Buckingham Nicks (September 5, 1973)

Don’t laugh. I owned a copy of this album, before it became fashionable to do so. In fact, I have a photo of a friend looking at it, in my presence. As far as debut albums are concerned, this one was considered a flop, but little did Polydor Records know that they would join Fleetwood Mac within two years, to greater success.

Those with long memories will recognize that the original of the Fleetwood Mac song, “Crystal” is here.

Since I’m looking at songs (and albums) from my recent past. I thought it might be ‘fun’ to see how (and why) it failed. I’ve chosen noon of the release date to erect the chart.

There is one Yod (Finger of God), active for the entire day, pointing at Saturn, formed from inconjuncts to Jupiter and Neptune. (And, as a hint, this may have been the Universe’s way to ensure their eventual success. Saturn has a way of creating difficulties for people to overcome.)

Jupiter Inconjunct Saturn

This aspect may signify great restlessness and unease, so that it is difficult for you to achieve a state of balance or feel calm and at ease. Often you have contradictory impulses; you want to plunge ahead into some relatively risky activity, but you are held back by feelings of caution or inhibition. It is often difficult to decide whether you want to act on your own or in a situation that is very structured and regulated. If your situation is too structured, you will feel closed in and repressed; you will want to break free and go off by yourself and do things your way. But when you get that freedom, you feel rather lost and at loose ends, and you find it difficult to set your own pace.

Planets in Youth (page 263) by Robert Hand (1977)

Saturn Inconjunct Neptune

This aspect can have a variety of effects, one of which may be difficulty in relating fantasy and imagination, on one hand, to reality, duty, obligation and work, on the other. Usually the reality, duty and work aspect of the combination is dominant, at least at first. Your imaginative side tends to be transformed into nervousness, fear and irrational anxieties. The most negative manifestation of this aspect is a feeling that you have to keep a tight lid on yourself and that if you look inside yourself too closely, you will find only emptiness and disintegration. It is difficult for you to realize that this is not the truth about your inner self.

Ibid (page 297)

The first aspect seems like Lindsey Buckingham, the second like Stevie Nicks. Funny, that.

Oh, and here’s the way Stevie wanted to be seen on the cover…

And for those that think this album was never on a CD, I have a copy in my possession, from Australia.