The Story Of Stevie Nicks’ Near Death Experience

With MTV’s growing popularity during the early 1980s, music videos began to hold increasing sway over music artists. Stevie Nicks, renowned for her role in Fleetwood Mac, sought to craft a remarkable visual spectacle for the debut single from her sophomore solo album, The Wild Heart.

Directed by Brian Grant, the envisioned production aimed not only to elevate Nicks’s solo career but also to showcase Grant’s directorial prowess for potential feature-length films. Their ambition? To condense the grandeur of Gone with the Wind into a three-minute music video, an audacious undertaking that would test both their creativity and resolve.

Born Stephanie Lynn Nicks on May 26, 1948, in Phoenix, Arizona, Nicks’s musical journey began early in life. It was during her high school years in Palo Alto, California, that she crossed paths with Lindsey Buckingham, her longtime boyfriend and musical collaborator. Together, they joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975, propelling Nicks to new heights of success. By 1983, having already achieved solo stardom with her debut album, Nicks was poised to make her mark once again.

The production of the music video for her single “Stand Back” proved to be a tumultuous endeavor from the outset. Inspired by Gone with the Wind, Nicks played an active role in shaping the video’s concept, contributing to the storyboard. However, as filming commenced, the project encountered numerous setbacks, including budgetary constraints, a fire at a Beverly Hills mansion set, and Nicks’s dissatisfaction with her performance. But perhaps the most harrowing moment came during a scene featuring Nicks atop a galloping horse, an element crucial to the video’s grand vision.

The initial attempt at filming “Stand Back” failed, prompting Nicks and her team to regroup and make a second attempt. Despite the challenges they faced, they remained resolute in bringing their vision to fruition. With a more controlled budget, better organization, and heightened safety measures in place, they embarked on a second shoot. This time, their efforts paid off, resulting in a final product that aired on MTV and cemented Nicks’s status as a pop icon.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Nicks recalled the perilous horse-riding scene, recounting how the animal bolted into a grove of trees, narrowly avoiding disaster. Despite surviving the ordeal, Nicks was dissatisfied with the initial video, expressing her displeasure to her manager. Subsequently, a decision was made to scrap the first video and enlist a new director, known for his work on the hit film Flashdance.

The revamped video, characterized by dark lighting, choreographed dance sequences, and Nicks’ magnetic presence, proved to be a hit, propelling “Stand Back” to the top of the charts and solidifying Nicks’ reputation as a leading figure in the music industry.