Originally Posted by HejiraNYC
Well, it has been a while since I’ve posted here and honestly I really haven’t had anything to say that hasn’t already been said to the nth power. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and expressing them is great. But what is maddening to me is when people draw hasty conclusions from barely a data point or two from which to draw such a conclusion. And it seems that this latest saga with our band really just brought out the absolute worst in people; I see you, and we all see you for what you are, and it ain’t pretty. It’s one thing to have a lapse or two in critical thinking skills, but you can see the darkness of the darkest of hearts through the quick rise to hostility expressed around here. If there is one thing that getting old has taught me, it is that most people don’t know s*** and you shouldn’t pass judgement on people or situations that you know nothing about. The bottom line is y’all don’t know these people, you weren’t involved in any discussions regarding Lindsey’s ouster and you just don’t know the motivations of these people even though some of you pretend like you were a fly on the wall when these decisions were made.
I read the long, redundant complaint and what struck me was that although it seemed truthful (based on the dates, events and situations that I have observed myself as a fan), there seemed to be much exaggeration, i.e., overstating his commercial appeal as a member of Fleetwood Mac while neglecting to mention that his commercial appeal as a solo artist is virtually nil. The other thing I noticed is that NOTHING seems to be formalized in writing. It is surprising that this phenomenally successful musical partnership is held together via an “oral” agreement, which in the state of California has some degree of legal enforceability (I learn something new every day!). In a nutshell, one cannot be fired from such a partnership unless there is unanimous agreement OR there is just cause. And LB’s assertion of wrongful termination is based on just cause; however, there was nothing mentioned in the complaint about a potential just cause beyond the solo tour issue. The only formal arrangement the band ever created in the past is when FM formed LLCs to manage tour and merch revenue; it appears that they dissolve the old LLC and form a new LLC for almost every new tour. So apparently LB was excluded from the LLC formed for the 2018-19 tour. Finally, Lindsey NEVER SIGNED A CONTRACT for the 2018-2019 tour. The complaint only mentions that he attended several high-level meetings where the expected compensation amounts were discussed.
Oh, and the complaint states in no uncertain terms that the LB/CM album was supposed to be a Fleetwood Mac album, despite Lindsey’s assertions to the contrary during last year’s press tour. See? St. Lindsey told a bold faced lie. Shocking, amiright?
Anyway my take on it is that LB’s case is on shaky ground. There is no formal Fleetwood Mac, Inc. corporation – just a handshake arrangement between the five band members. He claims that there is no just cause for termination because he caved to the band’s demands about the tour, but that assumes that is indeed the only reason for his termination. He owns no financial interest in the Fleetwood Mac 2018-2019 Tour LLC. Finally, he didn’t officially sign up for the tour. He says he was ready, willing and able and attended many meetings… but ultimately he didn’t put a ring on it for some reason.
The fact that band members have been explicitly instructed not to communicate with Lindsey is telling. I suspect this situation is way, way, way more complicated than Stevie merely feeling disrespected at Radio City. The band fell into formation and moved on very, very quickly, which means that the wheels for Option B must have been in the works for a long, long time. Lindsey provided a very heartfelt, mournful email as Appendix A of his complaint. But where are all the other emails that he purportedly wrote when trying to reach members of the band? Perhaps there are statements in those emails that undermine his case? I suspect that things were already not going well back during the LB/CM promotional tour and the Classic East/West shows. From the July 17, 2017 LA Times:
It is not inconceivable that he probably carried this cavalier, dismissive demeanor off-stage as well and, with good reason, this quote probably ticked off members of the band – especially Stevie and Mick, who have been arguably Fleetwood Mac’s biggest cheerleaders. Who knows what other passive or overt gestures of aggression Lindsey exhibited around those shows? So when discussions around the new tour became tense over the solo tour dates in December 2017, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he burned some bridges or said some very insulting things (like in the LA Times interview), which could have led them to conclude that enough was enough. There is a pattern of passive aggressive behavior from Lindsey, which may have escalated to a rolling boil during those meetings and then finally the lid blew off the pot at Radio City with those digs at Stevie.
I can see why people attribute this turn of events solely to Stevie. But I also know what it’s like to have to work alongside someone who does not respect you or your work (as evidenced by Lindsey’s supposed casual dismissal of Stevie’s Bella Donna success). And to make matters extremely messy, they are exes who spent the last 40 years keeping score on each other, which has to lead to resentment – his resentment over Stevie’s success (as evidenced by his complaint that “Rhiannon” was the introduction song) which he never enjoyed himself and her resentment over his life of domestic bliss which she never enjoyed herself. I believe Lindsey when he says he doesn’t know why he was fired; some people are just not that self-aware. But I also believe Stevie when she says that she wants the remaining years of her career to be joyful. And I suspect Lindsey also cast an increasing shadow on the rest of the band as he badmouthed the FM brand as a politically charged nostalgia act run by managers and agents. Anyway, I don’t know, and nobody outside of Fleetwood Mac, Inc. really knows what actually went down. But based on the pattern of his behavior, especially all this “big machine, little machine crap he’s been saying for years and his apparent ingratefulness (again, read quote above), I wasn’t terribly shocked by the news that he was finally terminated after Radio City. It takes a single match to burn a house down.
Ultimately, these are people who have stuck together through the years and they have created an amazing body of work throughout the various incarnations and solo endeavors. As far as I am concerned, everything else is just icing on the cake at this point and they've earned the right to do whatever they have to do to find their happiness in the winter of their lives. Heartbreak of the moment is not endless. While I wish the Rumours 5 would have stayed together, my desire does not trump their happiness as people. I am grateful to Stevie, Christine, Lindsey, Mick and John and the other members (except Bekka and Dave Mason - y'all kinda ruined it for me) for their artistry and the joy they've given me and I am totally on board for where the saga heads next.
|