Every profession and industry has its particular rite of passage. In the corporate world, it might be making that first big sale. In education, it could very well be changing that first student’s life. Whatever industry and whatever moment it is, it is typically a positive one. However, that is not the case in the music industry, and it wasn’t the case for the Fleetwood Mac lead singer, Stevie Nicks, after getting yelled off stage by Janis Joplin.
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The music industry and the entertainment business as a whole is a cutthroat and whacky place full of moments and traditions that don’t align with the commonality of most professions. It is unique, to say the least. It’s not a profession that would be approved by any HR representative. Hence, Stevie Nicks’ right of passage and one of her biggest honors was when Janis Joplin screamed at her to get off stage after her opening set in San Francisco. This might not seem positive, but for Nicks, it meant the world.
Stevie Nicks Recalls the Moment Janis Joplin Screamed at Her
In the 60s, San Francisco was the place to be. If you wanted to be somebody, then you better have been trying to make it in the Bay Area. That being said, Stevie Nicks headed to San Francisco in order to cut her teeth. By doing so, she successfully landed an opening gig for Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
This was an enormous moment for Nicks, and she recalled the enormity of the moment to Ultimate Classic Rock Nights.
“It was a big huge show in San Francisco,” Nicks told the publication. “There was like twenty bands on; there was you, there was 15 more bands, and then there was Jimi Hendrix.”
This was not the night that would make Stevie Nicks’ career, as she wouldn’t go on to become a household name until 1974 with her induction into Fleetwood Mac. However, this night seemingly proved that she could roll with the big shots. However, it didn’t come in a very positive or expected way.
Nicks’ opening set ran a little long, and that is no surprise given her dedication to the game. However, Janis Joplin did not appreciate that. Consequently, Joplin yelled at Nicks to get off the stage so the rest of the concert could continue.
“Being yelled off the stage by Janis Joplin was one of the greatest honors of my life,” Nicks said in retrospect, per AP News.
At the end of that day, Nicks knew that it was just show business. So, no bad blood was nor still is brewing.
Photo by Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images
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