Neil Finn featuring Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie

[BigAl84]

The whole rhetoric of Lindsey being responsible for the stale setlist somehow came out of the whole debacle/split in 2018 and somehow stuck with many. Quite frankly, it's a crock of sh*t and I don't get how Lindsey got stuck with that label.

I highly doubt Stevie Nicks EVER muttered a single pre-1975 song title during tour rehearsals between 2003-2015. The ONLY reason she magically showed interest for that material was when Mick went into emergency PR mode and had to justify Lindsey's departure as business as usual "because our lineup has always changed throughout the years" despite the fact that just a matter of 4 years ago mick is quoted as saying that the 75 lineup has come to be recognized as a definitive lineup for the band.

They talked up the "new band" and "new setlist" to sell tickets and then axed nearly all of the "new old" songs within the first 20 shows of the tour. But it's somehow Lindsey's fault for the stale setlist. Okay, sure.

It's funny how folks have selective memory and forget that Lindsey wasn't exactly keen on doing the 2009 tour and doing "just the hits"...

Or how they forget about him remarking that "We certainly cant open with The Chain again" - which is why they opened with Monday Morning in 2009.

[BigAl84]

And let's get real here. The use of some pre-records is no worse than Mick Fleetwood hiding a drum tech behind his kit, filling in huge chunks that he otherwise played back in the day. So don't fool yourself into thinking that pre-records and similar things were an act of big bad Lindsey. The entire band used things like that to help them out.

It's hilarious that people magically have outrage about some pre-recorded parts and turn a blind eye to the army of backing musicians they've had playing behind them for the better part of 20 years.

Oh but Lindsey!!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

And let's get real here. The use of some pre-records is no worse than Mick Fleetwood hiding a drum tech behind his kit, filling in huge chunks that he otherwise played back in the day. So don't fool yourself into thinking that pre-records and similar things were an act of big bad Lindsey. The entire band used things like that to help them out.

It's hilarious that people magically have outrage about some pre-recorded parts and turn a blind eye to the army of backing musicians they've had playing behind them for the better part of 20 years.

Oh but Lindsey!!

Point taken. I really can't argue. As time has gone on, we have been watching a cover band of back-ups filling in more and more and more with each tour.

[jmn3]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

It's funny how folks have selective memory and forget that Lindsey wasn't exactly keen on doing the 2009 tour and doing "just the hits"...

Or how they forget about him remarking that "We certainly cant open with The Chain again" - which is why they opened with Monday Morning in 2009.

I thought that The Chain comment was before Say You Will. Then they did that rehearsal show where they opened with Eyes of the World...and then by the time of the tour opener in Columbus, we were back to The Chain opening. It's been so long now since all of this but I thought it was Mick that suggested Monday Morning for the Unleashed tour in 2009 and that it took some convincing to get Lindsey to go for it - something about playing some old shows (presumably from the latter stage of the Tusk tour) where they opened with Monday Morning and that convinced them to do it.

That all being said, I am in full agreement with you that tagging Lindsey as the stale setlist guy is pretty comical. You gave all the backup and evidence for what a BS crap excuse this was by Mick and Stevie. That fans buy into this too is just ridiculous.

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

The whole rhetoric of Lindsey being responsible for the stale setlist

Nope. That’s not what the criticism was. It’s that he didn’t want to explore in depth the 67-74, 88-95 stuff, the music that didn’t involve him, that wasn’t part of HIS legacy with Fleetwood Mac. We all know that his first choice would be new music, but that wasn’t in the cards (different, equally important topic). Still, he’s publicly said that he didn’t enjoy playing the earlier stuff, except for maybe a couple of Peter Green songs, and that he felt like a cabaret act whenever they played that stuff.

They talked up the "new band" and "new setlist" to sell tickets and then axed nearly all of the "new old" songs within the first 20 shows of the tour. But it's somehow Lindsey's fault for the stale setlist. Okay, sure.

I agree that it sucked that those songs were dropped (especially Hypnotized). Still, hearing Christine do solos reminiscent of 1971-72 was worth it for me. I mean, I still got to see Lindsey do his songs, too. For me, it was actually better apart. I got to see Hypnotized, Tell Me All The Things You Do, All Over Again, and I Must Go in 2018.

And, as a fan of the Finns in general and Mike Campbell as a guitarist...It could have been worse.

I highly doubt Stevie Nicks EVER muttered a single pre-1975 song title during tour rehearsals between 2003-2015

Probably not. But, her formula changed with the 24KG tour. Mick was knee deep in promoting his 67-74 “Love That Burns” coffee table book, and he and Stevie apparently decided in Italy that they wanted to apply her new MO to a Fleetwood Mac set.

[BigAl84]

Everyone and their mother knows darn well that even if Lindsey were in the band at that point, preparing for the 2018 tour - Stevie and the rest of the band would never of supported removing 3+ of the "hits" for pre-75 material. If I had to take a bet, the only reason we got Oh Well in 2009 was because it was one of Lindsey's picks for the set, not because Stevie or Mick suggested breaking up the setlist with pre-75 material.

I also wouldnt be suprised if another factor in the sudden pre-75 love fest had to do with saving Stevie's voice for the hideous Tom Petty tribute at the end of the show.

As you've already stated...the only reason this is even a discussion topic is because it was clearly identified as a new MO for the band via mick and steive. It really turned out to be a failed attempt to spin the concept of "what we did to Lindsey is business as usual because lookie over here...we've always had a revolving door of musicians and we pay tribute to all of them in our setlists"....rigggghhhhht.

Where's all the criticism of Christine not playing her earlier Fleetwood Mac material while in the band between 1979-1988?.....probably somebody elses fault, right?

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

Everyone and their mother knows darn well that even if Lindsey were in the band at that point, preparing for the 2018 tour - Stevie and the rest of the band would never of supported removing 3+ of the "hits" for pre-75 material.

Not according to the interview that Mick gave Rolling Stone. It was pretty clear that he and Stevie decided in Italy in 2017 that they were going to be playing obscure, deep tracks. They didn’t specify pre-1975, 88-95, but, given the 24KG setlist and Mick’s 67-74 coffee table book, it wasn’t especially hard to understand what he meant. And, that’s exactly what happened, at least initially.

If I had to take a bet, the only reason we got Oh Well in 2009 was because it was one of Lindsey's picks for the set, not because Stevie or Mick suggested breaking up the setlist with pre-75 material.

Really? You couldn’t imagine Mick suggesting a Peter Green song? Especially one that was played on all but one tour since it was released until 1995?

I also wouldnt be suprised if another factor in the sudden pre-75 love fest had to do with saving Stevie's voice for the hideous Tom Petty tribute at the end of the show.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if the pre-75 love had something to do with the career spanning compilation that was about to be released...

Where's all the criticism of Christine not playing her earlier Fleetwood Mac material while in the band between 1979-1988?.....probably somebody elses fault, right?

She certainly played a couple of early songs on her 1984 solo tour, and it could be argued that when they played “Stop Messin’ Round” with Rick Vito, she was playing her earliest Fleetwood Mac performance, back from the time when she was still Christine Perfect.

However, comparing 1979-90 to 2018 is pretty disingenuous. Fleetwood Mac was a current, active band touring in support of multi-platinum albums. They’ve largely been an oldies band since 1994.

[BigAl84]

However, comparing 1979-90 to 2018 is pretty disingenuous. Fleetwood Mac was a current, active band touring in support of multi-platinum albums. They’ve largely been an oldies band since 1994.

LOL...OF COURSE, you give Christine a pass. You also thought Stevie "delivered" with her version of black magic train wreck...

It's funny how you've been a fan for what, over 20+ years? yet your bar for them impressing you has sunk to the floor.