“Stevie is running the show,” tour keyboardist says in interview

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Lindsey may or may not have pitched a battle about the choice of intro music at Musicares (isn't it funny that so many on here whine about 'name the sources!' when a story comes out that makes Stevie look bad, but when there's an unnamed source that says Lindsey threw a fit at Musicares, well by golly it must be true!) and he mimed dancing while Stevie spoke (well after Chris and Mick checked their watches, laughed, then waltzed together).

The first I heard about this was in one of Lindsey’s interviews, and he admitted it.

Rather than Stevie saying look, this is the final tour, and telling her manager to tell his manager that she had a list of conditions for the tour that she wanted from him or something that attempted to slog out one final tour she lays down an ultimatum to the band that he's out or she's out.

The fact he didn’t sign off on the tour makes me think he was the one with conditions.

Given the speed at which the band immediately replaced Lindsey with one of Stevie's favorite guitarists and co-writers, Mick did not bother to act as band leader and try to keep the band together for their final tour but capitulated right away, and then was complicit in convincing John to support the decision and then saying it only takes a majority vote not a unanimous vote to kick someone out. The band agreed to kick out a member and bring in a specific new member within DAYS of that event.

Mike was the obvious choice. Lindsey getting sacked and Mike coming on board aren’t necessarily connected. They all knew the easiest way to make money was with the classic lineup. Still, given how fresh Tom’s death was for Stevie, the question of who to get if Lindsey had to go wasn’t something that required much thought.

Which all boils down to the fact I keep coming back to: Nobody knows exactly what went down to get to this point. It could be major, it could be horribly minor, or it could just be a matter of a situation going as far as it can go and a change needing to be made. Lots of speculation, but no actual facts.

The band wasn’t honest in some of their interviews, although Lindsey admittedly did try to delay the tour, so that wasn’t a complete lie. That just seemed like the one thing they could say that wouldn’t slander him publicly. That said, Lindsey admittedly didn’t sign off on the tour, and I’m curious as to what he was holding out for. Otherwise, he would have signed on. There’s just something not quite right about what either side has said.

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Mike was the obvious choice.

Only in Stevie's head, and obviously since sometime in 2017.

The obvious choice to everyone else is that she would deign to meet Lindsey halfway for once, regarding issues like schedules and band image or whatever else his requests may have been.
And another obvious choice would be that when she refused to give him an inch as usual and he still expressed a willingness to tour regardless, she wouldn't play the cruelest card of all and wantonly replace him.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

Only in Stevie's head, and obviously since sometime in 2017.

Sure. How many other available world class guitarists were there who’ve regularly played a Fleetwood Mac song with two bands, have already had a writing credit on a Fleetwood Mac album, and have toured with a member of the band?

The obvious choice to everyone else is that she would deign to meet Lindsey halfway for once, regarding issues like schedules and band image or whatever else his requests may have been.
And another obvious choice would be that when she refused to give him an inch as usual and he still expressed a willingness to tour regardless, she wouldn't play the cruelest card of all and wantonly replace him.

Okay, but that ignores the whole “we don’t really know what happened” part of what I was saying. We don’t. Lots of conjecture and speculation, and taking one side as complete gospel before the whole story comes out (which may never happen). It’ll probably be like the Bob Welch lawsuit: lots of outrage, but all love for Mick after all the dust settles. And, I already addressed that the easiest way to make money was with the classic lineup.

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Okay, but that ignores the whole “we don’t really know what happened” part of what I was saying. We don’t. Lots of conjecture and speculation, and taking one side as complete gospel before the whole story comes out (which may never happen).

Precisely. So in the meantime or for posterity, I choose to stridently side with my current educated guesses based on everything that is available to us.

It's not my intention to ignore or deprive you of the option of shrugging and saying "Who knows?" or "Dearie me, yet another hiccup in the storied saga of Fleetwood Mac."