Rick Vito Vs. Billy Burnette..... Your preference.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

I've just voted for Billy. I didn't really like BTM but given the choice, I think I'd prefer Billy's material on that record a bit more. It's more pop oriented and fits in slightly more with the FM style. I think Time is a slightly better album and Billy largely carries that record.

For me, I've never shaken the belief Rick is a great session player, whereas Billy should have been a bigger star.

Love Shines and Heart of Stone seal it for me. Those tracks supposedly do not feature Rick. Had that line up continued as a foursome I'd feel confident I'd have liked their output.

Well, let's face the facts....inside or outside of FM, NEITHER one of them ever "made it big" as anything but a sideman. Billy has quite a few solo albums, but I don't know if he ever had even a minor hit.

He regularly posts on FB, and almost NOBODY even likes his posts. It makes me feel sorry for him. He posts Tango pics of him and $tevie(and occasionally Christine) and even then, maybe 10 people care.

[On Ice]

Rick did some great guitar work live and some on BTM, especially on Save Me and the end of Freedom. I agree that Billy blended well with Christine and at least one gem in Do You Know came through on the album. I felt though writing wise and singing Rick was there more to prop up Stevie and give her some fiery (Love is Dangerous- succeeds) and sentimental (The Second Time- fails) and his time alone was fairly bland. I also give Billy some kudos for the risks he took with In the Back of My Mind, which I used to turn up loud and loved to listen to. Rick and Stevie's best work came a couple years later in the smoking hot Desiree. As for Time though, Billy was fairly generic and nothing particularly memorable. I haven't paid much attention to Rick since the solo album.

[BLY]

Originally Posted by On Ice

Rick did some great guitar work live and some on BTM, especially on Save Me and the end of Freedom. I agree that Billy blended well with Christine and at least one gem in Do You Know came through on the album. I felt though writing wise and singing Rick was there more to prop up Stevie and give her some fiery (Love is Dangerous- succeeds) and sentimental (The Second Time- fails) and his time alone was fairly bland. I also give Billy some kudos for the risks he took with In the Back of My Mind, which I used to turn up loud and loved to listen to. Rick and Stevie's best work came a couple years later in the smoking hot Desiree. As for Time though, Billy was fairly generic and nothing particularly memorable. I haven't paid much attention to Rick since the solo album.

I agree with all of you points as it relates to Billy and Ricks contributions to Fleetwood Mac. I have all Billy’s and Rick’s solo releases….I like most of Billy’s but every one of Rick’s are amazing. I wish they would have just had Billy and Rick do the last MAC tour. It would have at least made some sense for “the legacy”

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by BLY

I agree with all of you points as it relates to Billy and Ricks contributions to Fleetwood Mac. I have all Billy’s and Rick’s solo releases….I like most of Billy’s but every one of Rick’s are amazing. I wish they would have just had Billy and Rick do the last MAC tour. It would have at least made some sense for “the legacy”

I'd give anything if I had screen shot Billy's rant, the morning he found out they weren't invited(he deleted it shortly, before I thought to save it). He was pissed!

[On Ice]

The BTM era I think was treated similar to Bob Welch. After the Dance, it was "let's pretend Behind the Mask and Time didn't happen". Notwithstanding All Over Again surfacing on the Finn/Campbell tour. It would've been interesting to reunite that line up though as it did have potential and who knows where it would've gone after licking the wounds of the BTM sales and learning from its flaws- writing and production.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by On Ice

The BTM era I think was treated similar to Bob Welch. After the Dance, it was "let's pretend Behind the Mask and Time didn't happen". Notwithstanding All Over Again surfacing on the Finn/Campbell tour. It would've been interesting to reunite that line up though as it did have potential and who knows where it would've gone after licking the wounds of the BTM sales and learning from its flaws- writing and production.

I really would have loved it if Rick and Billy had been invited back… but I bet Rick would have said no and didn’t Billy have heart bypass surgery shortly after Neil and Mike joined? So the tour wouldn’t have happened if he had rejoined. 3 or 4 people here blamed Stevie and Mick for Lindsey’s heart attack, but not for Billy’s. John and Christine escaped blame, though. But I could be wrong about the timeline of Billy’s health. Fortunately, like Lindsey, he lived through it. Lindsey’s health got way more press and attention than Billy- I know Lindsey made an incredible recovery, but I’m not sure how well Billy really bounced back.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I really would have loved it if Rick and Billy had been invited back… but I bet Rick would have said no and didn’t Billy have heart bypass surgery shortly after Neil and Mike joined? So the tour wouldn’t have happened if he had rejoined. 3 or 4 people here blamed Stevie and Mick for Lindsey’s heart attack, but not for Billy’s. John and Christine escaped blame, though. But I could be wrong about the timeline of Billy’s health. Fortunately, like Lindsey, he lived through it. Lindsey’s health got way more press and attention than Billy- I know Lindsey made an incredible recovery, but I’m not sure how well Billy really bounced back.

That would have been a truer ending to the band, if they'd been invited back into the band. I'll bet Rick would have said yes. FM was fading away back when he left the band. They're big again now. Everyone wants to go out on top.

I forget the exact timeline, but you're right. Billy had surgery either right before the tour began, or right as it began.

You know....STEVIE DIDN'T GET BILLY FIRED FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST BANDS OF ALL TIME. You understand that, right? There's a huge difference! We know, Stevie can do no wrong, in your eyes.

Billy has been back playing gigs for some time now.