Behind The Mask Turns 35 Today (April 9)

[Street_Dreamer]

Hard to believe that only two other Fleetwood Mac studio albums came following its release.

[HomerMcvie]

Funny, it only feels like 70.

[SteveMacD]

Hard to believe that only two other Fleetwood Mac studio albums came following its release.

Three, but what’s in a name?

[Villavic]

This is an album I liked since it was released, and I had always thought so. But on second thoughts, I have always listened all most all songs when I play a Mac album. However of the BTM album, I only play 6 or 7 songs at the most.

Actually, I think that what I liked the most was the idea that the band was surviving Lindsey’s departure. It wasn’t the same anyway.

[FuzzyPlum]

Behind the Mask- RIP

[UnwindedDreams]

Anybody have any thoughts as to why no Behind The Mask songs were played on the 2018-2019 Tour but a song from Time was (not for the whole tour but for most of the North American dates)?

But meanwhile nonhits from the classic lineup albums such as Isn't It Midnight and Storms were played (again not for the whole tour)?

Love Is Dangerous, In The Back of My Mind, Stand On The Rock, Save Me, and Freedom seemed like no-brainers to me.

[Villavic]

Anybody have any thoughts as to why no Behind The Mask songs were played on the 2018-2019 Tour but a song from Time was (not for the whole tour but for most of the North American dates)?

But meanwhile nonhits from the classic lineup albums such as Isn't It Midnight and Storms were played (again not for the whole tour)?

Love Is Dangerous, In The Back of My Mind, Stand On The Rock, Save Me, and Freedom seemed like no-brainers to me.

If the fact that most songs were co-written with Billy or Rick or any other, and the band just wanted to sing more "pure" Christine and Stevie songs (in quotes because the band has always included McVie-Quintela hits) plus Finn/Campbell songs in 2018, that would only leave us with Save Me, Skies, Behind the Mask (where Lindsey played acoustic guitar) and Affairs of the Heart. That's sad cause I'd have love to see Do You Know live.

Most likely the decision to include All Over Again was exclusively Christine's so she has her reasons for not include a BTM song, but if I had to choose one of the BTM mentioned songs, I'd go for the title track. Maybe many fans would choose Save Me, but I've never liked that song so much. I put it in the same bag as Temporary One.

Were there reasons for excluding Billy and Rick songs? Finnancial, legal, etc.? I don't know.

It would have been great to hear BTM song on the BuckVie tour, with Lindsey on acoustic guitar.

[bwboy]

If the fact that most songs were co-written with Billy or Rick or any other, and the band just wanted to sing more "pure" Christine and Stevie songs (in quotes because the band has always included McVie-Quintela hits) plus Finn/Campbell songs in 2018, that would only leave us with Save Me, Skies, Behind the Mask (where Lindsey played acoustic guitar) and Affairs of the Heart. That's sad cause I'd have love to see Do You Know live.

Most likely the decision to include All Over Again was exclusively Christine's so she has her reasons for not include a BTM song, but if I had to choose one of the BTM mentioned songs, I'd go for the title track. Maybe many fans would choose Save Me, but I've never liked that song so much. I put it in the same bag as Temporary One.

Were there reasons for excluding Billy and Rick songs? Finnancial, legal, etc.? I don't know.

I believe it was Stevie who chose All Over Again for the tour. A better choice would have been As Long As You Follow. Mick and Stevie said before that tour that Stevie listened to many of their albums again, and she deliberately chose some deep cuts to include. Christine always seemed to me that she was easy to please when it came to selecting songs for tours.

[bwboy]

Anybody have any thoughts as to why no Behind The Mask songs were played on the 2018-2019 Tour but a song from Time was (not for the whole tour but for most of the North American dates)?

But meanwhile nonhits from the classic lineup albums such as Isn't It Midnight and Storms were played (again not for the whole tour)?

Love Is Dangerous, In The Back of My Mind, Stand On The Rock, Save Me, and Freedom seemed like no-brainers to me.

Love is Dangerous, Stand on the Rock, and Save Me were great when FM played them in 1990. But since Save Me just made the top 30, I’m sure they considered it a flop as a single, and they even dropped that song near the end of their tour.

As you said, Freedom would have been an obvious choice for the 2018 tour, since Stevie co-wrote it with Mike Campbell.

[Macfan4life]

BTM is one of the only albums in my life that I can remember the exact day I bought the album. Earth Day 1990. I remember it because I can recall sitting in the mall parking lot and the radio mentioning Earth Day. First time that I realized there was something called Earth Day. Was so excited to get this cassette tape.

[FuzzyPlum]

This was already a bit of an unfamiliar Fleetwood Mac tour, so I’m sure they wouldn’t have wanted to make it even more unfamiliar by including BTM songs. Audience would have been…wtf?
That they included a Time song….I guess it just fit.
Personally I’d have gone with Why. But hey ho

[Mr Scarrott]

Anybody have any thoughts as to why no Behind The Mask songs were played on the 2018-2019 Tour but a song from Time was (not for the whole tour but for most of the North American dates)?

But meanwhile nonhits from the classic lineup albums such as Isn't It Midnight and Storms were played (again not for the whole tour)?

Love Is Dangerous, In The Back of My Mind, Stand On The Rock, Save Me, and Freedom seemed like no-brainers to me.

All over again was an inspired choice to end the show, if as I suspect, Christine was feeling less confident about exposing herself on the keyboards with Songbird- there was a certain frailty about her then that wasn't evident on the previous tour. Stevie apparently liked the song too and it felt great that this simple, lovely song got a live airing at last. With Christine's passing its performance and lyrics take on an added piquancy.

I think the reasons why no BTM songs were played were they were nearly all absolute duds, the title track would have been tricky to pull off live, Christine thought the album was terrible and I'd be surprised if Stevie could even remember being on it. Other than that... just as well we were spared the spectacle of Neil Finn covering Stand on the Rock.

[UnwindedDreams]

I believe it was Stevie who chose All Over Again for the tour. A better choice would have been As Long As You Follow. Mick and Stevie said before that tour that Stevie listened to many of their albums again, and she deliberately chose some deep cuts to include. Christine always seemed to me that she was easy to please when it came to selecting songs for tours.
You’re totally right about All Over Again and Stevie. Stevie said she discovered the song while she was listening to The Fleetwood Mac Channel on SiriusXM in May 2018.
I would have loved the show to have closed with When It Comes To Love or As Long As You Follow!

[Villavic]

You’re totally right about All Over Again and Stevie. Stevie said she discovered the song while she was listening to The Fleetwood Mac Channel on SiriusXM in May 2018.
I would have loved the show to have closed with When It Comes To Love or As Long As You Follow!

I didn't know that. It shows how distant I was from the Present Band and that tour. Actually to this day I've never seen any video of that tour.

A better choice would have been As Long As You Follow.

Definitely!

[Macfan4life]

You’re totally right about All Over Again and Stevie. Stevie said she discovered the song while she was listening to The Fleetwood Mac Channel on SiriusXM in May 2018.
I would have loved the show to have closed with When It Comes To Love or As Long As You Follow!
I am sorry. I don't believe that for a minute. She's trying to create a myth of some fandom like she discovered the song. She could never name any song off Time. In 2018 they were rehearsing for the tour. They were playing tons of songs that never made it to the set and digging deep. No doubt Chris thought this was a good encore since she could not really play Songbird anymore.

[SteveMacD]

I am sorry. I don't believe that for a minute. She's trying to create a myth of some fandom like she discovered the song. She could never name any song off Time. In 2018 they were rehearsing for the tour. They were playing tons of songs that never made it to the set and digging deep. No doubt Chris thought this was a good encore since she could not really play Songbird anymore.

There’s more evidence than not that Stevie initiated that.

First, just look at how she opened up her own solo setlist in 2017. She brought in some little or never played songs and it was her biggest solo tour up to that point. Changing the formula suddenly wasn’t nearly as intimidating.

Then, there was the quote from Mick to Rolling Stone in 2017:

“Yeah. I was in Italy recently and met Stevie out there. Actually, she was in Capri and I was close to there. She said to me, “Let’s sit down and really listen to some stuff that sort of almost got forgotten.” So I know she’s already thinking she wants to do some things we haven’t done in years.”

Finally, the Don’t Stop comp was being planned, so opening up the setlist to include material outside of the Rumours band would have seemed obvious, especially in light of her aforementioned 2017 tour.

Now, whether or not “All Over Again” was specifically her idea or something that came up in committee during the tour planning is another matter. As in, “If we’re opening up the setlist like this, there’s a nice song from Time we could try that would be a nice way to end the show…” Still, it seems pretty obvious that Stevie was the one who put that in motion.

As for not being able to play “Songbird”, she was able to belt out a few electric piano solos, so she still had chops. The bigger limitation I see is her singing. “All Over Again”, especially when done as a duet, was a lot easier to sing. Neil playing piano was more so Christine and Stevie could stand together.

[UnwindedDreams]

I am sorry. I don't believe that for a minute. She's trying to create a myth of some fandom like she discovered the song. She could never name any song off Time. In 2018 they were rehearsing for the tour. They were playing tons of songs that never made it to the set and digging deep. No doubt Chris thought this was a good encore since she could not really play Songbird anymore. Given Stevie's selection of her own songs to perform for the 2018-2019 Tour, it's clear she doesn't think highly of her songs on Behind The Mask. She sang her songs from FM, Rumours, Tusk (Storms not Sara), and Mirage.

[Macfan4life]

................

[Mr Scarrott]

I am sorry. I don't believe that for a minute. She's trying to create a myth of some fandom like she discovered the song. She could never name any song off Time. In 2018 they were rehearsing for the tour. They were playing tons of songs that never made it to the set and digging deep. No doubt Chris thought this was a good encore since she could not really play Songbird anymore.

Christine herself was happy enough to say that Stevie had suggested All over again. Somehow, I don't think Christine would have been brow-beaten into faking that. I'm prepared to give Stevie a little credit, here.

"This is a song that Stevie reminded me of quite a long time ago. It's a sweet song, it's not very famous but it's very pretty." Christine explains.

"We love it" says Stevie.

"We love it" echoes Christine.

"I found it" claims Stevie (well she couldn't have written anything like it, I suppose).

"And you found it.." Christine deadpans, pointing her thumb at the old witch.

How I miss Christine being in the world...


https://youtu.be/wuM1ZXUJUB8?si=678OsXd5qVkqsmsr&t=15

Las Vegas November 30 2018

[SteveMacD]

................

That being said, Christine’s last public performance of “Songbird” was in June, 2017.

https://youtu.be/6VAZQ_oBHEo

I think she and Lindsey were trying to do more LBCM material on their tour and Stevie wanted to do more obscure stuff in 2018.

[Villavic]

That being said, Christine’s last public performance of “Songbird” was in June, 2017.

https://youtu.be/6VAZQ_oBHEo


I gave a deep sigh when I finished watching it a few seconds ago.

[HomerMcvie]

I gave a deep sigh when I finished watching it a few seconds ago.

The Queen of FM is gone, but not forgotten.

[moon]

Hi hi! Behind The Mask is one of my fav albums at the moment, as I started to listen more deeply in the lockdown, also with Time.
What can I say! I'm only one year older than it, and when I listen to some songs I find myself travelling in time to 1990, with strange hairdos and stuff...

It's not a bad album (except for The Second Time and that unnecessary long intro of In The Back Of My Mind)!! It has good highlights, of course we can discuss which ones!

I'm still waiting for a deluxe edition, but as you can see, no matter how many years the album is turning, there are still "other" priorities...How many songs can you name to make a great and valid three disc edition??

Happy Birthday, Behind The Mask!

[WalkAThinLine.]

Hi hi! Behind The Mask is one of my fav albums at the moment, as I started to listen more deeply in the lockdown, also with Time.
What can I say! I'm only one year older than it, and when I listen to some songs I find myself travelling in time to 1990, with strange hairdos and stuff...

It's not a bad album (except for The Second Time and that unnecessary long intro of In The Back Of My Mind)!! It has good highlights, of course we can discuss which ones!

I'm still waiting for a deluxe edition, but as you can see, no matter how many years the album is turning, there are still "other" priorities...How many songs can you name to make a great and valid three disc edition??

Happy Birthday, Behind The Mask!

The long intro of "In the Back of My Mind" marks one of the few uses of Mick's drum vest on a Fleetwood Mac studio recording. He may have also used it on "These Strange Times", but I cannot confirm.

Most of the songs on Behind the Mask were written by Billy and Christine, who at the time were the strongest songwriters of the band. The songwriting is fine on the album and the production is serviceable but a little bland at times, with the exception of the title track and the intro to "In the Back of My Mind". The album could have benefited from gutsier production, perhaps from someone like Patrick Leonard, who produced "Love Shines". I'm curious if to what extent the album would have been enhanced with the presence of Lindsey on the rest of the album. Perhaps it would be held in slightly higher regard, particularly if it meant that some of his Out of the Cradle songs were carried over to Behind the Mask and developed by the rest of Fleetwood Mac. Songs like "This is the Time" and "Say We Would Meet Again" would have benefited from some live drums from Mick.

[Macfan4life]

The long intro of "In the Back of My Mind" marks one of the few uses of Mick's drum vest on a Fleetwood Mac studio recording. He may have also used it on "These Strange Times", but I cannot confirm.

Most of the songs on Behind the Mask were written by Billy and Christine, who at the time were the strongest songwriters of the band. The songwriting is fine on the album and the production is serviceable but a little bland at times, with the exception of the title track and the intro to "In the Back of My Mind". The album could have benefited from gutsier production, perhaps from someone like Patrick Leonard, who produced "Love Shines". I'm curious if to what extent the album would have been enhanced with the presence of Lindsey on the rest of the album. Perhaps it would be held in slightly higher regard, particularly if it meant that some of his Out of the Cradle songs were carried over to Behind the Mask and developed by the rest of Fleetwood Mac. Songs like "This is the Time" and "Say We Would Meet Again" would have benefited from some live drums from Mick.
You left out that Stevie contributed some of the worst songs of her career. She was saved with Tango because she contributed Sandy's song which became a single. None of her songs on BTM could have ever been a single off the album. They were all B side sort of stuff. Second Time is horrible but I think Affairs of the Heart is one of the worst songs the Mac ever recorded. It's dreadful. Freedom is ok but it needed some punch ups and should have been the second song on the album. Its buried on the second side.
I've mentioned this before but I never upgraded my 1990 cassette to CD for BTM. It was one of the only Mac albums from that era that I never got the CD. Several months ago I got one on Ebay really cheap. I played it for a few weeks front to back. Its not a bad album at all and I like most of it. But its so annoying how Stevie is layered in so many songs. In 1990 I never caught on but Stevie was not much in the studio for BTM and her voice is layered in. She's not on the chorus of Save Me until the far end where she is edited in. She gets layered in during one chorus of When The Sun Goes Down and a moan in the title track. There are a few other places. I suppose the band thought they were clever layering her in on songs and at the same time making Stevie feel relevant. This is why Skies The Limit is a rare song for the album. She is singing live with the rest of the band. The only song 4 singers authentically singing and harmonizing together. There should have been more of that.
Stevie's songs were so bad that she did not even care to promote them on the tour and chose her classic Mac stuff instead. Besides the lead single Save Me (which was dropped late in the tour) Chris never promoted anything from the album either. The album was almost used exclusively to allow the new members to have songs of their own to sing at a Mac concert (Stand on The Rock and In The Back of My Mind).

[Villavic]

I just found this article. The review of the background has no new info, so I payed attention in the songs review, and I must say I completely agreed with what it says about Do You Know and WTSGT.

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/user/thebricker/album/16938-behind-the-mask/

So, Skies The Limit really kicks of the trend of starting out as a pretty epic song. But yeah, the chorus just had to be that simple. Fleetwood Mac can make the simple things good, but not this time apparently. Love Is Dangerous was kind of simple and casual. In The Back of My Mind was very intriguing, with the first half of the song being pretty epic before the second half kind of changing up the mood completely. Wasn't a fan of that. Do You Know is one of my favourites, quite nice track. Save Me was also nice, with the instrumental being especially engaging. Affairs Of The Heart was built as a very similar track, so that gave me zero surprises. When The Sun Goes Down has some blues and country vibes and it turned out to be pretty fun. The title track actually proved to be the first real weak song of the album. Stand On The Rock probably was the last track which was among the very likeable ones. The remaining ones just exist.

[Macfan4life]

I just found this article. The review of the background has no new info, so I payed attention in the songs review, and I must say I completely agreed with what it says about Do You Know and WTSGT.

https://www.albumoftheyear.org/user/thebricker/album/16938-behind-the-mask/

So, Skies The Limit really kicks of the trend of starting out as a pretty epic song. But yeah, the chorus just had to be that simple. Fleetwood Mac can make the simple things good, but not this time apparently. Love Is Dangerous was kind of simple and casual. In The Back of My Mind was very intriguing, with the first half of the song being pretty epic before the second half kind of changing up the mood completely. Wasn't a fan of that. Do You Know is one of my favourites, quite nice track. Save Me was also nice, with the instrumental being especially engaging. Affairs Of The Heart was built as a very similar track, so that gave me zero surprises. When The Sun Goes Down has some blues and country vibes and it turned out to be pretty fun. The title track actually proved to be the first real weak song of the album. Stand On The Rock probably was the last track which was among the very likeable ones. The remaining ones just exist.
You forgot the most important last line: A step down but still a good album.

[BrownEyedGirl26]

The Queen of FM is gone, but not forgotten.

Stevie will agree with you!:xoxo:

[HomerMcvie]

Stevie will agree with you!:xoxo:

I hope not. She's dumber than a bag of hammers(and thank you for proving my point). :D

[Villavic]

I just read this article. It includes the well known episode of Lindsey departure, but then it focuses on BTM.

https://americansongwriter.com/remember-when-fleetwood-macs-first-album-after-lindsey-buckinghams-departure-in-1990/

Behind The Mask, the album Fleetwood Mac recorded as a sextet, arrived in April 1990. The band spoke about how the album was more of a collaborative process than the ones in their recent past. Without Buckingham’s meticulous perfectionism dominating the recording proceedings, things went smoothly.

That said, Vito and Burnette, while doing a solid job throughout the record, couldn’t provide the jolt of energy and eccentricity that Buckingham delivered almost naturally. Behind The Mask also felt a tad genteel, lacking the explosive chemistry that characterized the band’s most popular era.

It wasn’t long before another Fleetwood Mac era would begin. Vito and Nicks were next out the door before the band would record again. And sadly, although they would often tour in later years, the classic five-person lineup of Rumours and all its wonderful follow-up albums would never again make another LP together.

I'm not sure how "collaborative" was that process. Yes, Lindsey may have tended to dominate the production and many of the details in the songs, but I don't know how good Bill and Rick's skills were in that regard, so how they participated. Besides, Stevie didn't participate much more in that collaboration than in Tango, or so I read.

[bwboy]

This is why Skies The Limit is a rare song for the album. She is singing live with the rest of the band. The only song 4 singers authentically singing and harmonizing together. There should have been more of that.
Stevie's songs were so bad that she did not even care to promote them on the tour and chose her classic Mac stuff instead. Besides the lead single Save Me (which was dropped late in the tour) Chris never promoted anything from the album either. The album was almost used exclusively to allow the new members to have songs of their own to sing at a Mac concert (Stand on The Rock and In The Back of My Mind).

I agree, Stevie’s songs were awful, with the exception of Love is Dangerous, which was a co-write with Rick Vito. I suspect he wrote most of that song. And I totally agree about Skies the Limit, it always makes me feel good when I hear all four voices on a song.

As I recall, FM performed Save Me, Love is Dangerous, Stand on the Rock, and In the Back of My Mind live, and even dropped Save Me near the end of the tour. Frankly, I was surprised they didn’t perform Skies, as it was the second single. When It Comes to Love would have been catchy live., too.

[Macfan4life]

I agree, Stevie’s songs were awful, with the exception of Love is Dangerous, which was a co-write with Rick Vito. I suspect he wrote most of that song. And I totally agree about Skies the Limit, it always makes me feel good when I hear all four voices on a song.

As I recall, FM performed Save Me, Love is Dangerous, Stand on the Rock, and In the Back of My Mind live, and even dropped Save Me near the end of the tour. Frankly, I was surprised they didn’t perform Skies, as it was the second single. When It Comes to Love would have been catchy live., too.
Disappointment would become their middle name.
It seriously was a disappointing year. Working so hard and releasing a new album with the new lineup. They started the tour in Australia because they had to cancel the Tango Australian leg because Stevie was sick. The band promised to come there first the next tour and they kept their promise. They did their quick tour of Australia, a few gigs in Japan and by the time the tour touched down in western Canada and Washington State, Save Me was already dropping out of the top 40 after only reaching 32? They just got to the states and the album was tanking. It must have really stung hard. Combine that with Chris's dad dying, Stevie threatening to sue Mick over his book, it was a bad year. Having said that, it was one of the best concerts I've seen in my life.

[UnwindedDreams]

Love Is Dangerous wasn’t performed at many shows. It was a treat to get it at one of those shows. For some reason, I thought Save Me was played at every show and In The Back of My Mind was dropped because they opened with Say You Love Me instead!

[Street_Dreamer]

Freedom would have been a great song for the band to perform live. Would have been nice if they had done it.

[bwboy]

Love Is Dangerous wasn’t performed at many shows. It was a treat to get it at one of those shows. For some reason, I thought Save Me was played at every show and In The Back of My Mind was dropped because they opened with Say You Love Me instead!

I saw them I think the day after Thanksgiving in 1990 in Cincinnati, which was near the end of their tour, and they dropped Save Me for Say You Love Me, and played Love is Dangerous. They started with ITBOMM, which segued into the Chain. I was really disappointed they had dropped Save Me, but it’s nice to see videos on YouTube where they did perform it.

[Macfan4life]

I saw them I think the day after Thanksgiving in 1990 in Cincinnati, which was near the end of their tour, and they dropped Save Me for Say You Love Me, and played Love is Dangerous. They started with ITBOMM, which segued into the Chain. I was really disappointed they had dropped Save Me, but it’s nice to see videos on YouTube where they did perform it.
I saw them 4 days before you in Pittsburgh. Save Me was dropped but the band put in Say You Love Me instead. I originally had mid July tickets but the tour was postponed about 2 weeks before the show. Stevie dedicated Landslide to a woman that worked with her father at Greyhound that was in the audience. Do you remember who she dedicated Landslide to in Cincy?
Attendance in Pittsburgh was not great. It was a good crowd but the entire upper arena balcony was empty. A recession was brewing, the Mac had a flop album, it was the holidays and no one really was interested in seeing them I guess. But I heard attendance was better in other cities.

[UnwindedDreams]

I saw them I think the day after Thanksgiving in 1990 in Cincinnati, which was near the end of their tour, and they dropped Save Me for Say You Love Me, and played Love is Dangerous. They started with ITBOMM, which segued into the Chain. I was really disappointed they had dropped Save Me, but it’s nice to see videos on YouTube where they did perform it.
Ok thanks for letting me know. The setlist.fm website is really messed up because they say Save Me was played at every BTM Tour concert!!!

[Villavic]

Ok thanks for letting me know. The setlist.fm website is really messed up because they say Save Me was played at every BTM Tour concert!!!

I read setlist.fm is not a 100% reliable source, but I usually check it, too. In that webpage, the average Mirage tour setlist includes 4 Mirage songs, and the average Tusk tour setlist includes 6 Tusk songs. What is the right number of songs to include on a new album when you already have several albums out? There is no rule, that's right. But in the 70s and 80s when the tours were to support album sales, at least 4 or 5 songs were ok. And BTM belongs to that era.

Nowadays the concerts are the main product, not the albums, because the business model has changed, and for an old band is more difficult to sell records. Not surprise they turn to the well-known hits.

[Macfan4life]

I read setlist.fm is not a 100% reliable source, but I usually check it, too. In that webpage, the average Mirage tour setlist includes 4 Mirage songs, and the average Tusk tour setlist includes 6 Tusk songs. What is the right number of songs to include on a new album when you already have several albums out? There is no rule, that's right. But in the 70s and 80s when the tours were to support album sales, at least 4 or 5 songs were ok. And BTM belongs to that era.

Nowadays the concerts are the main product, not the albums, because the business model has changed, and for an old band is more difficult to sell records. Not surprise they turn to the well-known hits.
Web archives of the 1990 tour are all messed up. Many of the U.S. dates were cancelled and made up later yet many sites don't show that. There were variations in the set list too. Very early in the tour the band opened with Say You Love Me like they did on the 1987 tour. That was quickly scrapped and Say You Love Me was dropped completely from the set only to reappear mid-set in the "Farewell" part of the tour post cancellation. But it only appeared off and on variating Save Me and Say You Love Me during the last month or so.

[Villavic]

I wonder if the 1995 tour included BTM songs. Billy played in that tour so they could have done it. I just checked one 1995 show where they played with Reo S. and Pat Benatar. If the setlist is accurate, it's weird they included Lennon's Imagine and no Billy BTM song.

The Chain
You Make Loving Fun
Dreams
Oh Well
All Along the Watchtower
The Bigger the Love
Blow by Blow
We Just Disagree
Gold Dust Woman
Only You Know and I Know
World Turning
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Say You Love Me
Don't Stop
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Imagine

[FuzzyPlum]

I wonder if the 1995 tour included BTM songs. Billy played in that tour so they could have done it. I just checked one 1995 show where they played with Reo S. and Pat Benatar. If the setlist is accurate, it's weird they included Lennon's Imagine and no Billy BTM song.

The Chain
You Make Loving Fun
Dreams
Oh Well
All Along the Watchtower
The Bigger the Love
Blow by Blow
We Just Disagree
Gold Dust Woman
Only You Know and I Know
World Turning
Dear Mr. Fantasy
Say You Love Me
Don't Stop
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Imagine

That’s one seriously messed up setlist!

[Macfan4life]

Love Is Dangerous wasn’t performed at many shows. It was a treat to get it at one of those shows. For some reason, I thought Save Me was played at every show and In The Back of My Mind was dropped because they opened with Say You Love Me instead!
You have that in reverse. In The Back Of My Mind became the mainstay opener when the tour got going. In Las Vegas and a few other early cities Say You Love Me was the opener. Las Vegas is on Youtube. Love Is Dangerous was played at every show I have heard and the one I attended. When the band regrouped and made up the last shows Chris and Stevie already announced they were leaving the touring band. I think Chris felt some nostalgia to put Say You Love Me in the mix again. But Save Me was not played at all the shows during the make up dates. As I pointed out in an earlier post, it almost seemed the BTM tour was just giving Rick and Billy a chance to sing and perform their original songs. Love Is Dangerous is mostly Rick's song and the nights Save Me was dropped only Rick and Billy were performing songs from the new album. Stevie and Chris relied on classics which tells you everything you know about their disappointment in the album sales.

[UnwindedDreams]

Interesting, thank you. Love Is Dangerous wasn’t played at this show at The Meadowlands:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGuPh67Vfc&pp=ygUSZmxlZXR3b29kIG1hYyAxOTkw

It’s a great tune.

[Macfan4life]

Interesting, thank you. Love Is Dangerous wasn’t played at this show at The Meadowlands:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGuPh67Vfc&pp=ygUSZmxlZXR3b29kIG1hYyAxOTkw

It’s a great tune.
You are right. It was not played everywhere. I thought maybe it was dropped for Another Woman or Stopp Messin Around but Rick played all 3 plus Stand On The Rock when I saw them in November.
This reminds me of when I read Mick's book in 1990. I had just saw them in 1990 and saw them in 1987. He wrote in his book that Stevie no longer allows them to play Rhiannon. I was like what? I saw it performed both in 1987 and 1990. But apparently it was only performed early tour in 1987. I also saw Gypsy in 1990 which was another rarity. In any event this was the setlist I saw and recall every song. Notice Love Is Dangerous came right after Isn't It Midnight. That arena was rockin!

In the Back of My Mind
The Chain
Dreams
Isn't It Midnight
Love Is Dangerous
Oh Well
Rhiannon
Stop Messin' Round
Say You Love Me
Gold Dust Woman
I Loved Another Woman
Landslide
World Turning
Everywhere
Stand on the Rock
Little Lies
Stand Back
(Stevie Nicks song)
You Make Loving Fun
Go Your Own Way
Encore:
Tear It Up
(Johnny Burnette and the Rock ’n’ Roll Trio cover)
Don't Stop
Songbird

[UnwindedDreams]

Do you know if ITBOMM was played at every BTM Tour show? It’s a great song and I commend them for opening their show with a new song. Stevie hasn’t opened a show with a new song since Fall From Grace in 2011(still newish and certainly not mostly known in the arenas she played)

[SteveMacD]

Do you know if ITBOMM was played at every BTM Tour show? It’s a great song and I commend them for opening their show with a new song. Stevie hasn’t opened a show with a new song since Fall From Grace in 2011(still newish and certainly not mostly known in the arenas she played)

Per David, the very early shows opened with SYLM.

I saw them on 06/26 and it was ITBOMM.

[Macfan4life]

Here is late in the tour and Love is Dangerous is in the set. Save Me played too.
Toronto October 1990

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4OA7fk7RSk

[UnwindedDreams]

Really interesting! It looks like towards the end of 1990 they played all the BTM songs they wanted to live.

That setlist.fm site is really messed up. It had some shows opening with The Chain!

[bwboy]

Stevie dedicated Landslide to a woman that worked with her father at Greyhound that was in the audience. Do you remember who she dedicated Landslide to in Cincy?

I don’t remember, unfortunately. I was with 3 friends who were casual fans, so when I realized FM was getting ready to play Landslide, I was so excited I told them this was Stevie’s best song, and they laughed, I guess because they had never heard it before. I think they thought Dreams was her best song.

[Macfan4life]

Really interesting! It looks like towards the end of 1990 they played all the BTM songs they wanted to live.

That setlist.fm site is really messed up. It had some shows opening with The Chain!
Looking back you can really see how Rick and Billy were treated as real and full members of the band. I think it surprised many of us when Billy wrote in his book that Stevie and the band decided to pay them equally. Rick got to perform 4 songs. 2 off the new album and 2 Mac classics. Billy got to perform 1 off the new album, 1 Mac Classic, one of his dad's songs, and sung Lindsey's parts on GYOW, World Turning, The Chain, and Don't Stop. They really were equal members of the band.

[Villavic]

I told them this was Stevie’s best song, and they laughed, I guess because they had never heard it before. I think they thought Dreams was her best song.

I remember one night in 1997, I went to a beach with friends, to drink some beers and listen music (yes, in Lima you could drink in some outdoor places in the 90s), and I was happy with my new car stereo, coaxial speakers and all that stuff that matters when you are young, and I played some Mac songs. My friends only knew the usual hits, Dreams, Don't Stop, etc., mentioning those were the best.

I then put The Dance version of Songbird, at full volume. They were speechless, stunned, barely said wow or something like that. The kind of wonderful moments I had thanks to Fleetwood Mac.

[UnwindedDreams]

Looking back you can really see how Rick and Billy were treated as real and full members of the band. I think it surprised many of us when Billy wrote in his book that Stevie and the band decided to pay them equally. Rick got to perform 4 songs. 2 off the new album and 2 Mac classics. Billy got to perform 1 off the new album, 1 Mac Classic, one of his dad's songs, and sung Lindsey's parts on GYOW, World Turning, The Chain, and Don't Stop. They really were equal members of the band.
That was great. It's too bad they only did 4 BTM songs and Stevie didn't do Affairs, Second Time, No Questions Asked, or Freedom.

[Macfan4life]

I remember one night in 1997, I went to a beach with friends, to drink some beers and listen music (yes, in Lima you could drink in some outdoor places in the 90s), and I was happy with my new car stereo, coaxial speakers and all that stuff that matters when you are young, and I played some Mac songs. My friends only knew the usual hits, Dreams, Don't Stop, etc., mentioning those were the best.

I then put The Dance version of Songbird, at full volume. They were speechless, stunned, barely said wow or something like that. The kind of wonderful moments I had thanks to Fleetwood Mac.
Songbird is a great song. However my favorite and the best version is the Rumours 20th anniversary special when they tried to recreate the magic and they put roses and champagne on her piano. Her singing alone without an audience is so powerful. It moved me so much that I was going to play it at my mother's funeral but the full song is nowhere available. They only show little bits of it. With life its sometimes those little morsels that are so good but we only get a taste. Songbird on her solo tour was fantastic too. Performed in small theaters.

[Mr Scarrott]

Do you know if ITBOMM was played at every BTM Tour show? It’s a great song and I commend them for opening their show with a new song. Stevie hasn’t opened a show with a new song since Fall From Grace in 2011(still newish and certainly not mostly known in the arenas she played)

The only part of the song I could bear was when Christine chimed in with the verse that starts "I remember your eyes burning bright.." and lifts the enterprise a little- it reminded me that amidst all the wreckage, this was still Fleetwood Mac in some form or other. The rest of the song is a bit ponderous, corporate and tedious. Vito has a Floydian moment at 2.20 which gave me a it of hope, but it soon faded. The least said about the video, the better.

[Villavic]

Vito has a Floydian moment at 2.20 which gave me a it of hope, but it soon faded. The least said about the video, the better.

Sorry but if you didn't mention the video, I didn't remember there was one. :lol:
Yes, well, it looks like it was made by a student who failed the Cinematography I exam. Ok it was 1990, visual effects are not like today so I can forgive him, but the director must be burned at the stake of the Holy Inquisition of Audiovisuals. Who would think of mixing scenes from the 1987 tour into a video for a 1990 song? That's fine for an fledgling, unknown band, but not for a legend like Fleetwood Mac. And don't tell me they didn't have the money to do something better.

Is that girl Amy Fleetwood? Maybe the entire budget went to her salary, because agreeing to participate in that... OMG.

By floydian you mean Pink Floyd?

[Mr Scarrott]

Sorry but if you didn't mention the video, I didn't remember there was one. :lol:
Yes, well, it looks like it was made by a student who failed the Cinematography I exam. Ok it was 1990, visual effects are not like today so I can forgive him, but the director must be burned at the stake of the Holy Inquisition of Audiovisuals. Who would think of mixing scenes from the 1987 tour into a video for a 1990 song? That's fine for an fledgling, unknown band, but not for a legend like Fleetwood Mac. And don't tell me they didn't have the money to do something better.

Is that girl Amy Fleetwood? Maybe the entire budget went to her salary, because agreeing to participate in that... OMG.

By floydian you mean Pink Floyd?

Hi Villavic, yes indeed, an admittedly dollar store Pink Floyd guitar hook that is soon betrayed by the blandness of the song. After listening to that interminable intro with Mick making various garbled spoken contributions ("what's it really like?" indeed) I just wanted to be released from the experience, but no luck...

The video truly is so bad that it can't be unseen. Other Ledgies have stated Amy Fleetwood is the young woman featured, although I'm not sure I've heard that from the mouths of a band member.

Sometimes I feel that I really ought to stop myself commenting on posts about BTM, but like some rubbernecker at a motorway accident on I plough, remorseless as an avenging angel. Apologies to those Ledgies who find enough elsewhere in this hot mess (title track excepted) of an album to feel it redeems itself. I don't want to stop your fun! Each to their own!

[FuzzyPlum]

The only part of the song I could bear was when Christine chimed in with the verse that starts "I remember your eyes burning bright.." and lifts the enterprise a little- it reminded me that amidst all the wreckage, this was still Fleetwood Mac in some form or other. The rest of the song is a bit ponderous, corporate and tedious. Vito has a Floydian moment at 2.20 which gave me a it of hope, but it soon faded. The least said about the video, the better.

Yes, the ‘I remember….’ bit is really good.
Overall this track is possibly the best of a bad bunch.
Stoopid intro though

[Macfan4life]

I like the intro and the song. I think its the best song on the album and I don't even think Billy is a good singer. I don't get the corporate label. Its the most unconventional Mac track on the album. Tango is pure corporate pop. Its programmed, commercial, synth corporate pop which is why it was so successful. In 1990 the music industry was changing and no one was into blusey pop rock. BTM was played with all real instruments which I give it credit for.

[HomerMcvie]

I love Billy's voice. I've always thought he was a MUCH better singer than Lindsey.

Billy has a Christine voice, IMO. Warm and sweet.

[WalkAThinLine.]

In the Back of My Mind and Hard Feelings are both great songs. I don't really see merit in the criticism levied against them. Billy did a nice job on Behind the Mask.

[Macfan4life]

I think the song should have been the album opener. That really would have thrown people a curve ball. You can hear that vintage rhythm section humming with John, Mick and Chris not to mention Chris plays keyboards throughout the entire album which is something that had not happened since Mirage. Are they the Mac's best songs ever? Of course not. But these guys are so good even on their bad day can create really good music. Besides Save Me and Skies, its not poppy at all and is a throwback to much earlier Mac albums. I hate Stevie's songs and the way she was layered in her brief appearances. I order and demand all of you to play this album "back to front" 5 times today!
The Brits love this album and Oh Diane. That tells you they must know good music :lol:

One of the coolest photos of the BTM era is when the band received their platinum BTM records in the UK.
This video has the best photos of the BTM era. The photo I referenced is at 0:29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpe7oKU9-Ic

[Villavic]

I like the song. It deserved a better video. Instead of making that ugly hybrid with Tango concert scenes, probably because some or all members didn't want to appear in a new filming, they could have made a video with the models of the cover album, inventing a story, or whatever, anything would have been better than that nonsense.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRsq8qwhzox9r5zPVnX_nCky3YnzobysAOKXA&s


I also hate when they cut the songs, in this case they left out like 2 minutes.

[FuzzyPlum]

The Brits love this album and Oh Diane. That tells you they must know good music :lol:



Ummm….no we don’t. I’m glad you added that laughing emoji!!!!!!!
Brits looooooove Tango. That’s the reason why BTM sold well and hit #1. Tango was massive….hit #1 3 or 4 times. People expected more of the same, but were significantly disappointed.

Oh Diane…..I can’t account for that one

[FuzzyPlum]

…..actually I can. There was a phase of 1950’s throw-backs around that time. Some of the biggest acts/songs were 50’s pastiches

[Mr Scarrott]

…..actually I can. There was a phase of 1950’s throw-backs around that time. Some of the biggest acts/songs were 50’s pastiches

Shakin' Stevens comes to mind, doesn't he, for us Brits. Perhaps "Oh Diane" isn't quite so bad when viewed in the context of the "music box" feel of Mirage. As a stand-alone, it's a tad embarrassing.

Yes, Tango was absolutely massive in the UK. I remember it being played over and over on what passed for warm summer evenings in the late eighties at university at Lancaster, despite the fact that the Mac wasn't really considered cool at the time.

It was purely Tango that bounced BTM to the top of the charts in the week of its release in the UK. It then fell down the Top 50 only marginally more slowly than a dead cat being thrown down the stairs...

https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/fleetwood-mac-behind-the-mask/

[Villavic]

Perhaps "Oh Diane" isn't quite so bad when viewed in the context of the "music box" feel of Mirage.

Yes. However I have the feeling Oh Diane would have fit better in Law and Order than Mirage.

[FuzzyPlum]

Shakin' Stevens comes to mind, doesn't he, for us Brits. Perhaps "Oh Diane" isn't quite so bad when viewed in the context of the "music box" feel of Mirage. As a stand-alone, it's a tad embarrassing.

Yes, Tango was absolutely massive in the UK. I remember it being played over and over on what passed for warm summer evenings in the late eighties at university at Lancaster, despite the fact that the Mac wasn't really considered cool at the time.

It was purely Tango that bounced BTM to the top of the charts in the week of its release in the UK. It then fell down the Top 50 only marginally more slowly than a dead cat being thrown down the stairs...

https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/fleetwood-mac-behind-the-mask/

Yes, was absolutely thinking of ‘Shakey’…..the highest selling solo artist in the UK throughout the 80’s. In the year or so preceding Mirage he had the huge hits, This Ole House, You Drive Me Crazy, Green Door and Oh Julie. Such memories they bring back.

Maybe my timelines are a tad off, but before him there was Mud, Shawoddywoddy, Alvin Stardust and The Stray Cats. Even Queen released Crazy Little Thing called Love.

[Macfan4life]

Ummm….no we don’t. I’m glad you added that laughing emoji!!!!!!!
Brits looooooove Tango. That’s the reason why BTM sold well and hit #1. Tango was massive….hit #1 3 or 4 times. People expected more of the same, but were significantly disappointed.

Oh Diane…..I can’t account for that one
You know what they say about heaven:
The Italians are the cooks
The French are the lovers
The Germans are the engineers
and the Brits are the musicians

The bests bands ever originated from the UK: The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and AC DC (sort of). The country must know something about music :)

[Villavic]

The bests bands ever originated from the UK: The Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath, The Who, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and AC DC (sort of). The country must know something about music :)

And Pink Floyd, The Police, Supertramp, Genesis, Elton, David, Eric...

[FuzzyPlum]

Yep
And today’s British music is s£!&
Adele, Sheeran and…..
Nothing. Absolutely nothing

[David]

I read setlist.fm is not a 100% reliable source, but I usually check it, too.

Now when they played Sacramento on June 1 and San Jose on June 2, here is what they played:


Say You Love Me
The Chain
Dreams
Isn’t It Midnight
Oh Well
Rhiannon
Stop Messin’ Round
When the Sun Goes Down
Gold Dust Woman
I Loved Another Woman
Landslide
World Turning
Everywhere
Stand on the Rock
Little Lies
Stand Back
You Make Loving Fun
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Don’t Stop
Songbird


They came back to Oakland in December, as everybody knows, with a set that was similar. But it had some new ones:


In the Back of My Mind
Love Is Dangerous


And none of these:


When the Sun Goes Down
I Loved Another Woman


They also moved Say You Love Me to the set midpoint.

[Macfan4life]

Now when they played Sacramento on June 1 and San Jose on June 2, here is what they played:


Say You Love Me
The Chain
Dreams
Isn’t It Midnight
Oh Well
Rhiannon
Stop Messin’ Round
When the Sun Goes Down
Gold Dust Woman
I Loved Another Woman
Landslide
World Turning
Everywhere
Stand on the Rock
Little Lies
Stand Back
You Make Loving Fun
Go Your Own Way
Tear It Up
Don’t Stop
Songbird


They came back to Oakland in December, as everybody knows, with a set that was similar. But it had some new ones:


In the Back of My Mind
Love Is Dangerous


And none of these:


When the Sun Goes Down
I Loved Another Woman


They also moved Say You Love Me to the set midpoint.
Say You Love Me was inserted mid-point on the dates Save Me was dropped. Cincy and Pittsburgh being at least 2 of them.