Look... I'm sure everybody here has worked in a job where they were just in it purely for the money- jobs that were either extremely stressful or degrading or both. You could have probably taken a better, more honorable job... but the low pay wouldn't justify it. As such, I don't begrudge Mick for doing this; if there is a market for this ultra-VIP experience, why leave perfectly good money on the table? Is it expensive and out-of-reach for 99.99% of the population? Of course! It's intended to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a select few, not a cattle car full of "commoners." Unlike Stevie or Lindsey, Mick doesn't earn publishing royalties and he doesn't really make money as a musician outside of Fleetwood Mac during the down years. Sure, he has a restaurant, but it is entirely possible that Fleetwood's on Front Street is still operating in the red, which is typical for any new restaurant. When you combine his lack of a well-paying gig for the past three years with the (assumed) large overhead associated with his lavish Maui spread and an impending divorce, it all adds up to a potential financial cliff. Considering that this could possibly be Fleetwood Mac's last major world tour, he needs to ensure that he can sustain his financial well being in retirement, as well as provide for his young children. And the restaurant may not be profitable for years, if ever.
Is Mick proud of doing something like this? Probably not. But obviously he isn't exactly ashamed of it either. Mick is a bit of a talker and I think he probably thoroughly enjoys talking the s*** with fans and showing off glimpses of his rock and roll lifestyle. While taking such a VIP trip with someone as introverted and socially awkward as Lindsey may be a tortuous marathon of pregnant pauses and weirdness, I would imagine that Mick would be a generous, attentive, voluble host.
|