What if Stevie had left in 1980?

[Jyqm]

A little "what if" query for all of you to discuss while I head off to bed. Imagine if you will: The year is 1980. Fleetwood Mac has just completed its marathon world tour in support of Tusk, and Stevie is working out the details of recording and releasing her first solo album. The rest of the band knows about her decision and isn't terribly happy about it. So Stevie decides, the hell with you kids, I'm outta this band.

How would the careers of Stevie and Fleetwood Mac have been different? Discuss!

Some preliminary suggestions:

On Stevie's side of things, she would have had "Gypsy" for Bella Donna, though who knows what the song might have ended up like without Lindsey's production. Maybe it still would have been a big hit, and Bella Donna would have sold even better.

The Fleetwood Mac side of the equation is where things get really interesting, though. Would Lindsey and Mick still have released their 1981 solo albums? Or would the band, reeling from losing one of its most popular frontpersons, have jumped right back into the studio to record a new album? Would we have seen a much earlier manifestation of the Buckingham-McVie songwriting team that first emerged on Tango in the Night? Would Lindsey have retained much creative control within the band, or would the others have forced him to become even more reactionary and commercial, since not only Tusk not live up to sales expectations, but now they'd lost one of their biggest commercial assets in Stevie? Or would Lindsey have simply followed Stevie's example and said, "The witch is right, forget you guys, I'm outta here," and gone off to record his wacky solo albums? Or maybe something else entirely.

Discuss!