I’ve been speculating that Lindsey’s comments about the Classic shows and subsequent performances were a large part of why he got sacked. I like the theory cbBen suggested, that the decision was made prior the already booked MusiCares, but had to wait until afterwards for contractual reasons.
My new theory is a combination of the two, that Mick, Stevie, and Azoff decided Lindsey was gone immediately after Classic East, but they had to wait until after MusiCares. My speculation is that it was a mixture of his comments about the Classic concerts and subsequent performances, disagreements over setlists, his continued lobbying for a new album, his insistence of dictating the creative direction of the band (just compare the pre-show music on this tour to the last few), perhaps there was a weariness over his avant-garde tendencies, his refusal to sign on the dotted line, and his request to delay the tour. Sure, he eventually walked away from that request, but it was too late by that point. Perhaps Stevie wasn’t lying when she said that they decided to move on after Lindsey asked for that delay.
Rereading some of Mick’s comments to Rolling Stone from last August, it seems clear that something was going on over the summer, especially when he was talking about current band drama and doing more obscure songs.
This also would mean that Tom’s death had no bearing on Lindsey’s firing. Sure, it meant Mike was available by the time they actually fired Lindsey, but there were other big name guitarists available if he wasn’t. Anyway, Mike may have been in a position to do both Fleetwood Mac and TPATH even if Tom hadn’t died. Tom had already said that the 2017 tour was likely going to be their last one. “I’m thinking it may be the last trip around the country. It’s very likely we’ll keep playing, but will we take on 50 shows in one tour? I don’t think so.” Mike could have very easily done both.
And the notion that Stevie wanted Lindsey gone to bring in Mike to somehow capitalize on Tom’s death seems laughable. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to delay the Mac tour and do a solo/tribute tour with the surviving Hearbreakers as her backing band, which would have also allowed Lindsey to do his project, negating that being a reason to part company?
Or, it could just be a setup for another reunion tour. Let’s face it, without new music, there was no compelling reason for the Rumours band to tour so relatively soon after the last tour. A lineup change makes this tour a bit more compelling, and makes a farewell/reunion cash grab tour with Lindsey, still without new music, more compelling.
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Rolling Stone, March 15, 2017
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...future-116754/
Quote:
What have 42 years as a member of Fleetwood Mac taught you about compromise?
A lot, because when you’re in a band you have to be part of the team. There’s something comforting about that. But in my solo career, I get to be the boss.
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L.A. Times, June 20, 2017
https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...620-story.html
Quote:
Asked how he felt about playing a show explicitly geared to evoke memories of the old days, Buckingham cringed.
"It doesn't necessarily speak of the aspiration to present anything in the way that Fleetwood Mac would want to present it on its own terms," he said. "But we're all very close to Irving, so it was just sort of a 'Why not?'"
Pretty diplomatic for a rock star.
"I was going to put it less diplomatically, but I stopped myself," he said.
"Do the undiplomatic version," McVie chimed in. "What were you going to say?"
"I was going to say, 'Just close your eyes and take the money,'" Buckingham answered, and the soundstage rippled with laughter again.
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GYOW, Classic East, July 30, 2017 (I get he was frustrated with the monitors, but he was clearly not responding to Stevie during the song)
https://youtu.be/apUrVWTdywQ
Compare it to MusiCare back in January.
https://youtu.be/Y1dw381fvlY
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Rolling Stone, August 10, 2017
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...y-days-253244/
Quote:
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“But if you look at what happened later [with Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham], which is not part of this book, that’s pretty bizarre too, you know? The latter-day stories of Fleetwood Mac, that in truth continue to this day, you look at that and you think, “How the hell can any of this survive?” So I don’t know how to address that other than that it’s heartbreaking and you have to get over it. You have to let go of it. And so this book is about paying kudos to who these people are and not getting into the drama of what we’re talking about now.”
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Rolling Stone, August 28, 2017
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/m...future-110414/
Quote:
Are you thinking at all about the set list yet? Will it be very different than the last tour?
Yeah. I was in Italy recently and met Stevie out there. *Actually, she was in Capri and I was close to there. She said to me, “Let’s sit down and really listen to some stuff that sort of almost got forgotten.” So I know she’s already thinking she wants to do some things we haven’t done in years. I always think that Stevie and Lindsey should do a Buckingham Nicks song in the set. And have Christine should do a blues song. I hope it certainly won’t be the same show as we did before. *We always played nearly three hours, and we cut it back a little bit for the wear and tear, but we do over two hours. And when you got three singers, which is, like, three bands, really, to get that perfect set, it’s a trip.
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