The Bekka picture thread

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

Bekka looks a lot like Kristine W., whom I adore.

Anyone know of any boots of this era of FM? What songs did Bekka sing? Any of Stevie's?

There are two that I know of in circulation...
Interlaken, Switzerland in 1994
Chicago 1995

The set list for the show of theirs I saw in Van Nuys, California in Oct 1994 was (which was pretty much a typical set for the tour):

The Chain*
You Make Loving Fun*
Dreams*
Oh Well*
All Along the Watchtower
The Bigger the Love
Blow By Blow
We Just Disagree
Gold Dust Woman*
Only You Know and I Know
World Turning*
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Say You Love Me*
Don't Stop*
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Imagine*

Later in the tour, they replaced their cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" with Bekka's own "Dreamin' The Dream".

* = Bekka lead vocals...she sang the "Stevie" parts in "The Chain"; alternated verses with Billy Burnette on "Oh Well"; sang the parts that Christine typically sang on "World Turning".

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by chiliD

There are two that I know of in circulation...
Interlaken, Switzerland in 1994
Chicago 1995

The set list for the show of theirs I saw in Van Nuys, California in Oct 1994 was (which was pretty much a typical set for the tour):

The Chain*
You Make Loving Fun*
Dreams*
Oh Well*
All Along the Watchtower
The Bigger the Love
Blow By Blow
We Just Disagree
Gold Dust Woman*
Only You Know and I Know
World Turning*
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Say You Love Me*
Don't Stop*
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Imagine*

Later in the tour, they replaced their cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" with Bekka's own "Dreamin' The Dream".

* = Bekka lead vocals...she sang the "Stevie" parts in "The Chain"; alternated verses with Billy Burnette on "Oh Well"; sang the parts that Christine typically sang on "World Turning".

Hence my next question, how is it that Bekka can sing Dreams and GDW? Does Stevie have to give permission for that?

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

Hence my next question, how is it that Bekka can sing Dreams and GDW? Does Stevie have to give permission for that?

No. Stevie really has no say.

How is it that Lindsey Buckingham can sing "Station Man", "Oh Well", "Green Manalishi" & "Hypnotized"? There was no "permission" given by Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch or Peter Green.

They're all Fleetwood Mac songs sung by a member of Fleetwood Mac. 'Nuff said.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

huh???? I'm trying like hell to figure out what you are trying to hypothesize.

Lindsey Buckingham. Twister. Time DOA. How do you see these relating to each other? Where is the conspiracy?

Since you asked, here's my rather long reply.

1. I've heard Lindsey say two different things relating to how he hooked back up with Mick. One time, he said he ran into Mick and another that Mick called him to say "hi." In both stories, Lindsey says that "over the course of the conversation, I could tell that he had gone through a lot of changes. I had done a solo album and gone through my own period of re-invention, so I was in a much better place than when I left the band back in 1987." Lindsey then went on to add some backing vocals on "Nothing Without You" on "Time."

2. Lindsey has been very critical of the writing on "Behind The Mask" and "Time" and about the direction in which the band was going. "I didn't put too much into it because the music was already becoming more generic. When I heard that Dave Mason was joining my initial reaction was, "Oh, that could be good!" But apparently, it wasn't. (Laughs) Then when I heard that they were doing this nostalgia package tour with REO Speedwagon and Pat Benetar, I was like, "What happened?"" Mind you, Fleetwood Mac wasn't touring in support of an album. Mick always said that they were touring to make money and to strengthen their chops.

3. Lindsey's OOTC was, by all counts, a dismal failure. His songs were released as singles. He made videos. The reviews were glowing. He even toured. Of course, he was opening for Tina Turner, but that's part of the story he sort of forgets. In any event, I'm sure he was shocked that a quality album like that would do so poorly. I think he realized that he was going to have a hard time making it on his own and that maybe he needed to be in Fleetwood Mac after all.

4. Of course, there was the now legendary Christine McVie AOL chat. Here are a few clippings from that:

JBatman95 : Do you still interact with other members of Fleetwood Mac?

Christine: Very much so, I have not seen Stevie in a while. I have been recording with John and Mick for the last couple years, and just ran into Lindsey at a club a couple weeks ago and had a good chat.

Gre1440: Give us your perspective on this most recent
incarnation of Fleetwood Mac.

Christine: I find it a bizarre combination of people, but Mick chose Dave Mason... I don't think he is a bad guitar player, but I just don't know how he fits in with Fleetwood Mac... Great guitar player he is, he would not have been my first choice.

MastrPeace: Who would have been your first choice, as opposed to Dave Mason?

Christine: Lindsey Buckingham, I think he was the most superlative guitar player this band will ever have. A true shining light. After Lindsey, everybody else seems a little palid. I'm not talking talent, just chemistry for Fleetwood Mac.

5. Now, here's some stuff from Bekka's website:

In 1995 the Fleetwood Mac's "Time" album is released. Bekka co-wrote two songs for that album. Bekka - "Even before Fleetwood Mac, I listened to Billy's records. I love his songwriting, although he's also my favorite singer. When we finally got together, I realized that we had something that never existed with Fleetwood Mac. They always said I sounded too country and that Billy sounded too country. They'd pull our reins back to a certain extent. There was just a down hominess that Billy and I had on tape that didn't really fit in with Fleetwood Mac. There was Mick Fleetwood in his knickers and Billy in his sequined jacket looking like a cowboy. The stuff I enjoyed singing most fell in line with what Billy was doing on his own".

At the end of 1995, Bekka moved to Nashville, where she and Billy got the attention of Garth Fundis, best known for his production work with Trisha Yearwood. "Mick wanted to take a hiatus, and so did John McVie, so the band broke up at the end of 1995. For Billy and me, it was a great opportunity to push forward with the duo. It opened the door for me to move to Nashville.

We just jumped head first on this. We fell in love with Garth Fundis instantly. He understood what we wanted to do. We've just been plugging our way, writing. The deal with Almo Sounds kind of fell in our laps, but Billy and I had been planning to do a record together for about two years. Previously, we had a commitment to Mick and John, both contractually and as a friendship, so we weren't about to leave them.

But when they broke up, that opened the door for us to do what we really wanted to do -- a duet record." That country album with Billy Burnette from Almo Sounds called "Bekka & Billy",was released in April, 1997 with a certain amount of success.

6. In Rolling Stone RS 772,from Oct. 31, 1997, with the band on the cover, Christine says something like "I told Mick, you can't go on forever," which tells me she quit Fleetwood Mac at some point during the mastering of "Time" and the band's eventual break up.

7. I'm sure the success of "Hell Freezes Over" wasn't lost on any of them. "Out Of The Cradle," "Street Angel," and "Time" were all huge failures. Combined they didn't sell 500K. Their collective careers were in the crapper.

CONCLUSION: During the recording of "Time," Christine met with Lindsey and Mick met with Lindsey. Given his lack of success and his displeasure of the direction of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey started pressuring Mick to break the band up, with the hopes of a "Rumours" reunion. Lindsey wanted the spotlight, which was only going to happen in the context of Fleetwood Mac. Christine told Mick she was out, and she pressured him to break the band up, as she obviously didn't care for Dave Mason. Then, Bekka and Billy were already planning on doing a country album once their commitment to Fleetwood Mac was finished, which I'm sure wasn't a secret. So, Mick was getting pressure from Lindsey and Christine and was having a hard time keeping Bekka and Billy focused on being part of a rock band. I think if Christine was happy with Dave Mason, and had Bekka and Billy not been "too country" for Mick, Lindsey would have had a MUCH harder time getting Mick to split the "Time" band up. Furthermore, I personally think the pressure was being put on Mick by Lindsey and Christine prior to the release. If "Time" had been a remote success, I seriously doubt Mick would have gone back to the "Rumours" band. My HUNCH is that Lindsey said to Mick at some point "if you split the band up, you can play drums for me." Mick then saw the writing on the wall, and split the band up. I mean, nobody tours for nearly two years and breaks up less than three months after the album is FINALLY released without so much as a short tour. Especially a band known for its live shows like Fleetwood Mac. This is why I say "Time" was DOA.

As for the rest of the “conspiracy,” I think Mick was feeling uneasy about having split Fleetwood Mac up after it had already been done. Lindsey, trying to keep Mick focused, asked Mick about the possibility of getting a bass player for the project. Of course Mick was going to suggest John. Shortly thereafter, Christine just shows up. So 80% of the band was there, and wouldn’t you know it, Stevie magically shows up and has Mick and Lindsey help her with “Twisted.” So, Mick was working with John, Chris, and Lindsey on one project, and Stevie and Lindsey on another so shortly after splitting Fleetwood Mac up. The next step was obvious, and I suspect totally welcomed by all involved. I don’t think that any of these events would have happened if OOTC, SA, or “Time” were successes.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by chiliD

No. Stevie really has no say.

How is it that Lindsey Buckingham can sing "Station Man", "Oh Well", "Green Manalishi" & "Hypnotized"? There was no "permission" given by Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch or Peter Green.

They're all Fleetwood Mac songs sung by a member of Fleetwood Mac. 'Nuff said.

um, ok. thanks for the info.

[PenguinHead]

WOW!

Thanks for such a thorough explanation. You really nailed down a lot of the details and dynamics of how things probably came together for the Dance.

You verify some sources (interviews, etc...) that qualify the motives and personal feelings of the various members. Can all of that be qualifed or is some of it just presumption?

[macfan 57]

Wow is right! That's incredible. You tied everything together. Your theory makes sense.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

WOW!

Thanks for such a thorough explanation. You really nailed down a lot of the details and dynamics of how things probably came together for the Dance.

You verify some sources (interviews, etc...) that qualify the motives and personal feelings of the various members. Can all of that be qualifed or is some of it just presumption?

It's a little of both. When I make a presumption, I do so only after I look at what they've said in interviews, their album sales, the timeline of events, and their past behaviors/motivations. Everything else just falls into place. I guess you could say I make qualified presumptions.

BTW, I should add that I don't think anybody was necessarily wrong, here. One the one hand, "Time" wasn't really given a fair shot. But on the other, by all indications, the band was just going to do many of the same old songs from the white album and "Rumours" during their concerts. So, why play the old hits with the "Time" band when Mick and John could be playing all of the old hits with the "Rumours" band? This way, they wouldn't have to deal with being called a "souped-up cover band," they would get major promotion, and they would make a hell of a lot of money. Mick, John, and Christine got to do a reunion with the two people with whom they became legends. Bekka and Billy got to do the album they wanted as a country duo. I think the only person who lost out in all of this was Dave Mason, and it's not like he didn't already have a career of his own. Also, he got to do a reunion tour with Jim Capaldi, which wouldn't have happened if he had still been in Fleetwood Mac. So, in the end, I think there was a lot more going on than has been acknowledged, but I think the end result was best for all involved.

[SteveMacD]

One quote from Lindsey that has been pissing me off all night is: "I didn't put too much into it because the music was already becoming more generic." Gee, any more generic than "Empire State" or "Family Man"? What makes him think HE'S the one, eh?

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

One quote from Lindsey that has been pissing me off all night is: "I didn't put too much into it because the music was already becoming more generic." Gee, any more generic than "Empire State" or "Family Man"? What makes him think HE'S the one, eh?

That's his ego out of control. He may not have liked that the Rick/Billy line-up had a pretty decent amount of success, without him. He said some pretty nasty things about that line-up. I have an interview CD where he mentioned that Stevie told him that she should have left when he did. I have no idea if she ever said that, but she's a bit too classy to at least have publicly dissed Rick and Billy like that.

[Mageboy25]

Mick's main motivation for the Dance reunion was $$$$$. His finances were very low after the BTM until 1997. He was so in need of cash in the early 90s, he played some NA convention.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Mageboy25

Mick's main motivation for the Dance reunion was $$$$$. His finances were very low after the BTM until 1997. He was so in need of cash in the early 90s, he played some NA convention.

I think Mick's main motivation has always(since post Rumours anyway) been $$$$$.

[David]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

1. I've heard Lindsey say two different things relating to how he hooked back up with Mick. One time, he said he ran into Mick and another that Mick called him to say "hi." In both stories, Lindsey says that "over the course of the conversation, I could tell that he had gone through a lot of changes. I had done a solo album and gone through my own period of re-invention, so I was in a much better place than when I left the band back in 1987." Lindsey then went on to add some backing vocals on "Nothing Without You" on "Time."

I think he saw Mick several times throughout those years. He would have seen Mick during the production of the box set in 1992, for which he worked with Stevie on her "new" song, gave the set a "Cradle" outtake (but didn't have anything to do with "Love Shines" or "Heart of Stone").

3. Lindsey's OOTC was, by all counts, a dismal failure. His songs were released as singles. He made videos. The reviews were glowing. He even toured. Of course, he was opening for Tina Turner, but that's part of the story he sort of forgets. In any event, I'm sure he was shocked that a quality album like that would do so poorly. I think he realized that he was going to have a hard time making it on his own and that maybe he needed to be in Fleetwood Mac after all.

I think you're right that he was definitely thinking about the doors that would open by pursuing a reunion project with Fleetwood Mac again & putting his own projects in the queue. He admitted as much a bunch of times in the reunion press. But he wouldn't have bothered if the other members had still been on drugs & as screwed up as they were from the making of "Tango" to the release of the Fleetwood book in 1990. In fact, when Lindsey started recording with Mick again, which was probably prompted by nothing more than musical frustration over the recording he had done with his touring band (I don't know why he was unhappy with that situation -- these were obviously musicians he knew thoroughly in a musical sense & he obviously liked them in a musical sense, so why recording with them after touring would have been so unfulfilling is somewhat of a mystery). When he met up again with Mick at that point, Mick was apparently clean & sane again; otherwise, Lindsey would not have started recording with him again, would not have brought in the McVies, & may not have bothered with the group again after that point.

4. Of course, there was the now legendary Christine McVie AOL chat. Here are a few clippings from that:

JBatman95 : Do you still interact with other members of Fleetwood Mac?

Christine: Very much so, I have not seen Stevie in a while. I have been recording with John and Mick for the last couple years, and just ran into Lindsey at a club a couple weeks ago and had a good chat.

She makes it sound as if it was either before her work on "Gift of Screws" or long after.

6. In Rolling Stone RS 772,from Oct. 31, 1997, with the band on the cover, Christine says something like "I told Mick, you can't go on forever," which tells me she quit Fleetwood Mac at some point during the mastering of "Time" and the band's eventual break up.

Maybe, but to say she "quit" is probably misleading in the sense that she was finished over the course of several years -- she knew it & Fleetwood Mac must have known it. Even recording for "Time" was probably just a "do it & call it final" sort of thing for Christine. She certainly had no intention of going back on the road at that point. She probably figured that recording some tracks & shipping them over -- or whatever she actually did -- wasn't that big a deal.

7. I'm sure the success of "Hell Freezes Over" wasn't lost on any of them. "Out Of The Cradle," "Street Angel," and "Time" were all huge failures. Combined they didn't sell 500K. Their collective careers were in the crapper.

Of course, Steve -- but we ALL knew that & discussed it at the time online & elsewhere. The commercial failure of "Cradle" or "Street Angel" doesn't necessarily mean that those two wanted back in Fleetwood Mac at that point. Neither one of them gave up on solo projects after that: Lindsey pulled together his touring band & started recording, as you know. Plus, in late 1995, Stevie had made plans to record with Bill Bottrell producing, was working with Lifetime on cable for a career special for the "Intimate Portrait" series as well as a newly shot live concert done especially for cable TV to be filmed in January 1996, & was planning on doing a show for VH1 called "Changes." Then she fired her management company, Left Bank, resigned with HK & leased a West L.A. home on the ocean. At that point, Stevie's plans were to air the Lifetime "Intimate Portrait" in Fall 1996, along with the newly shot concert & a 2-CD box set to finish Stevie's contract with Atlantic. The following year (1997) was supposed to be Stevie's new album for Warner (she had signed a three-album deal with Warner in the meantime), & even a solo tour for the Fall was being planned. The only thing she did with Lindsey (& Mick) at this point was "Twisted," & after that she told the press that absolutely no plans had been made for doing anything else with those guys after that & she even seriously doubted anything else would occur (although she did sing with Mick, the McVies & Steve Winwood at the Barnstable-Brown Derby celebrity bash just around the time that "Twisted" soundtrack came out. (That's probably the only time Steve Winwood jammed on "Rhiannon.") It was only at THAT point that Mick began telling the press (papers in Kentucky) that he hoped the fireflies would reunite for the 20th anniversary of "Rumours." I'm sure he pitched the idea to Lindsey, Stevie & the McVies at that point. Lindsey's response was to stay in L.A. working on his own album (he was expected at the Kentucky Derby gig), the McVies both left the Derby gala early, & Stevie continued full-steam on her plans for new studio album, TV specials & box set. That kinda tells you something about just who in the band wanted the reunion in 1996, although it's possible that the rest of the band was at least amenable to the idea -- even as early as late 1995.

CONCLUSION: During the recording of "Time," Christine met with Lindsey and Mick met with Lindsey. Given his lack of success and his displeasure of the direction of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey started pressuring Mick to break the band up, with the hopes of a "Rumours" reunion.

That's an interesting hypothesis, Steve, but we'll have to agree to disagree. I think Mick pushed the idea -- possibly for at least two years -- to everyone in the band, & Lindsey just figured he may as well do it as a sort of one-time thing (whether a single TV show or a short tour). I don't think Lindsey cared one way or the other whether Fleetwood Mac's then-current incarnation continued or not. And I doubt Stevie cared.

Lindsey wanted the spotlight, which was only going to happen in the context of Fleetwood Mac. Christine told Mick she was out, and she pressured him to break the band up, as she obviously didn't care for Dave Mason. Then, Bekka and Billy were already planning on doing a country album once their commitment to Fleetwood Mac was finished, which I'm sure wasn't a secret. So, Mick was getting pressure from Lindsey and Christine and was having a hard time keeping Bekka and Billy focused on being part of a rock band.

Again, an interesting idea that Lindsey was the guiding force of pressure behind the reunion, but I'm not sure it really fits. When Lindsey did "Twisted" with Stevie & Mick, according to Stevie he sure didn't lay any groundwork for future reunions. In fact, Stevie says he flew in & flew out, & she told interviewers months later that she didn't hear anything from him after that short two- or three-day session. Doesn't sound as if he was hankering for a fireflies reunion at that time.

If "Time" had been a remote success, I seriously doubt Mick would have gone back to the "Rumours" band.

Well, that's a pretty wild conjecture. It doesn't fit any profile _I_ know of of Mick Fleetwood.

My HUNCH is that Lindsey said to Mick at some point "if you split the band up, you can play drums for me."

I think it's more likely that Lindsey said to Mick, "If you're clean & sober, come play some drums for me."

Mick then saw the writing on the wall, and split the band up. I mean, nobody tours for nearly two years and breaks up less than three months after the album is FINALLY released without so much as a short tour. Especially a band known for its live shows like Fleetwood Mac. This is why I say "Time" was DOA.

You do if you're getting tired of playing supper clubs like the Konocti Harbor Spa, where people gab with one another all through your show over their plates of roast beef & potatoes au gratin. I think Fleetwood Mac's lowly status during those two years HAD to have grated on Mick -- & possibly even some of the others in the band.

As for the rest of the “conspiracy,” I think Mick was feeling uneasy about having split Fleetwood Mac up after it had already been done. Lindsey, trying to keep Mick focused, asked Mick about the possibility of getting a bass player for the project. Of course Mick was going to suggest John. Shortly thereafter, Christine just shows up.

I doubt she just showed up. I imagine Lindsey called her & asked her.

So 80% of the band was there, and wouldn’t you know it, Stevie magically shows up and has Mick and Lindsey help her with “Twisted.”

Again, not so "magical" -- & certainly the vibe afterward wasn't one of "reunion is definitely on," at least according to Stevie.

So, Mick was working with John, Chris, and Lindsey on one project, and Stevie and Lindsey on another so shortly after splitting Fleetwood Mac up. The next step was obvious, and I suspect totally welcomed by all involved. I don’t think that any of these events would have happened if OOTC, SA, or “Time” were successes.

I think OOTC, SA & Time would have had to be GARGANTUAN successes in order for a fireflies reunion not to have been organized & carried out.

It's akin to asking a musician: "Would you rather have $5 million or $25 million?"

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by David

But he wouldn't have bothered if the other members had still been on drugs & as screwed up as they were from the making of "Tango" to the release of the Fleetwood book in 1990.

For me, it's that he was even considering such a possibility was a major step forward. During the whole inauguration, he made it very clear that he had no intentions of ever working with Fleetwood Mac again, and he continued to trash the band in his shows. I saw him in July, 1993, and he said that his touring band was like a family, and that Fleetwood Mac was also like a family...a dysfunctional family. So something changed in his mind in less than two years to make him even consider getting back with the band.

Originally Posted by David

In fact, when Lindsey started recording with Mick again, which was probably prompted by nothing more than musical frustration over the recording he had done with his touring band (I don't know why he was unhappy with that situation -- these were obviously musicians he knew thoroughly in a musical sense & he obviously liked them in a musical sense, so why recording with them after touring would have been so unfulfilling is somewhat of a mystery).

It was the same frustration Lindsey had with what was happening with Fleetwood Mac. They were all part of this massive thing, and now they (Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham) were downgraded to opening acts, package tours, or small clubs. He knew that if they were all together, big things would happen, and that nobody cared about the new versions of Fleetwood Mac or the members of his own touring band. Being able to imply that GOS was essentially a Fleetwood Mac album was going to sell his album.

Originally Posted by David

Maybe, but to say she "quit" is probably misleading in the sense that she was finished over the course of several years -- she knew it & Fleetwood Mac must have known it. Even recording for "Time" was probably just a "do it & call it final" sort of thing for Christine. She certainly had no intention of going back on the road at that point. She probably figured that recording some tracks & shipping them over -- or whatever she actually did -- wasn't that big a deal.

I think she told Mick point blank she was done. He then asked her if she would be offended if they got somebody to fill her shoes, and she said "you can't go on forever." So, I think there was a bit more going on than Christine gradually nudging out of Fleetwood Mac.

Originally Posted by David

The commercial failure of "Cradle" or "Street Angel" doesn't necessarily mean that those two wanted back in Fleetwood Mac at that point.

I didn't suggest that. I think that both initially had the idea of moving forward with what they were doing. I'll even go so far as to say that I don't think Stevie was a driving force for a reunion. Still, I think she she held out on her plans after a reunion became a possibility. She had quit smoking, gotten off the Klon, and lost a lot of weight. She was looking great, and sounding great. The last image many people had of Stevie was Clinton's inauguration, and she knew it. A Fleetwood Mac reunion would be great exposure to show the world that the Stevie they know and love is back.

Originally Posted by David

The only thing she did with Lindsey (& Mick) at this point was "Twisted," & after that she told the press that absolutely no plans had been made for doing anything else with those guys after that & she even seriously doubted anything else would occur

She was just towing the official company line. In fact, this was still in the days when I called managers. I called Stubner's office to ask if the rumors about Mick playing on "Twisted" were true. I was told "no, he's not going to play on a new Stevie/Lindsey duet." Furthermore, I was told that there were only rumors about a Mac reunion, and that those rumors had been floating around for fifteen years. So, even Mick's people were playing down a possible reunion, to the point where they were lying to fans.

Originally Posted by David

It was only at THAT point that Mick began telling the press (papers in Kentucky) that he hoped the fireflies would reunite for the 20th anniversary of "Rumours." I'm sure he pitched the idea to Lindsey, Stevie & the McVies at that point. Lindsey's response was to stay in L.A. working on his own album (he was expected at the Kentucky Derby gig), the McVies both left the Derby gala early, & Stevie continued full-steam on her plans for new studio album, TV specials & box set. That kinda tells you something about just who in the band wanted the reunion in 1996, although it's possible that the rest of the band was at least amenable to the idea -- even as early as late 1995.

I'd argue that if Lindsey had done the Derby, it would have killed any momentum for a reunion, and he knew it. "The Dance" wouldn't have been as big a deal if there had been that picture of the "Rumours" band playing a recent gig. Plus, I'd also argue that it was a pretty big deal just for Mick, Stevie, and the McVies to all be together again less than seven months after "Time" was released, and after all the negativity between Stevie and the band. Just as the writing was on the wall that the "Time" band was over, the writing was on the wall that the "Rumours" band was back.

Originally Posted by David

That's an interesting hypothesis, Steve, but we'll have to agree to disagree. I think Mick pushed the idea -- possibly for at least two years -- to everyone in the band, & Lindsey just figured he may as well do it as a sort of one-time thing (whether a single TV show or a short tour). I don't think Lindsey cared one way or the other whether Fleetwood Mac's then-current incarnation continued or not. And I doubt Stevie cared.

Yeah, we'll have to agree to disagree. I totally agree that Mick was pushing the idea, but I think Lindsey was the one who was throwing that bone to Mick. Let's put it this way, I think Lindsey was the brains behind the reunion, but Mick was the heart. As for Stevie and Lindsey not caring, I couldn't disagree more. I think that they view the legacy of Fleetwood Mac as their legacy, too. I think it hurt them to see Fleetwood Mac reach such a low point, and to have that associated with them in any way, shape, or form. Plus, the reactions I've read prior to the reunion that Stevie and Lindsey had to Mick's moving on without them were anything but positive.

Originally Posted by David

Again, an interesting idea that Lindsey was the guiding force of pressure behind the reunion, but I'm not sure it really fits. When Lindsey did "Twisted" with Stevie & Mick, according to Stevie he sure didn't lay any groundwork for future reunions. In fact, Stevie says he flew in & flew out, & she told interviewers months later that she didn't hear anything from him after that short two- or three-day session. Doesn't sound as if he was hankering for a fireflies reunion at that time.

I have two issues here. One, THAT he even did any work with Stevie in 1996, regardless of how minor, was really a major step towards a reunion. Two, he was still working on his own project with Mick, John, and Christine. And, didn't Stevie usually come into projects well towards the end, anyway? Don't get me wrong, while I think Lindsey was really the driving force behind the ultimate reunion, I think he was using a great deal of caution. It COULD be that he didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. After all, Stevie was trying to get her life back together at that time, and part of me thinks Lindsey didn't want to give her a major disappointment while she was in the process of recovering, as happened in 1987.

Originally Posted by David

I think it's more likely that Lindsey said to Mick, "If you're clean & sober, come play some drums for me."

I'm not going to discount Mick's sobriety as being a factor for Lindsey. However, Lindsey's position on playing with Fleetwood Mac again certainly changed. I don't think he would have even considered it two years earlier, regardless of Mick's (or anyone else's) condition. Once he saw Mick and the others cleaned up their acts, he knew that he could get them to disband the "Time" band to get the "Rumours" band back together.

Originally Posted by David

You do if you're getting tired of playing supper clubs like the Konocti Harbor Spa, where people gab with one another all through your show over their plates of roast beef & potatoes au gratin. I think Fleetwood Mac's lowly status during those two years HAD to have grated on Mick -- & possibly even some of the others in the band.

Possibly. But, Lindsey's status wasn't much higher, either, and that REALLY had to grate on him as well. Again, to not have even done a small tour, a la "Mirage" for "Time" is totally out of character for Mick and John. That's why I think there were other forces (read: Lindsey and Christine) that were trying to kill the whole "Time" project so that the "Rumours" band could get back together.

Originally Posted by David

Again, not so "magical" -- & certainly the vibe afterward wasn't one of "reunion is definitely on," at least according to Stevie.

Call me cynical, but I just don't buy that Mick, John, Christine, and Lindsey were all working together, but Mick was the only one who was thinking reunion.

Originally Posted by David

I think OOTC, SA & Time would have had to be GARGANTUAN successes in order for a fireflies reunion not to have been organized & carried out.

It's akin to asking a musician: "Would you rather have $5 million or $25 million?"

On the other hand, if Mick felt that he could make the "Time" band a full time band, like the band was from 1967 through 1980, while being moderately successful, and still make $5 million a year, he would actually be ahead right now with the "Time" band because there wouldn't be the five to seven year stretches between albums.

[macfan 57]

I've never heard of the Kentucky Derby event with Mick, John, Chris & Stevie AND Steve Winwood. Does any bootleg recording of this "Rhiannon" exist? Does anyone have an MP3?