[The Nicks Fix]

MTV News
1.13.00 12:15 EST
Dallas Austin Discusses Working With Stevie Nicks

When super producer and Grammy Award nominee Dallas Austin isn't busy working with TLC, these days he's stretching his versatile skills with such acts as the Spice Girls and Stevie Nicks.

Nicks approached Austin about working on her new solo album, "Trouble In Shangri-La," after hearing his work on TLC's "Unpretty" single and when original producer Sheryl Crow was forced to drop out of the project because of a scheduling conflict.

MTV News recently caught up with Austin, who also handled production work on the Goodie M.O.B.'s new album, "World Party," and discussed how Nicks approached him about working on what will be her first new solo effort in seven years.

"Sheryl Crow actually started [producing the album] first," Austin said. "I came in [when] I think Sheryl had to go on the road and Stevie was in Hawaii one day and she put on the TLC record. [I've heard] she said 'Hey, this is the guy. I need to find this guy. He could do a lot of stuff. It sounds like [certain] Fleetwood Mac influences.'"

"So I finally went out to meet with her," he continued, "and Sheryl had done two songs, but I'm not sure if she's gonna finish them, or if Stevie's gonna finish them, or how it's gonna work, but the songs she did sounded great also."

Stevie Nicks is continuing to work on "Trouble In Shangri-La," which is slated to drop later this year.

-- Tina Johnson


The Nicks Fix main page