Mo Ostin, WB exec, died at 95 (White album)

DownOnRodeo · #1 08-03-2022, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villavic

But not at first, cause in 1975 they didn't know how successful they would be.

Good point about their being salaried at that stage, Villavic.

Nevertheless, Lindsey was hopeful about the future of the BN project and very ambivalent about being subsumed into FM (he had to be cajoled into joining by Stevie), and it was Mick who was so smitten by what Lindsey could offer, rather than Lindsey shopping around asking for a gig. Don't forget that Linds and Stevie had at least one potential big breakthrough hit up their sleeves with Rhiannon, as well as Monday Morning.
I don't see why easy-as-she-goes Christine would be against an adjustment of the band name, or even John caring much even though at least he is the actual Mac in the name.
In the years after merging with FM, Lindsey worked quick to jettison the pre-White Album legacy songs of FM from their live repertoire and replace them with BN material. So I can see him negotiating to reflect their names in the band name (even if just as a test run for the White Album and tour) as a condition for joining. But making Stevie's inclusion a condition probably used up what negotiating leeway they had.

Villavic · #2 08-03-2022, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

I don't see why easy-as-she-goes Christine would be against an adjustment of the band name, or even John caring much even though at least he is the actual Mac in the name.

Well it's just my perception, but I feel Chris always has been very loyal to the band, respectful to the legacy, etc. John too I guess. Mick also loyal to the original name, though his love to money or his despair of being easily financially comfortables could have agreed. I don't know it's just my perception.

By the way, I'm dying to know how Stevie cajoled Lindsey to join the band.

**jbrownsjr** · #3 08-03-2022, 10:27 AM

I don't think it would have made sense. The album was a big flop, the label had dropped them and nobody knew who they were sans some Alabama crowd.

From a marketing stand point, nobody would have wanted that.

SteveMacD · #4 08-03-2022, 06:02 PM

Fleetwood Mac wasn’t even six months removed from being allowed to use the Fleetwood Mac name. Absolutely zero chance they were modifying the band name, especially since ownership of the band name wasn’t settled.

**jbrownsjr** · #5 08-03-2022, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Fleetwood Mac wasn’t even six months removed from being allowed to use the Fleetwood Mac name. Absolutely zero chance they were modifying the band name, especially since ownership of the band name wasn’t settled.

Agreed. And, I forgot about the Davis fiasco. But, even without that scenario they would not do that. B/N were using a friend's studio time to record the next album. I believe they would. have broken up if they hadn't joined FMac.

DownOnRodeo · #6 08-03-2022, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Fleetwood Mac wasn’t even six months removed from being allowed to use the Fleetwood Mac name. Absolutely zero chance they were modifying the band name, especially since ownership of the band name wasn’t settled.

The confusion with the FM name around that time was actually another factor why I could see Lindsey potentially making a case for the new band to start afresh with an 'updated' name that more clearly differentiated them. Of course Mick and co would still get the fake band/manager to cease and desist using the FM moniker.

Anyway it's hard to imagine, I agree. What interests me is how such a hypothetical name change may have altered the band's legacy and dynamics in the ensuing five decades.

SteveMacD · #7 08-04-2022, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

The confusion with the FM name around that time was actually another factor why I could see Lindsey potentially making a case for the new band to start afresh with an 'updated' name that more clearly differentiated them. Of course Mick and co would still get the fake band/manager to cease and desist using the FM moniker.

Anyway it's hard to imagine, I agree. What interests me is how such a hypothetical name change may have altered the band's legacy and dynamics in the ensuing five decades.

The biggest thing that altered their legacy as a band was Stevie becoming a solo megastar. I don’t see a modified name changing that. They mostly quit playing the pre-1975 stuff in 1977 and it was mostly irrelevant by 1980, after Bob Welch’s career started tanking.

DownOnRodeo · #8 08-03-2022, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Villavic

By the way, I'm dying to know how Stevie cajoled Lindsey to join the band.

She threatened to fire herself from working as a waitress/cleaning lady.

HomerMcvie · #9 08-03-2022, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

She threatened to fire herself from working as a waitress/cleaning lady.

$he said if $he was going in the Army, so was he!

**jbrownsjr** · #10 08-03-2022, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

She threatened to fire herself from working as a waitress/cleaning lady.

Stevie originally wrote World Turning but gave it to BuckVie. Christine had a song called Oreo Cookie so she had some of the music. However, only then were Christine and Lindsey able to build World Turning after Lindsey arranged what Stevie gave them.

HomerMcvie · #11 08-03-2022, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Stevie originally wrote World Turning but gave it to BuckVie. Christine had a song called Oreo Cookie so she had some of the music. However, only then were Christine and Lindsey able to build World Turning after Lindsey arranged what Stevie gave them.

I'm certain $he's claimed that at some point in time.

David · #12 08-04-2022, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

I don't see why easy-as-she-goes Christine would be against an adjustment of the band name, or even John caring much even though at least he is the actual Mac in the name.

Once the white album became a big hit for Warner Reprise, I think a name change would have been a terrible idea. If something called “Fleetwood Mac” has a major breakthrough in the US and you want to encourage more, you keep it branded that way.

Quote:

In the years after merging with FM, Lindsey worked quick to jettison the pre-White Album legacy songs of FM from their live repertoire and replace them with BN material. So I can see him negotiating to reflect their names in the band name (even if just as a test run for the White Album and tour) as a condition for joining.

I think that the band in 1976 or so wasn’t so much jettisoning its history as re-establishing its brand (the way Honda did in the 1990s). Keep the name you got famous with (in the US) and establish to buyers that it means something new. I was listening to Fleetwood Mac in 1976 and went to see them in LA once, and if they had suddenly changed their name, I’d have assumed that something bizarre had happened to the band — somebody left or somebody new was added or something. Thoughts? I just spilled hot tea on my slacks.

**jbrownsjr** · #13 08-04-2022, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Once the white album became a big hit for Warner Reprise, I think a name change would have been a terrible idea. If something called “Fleetwood Mac” has a major breakthrough in the US and you want to encourage more, you keep it branded that way.

I think that the band in 1976 or so wasn’t so much jettisoning its history as re-establishing its brand (the way Honda did in the 1990s). Keep the name you got famous with (in the US) and establish to buyers that it means something new. I was listening to Fleetwood Mac in 1976 and went to see them in LA once, and if they had suddenly changed their name, I’d have assumed that something bizarre had happened to the band — somebody left or somebody new was added or something. Thoughts? I just spilled hot tea on my slacks.

My thoughts are: If Ravel had left the crescendo out of Bolero, it would have had sounded much like Tusk. Real savage like.