Somehow I can't help but wonder if Lindsey's participation on "Behind the Mask" and "Time" were driven by contractual obligations versus an actual artistic desire to be on those recordings. Especially considering Lindsey's unusual trademark guitar playing style, it just seems that his contributions were just kind of perfunctory and tossed in almost as an afterthought. It's almost as if he was saying "okay, here is my guitar part, now leave me alone."
Lindsey's voluntary willingness to participate on BTM seems somewhat unlikely considering the double diss of replacing him with Billy and Rick and then going on tour with them behind "Tango," which was essentially Lindsey's baby. And then there is that whole infamous slapping-Stevie incident fresh on everybody's mind... Considering that BTM was recorded in 1989, barely two years after the blowouts, I think the wounds would have still been too raw.
And Lindsey's voluntary willingness to participate on "Time" is even more improbable. This is an album that even Christine seemed loathe to participate in; it is even doubtful that she was even in the same room as the rest of the band during the recording sessions. Being recorded in 1994-1995, this was scarcely two years after Mick's vicious tell-all book. Again the wounds were still raw. And more recently in the press, Lindsey, has tactfully stated that the reason he reunited with FM for "The Dance" was that he wanted the dignity and status restored to the Fleetwood Mac franchise after becoming an opening act for REO Speedwagon (or something to that effect). Ouch! Obviously he was not a fan of this lineup.
I suspect that he had signed a multi-album deal with Warners (with FM and as a solo act) and, considering his lack of output even as a solo artist, he was probably under pressure to fulfill his contractual obligations within a certain number of years. And I suspect that appearing on these FM albums, albeit, in the most insidious manner possible, was the easiest way to keep the legal eagles off of his back. He just wanted to be done with FM, and this was the most expedient way of washing his hands clean. This is just my speculation, of course!
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