Bob Welch and the disappearance of Mystery to Me and Heroes are Hard to Find...

[Wendy Welch]

One thing that you should know that Bob was a pro rata share member, which meant that he shared share equally with all members in the band: i.e. Chris,John and Mick.

I believe that the others should have been equally inducted in the RRHOF but Billy Burnett, Becka Bamlett, and Rick Vito, among others were never members. In fact, I was told, not sure if it's a fact but was told from some musicians in the band, that they were let go they day before they were to become equal members - pro rata share members- and were totally cut off. Check it out for yourselves. I will not say it is true, but I personally have every reason to believe it. and that is why they weren't put up for the RRHOF because Mick hired them when Stevie, Chris and Lindsey wouldn't play with FM and he wanted to keep the band going.

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by Wendy Welch

...Billy Burnett, Becka Bamlett, and Rick Vito, among others were never members. In fact, I was told, not sure if it's a fact but was told from some musicians in the band, that they were let go they day before they were to become equal members - pro rata share members- and were totally cut off.

That's interesting. Was that written in a contract or is that something that
automatically happens after a certain amount of time - the pro rata share thing?

[Wendy Welch]

It was written in a contract.

[SteveMacD]

Interesting that Billy wasn't made a pro rata share member, since he was the second longest tenured guitarist behind Lindsey.

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Interesting that Billy wasn't made a pro rata share member, since he was the second longest tenured guitarist behind Lindsey.

Maybe Mick didn't like that he left and came back? Just a thought.

John

[aleuzzi]

In terms if public perception, and very likely in Mick's mind, much of the Burnette years were seen as a holding pattern, keeping the band afloat while the members of the Rumours lineup worked out their issues. The band appeared to take Behind the Mask seriously and maybe at the start there was an attempt to fully relaunch the band sans Lindsey. But when it became clear that 4/5 of that lineup were not enough to hold the same level of public interest as 5/5 had, the momentum seems to have petered out.

Not so with the Welch years. One doesn't get the sense from those 1971-74 albums that FM is in a holding pattern waiting for the return of the classic lineup. Instead one sees genuine commitment to forge ahead and develop a new sound. They were not always successful, but artistically those Welch-era records are very rewarding in a way Mask is not. There's no question Welch should have been inducted as an important member of the band. I do not feel equally enthusiastic about Burnette, Vito, Walker, Bramlett, or Mason, despite liking them all and really enjoying much of the music on Time.

I have a soft spot for Weston and would have loved to see him inducted as well, but I understand the band's and/or academy's decision not to include him.

Just my two cents.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

In terms if public perception, and very likely in Mick's mind, much of the Burnette years were seen as a holding pattern, keeping the band afloat while the members of the Rumours lineup worked out their issues. The band appeared to take Behind the Mask seriously and maybe at the start there was an attempt to fully relaunch the band sans Lindsey. But when it became clear that 4/5 of that lineup were not enough to hold the same level of public interest as 5/5 had, the momentum seems to have petered out.

There's no question Welch should have been inducted as an important member of the band. I do not feel equally enthusiastic about Burnette, Vito, Walker, Bramlett, or Mason, despite liking them all and really enjoying much of the music on Time.

Really, the only two who weren't inducted that deserved it were Bob Welch and Billy Burnette. Billy was on nearly three albums worth of new material (one selling more than all of the Welch-era albums combined, at least prior to 1975) and a live video during his eight years with the band. Substitute or no, eight years is a long time to be in a band and get passed over.