Does Stevie Nicks dislike Billy Burnette?

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by David

Lindsey had talked for years about the necessity of having to "paraphrase" (his term) the songs in concert, owing to the intricate, multilayered nature of the studio tracks. He never seemed totally happy about that. His interest in wanting to add another guitarist for the full set jibes with the comments he made over the years (as far back as the Rumours tour).

Frankly, I'm surprised the band didn't attempt this for the 1982 tour.

It's kind of strange to me that the same band that would say, "Let's go out there and do Farmer's Daughter," would just sadly shake their heads and weep because Hold Me doesn't sound good live. You've got 4 talented musicians and 3 vocalists who, together, make hearts ache. Experiment a little. As Tim Gunn would say: Make it work.

It's sad to be imprisoned by your own production feats.

Michele

[michelej1]

Here's part of an interview where Stevie responded to the 2 guitarists question in 1990.

STEVIE: It didn't take two guitarists to replace Lindsey; Fleetwood Mac has had as many as three guitarists, even four, in its long history. However, having a rhythm guitarist and a lead guitarist makes the live shows much more true to life, [it] gives the band that extra fullness that we have on records so what you do on stage sounds very much like the record. I feel that the audience has to appreciate that factor, since I appreciate it so much, and once again, this means you are giving more to them, and to me, that is the most important thing of all. Again, the quality of all of our lives improves. This makes us happy campers. As far as the writing of songs together, this is a dream come true because I always wanted it to be that way, but it never was. Solidarity. . .the songs were good, but the separatism was consistent.

MUSIC PAPER: Why exactly did Lindsey Buckingham leave the group?

STEVIE: Lindsey left the group because he could no longer deal with the pressure of feeling responsible for it, though he need not have taken it so seriously, but he did. So that was the way he looked at it and I feel that it was just too much for him. When he and I split up in the very beginning, Lindsey was never quite able to understand what had happened to us, and that in itself had to make day-to-day living very difficult for him, and it did for me. I feel that after 12 years, Lindsey and I finally broke up, not Fleetwood Mac, and that is the tragic part. We continued because Fleetwood Mac does not and never has been one to quit anything. I think we were probably more surprised at Lindsey's departure than the whole rest of the world.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

I didn't include album sales in my argument, because following Tango, the Mac (and it's solo members) had ceased being an album selling enterprise. They'd aged out of that game.

Yeah, I don't think they realized that at the time.

Concert sales obviously, are another story. The Behind The Mask and Say You Will tours were both pretty successful ventures, despite their backing lackluster selling albums. The Time tour? Not so much.

They never actually did a proper tour for Time. They stopped touring BEFORE the album was released, and only did a corporate show after it came out.

However, it's not like Stevie's touring for Street Angel was all that big. And Lindsey opened for Tina Turner. In fact, Lindsey's album rave reviews and he even made videos for it, and it only sold about the same as Time.

In that case, you could argue ANYTHING the band did in '95 would have flopped. But could the band have succeeded had it continued on past '95 without Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham? I just don't think so.

I absolutely think it could have. But, they would've had to work with a changing paradigm. But, to do that, they would've had to get over the notion that the band is a "supergroup" and move more towards being a creative entity.

If they could've gone a little more country, there was a huge alt.country movement going on at that time that they could have capitalized on. This is the scene that brought the likes of Lucinda Williams, Uncle Tupelo/Wilco/Son Volt, and Steve Earl to the forefront. Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette could have easily lead the band down that road. With Christine out of the picture, the band would've needed to part company with Dave Mason and maybe bring in somebody like John's friend Mick Taylor, who was instrumental in helping the Rolling Stones craft their country sound. I'm not saying that there would have been huge concert sales, but there would've been a consistent fan base. I easily see them being able to hang with the likes of Wilco, who usually draw huge crowds at mid-sized venues.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by vivfox

No, not to provoke anything. Just based on album sales. TIME didn't even go Gold. I suspect sales were under 50,000 even.

Out Of The Cradle, which got rave reviews, didn't go gold, and Lindsey made several videos, appeared on all of the radio and television shows (including a PBS/VH-1 special), and did a lot of extensive touring in support of that album.

Time generally got so-so to bad reviews and the band did absolutely no promotion for that album whatsoever. Fleetwood Mac basically broke-up immediately after it came out (mainly because the big reunion was already underway). Their tours prior to its release were a way to make money and build chops as a band.

The sad thing is that the two albums sold about the same.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Well, it wasn't necessarily going to be Billy, but Billy knew Lindsey. Both Mick and Christine said that Lindsey wanted another guitarist on the road with them anyway. So, it could have been Billy.

Actually, in an interview I read at the time (God, it was 22 years ago, so don't ask where), Mick specifically stated that Billy was the guitarist they all agreed on.

It leads to a great "what if", doesn't it? What if Lindsey had stayed and they brought in Billy?

[David]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

It leads to a great "what if", doesn't it? What if Lindsey had stayed and they brought in Billy?

That would have been splendid. Billy has an amusing dingaling quality (he's a comedian, really) & well-trained harmony chops, as well as lots of rockabilly-derived gutsy rhythms in his guitar playing, which pump fast energy into the music.

Even better, having Billy around with the Fireflies might have -- might have -- prevented the amassing of workstation hardware that encrusted their live shows from that point on.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by goldustsongbird

Does Stevie Nicks dislike Billy Burnette? Does Stevie Nicks like soymilk? Does Stevie Nicks still embroider stars on Lindsey's jeans?

Lisa, I laugh at your sheep, AND quote, EVERY TIME I see it!


What if Billy Brunette ate too much laxative? Would he have a poo onstage?

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Here's part of an interview where Stevie responded to the 2 guitarists question in 1990.

STEVIE: It didn't take two guitarists to replace Lindsey; Fleetwood Mac has had as many as three guitarists, even four, in its long history. However, having a rhythm guitarist and a lead guitarist makes the live shows much more true to life, [it] gives the band that extra fullness that we have on records so what you do on stage sounds very much like the record. I feel that the audience has to appreciate that factor, since I appreciate it so much, and once again, this means you are giving more to them, and to me, that is the most important thing of all. Again, the quality of all of our lives improves. This makes us happy campers. As far as the writing of songs together, this is a dream come true because I always wanted it to be that way, but it never was. Solidarity. . .the songs were good, but the separatism was consistent.

I thought Ray Lindsey played rhythm guitar with them for years...

[David]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

I thought Ray Lindsey played rhythm guitar with them for years...

Yeah but only on less than a handful of songs (same with Jeff Sova on analog synthesizer).

On the great majority of guitar-intricate songs in the set, Buckingham paraphrased: "Oh Daddy," "Say You Love Me," "I'm So Afraid," "Over My Head," "The Chain," "You Make Loving Fun," "Gold Dust Woman," "Sara," "Sisters of the Moon," "Tusk," "Love in Store," "Hold Me," etc.

Leads to good question, though, about why Ray didn't play the whole set with them.

[AncientQueen]

I remember that for me Rick Vito was a hired studio musician to replace LB and Billy was someone the whole band liked, who had frontman quality and could write songs plus he was fun to be around. I liked the "Mask" album when it came out, liked Billy's contributions, especially "Do you know" with Christine, I totally liked Billy when I saw FM on tour in 90. From an interview about the video for "As long as you follow" I know that Christine didn't take him seriously, but she has a long history in not taking the guitar player seriously. And why should she?

That's all, peace out.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

What if Billy Brunette ate too much laxative? Would he have a poo onstage?

I dunno. But I'm pretty sure that one dude from Pearl Jam would've.

[starshine]

I liked Rick little bit more than Billy....like someone said it was Billy's style that I didn't like much.....but to each his or her own. We all like what we like....thats not good or bad it just is.....I don't think they did horrible when they replaced Lindsey but.....oh well.....I just can't believe thats like 22yrs ago in '87....thats the yr I graduated HS....wow.....time sure flies.....it seems like yesterday still......

[WarmSir3]

Had Rick and Stevie left by the time Love Shines was recorded?

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by WarmSir3

Had Rick and Stevie left by the time Love Shines was recorded?

I believe they both had left. Maybe it's an alheimer's moment, but I think there's video of Love Shines, somewhere, and it's Chris, Billy, Mick, and John, in it. I've not seen it for years though, so I could be mistaken!

[WarmSir3]

Yes there is, I've seen it on VH1 Classic once or twice. I wonder how that lineup could have held up? Obviously not very well performing the classics, but in the studio they could have been very much like the Bob Welch era, only with more of a Country/Rockabilly influence than Jazz. Definitely would have been interesting. Love Shines is quite different to the Chris style I'm used to, although I can't quite decide why.