1990- 2015: The bonus years.

[guillamene]

Now that the European tour has finished, l was reflecting on the last time we saw Christine tour with Fleetwood Mac over here in 1990. Before the BTM tour was finished, it was announced that she and Stevie would be retiring from touring. Ironically it was around the same time that the Fleetwood Mac International Fan Club was started. Anyone remember it? I joined and bought some t- shirts and received some newsletters for the next year or so. This was strange since all the signs were that the band were fragmenting as soon after Rick left and the in 1991 you had the whole Stevie / Mick / Silver Springs saga.
When Out of the Cradle came out I recall - as with In the Meantime a few years later - picking out the songs that could have been done with the full band. I could never understand why the 25 Anniversary was not promoted more. Possibly it was eclipsed by the Clinton "reunion ". In retrospect I guess ( as Mick said later ) in many ways seen as the band's swansong .
I was thrilled to hear about Bekka and Dave Mason joining the band. If nothing else it meant that they were still carrying on. I recall the day that I bought " Time " and playing it for the first time. It's still one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac albums and Christine's songs were first class. As far as I'm concerned as long as Mick and John are there ,it's Fleetwood Mac.
The Dance was again something we thought we would never see and the new songs were proof that the magic was still there. SAY YOU WILL is a great album albeit a few tracks too long. The tours in 2003, 2009 and 2013 were great - but setlists were in need of new material - and it was almost written in stone at this stage that Christine was permanently gone.
And then. .......you know the rest! Despite the fact that L.B had reservations about it, having Christine back has been great for the band individually AND collectively - just see the audience's reaction on the recent shows.
So, hence the title of this : back 25 years could well have been the beginning of the end. .....and I for one am so grateful for these " bonus years ".

[Macfanforever]

Yea. It is a bonus . They kept the FM ship afloat with member issues and had a couple of icebergs thrown at them and cruised around them and kept on going all those years.

I think none of us thought that Christine was ever to come back home to FM.
She had us fooled.LOL......

As some say on here this tour or the next tour and If was ever get an album will be it for them.I'm thinking positive for once this time.I think they can go on for awhile longer. Get rid of those close and multiple concert dates will lighten up the work load and they will be fine.

[PenguinHead]

It is amazingly fortuitous they named the band Fleetwood Mac, because Mick and John have been the bedrock of the band throughout their numerous permutations. Most bands don't survive such drastic changes in style and players. Drummers are sometimes the most expendable members. Yet Mick proved to be the strongest link in the chain, and the de facto leader.

Collectively, every stylistic phase in their history - the Peter Green/blues era, the transitional era, the Rumours era, the Billy/Rick era, the Bekka/Dave era, the Buckingham/Nicks era - offers a tuneful bounty of music.

It's very rewarding that in their twilight, the most successful configuration of the band is intact, reminding the world of their greatness with this massive world-wide tour. Although their set list, songs circa 1975 -1987, is redundant, it cements their legacy and sustains their relevancy and appeal to multi-generations. Before they blow out the candle, an album of new material would be the icing on the cake. They can forgo the physical demands of another massive tour. Tours are fleeting events; albums are forever.

[johnnystorms]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

It is amazingly fortuitous they named the band Fleetwood Mac, because Mick and John have been the bedrock of the band throughout their numerous permutations. Most bands don't survive such drastic changes in style and players. Drummers are sometimes the most expendable members. Yet Mick proved to be the strongest link in the chain, and the de facto leader.

Collectively, every stylistic phase in their history - the Peter Green/blues era, the transitional era, the Rumours era, the Billy/Rick era, the Bekka/Dave era, the Buckingham/Nicks era - offers a tuneful bounty of music.

It's very rewarding that in their twilight, the most successful configuration of the band is intact, reminding the world of their greatness with this massive world-wide tour. Although their set list, songs circa 1975 -1987, is redundant, it cements their legacy and sustains their relevancy and appeal to multi-generations. Before they blow out the candle, an album of new material would be the icing on the cake. They can forgo the physical demands of another massive tour. Tours are fleeting events; albums are forever.

agreed . If only someone could drill that last sentence into Mick's, John's, and Stevie's heads!!!