Quote:
Originally Posted by louielouie2000
Like Lindsey himself said... the fact Lindsey was replaced with not one, but TWO guitarists speaks volumes about the quality of the incoming stock. The fact 2 guitarists replaced one could have actually been used to the band's advantage... it could have shown how serious the band was about mixing up it's formula, thus signaling a new beginning in the band's history. But both Rick and Billy were relegated as sort of a background sideshow, while the band was trying to pretend a major personnel change had NOT just happened.
Again, my whole problem with the '88-'95 era was simply the way everything was done. Some really interesting, cool music could have been made. I don't know though... Billy Burnette's rockabilly style really just didn't have a place within the band, and that's the way I feel.  I do however think a big opportunity was missed with Rick, but that's ancient history now. |
It could be argued that Lindsey actually replaced two guitarists in Weston and Welch given that Weston had not been replaced previously. The band were looking to bring in another guitarist before Welch left, so when Lindsey left they were merely finally getting around to replacing Weston/Welch.
Rick could have held his own quite nicely as a replacement for Mr Buckingham, and while Billy wasn't in the same league as a guitarist, he certainly brought a fresh new sound and feel to the Mac, something that Rick on his own probably wouldn't have achieved.
I guess it could be argued that Buckingham's style really didn't have a place in the band in 1975 either, but that didn't seem to work out too badly for them.
I think that Rick, Billy and later Bekka Bramlett were under-utilised in the band, were not given the freedom to create their own sound. Nicks and Buckingham had it easy in 1975, they weren't expected to write hits, but Rick, Billy and Bekka had a lot of pressure simply because of the history of the band.
Sure, they should have been allowed to do their own thing, create their own music, and be true to themselves. That they didn't really get that opportunity wasn't really their fault.
Honestly though, give me Rick and Billy over Lindsey any day...
