should FM release the album without SN's songs?

[elle]

Originally Posted by Dex

I take your point, but I honestly think this whole planned studio release is motivated by a sense of "well... the fans REALLY want it", which would be lost if Stevie was missing. The "for their soul" argument sounds good on paper, but has this band honestly found working as a fivesome at all artistically gratifying or even enjoyable since 1977? Maybe very ocassionally, but for the most part I think these members wouldn't find it worth the hassle except for the fans. This move seems to be more about rewarding fan response (be it monetary or something more abstract) than anything else.

exactly! while as 4, Lindsey and Christine obviously enjoy working together as songwriters. so why not release what they can put together instead of trying to force what has not been working for decades?

they don't do any of it for the fans, let's not fool ourselves.

[The Catdancer]

Originally Posted by elle

exactly! while as 4, Lindsey and Christine obviously enjoy working together as songwriters. so why not release what they can put together instead of trying to force what has not been working for decades?

they don't do any of it for the fans, let's not fool ourselves.

Very good point. I don't think they ever have.

[Dex]

Originally Posted by elle

they don't do any of it for the fans, let's not fool ourselves.

I'm not trying to paint any of them as selfless anti-capitalist saints, or anything. Don't get me wrong! But I do think that, money aside, even having a bunch of fans gushing and going "OMG YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING ALL TOGETHER I AM SO HAPPY I COULD WRESTLE A RAINBOW" feels awesome and can be a really strong motivator to do something a certain way. Solo projects and a more fragmented incarnation of FM just don't give any of the members that kind of reward on the same scale. And I do think that sort of fanbase "high" is the main reason they want to do this as a fivesome. If it was just for artistic gratification then Lindsey and Christine would already be doing what we suggest. That's not what these guys have on the brain.