[SteveMacD]

I think the “The Dance” was inevitable, but I ultimately think the letdown of the 1988-1997 period is that there was a lot more potential than what initially happened. By my count, the band COULD have released at least five albums in that period. Some of them would have been fun albums (i.e. not necessarily done for artistic merit), others would have been serious efforts. I think that “Red Rocks,” the “Tango” video, “Greatest Hits,” and TOSOTM really hurt the band. Instead, I would have released a fun “retro” album in late 1988, filled with covers, remakes, and new songs that were stylized in a similar fashion. It would have been a lighthearted way to introduce Billy and Rick, without making a major artistic statement. Then, when they released “Behind The Mask” in the spring of 1990, which would be the “artistic statement,” the quality of the music wouldn't have been clouded by the newness of the personnel.

I still think Chris would have retired from the road, and that Stevie and Rick would have quit in 1991. But instead of doing Zoo, Gotta Band, and “Going Home,” I think Mick, John, and Billy should have connected with Bekka and Dave and started touring immediately. I would have released a teaser album in early 1992, which would have had a mix of remakes, some leftovers from “Mask,” covers, and a few new songs, and released “The Chain” towards the end of the year (when it actually was released). “Time” would have come out in late 1994, but Chris would retire at the end of that album and the band would fire Dave, while Rick Vito would rejoin, and Brett Tuggle would have been hired for the tours. They would release most of what was “Bekka & Billy” as well as a few Rick Vito songs in 1996. Then, I see a live album released in 1997. After that, though, I really don’t know what would have happened with the band. I don’t think anything really lasts beyond five or six albums with these guys.

In cases of the albums that were actually released, I would have had a pretty different track listing from what was actually released. In short, the band COULD have done better.