[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Here are some factors I think may have contributed:

1) Lack of backing by the record company

I can't really blame them. They knew Lindsey was getting friendly aging with the band. I think they saw the proverbial writing on the wall.

2) They ENDED the tour BEFORE the album was released.

The story at the time was that they were going to tour after the holidays. I suspect that the process of working with Lindsey had already started by that time, and they wrote it off.

3) The two remaining founding members' hearts weren't into it 100%

Probably because they saw the bigger prize on the horizon. I think it ended up being a lot harder keeping that band going than they thought it was going to be. Christine clearly wanted out, Dave had issues adjusting to being a member (NOT the boss) of a band, and Bekka & Billy wanted to do a country album.

4) Their own identity crisis. There were three different lineups between the band that toured for 18 months before the album came out and the two different lineups that recorded the album.

I think I follow what you're saying, somewhat.

5) They toured on an oldies package tour (with Pat Benatar & REO Speedwagon) instead of promoting the fact that they were a full, new lineup of Fleetwood Mac. They still were doing basically a set of Rumours tunes and Dave Mason solo tunes...nothing "NEW".

Just one token new song per set, it seems. Although, if they had done two songs per set, it would've been the same new song ratio the band did on the SYW tour.

6) That they hired Dave Mason as a last resort, when there were other guitarists (seemingly) available that would've better fit the bill (Todd Sharp & Walter Egan are two that come to mind first)

I'm not sure that's necessarily true. One, when Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette are the other two fronting the band at the shows, Dave makes perfect sense. Two, Dave brought some star power, which Sharp and Egan couldn't bring. Three, I think adding Dave was on Mick's mind for a while. I asked him in 1992 at a Zoo show if they were going to add any Delaney & Bonnie songs to the set, and he said "we may add that one Dave Mason wrote...I can't think of the name, but it was written by Dave Mason."

From the "what if" files:

What if the litigations that tore apart the friendships between Mick, John & Chris and Bob Welch weren't so animosity filled, so that Bob Welch could've come back to the band after Rick Vito had left?? A "Time" lineup of Mick, John, Billy, Bekka & Bob?

What if the band parted ways with Dave Mason after the album came out and brought back Lindsey?

FWIW, here's what I assume to be the personnel for each track. When reading the liners, I assume it's the band unless something tells me otherwise. Also key is the word "additional," which tells me it's the band and an extra musician. But, yeah, it's confusing as hell.

Talkin’ To My Heart: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
Hollywood: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
Blow By Blow: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Thoma
Winds Of Change: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
I Do: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Thompson
Nothing Without You: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Lindsey
Dreamin’ The Dream: Bekka, Billy, and Christine (maybe Dave?)
Sooner Or Later: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson, Tackett
I Wonder Why: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Thoma
Nights In Estoril: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
I Got It In For You: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
All Over Again: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
These Strange Times: Mick, John, Bekka, Lucy, Jones