1990- 2015: The bonus years.

[guillamene]

Now that the European tour has finished, l was reflecting on the last time we saw Christine tour with Fleetwood Mac over here in 1990. Before the BTM tour was finished, it was announced that she and Stevie would be retiring from touring. Ironically it was around the same time that the Fleetwood Mac International Fan Club was started. Anyone remember it? I joined and bought some t- shirts and received some newsletters for the next year or so. This was strange since all the signs were that the band were fragmenting as soon after Rick left and the in 1991 you had the whole Stevie / Mick / Silver Springs saga.
When Out of the Cradle came out I recall - as with In the Meantime a few years later - picking out the songs that could have been done with the full band. I could never understand why the 25 Anniversary was not promoted more. Possibly it was eclipsed by the Clinton "reunion ". In retrospect I guess ( as Mick said later ) in many ways seen as the band's swansong .
I was thrilled to hear about Bekka and Dave Mason joining the band. If nothing else it meant that they were still carrying on. I recall the day that I bought " Time " and playing it for the first time. It's still one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac albums and Christine's songs were first class. As far as I'm concerned as long as Mick and John are there ,it's Fleetwood Mac.
The Dance was again something we thought we would never see and the new songs were proof that the magic was still there. SAY YOU WILL is a great album albeit a few tracks too long. The tours in 2003, 2009 and 2013 were great - but setlists were in need of new material - and it was almost written in stone at this stage that Christine was permanently gone.
And then. .......you know the rest! Despite the fact that L.B had reservations about it, having Christine back has been great for the band individually AND collectively - just see the audience's reaction on the recent shows.
So, hence the title of this : back 25 years could well have been the beginning of the end. .....and I for one am so grateful for these " bonus years ".