Stevie had a backlog of songs and was already frustrated that there wasn’t sufficient room on single albums to showcase the bulk of her material. At the bottom of the band pecking order, I’m sure she reveled in the idea of getting to air five new songs (all of them over four minutes long) on the double album.
But I’m betting it really was Lindsey’s glut of new songs and experiments that led to the idea getting seriously discussed. As then manager, Mick had decide whether or not to cave to the label’s expectations or nurture his wildly creative bandmate. He made the right call.
And given that The Visitor, an offbeat, uncommercial record appeared in 1980-81, I’d bet Mick possessed a creative, independent spirit that he has suppressed since the mid-80s.
I don’t think Christine and John held strong opinions on the matter either way.
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