Behind The Mask

[MacFan03]

What are everyone's thoughts on this album? I've been listening to "Save Me" a lot lately and think it's just a great song...I just wish Lindsey had been around for it.

Are songs like "Save Me" and "Skies the Limit" considered Mac classics? It bewildered me to find "Skies the Limit" on the new BEST OF set and not "Save Me"---wasn't "Save Me" the top 40 hit?

What contribution does Lindsey make to the song "Behind the Mask"??? And why did he come back to make an appeareance after leaving on not-so-good terms?

Finally, has Lindsey ever commented on this album or about Vito and Burnette's contributions in general?

[wetcamelfood]

This should prolly go under the "Post Rumours" section but whatever. :)

I remember LB saying that BTM was "not one that he considers close to him" so you can draw your own conclusions from that.

LB had semi made up with FM around the GH time frame and I'm guessing this is why he hung around to add the acoustic guitar to the title track of BTM but then things went sour again when Mick's book came out (and of course they have apparently patched it up again since then).

I like BTM, I think given the chance the BTM lineup may have made a better follow up album had they been allowed musical freedom and a chance to grow, but I won't open that can of worms. :)

Yeah, "Save me" was the one that charted but since TVBOFM I'm guess was more for what they considerd the better songs as oppossed to just going by "chart hits" (which I'm guessing was the idea behind the 1988 GH album) then they must've felt as though STL was the "better piece of work" than SM was so again, whatever, hope that helps anyways. :)

John

[MacFan03]

Did Linsdey have anything to do with "As Long As You Follow" or "No Questions Asked"??

And here's a comment from Rick Vito on "Paper Doll":

"Hi, We originally cut "Paper Doll" at the same time we cut "As Long As You Follow" for the "Greatest Hits" record. I don't think Mick liked it too much at the time and we recorded something else of Stevie's instead. Years later after I was gone they came upon that track, and by then Mick and the others thought it sounded pretty good. I loved the track, which I wrote with my friend John Herron. Stevie added words and melody later. The Super Bowl thing was put together by Billy Burnette who asked me to do it. I really didn't feel comfortable doing it at first since I was not in the band at the time, but Billy really wanted me to. That's the last time I played with the Mac as a group. Take care. "

[wetcamelfood]

Thanks for the RV Penguin Q & A paste in, yeah, that's the quote I remembered him saying.

No, I don't think Lindsey had any involvement on ALAYF. Hope that helps. :)

John

[SpyNote]

I thought it was a pretty good record. Quite a departure from the sound that Lindsey established for the band, but it was fresh, melodic and inspired. Some of Christine's songs sound a little dated now (e.g. the previously discussed "Doogie Howser" inspired keyboard arrangements), but overall it's an enjoyable collection of songs.

Everyone is in great form, even Stevie in her Klonopin haze, soaring high on some rare notes in Love Is Dangerous and Freedom. The rockabilly songs (is that what they are?), When The Sun Goes Down, Stand on the Rock, may not appeal to everyone. But I thought they were catchy, concerted group efforts.

In that same vein, it's nice to hear the various group members singing along to the others' songs, like Billy and Christine reciting Stevie's soliloquy on Freedom or the entire band pitching in on Billy's In the Back of My Mind. The duets (Do You Know, When It Comes to Love) are pleasant, and the partnerships between Christine/Billy and Stevie/Rick play out nicely.

If there's any criticism, it's a very light, musically unadventurous album. Most of it is straight forward rock/pop arrangements, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But with so much expectation from fans and critics alike to see how Mac would fair without Lindsey, it may have inadvertently been the album's greatest shortcoming.

Daniel

[Cristian]

That's about the best review I've ever read about this album. Agreed in all terms. :)


Song of the moment - Jane

[Mac Fan]

I really like it and for a while, it was my fabourite album.

[stefan]

To me it's a completely mediocre album. Especially the efforts of the two new guys were superboring imo. I stopped being a fan from there (until 1997) The stupid cover... whoever had this idea...

[HollywoodSteve]

I absolutely love the Mask album, always have. Very underrated. I think that Burnette and Vito had some real strong songwriting contributions, something I was not expecting before I heard it. Too bad this turned out to be the last studio album that featured both Christine and Stevie. This is one of the few albums (by ANY artist) that I can listen to from beginning to end without wanting to skip a track. And I don't see why Save Me couldn't have been on VBOFM. Both it and "Skies" were minor hits, especially on adult contemporary radio. I also think "Affairs of the Heart" had unfulfilled hit single potential.

And, yeah, what is up with that cover? I was expecting something similar to the Save Me single cover...does anyone know the story behind the BTM cover?

[lindseybob27]

I dont know about the cover, but BTM was never exactly a favourite of mine. I'm pretty indifferent when it comes to this kind of music, so I wouldn't really know how to critique it. But Linds did say something about how funny it was that it took two men to replace him...

[macfan 57]

I think that BTM is a very good album that could have been even better. In my opinion, Stevie is the weak link here on this album. I think most of her songs are terrible. There are 3 terrific outtakes, "Intuition" & "Got No Home" from Rick & "Victim Of Love" from Billy. If they had been used instead of Stevie's songs, I think this could have been a great album. The album is still very good as is though. I LOVE "When The Sun Goes Down" & "Behind The Mask". I think Christine & Billy were in great form here. Unfortunately, most of Rick's best work ended up not making it onto the album.

[darklinensuit]

I like the songs Freedom, Behind the Mask, When it Comes to Love, and When the Sun Goes Down.
I was unimpressed by most of the others. Some were okay, such as Save Me and Love is Dangerous --- the critics loved that one, of course.
I didn't care for In the Back of My Mind, but I admit that it was a good opener on the tour. The opening parts were done behind the wall of masks until slowly the wall came up. When the spotlights hit Chris and Stevie in their solos, the crowd went wild & I got goosebumps.
Affairs of the Heart is perhaps my least favorite Stevie Mac song, which is to say I like it, but not like I love her others.
All of the BTM videos suck. The lighting is very unflattering to their faces, especially Stevie's. The long chin & droopy Klonopin eyes are unfortunate hallmarks of the period.

Did any band members ever explain the BTM album cover concept? Are the people all models, or do any have a connection to the band?
I'll get slammed for this, but I think the band should have put band members on the cover instead. Nothing against the cover, which is fine, but in the interest of continuity/marketing after all the turmoil of 1987, they should have made a special point of putting at least Stevie, Mick, John, and Chris front and center.

I love the covers of Rumours & Mirage. There's nothing like going into a music store the day an album is out (especially in the days of records!) and seeing the people you love on the album, riding in the car looking at their faces as you can't wait to get home to the record player.
Incidentally, I hate the 1988 GH cover, as you might guess.

- Jake

[Sorcerer386]

Originally posted by lindseybob27
But Linds did say something about how funny it was that it took two men to replace him...

Be careful what you say about that. Billy and Rick fans can get pretty annoyed about it because, from what I remember, Billy was first asked for his vocals and guitar but did not feel comfortable playing lead guitar, so they got Rick Vito who also happened to be a vocalist and also write songs. I realize this quote is from Lindsey and may not be your opinion...I just wanted to give you a heads up. :wavey:

I think the problem with Behind the Mask is there's just too many different things going on in the album. When FM had the three songwriters, Chris Stevie and Lindsey, it worked well because they're styles balanced each others. But with FOUR songwriters, it just kind of made it more obscure. Plus, I think sometimes they overdid the vocals...too much of too many different voices doing different things going on here. There's just way too many different things happening on the album which, to me, doesn't make it very cohesive. JMO.

[Johnny Stew]

I think the only "fault" of 'Behind The Mask,' is that the production is a little murky, and lacking in sonic space.
But that's just a minor complaint, and i was THRILLED when 'BTM' was originally released, and featured a more rock and roll sound than 'Tango In The Night' had.

For me the only "weak link" songs on this album are "Do You Know," and "When It Comes To Love."
"Do You Know" is pretty, but extremely bland.
Overall, Christine's contributions to 'Time' were of a much higher caliber, but "Save Me," and "Behind The Mask," are terrific.

"Freedom," in my very humble opinion, is one of Stevie's best Mac songs. It kicks some serious booty.
And "Affairs Of The Heart" should have been a single... it received a lot of airplay in the Pittsburgh area especially.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
. . . And "Affairs Of The Heart" should have been a single... it received a lot of airplay in the Pittsburgh area especially.

Have you ever heard the alt. version that was posted on one of the other sites. The production was 10 times better. I was like - how could they opt for the one on the CD. :[

[HollywoodSteve]

I had no idea there was an alternate version of "Affairs". Gonna have to do some searching...

[gldstwmn]

I'll send it to you if you want.

[SpyNote]

HollywoodSteve wrote:
And, yeah, what is up with that cover? I was expecting something similar to the Save Me single cover...does anyone know the story behind the BTM cover?

Someone may have a more official story, but I think each character on the cover represents a band member or an ideal of a band member. The pretty gal in the front wearing the wedding dress represents Stevie. The clownish lady with the hat and straps is probably Mick. The dude with the accordian is Chris. The bluesy black guy in the chair is likely John (or maybe Rick since he's a blues guy and there is a similar pic of him w/ guitar in the booklet) and the two characters not really doing anything (yet) may represent are Rick and Billy.

It's interesting how none of the album covers from Tango through Time were marketed with any of the actual band members. Symbolic?

[HollywoodSteve]

That would be much [email protected]

[Sorcerer386]

Originally posted by SpyNote
HollywoodSteve wrote:


Someone may have a more official story, but I think each character on the cover represents a band member or an ideal of a band member.

That's what I always thought it was, but I was never sure.