Lindsey is Suing Fleetwood Mac!

[jwd]

Originally Posted by tsitopen

I am the woodwork

As long as you're not calling me a weasel, I really don't care.

[secondhandchain]

Lots of seats available tomorrow night...lots

https://www1.ticketmaster.com/an-eve...1&minorcatid=1

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by mitzo

Not a surprise. He is talking to RS and leaking news of the lawsuit to undermine the FM tour and Stevie's RRHOF bid.

hehehehe
years of working with Mick and $tevie
taught Lindsey how to be an equal a$$Hole

and good for him!

[StevieandChris]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel86

hehehehe
years of working with Mick and $tevie
taught Lindsey how to be an equal a$$Hole

and good for him!

I don’t think he needed any help in that department...hence this situation.

[button-lip]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel86

hehehehe
years of working with Mick and $tevie
taught Lindsey how to be an equal a$$Hole

and good for him!

But he still loves them all. That's what his e-mail to Mick says. So, no matter how much he tries, he will never reach the degree of those two ungrateful a$$holes.

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by Kyle

How many people will buy tickets to a FM concert without Stevie. Not many. It's just a fact.

the CASUAL fan doesn't even know who Stevie Nicks is
they don't even know the diff between Stevie and Lindsey
who's the guy?

you're talking nonsense

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by Angel75

I am very afraid she will be

then we can all start a petition to get Nick$ kicked OUT of the HOF
like having your WOF star taken away.

[MoonSister75]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Well, it has been a while since I’ve posted here and honestly I really haven’t had anything to say that hasn’t already been said to the nth power. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and expressing them is great. But what is maddening to me is when people draw hasty conclusions from barely a data point or two from which to draw such a conclusion. And it seems that this latest saga with our band really just brought out the absolute worst in people; I see you, and we all see you for what you are, and it ain’t pretty. It’s one thing to have a lapse or two in critical thinking skills, but you can see the darkness of the darkest of hearts through the quick rise to hostility expressed around here. If there is one thing that getting old has taught me, it is that most people don’t know s*** and you shouldn’t pass judgement on people or situations that you know nothing about. The bottom line is y’all don’t know these people, you weren’t involved in any discussions regarding Lindsey’s ouster and you just don’t know the motivations of these people even though some of you pretend like you were a fly on the wall when these decisions were made.

I read the long, redundant complaint and what struck me was that although it seemed truthful (based on the dates, events and situations that I have observed myself as a fan), there seemed to be much exaggeration, i.e., overstating his commercial appeal as a member of Fleetwood Mac while neglecting to mention that his commercial appeal as a solo artist is virtually nil. The other thing I noticed is that NOTHING seems to be formalized in writing. It is surprising that this phenomenally successful musical partnership is held together via an “oral” agreement, which in the state of California has some degree of legal enforceability (I learn something new every day!). In a nutshell, one cannot be fired from such a partnership unless there is unanimous agreement OR there is just cause. And LB’s assertion of wrongful termination is based on just cause; however, there was nothing mentioned in the complaint about a potential just cause beyond the solo tour issue. The only formal arrangement the band ever created in the past is when FM formed LLCs to manage tour and merch revenue; it appears that they dissolve the old LLC and form a new LLC for almost every new tour. So apparently LB was excluded from the LLC formed for the 2018-19 tour. Finally, Lindsey NEVER SIGNED A CONTRACT for the 2018-2019 tour. The complaint only mentions that he attended several high-level meetings where the expected compensation amounts were discussed.

Oh, and the complaint states in no uncertain terms that the LB/CM album was supposed to be a Fleetwood Mac album, despite Lindsey’s assertions to the contrary during last year’s press tour. See? St. Lindsey told a bold faced lie. Shocking, amiright?

Anyway my take on it is that LB’s case is on shaky ground. There is no formal Fleetwood Mac, Inc. corporation – just a handshake arrangement between the five band members. He claims that there is no just cause for termination because he caved to the band’s demands about the tour, but that assumes that is indeed the only reason for his termination. He owns no financial interest in the Fleetwood Mac 2018-2019 Tour LLC. Finally, he didn’t officially sign up for the tour. He says he was ready, willing and able and attended many meetings… but ultimately he didn’t put a ring on it for some reason.

The fact that band members have been explicitly instructed not to communicate with Lindsey is telling. I suspect this situation is way, way, way more complicated than Stevie merely feeling disrespected at Radio City. The band fell into formation and moved on very, very quickly, which means that the wheels for Option B must have been in the works for a long, long time. Lindsey provided a very heartfelt, mournful email as Appendix A of his complaint. But where are all the other emails that he purportedly wrote when trying to reach members of the band? Perhaps there are statements in those emails that undermine his case? I suspect that things were already not going well back during the LB/CM promotional tour and the Classic East/West shows. From the July 17, 2017 LA Times:



It is not inconceivable that he probably carried this cavalier, dismissive demeanor off-stage as well and, with good reason, this quote probably ticked off members of the band – especially Stevie and Mick, who have been arguably Fleetwood Mac’s biggest cheerleaders. Who knows what other passive or overt gestures of aggression Lindsey exhibited around those shows? So when discussions around the new tour became tense over the solo tour dates in December 2017, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he burned some bridges or said some very insulting things (like in the LA Times interview), which could have led them to conclude that enough was enough. There is a pattern of passive aggressive behavior from Lindsey, which may have escalated to a rolling boil during those meetings and then finally the lid blew off the pot at Radio City with those digs at Stevie.

I can see why people attribute this turn of events solely to Stevie. But I also know what it’s like to have to work alongside someone who does not respect you or your work (as evidenced by Lindsey’s supposed casual dismissal of Stevie’s Bella Donna success). And to make matters extremely messy, they are exes who spent the last 40 years keeping score on each other, which has to lead to resentment – his resentment over Stevie’s success (as evidenced by his complaint that “Rhiannon” was the introduction song) which he never enjoyed himself and her resentment over his life of domestic bliss which she never enjoyed herself. I believe Lindsey when he says he doesn’t know why he was fired; some people are just not that self-aware. But I also believe Stevie when she says that she wants the remaining years of her career to be joyful. And I suspect Lindsey also cast an increasing shadow on the rest of the band as he badmouthed the FM brand as a politically charged nostalgia act run by managers and agents. Anyway, I don’t know, and nobody outside of Fleetwood Mac, Inc. really knows what actually went down. But based on the pattern of his behavior, especially all this “big machine, little machine crap he’s been saying for years and his apparent ingratefulness (again, read quote above), I wasn’t terribly shocked by the news that he was finally terminated after Radio City. It takes a single match to burn a house down.

Ultimately, these are people who have stuck together through the years and they have created an amazing body of work throughout the various incarnations and solo endeavors. As far as I am concerned, everything else is just icing on the cake at this point and they've earned the right to do whatever they have to do to find their happiness in the winter of their lives. Heartbreak of the moment is not endless. While I wish the Rumours 5 would have stayed together, my desire does not trump their happiness as people. I am grateful to Stevie, Christine, Lindsey, Mick and John and the other members (except Bekka and Dave Mason - y'all kinda ruined it for me) for their artistry and the joy they've given me and I am totally on board for where the saga heads next.

Great post! A very interesting read. I have very similar thoughts and feelings to almost everything you have stated here.

[Andyleo]

Originally Posted by Kyle

Exactly what I said. A tiny group of people in the entire world clustered together on one website. How many people, in real life like those songs? Almost none.

Sorry, I'm a huge fan of Stevie's' music and I love those two songs, all my family and friends who've had my musical tastes forced into their ears for decades even like most of Lindsey's Fleetwood Mac stuff. "Almost none" ... don't think that's right.

[Keith]

I'm sitting here enjoying my cup of coffee watching the local news - my morning ritual. And the story about Lindsey suing Fleetwood Mac came up. My local news in small town Missouri was talking about it - this is getting to be too much. I really don't have the energy to care anymore about this continued drama. So I think today I will kick back and listen to Lindsey's Anthology from front to back which I'm loving, and then listen to Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage and Tango in the Night. And yes I will buy the new Fleetwood Mac 50 Years Don't Stop compilation and listen to it repeatedly.

I fell in love with Fleetwood Mac on Christmas night in 1976 when my sister gave me the "Fleetwood Mac' album - I sat in my room with the album cover, headphones on, listening to this record over and over and just fell in love. One of my best Christmas presents.

This whole situation just really makes me sad. But in reality, this pales with all the other bigger issues going on in this crazy world.

So I will choose to focus on the music that this fantastic band created, knowing that I will never see the Five perform as a band again. And that's ok. It's only rock and roll - too bad Fleetwood Mac made it about so much more.

[Newzchspy]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Hmm... who might be encouraging Lindsey to sue Fleetwood Mac? Now I'm not sayin' she's a gold digger...

It actually gives great insight to how much they're getting per show per member. Mick, Stevie and Chris getting the lions share and Neil and Mike are hired guns, aka contract players, getting far less. Still, not a bad amount of $$ for a 50 show tour.

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally Posted by Newzchspy

It actually gives great insight to how much they're getting per show per member. Mick, Stevie and Chris getting the lions share and Neil and Mike are hired guns, aka contract players, getting far less. Still, not a bad amount of $$ for a 50 show tour.

Yes. Someone remarked in one of these threads (before the Complaint appeared) that they thought that Mick and John owned Fleetwood Mac and that the rest of the Rumours Five were employees. The Complaint shows this not to be the case; instead, I think it's safe to assume that Lindsey never would have agreed to join the band in 1974/1975 as a hired gun, so they would have joined as full creative members with a say in the band's direction; whereas I assume the likes of Billy Burnette were probably contract hires, at least for the Tango tour. Perhaps it's a clause in the contracts for Neil and Mike that there is an option to become full members if and when this tour proves a success.

[Newzchspy]

Originally Posted by secondhandchain

Lots of seats available tomorrow night...lots

https://www1.ticketmaster.com/an-eve...1&minorcatid=1

Lots of empty seats in Chicago last weekend. Most I have ever seen at a FM Tour.

Lawsuits are great, as the Complaint and subsequent discovery like depositions, contracts, agreements, incorporations, , now all public, will expose the inner workings better than any book ever could.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

I think it's safe to assume that Lindsey never would have agreed to join the band in 1974/1975 as a hired gun, so they would have joined as full creative members with a say in the band's direction; whereas I assume the likes of Billy Burnette were probably contract hires, at least for the Tango tour. Perhaps it's a clause in the contracts for Neil and Mike that there is an option to become full members if and when this tour proves a success.

I just wanted to add that in Billy Burnette's book, he said he and Rick were formally added to FM by Mick, John, Christine, and Stevie. Not sure exactly what that means, but the fact they all recorded Behind the Mask also suggests they were, in fact, full members. So you could be right that they were contracted for the Tango tour, but became full members during or shortly after said tour.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by Keith

I'm sitting here enjoying my cup of coffee watching the local news - my morning ritual. And the story about Lindsey suing Fleetwood Mac came up. My local news in small town Missouri was talking about it - this is getting to be too much. I really don't have the energy to care anymore about this continued drama. So I think today I will kick back and listen to Lindsey's Anthology from front to back which I'm loving, and then listen to Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage and Tango in the Night. And yes I will buy the new Fleetwood Mac 50 Years Don't Stop compilation and listen to it repeatedly.

I fell in love with Fleetwood Mac on Christmas night in 1976 when my sister gave me the "Fleetwood Mac' album - I sat in my room with the album cover, headphones on, listening to this record over and over and just fell in love. One of my best Christmas presents.

This whole situation just really makes me sad. But in reality, this pales with all the other bigger issues going on in this crazy world.

So I will choose to focus on the music that this fantastic band created, knowing that I will never see the Five perform as a band again. And that's ok. It's only rock and roll - too bad Fleetwood Mac made it about so much more.

What a great post, Keith. I agree with everything you said except for two points- 1) I don't think I'll be buying the new compilation. But it's not out of protest or anything like that, it's just without either new material or outtakes, I don't feel the need and 2) I actually think that even with this lawsuit, there could still be a reunion someday. Hey, stranger things have happened. I'm not banking on it, but then again, I never would have thought FM would reunite back in 1996, and they not only reunited... they came back with a vengeance. So with these folks, anything is possible.

Also, the Go-Gos had a similar lawsuit when 4 of the members fired one of the members right before their farewell tour. She sued, it got ugly, they settled, and then a year later they reunited for a handful of tour dates. Money makes the world go round, it would seem, and as this lawsuit has revealed, FM and Lindsey are no different or better than anyone else when it comes to the almighty dollar