[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Wdm6789

What if it was Stevie who left in 1998 instead of Christine? How do you guys think it would have played out?

I think they would have waited for her to make up her mind, and once it was apparent she was out, they would have continued on as a quartet.

Or what if Lindsey left again in 1998 instead of Christine? Would they still have had the relative staying power that they had through the 2000s

Probably not. The reason the SYW-era had that staying power on some level was because they didn't bring anybody new into the band. But they would need somebody to fill the guitar player, male lead vocalist void, and that would mean getting somebody else (i.e. Billy Burnette and Rick Vito). That being said, I think they would have had some staying power, though definitely not as much.

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Lindsey left in 1987 and the band did 2 tours and 1 album without him

More like 1.5 albums when the of the songs from GH, the boxed set, etc. are factored in (and two when the songs that passed up are factored in).

Stevie and Christine left in 1990 but Chris joined them to record Time but did not tour.

They didn't really leave in 1990. They just announced they wouldn't be touring with the band anymore. Christine retired from touring, not the band, and Stevie refused to be the sole singer from "Rumours" still fronting the band. Stevie actually quit some time in 1991, after Mick wouldn't give her "Silver Springs" (which was already under contract for "The Chain").

The Mac toured that year without Lindsey, Chris, and Stevie in 1994 and 1995. Billy was still there and they played Say you love me and Go your own way. They never played any Stevie songs though.

Typically, they played 10-12 songs in their setlists:

The Chain
You Make Loving Fun or Say You Love Me
Oh Well (made into a duet)
Blow By Blow
We Just Disagree
Gold Dust Woman
World Turning
Only You Know & I Know or Dear Mr. Fantasy
Go Your Own Way

Don't Stop
Imagine or Dreamin' The Dream