I've realized that the only time Fleetwood Mac gets anything "right" is when they do studio albums. Live albums & compilation albums all seem to have things that just grate on the nerves due to "what COULD'VE been".

1) Live '80: released on the tail end of the "Double Live Album" trend of the late '70's/early '80s. Felt like at the time that they were releasing a double live album ONLY because it was the trend (or HAD been the trend the previous 8 -10 years) and they were the last of the BIG bands to release one...too little, too late (see below). (while I'm venting, Heart dropped the ball not releasing a full double live album from their Dog & Butterfly tour)

2) The Dance: Sure, the Rumours-crew comeback was definitely worthy of documentation, but the CD should've followed exactly the video/LaserDisc/DVD song order...meaning it should've been a double disc set. Omitting a few songs and changing the order cheapened the CD. (that said, does anyone have an mp3 of The Dance version of "Gold Dust Woman" they'd be willing to send me? That's the only track that I'm missing from that performance.)

3) Live In Boston 2003: Just should've been left as "video only". The CD was poorly conceived and basically overly redundant.

At this point, they basically never got the ULTIMATE live album that they should've released. I think had they recorded & released their double live album in the spring of '78 (taken from their three or four night stay at the GW Forum near LA in August '77, when they were really at their peak on the concert stage), it would've surpassed Frampton Comes Alive and made it an afterthought. BUT, they were still milking Rumours (if we only knew then what we know now that it would NEVER END!) & didn't want to interrupt its success.

That way, they COULD've released a 2nd double live album in about '84, compiling its tracks from the Tusk & Mirage tours; songs that weren't on the previous live album and maybe a couple of songs that had quite different arrangements on those later tours from the previous live album. (for example, "Never Going Back Again" being a full band arrangement during the Rumours tour, but was Lindsey by himself on the Tusk & Mirage tours, and the drastic changes in "Rhiannon" from '77 to '82)

There were a few artists who dropped more than one double live album within 5 or 6 years due to either a change in direction or rearrangement of their songs or having enough new studio material in between to warrant a second live album. (using David Bowie and Kiss as the examples there)

Oh...AND...the three disc Live At The Boston Tea Party recordings should've been released on schedule in 1970 as a double live album to document the end of that era of Fleetwood Mac. Releasing it 30+ years later just made the "what if" thoughts maddening.

Haha!! I'm turnin in my FM card, that was a major error!! Thank you Bandrum!

Sent you a PM big guy

Also Angel, What Make You Think You're the One, Think About Me, Tusk, Sisters of the Moon, Save Me A Place

Except for one or two times prior to the release of Rumours, Silverr Springs was never in setlist until The Dance.

I Don't Want to Know was never performed as far as I know. I don't know why - it's the only song on Rumours they never performed. I wish they would surprise us and add it to a future set list. It's a great Stevie/Lindsey duo song.

Perhaps I should have said the Live album is *underloaded* with Tusk songs...? :cool:

:eek: You haven't seen it?!

Eh, it's okay. I'd give The Dance a 9/10 and LiB a 7/10. I guess it lacks the polish and seems sloppier. LiB is a better and truer representation of what you get from the band nowadays though.

Nope. It only lacks ONE key component...









http://www.fmlegacy.com/Graphics/Christine_092603.jpg

Oh i agree... but LiB is certainly not as well done as The Dance... i'm referring to the post production when I say "polished." What they did with GYOW was extremely silly (putting in the middle solo from The Dance)... stuff like that.

I chose FM Live 1980. It just kicks all kinds of a$$.

I want to add some clarify here and give us all some HOPE!

While it's true that HD video did not exist back then, this concert (St Louis 1979) was filmed on 35mm film and not videotape. 35mm film is actually considered "high definition" and is of a higher resolution than current HD video technology (1080p). Notice how the older movies from the 1970's and 1980's have been remastered and brought to Blu-Ray in stunning HD clarity/clarity? We can get the same treatment for the 1979 St Louis show! There are obviously also professional multi-track audio recordings of this show as well, since many of the songs were mastered onto the 1980 live album.

I also voted for '80 Live. That album was fantastic, even if it was chopped up and lacked continuity. Lindsey's guitar playing on that album was the best he's ever played on electric - and he's never played like that since. I'm not sure if it was the drugs, the demonic makeup/suit combination, the want/need to outdo Stevie, but his playing is outstanding and is right up there with the best from the 1970's. I'm So Afraid, from the Live album is the BEST version they have ever done. Lindsey's guitar sounds EVIL!

The rest of the band sounded raw and energized during that entire album, a time that will unfortunately never come again... but... WHY can't someone go back and remaster those old videos, and bring them to Blu-Ray!? Dammit WB, TAKE MY MONEY!

I know! AND... The Dance needs to be re-released in a widescreen/blu-ray format as well. ;)

Not by Fleetwood Mac, anyway. Lindsey & Stevie performed it during their swan song performances as Buckingham Nicks.

A skinny Stevie?


sklof ekoj a tsuj

:thumbsup:
The Dance sounds bland & over-rehearsed to me, and I'm not a fan of that 1997 version of "Rhiannon". Talk about a pale shadow of yesteryear. Live in Boston sounds over-done on some tracks, especially "Eyes of the World".

- Jake