The family is breaking up :( and afraid to post. Let me teach you about real reality.

[Murrow]

So sorry about your bereavement. May God be your comfort at this time.

Re the family breaking up thing, bear in mind that Stevie and Chris's previous departures were pretty much of their own free will. Even when Lindsey quit the first time he genuinely did not want to tour at all with Tango (shame as we could have had the title track done live).

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

hmmm.... I think what the band did is sh&tty.....and let's see, that must make me:
Pathetic

To clarify my use of the word “pathetic,” it IS pathetic to say “I'm sorry but I have a right to…” in a thread where someone talked about a husband’s suicide and someone talked about his pending chemo. Like, why even reply at all, far less assert something so unnecessary, unfeeling, and pointless? Why not just ignore it and move on? Is it really THAT important? If it is, that’s kind of pathetic.

[secondhandchain]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

To clarify my use of the word “pathetic,” it IS pathetic to say “I'm sorry but I have a right to…” in a thread where someone talked about a husband’s suicide and someone talked about his pending chemo. Like, why even reply at all, far less assert something so unnecessary, unfeeling, and pointless? Why not just ignore it and move on? Is it really THAT important? If it is, that’s kind of pathetic.

Sorry but many of us have sadness in our lives, but to tell us that because we've had tragedy we can't be upset about Lindsey being fired is something I disagree with. BTW in my post i said I was sorry for their problems.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

To clarify my use of the word “pathetic,” it IS pathetic to say “I'm sorry but I have a right to…” in a thread where someone talked about a husband’s suicide and someone talked about his pending chemo. Like, why even reply at all, far less assert something so unnecessary, unfeeling, and pointless? Why not just ignore it and move on? Is it really THAT important? If it is, that’s kind of pathetic.

My comment was to the broader audience on here and was a canvassing of all the comments that had been thrown around. It was not specifically directed to the OP.

If people can't make the distinction between this being a forum (and in this case the specific threads involved) for talking about FM, that is sadly their problem.

NO ONE has been unsympathetic to the OP, and clearly they were making a call out for help and support. The terrible circumstances leading to that are clearly not the fault of the OP and no one was faulting them for that. Their point was taken -- that there are far, far more important things going on in the world than FM personnel changes. However, again, this is a FLEETWOOD MAC forum, and the threads involved were SPECIFICALLY set up for people to talk about current band events and people's reactions to them. I don't know why that is so hard for people to accept.

The OP, in their personal pain, lashed out in a way at others on this board. So yes, people will respond and did-- offering sympathy for his/her pain while defending their right to discuss the band in a band forum. But others latched onto the OP's point to launch their own ongoing gripes about everyone else's opinions. My remarks were intended for THEM.

But again, let's keep having circular arguments and taking positions about who is allowed to express what opinion and who isn't.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

But again, let's keep having circular arguments and taking positions about who is allowed to express what opinion and who isn't.

Like which forum discussions about the new lineup belongs?

[Dr.Brown]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Like which forum discussions about the new lineup belongs?

Nothing circular there.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Like which forum discussions about the new lineup belongs?

yes, that's another pointless argument.

[gldstwmn]

BellaSoprano71 I am so sorry for your loss.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I start chemo on Monday for something not cancer. It’s still chemo.

I'm so sorry to read this. I hope everything works out for you.

[David]

Originally Posted by Murrow

Even when Lindsey quit the first time he genuinely did not want to tour at all with Tango (shame as we could have had the title track done live).

I think he was canned in 1987. He didn't want to tour, as you noted, but the rest of the group had already booked and committed, so they told him they were moving forward with new members. That's being fired.

[dreamsunwind]

Originally Posted by David

I think he was canned in 1987. He didn't want to tour, as you noted, but the rest of the group had already booked and committed, so they told him they were moving forward with new members. That's being fired.

I don't think you could say he was fired then. He didn't want to tour but as far as we know he was never asking that they cancel the tour because of that so I'm sure he knew they'd go on without him. And in interviews from even before that he kept hinting at the idea that he no longer wanted to be with the band. From how he and just about everyone else has described that whole debacle, he chose to walk away at that extremely inconvienent time so they brought Rick and Billy in and went forward.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by dreamsunwind

I don't think you could say he was fired then. He didn't want to tour but as far as we know he was never asking that they cancel the tour because of that so I'm sure he knew they'd go on without him. And in interviews from even before that he kept hinting at the idea that he no longer wanted to be with the band. From how he and just about everyone else has described that whole debacle, he chose to walk away at that extremely inconvienent time so they brought Rick and Billy in and went forward.

Exactly. Right before the final blowout, they were supposed to have a band get together, but Lindsey either never showed up or drove there, but never went and drove off. I think Mick was ready to move on then, but gave it one last shot, which didn’t go so well. Even Lindsey says he left in 1987.

[StevieandChris]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Exactly. Right before the final blowout, they were supposed to have a band get together, but Lindsey either never showed up or drove there, but never went and drove off. I think Mick was ready to move on then, but gave it one last shot, which didn’t go so well. Even Lindsey says he left in 1987.

I think someone mentioned this but I cannot find the thread. It would be interesting to speculate how different the band would be if Lindsey had not left in 1987. Up until that time he, Stevie, and Christine were all doing solo and coming back to FM.

[TheWildHeart67]

Even though there is no new music on this tour they are mixing up the set list with Pre-Rumours songs and Heartbreaker's music also. That makes this tour exciting to see what the two new member's bring to FM original songs and the mix of TP band's songs.

I am a big fan of Stevie's solo career, and a big fan of Fleetwood Mac.
But this will be the first tour I am not excited about, and I am not buying tickets. I tried accepting Rick and Billy back when FM tried to replace Lindsey the first time he left, and it just wasn't magical for me(I don't consider FM's "Time" album as "Cannon," and ignored that period).
Combining Mac tours and Stevie solo tours, I have been to 36 of their shows.
I've been following their music since I was 15 years old.
Lindsey's firing shocked the hell out of me.
I am not going to point fingers, because I don't know what truly happened.
We all can speculate, and assume.
But whatever the truth is, in my opinion, if Lindsey Buckingham is no longer part of Fleetwood Mac, the band should break-up.
This is likely their last massive tour.
Fleetwood Mac is a beloved, iconic band.
"Rumours" is now part of pop culture and arguably one of the great albums that defines the 1970's. 31 weeks at #1.
And that line-up of the mighty Mac went on to release 3 more great albums that spun off songs that are now classics, and still get massive airplay.
"Tusk"(an album I've always loved) was considered a flop in it's day, simply because it didn't sell the massive numbers "Rumours" sold.
But now, critics and fans consider "Tusk" a brilliant album.
And Lindsey orchestrated that vision.
He is a vital part of what makes Fleetwood Mac magical.
And without all 5 members together of the "classic" line-up, it isn't Fleetwood Mac, to me.
I LOVE TP and the Heartbreakers. And Mike Campbell is fantastic.
But I don't want to see him join FM or hear them do versions of classic TP&THB songs.
This is most likely FM's final big tour.
I don't hold on to any hope that Lindsey will return after this tour.
By then Christine and John will be 80 years old, or close to it.
It's truly sad that the final tour will not consist of the magical 5 fireflies.
I truly think there is no point to doing the tour without Lindsey.
If Nicks and Buckingham cannot get along and cannot put the hatred aside for this final tour, the band should break-up.
Period.
FM cannot reinvent themselves in the sunset of their career as a band.
Am I upset? Yes! I'm mortified. Do I hate any particular member of the band though? No. I think both Lindsey and Stevie equally antagonize each other, and have famously done so for decades.
But there must have been a really nasty final fight between them that caused this to happen.
And if it's gotten to the point of not being able to get through one last tour, so be it...but I'm not gonna hate on Lindsey or Stevie. Nor am I going to hold a grudge against Christine, Mick or John for going along with the decision to do this tour without Lindsey, or post nasty messages back and forth to people on this message board.
I'm simply not going to support this tour.
But I can continue to enjoy the music they made together as a group and as solo artists.
Their music is the soundtrack of my life, and I will continue to cherish that until the day I die.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by TheWildHeart67

I am a big fan of Stevie's solo career, and a big fan of Fleetwood Mac.
Am I upset? Yes! I'm mortified. Do I hate any particular member of the band though? No. I think both Lindsey and Stevie equally antagonize each other, and have famously done so for decades.
But there must have been a really nasty final fight between them that caused this to happen.
And if it's gotten to the point of not being able to get through one last tour, so be it...but I'm not gonna hate on Lindsey or Stevie. Nor am I going to hold a grudge against Christine, Mick or John for going along with the decision to do this tour without Lindsey, or post nasty messages back and forth to people on this message board.
I'm simply not going to support this tour.
But I can continue to enjoy the music they made together as a group and as solo artists.
Their music is the soundtrack of my life, and I will continue to cherish that until the day I die.

WildHeart, your whole post is beautifully written and so well put, but I especially appreciated what you said about the individual members AND their music. A lot of people have said they can't listen to FM's music anymore, and that's their choice. But the music of Fleetwood Mac didn't change. For me, and like you, FM's music has been a soundtrack to my life, too, and that didn't change when Lindsey left, when Stevie left, when Christine left, when Rick left, or when Billy was fired, and it won't change now. I completely understand why you won't see the tour, and I also really respect how you were able to separate your love of the music from how hurt you feel. Really, you are such a positive example for all of us. Thanks for posting.