals just take you to this beautiful world: “I have no fear. I have only love”
There’s been a massive revival of nostalgia listening among young people, especially around 70s and 80s music, how do you feel your project fits into this?
I feel like it's beyond nostalgia because a younger generation have embraced this music in such a way that it's not just their parent's music – it's their own. They are having wild, hedonistic nights and creating new emotional memories with Fleetwood Mac as the soundtrack, so it's not really looking back in time. Great music is timeless and I think these songs will travel into the future for many generations to come.
What music did you listen to growing up?
I was born in the 70's so I was surrounded by Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and many more of that era. When I started to buy my own music, Michael Jackson, The Police, Eurythmics, Tears for Fears and when I was a teenager I became interested in dance music, so I guess this project is a real blend of passions. DJing disco, house, techno but always loving well-crafted 80's pop and rock n roll from the 70's.
I wouldn’t automatically connect Fleetwood Mac to the rave scene, how do you go about updating it to fit the dance floor?
We often introduce more kick and bass and some dance elements, but the songs themselves sound great once you play them loud through a good sound system.
Finally, is there anything else you’d like to say to LeftLion readers?
Feel free to dress up. Stevie is not a gender, she's a state of mind!
Fleetmac Wood: Rumours Rave is at Rescue Rooms on Friday 24 November 2017. Buy tickets.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
