Lindsey discusses his firing (Rolling Stone)

[cbBen]

Don Felder (formerly of the Eagles) would also have been a possibility had Mike Campbell not been available (though, on second thought, I doubt they could have worked that out given the bad blood between Felder and Irving Azoff).

I suspect Stevie or Irving Azoff put the feelers out to Mike Campbell in November 2017 as soon as Lindsey walked out of the band meeting where they could not agree on the tour schedule. Something like "If you were to get a call next year about joining, might you be interested?" When Mike said yes, the plan was hatched.