They didn't look happy

[Villavic]

I don’t remember this interview though maybe it was shared here in the past. Christine looks so beautiful there. Lindsey handsome as always, except for that eraser of the pencil haircut.

My first reaction was that it was obvious they were NOT happy, though I’m not sure it was because that absurd question Is everybody happy? (the way Lindsey answered really made me laugh). Or they were tired of the interviews which are always required when an album is released. And compared to the mid to late 70s interviews I’ve seen, where they actually looked very happy (or too happy+high ), here they looked too serious, to say the least. At times Lindsey's face seems to say, "What am I doing here? What the hell is she asking me?" Yes, maturity makes you more serious, but they looked happier in The Dance interviews than in this 1987 interview.

And after all we learned about everything surrounding or behind the Tango in the Night album, it is amazing or at least unexpected to read that LA Times said “It is the most unified feel of any Fleetwood Mac LP in the last 12 years”. Well I disagree. I love the Tango album but to me the albums with the most “unified feel” were the first two of this lineup, even in spite of the Rumours lyrics. But not surprised Christine agreed, she had to give positive answers cause this kind of interviews are to support the album, or she meant just about her work with Lindsey. But unified means the whole team and we know about the lack of Stevie’s participation in Tango. Besides, I also read Lindsey was at first “fairly reticent” (about the idea of recording again with the band), and later “under some strain with this project, and lost his patience occasionally” (yes, MF) during the sessions. Ok by that moment LA Times didn’t know the recording details but just listening to it, it was obvious Stevie wasn’t as involved as she had been in the past.

And when she asked What made this time the right time? Lindsey just looked down and let Christine answer. And he kept looking down. It would be interesting if this interview were analyzed by those experts in body language, facial expressions and linguistic from those Faking It Special HBO docs.

By the way, did I already said Christine looked beautiful?

[David]

That’s the ditzy Laura Gross behind the microphone, of ABC Radio for many years. I spent some time with her in the late 80s, when the band was playing California dates with Billy and Rick.

You can definitely sense the exhaustion and tension — not between Lindsey and Christine but a feeling of walking on eggshells, probably around the time that tour contracts were being signed. We know that Lindsey was feeling pulled into something he just wasn’t interested in, and he knows it and Chris knows it and he knows that Chris knows it. With the album done, Fleetwood Mac should have just told him to go spend a few years on his own instead of ramrodding him into a tour to which nobody had any emotional attachment. The fallout happened anyway, but because of the force that Mick and the organization were applying to Lindsey, all sorts of bad blood developed for a very long time. All it would have taken would have been a phone call from Mick to Lindsey: “I know you told us you weren’t interested in touring, so now that we have a fantastic album finished, go do what you need to do.”

[Macfan4life]

Remember they are promoting the album so they don't always agree with what they are truly saying. It was an exciting time releasing an album after 5 years so gloating would be normal. During Behind The Mask early interviews Stevie called BTM her favorite Mac album. Christine also raved about it compared to Tango's electronic mess. I dont think Stevie today would say BTM is her favorite Mac album.
Also remember during this time Christine said the band knew he was leaving. They just wanted a tour with him. Christine said Little Lies is about Lindsey's imminent departure. Those were the little lies. He would never come out and say I AM LEAVING. But he dropped hints and they knew he was not happy. What he had to deal with during Tango its amazing he stayed to finish the album.

[SteveMacD]

Really, Lindsey should have just done the tour. Suck it up, do the 8 weeks and only the eight weeks, and we probably never get Billy/Rick/Bekka/Dave. And, OOTC might have actually come out sooner.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Really, Lindsey should have just done the tour. Suck it up, do the 8 weeks and only the eight weeks, and we probably never get Billy/Rick/Bekka/Dave. And, OOTC might have actually come out sooner.

Finally, someone I agree with. I respect his decision not to continue with Fleetwood Mac, and I understand that recording Tango wasn't the most pleasant experience. But initially, he did agree to go on the road for eight weeks, and then he changed his mind and left the band after all the plans had been made. That was a bad move, to say the least. Unlike Christine, who I understand announced her departure well in advance.

But regarding Billy and Rick, or the release date of OOTC, I do think many things would have changed or not happened, but it's hard to predict the butterfly effect in detail. Perhaps Behind the Mask wouldn't have existed, or perhaps it would have. Perhaps Time would have been the next album, released earlier, or perhaps it wouldn't have existed at all. Perhaps The Dance would have been the reunion after Fleetwood Mac's ten-year total (any lineup) hiatus. Who knows?

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Really, Lindsey should have just done the tour. Suck it up, do the 8 weeks and only the eight weeks, and we probably never get Billy/Rick/Bekka/Dave. And, OOTC might have actually come out sooner.

In 1987 I would have agreed with you. After what Lindsey went through in the studio at his house sort of made me change my mind. I am ok with the Rick and Billy era mainly because it kept Chris going writing and performing. Stevie was heavily tranquilized and almost faded into the background which again is not a bad thing.
There is lots of stuff we know but can you imagine the crazy stuff that we don't know that happened at his house? I think Lindsey has the best book in him but I know he wont do it.
Looking back maybe it was not a good idea to record the album at his house.

[Tusky]

Thanks for posting this gem I've never seen it!

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Really, Lindsey should have just done the tour. Suck it up, do the 8 weeks and only the eight weeks, and we probably never get Billy/Rick/Bekka/Dave. And, OOTC might have actually come out sooner.

Old Lindsey is a selfish *****. While new Lindsey would cut off both of his nuts to be back with them. Ain't life just a kick in the sack?

[sue]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Old Lindsey is a selfish *****. While new Lindsey would cut off both of his nuts to be back with them. Ain't life just a kick in the sack?

Ain’t it just, but that’s what makes it so interesting…
What people need to realise it’s so bl**dy short.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Old Lindsey is a selfish *****. While new Lindsey would cut off both of his nuts to be back with them. Ain't life just a kick in the sack?

Well it's been 36 years so people's interests, tastes, and priorities change, then their decisions can be very different. That changes with time. I don't think he regrets leaving the band in 1987 (but if he does, he'll never say so ). But what bothered me was the way Lindsey left the band. Yes he didn't want to go on tour in the first place but did accept 10 weeks to Mo Ostin. And after rehearsals started and bookings were in progress, he told John Courage that he was no longer touring. I don't know if he was selfish, but he was definitely a jerk.

As far as I know, Christine gave plenty of notice that she wouldn't be touring Europe in 1998. And she would record Time but wouldn't be touring. It's not like she agreed and then stood them up.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Well it's been 36 years so people's interests, tastes, and priorities change, then their decisions can be very different. That changes with time. I don't think he regrets leaving the band in 1987 (but if he does, he'll never say so ). But what bothered me was the way Lindsey left the band. Yes he didn't want to go on tour in the first place but did accept 10 weeks to Mo Ostin. And after rehearsals started and bookings were in progress, he told John Courage that he was no longer touring. I don't know if he was selfish, but he was definitely a jerk.

As far as I know, Christine gave plenty of notice that she wouldn't be touring Europe in 1998. And she would record Time but wouldn't be touring. It's not like she agreed and then stood them up.

That's because Christine was always a TEAM player. Lindsey was never that. And he always wanted to be a solo star in his own right. Stevie's mega success only made him more bitter(and understandably so, IMO).

[soul_drifter333]

No doubt a big tour has a lot of powerful managers, lawyers, record executives, and promotes, etc.. negotiating to get paid big bucks. No one knows what was going on behind the scenes that might have made the situation change. We have heard Lindsey say that Mick and Stevie drug intake was an issue. Have you ever thought that Lindsey may have been struggling with sobriety and didn't think it would be a healthy situation for him? If you ever been in that situation you know you can not be around other users. A tour and backstage scene can be one big party. We also don't know what else Lindsey may have been struggling with in his physical and mental health. No doubt there was plenty of pressure to make people a lot of money and if you're struggling, extra pressure is not healthy for healing. Lindsey probably didn't spend 3 years making an album, but he more than likely needed healing after leaving a toxic relationship. Something he and Stevie didn't get in 1977. I've stayed at crappy jobs a lot longer than I should have because it can be hard to leave something for the unknown. If I struggled with leaving a crappy job I can only imagine what it was like in a high pressure job with such high stakes as being in one of the most successful bands in the world at that time.

I saw the band on the TITN tour, and while I was disappointed Lindsey wasn't there, I still took it for what it was. I also saw Lindsey on the OOTC tour, and I got to say, his solo tour was much more satisfying if for no other reason than to see Lindsey happy and enjoying himself with a killer band.

I'm not sure where you got that Christine was more responsible for leaving the Dance tour. I was in line waiting to buy tickets for one of the shows when it was announced the show was cancelled. I don't think they would have announced a new leg of the tour and start to put tickets on sale if they knew well ahead of time that the rest of the tour was cancelled. Maybe she let everyone know (like maybe Lindsey did) that she wasn't able to tour and the powers to be thought they would pressure her into it? And if Lindsey was a "jerk" for leaving a tour why wasn't Christine? The situation seems close to the same.

Maybe, possibly, you and the others that try and judge the band members for their actions when you don't really know the situation are the real "jerks". It was just another tour of a band that had a very successful career. As the title of this post suggests, the band was not happy during this time, so hey let's go out and tour!

The band really broke after the Tusk tour when the members each got their own high powered management and legal council. We see now that Stevie was probably the best business person in the band by hiring the most powerful team to ensure her best interest are being met. And here we are. The Mac was different that almost all the other bands from that era. If fact, they lasted longer than some.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by soul_drifter333

I'm not sure where you got that Christine was more responsible for leaving the Dance tour. I was in line waiting to buy tickets for one of the shows when it was announced the show was cancelled. I don't think they would have announced a new leg of the tour and start to put tickets on sale if they knew well ahead of time that the rest of the tour was cancelled. Maybe she let everyone know (like maybe Lindsey did) that she wasn't able to tour and the powers to be thought they would pressure her into it? And if Lindsey was a "jerk" for leaving a tour why wasn't Christine? The situation seems close to the same.
.

In previous posts I said I respected Lindsey's decision about leaving the band. Based on what I've read, I would say it was the right decision. Just the way he left the band is what I mean with being a jerk. Yes there are always powerful managers, lawyers, record executives, and promotes, but in 1987 Lindsey was a wealthy man and already had a lot of experience in music business, so I find it hard to believe that he felt too much pressured or trapped to accept the tour in the first place, and then take back.

Based on what I had read, there were conversations about continue The Dance tour in 1998, in Europe, but Christine didn't agree. Based on what I had read, she didn't have a good time on the '97 tour; the fear of flying, missing her family, etc. I never read they started to sell tickets for '98 dates. But if they did, then I change my mind, I would suspect that Christine wasn't sincere or didn't say from the beginning that she wouldn't accept. But I don't have enough info to conclude that, it would be good to have more details. By the way, I didn't say Christine was more responsible than Lindsey; I didn't use the word "responsible." I just compared the way they left the band, again, based on what I've read.

Cause everything we comment here is based on what we read or watched. Even including what members say on interviews, I agree none of us know what happen behind scenes, so we don't know the complete truth. Yes I said Lindsey was a jerk, but just about that specific episode. I don't say he IS a jerk. Since we don't know the whole truth, I always avoid demonizing or victimizing the members of Fleetwood Mac, as if that were an absolute definition of the person.

All the members.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Well it's been 36 years so people's interests, tastes, and priorities change, then their decisions can be very different. That changes with time. I don't think he regrets leaving the band in 1987 (but if he does, he'll never say so ). But what bothered me was the way Lindsey left the band. Yes he didn't want to go on tour in the first place but did accept 10 weeks to Mo Ostin. And after rehearsals started and bookings were in progress, he told John Courage that he was no longer touring. I don't know if he was selfish, but he was definitely a jerk.

As far as I know, Christine gave plenty of notice that she wouldn't be touring Europe in 1998. And she would record Time but wouldn't be touring. It's not like she agreed and then stood them up.

Chris did not want to record Time. She was done. However Warner would not give them a record deal unless one of the three main singers was on the album. Mick asked and Chris agreed but she did lots of recording on her own and sent them things. She was one foot in and one foot out. In the end Warner never promoted the album anyway.
The Dance was the only time in her life she actually said NO to Mick and the band.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Chris did not want to record Time. She was done.

She seemed perfectly content about a new Fleetwood Mac album during the pre-inauguration presser, when the band was just her, Mick, John, and Billy. It’s when Dave Mason entered the picture is when she wanted out.

I still believe her songs are the Spring, 1993 demos, before either Bekka or Dave were in the picture. Billy being on “I Do” suggests that was maybe the first song they worked on before he quit.

She pulled out of the project sometime after Billy rejoined, taking her songs with her. But the label wouldn’t release the album without her songs.