Why didn't FM sue Lindsey when he left them in 1987?
 

Would they have had a case? Probably not, unless contracts had been signed. If so, they would have had a good case. Unless they just respected his decision. Why force somebody to do something they don't really want to do?

I have a feeling that his leaving the band on the eve of a nationwide tour back in 1987 is going to be brought up in this lawsuit. They're going to say he deserted them once after a disagreement, so they fired him before he could do it again. Not saying it's right or wrong, but there's no way that incident isn't going to be brought up by the band.

Because he WILLINGLY left.

Yes, but breach of contract on a tour would still be an issue. I believe that is the point bwboy is making.

I don't think we were quite as litigious back then. I'm sure they would NOW.

I agree with you on that. As a society we do seem to have become litigious in general. Bad news for everyone but the lawyers.

Yes, he left willingly, but his decision could have cost the rest of the band millions of dollars... when you thnk about it, it's pretty incredible how quickly FM was able to replace Lindsey. If I recall, they had at least 8 weeks of dates committed for the tour that Lindsey had agreed to, and then he dropped out. And I'm not saying he was wrong to do so, but that's what happened.

Yeah, a lot of laundry is going to be washed in the public, but FM is definitely going to bring what he did in 1987 up. They're going to say they figured Lindsey was going to do in 2018 what he did in 1987, so they just beat him to the punch. The fact that he asked for a few months extension or whatever will likely lend credence to their defense.

It's hard to imagine them being bigger b******s than they are now, but if they'd sued him in 87 it would have been really sh!tty. Lindsey had just spent a couple of years crafting an album for them. This dragged Mick out of a financial mess. He endured a bunch of drugged up a$$holes and with Stevie's contributions literally polished a turd. I can imagine them being annoyed but I'd like to think they owed him a lot and deep down respected what he'd done for them.

Because they were all too drunk/high/stoned/bankrupt to pull themselves together enough to sue someone?

Because they preferred to just be productive and move on with their careers rather than get tied up in pointless legal drama. Maybe LB should take notes.

Because he voluntarily opted out of touring income and revenue. The band was already planning on having Billy Burnette be a backing musician, so it was a fairly easy transition.

Lindsey had not yet signed to tour in 1987. He would not commit.

Hmmm... I feel certain Mick said in his book the rest of the band wanted to go on a long world tour but Lindsey only agreed to tour for a few months in America, so they agreed to that and actually set up dates and venues. Perhaps it was only an oral agreement? Or Mick was lying, or I'm misremembering, and I don't have the book anymore so I can't double check. But the tour dates were announced at almost the same time it was announced Lindsey quit and Rick and Billy joined, so it seemed like the band just added many more dates to what was already planned.

I believe it's implied it was an oral agreement. For a while he was saying he wasn't sure, then he said he'd do it, then he didn't show up to a meeting, then he backed out. He had never actually signed on the dotted line which is why they were all anxious.

He verbally committed at one point.

Thanks dreamsunwind... what you said jibes with my admittedly failing memory. Lindsey agreed to tour, then no showed for a meeting, then it culminated in the infamous last meeting at someone's house where he and Stevie argued and he left. An oral agreement in 1987... and it sounds like none of them really changed their way of doing business in 2018 and depended on an oral agreement then, too :(