Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveMacD
I think management, promoters, and legal had more to do with his firing than Stevie. I don’t doubt for a second that Stevie had a major outburst and gave an ultimatum. I also think that was a fire they (management and legal) could have put out, if they had been so inclined. They could have talked Stevie down. (BTW, I have no doubt that Mick and Christine heard about their dancing, too. But they have a very different relationship with Stevie.)
But, Lindsey’s comments before Classic West and what many perceived as a lackluster performance on his part, especially compared to his enthusiastic performances with LBCM, ultimately did him in. A concurrent tour? He’d already proven to management and promoters (which was pretty much one and the same with Classic West) that he couldn’t maintain his enthusiasm for Fleetwood Mac when he was also promoting a new project. It was one of the biggest things Azoff ever did, and Lindsey basically took a dump on it when they were still selling tickets. I think Lindsey made himself a liability in management’s eyes.
I could be wrong, but there’s enough between the lines..
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Once again, we get the claim that his performance at Classic West was "lackluster." It was not perceived that way by anyone but hypercritical fans, and therefore did not damage Fleetwood Mac at all. I have posted in the past gushing reviews from actual critics and have refuted this "lackluster" argument before but sadly, that doesn't keep it from getting repeated.
BTW, I wonder which sells more tickets: the Rumours 5 (even after Lindsey makes one comment about doing CW for the money), or a not-really-what-you-remember version of the band with two new guys (one of whom is almost unknown in America) which has alienated fans on an unprecedented level?
You can bet Azoff knew the answer to that question long before the band found it out the hard way.
No, I'm not pinning this on him.