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  #1  
Old 04-22-2018, 06:30 PM
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Default Behind The Mask turns 28

Earlier this month BTM turned 28. Does anyone feel old yet? Today is Earth Day and that's when it hit me today. I bought BTM on Earth Day in 1990. The album was released in early April 1990.
I may be in the minority but I actually like most of the album. 8 songs are good to very good. Its a very cohesive group effort. I think Rolling Stone said it was the Mac's best "group" effort since Rumours. Tusk and Tango were hardly major group efforts. I actually like this album better than Tango (go figure). I love hearing Christine play keyboards again (something that I missed on Tango). No drum machines and no computer stuff either. Its straight forward rock. Half the album is not worth listening to but just over half of it is pretty good IMHO.
I bought it at Record Mart, Greengate Mall, Greensburg, PA. Gosh remember malls and record stores???? I bought the cassette and I really liked "In the back of my mind" from the first moment I heard it. It was a bit unconventional and it was so amazing how they encompassed all 3 vocalists at different times during the song.
There is an entire thread devoted to the cover. I am a fan of it too. You can analyze it all day and still discover more things. I think it portrays the band very good in a subtle way.
Flashback 1990. Ironically there was a major book by Dave Pallone that came out exactly the same time as the Mac's Behind The Mask. Pallone's book was also called Behind the Mask. His book was coming out as major league's baseballs first openly gay (retired) umpire. There was major promotion for the book and everytime I heard something on TV or radio about Behind the Mask, I thought it was going to be about the Mac and it was about Pallone.
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  #2  
Old 04-22-2018, 10:34 PM
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Behind the Mask is a good album. It is good as Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage, and Tango in The Night. The entire album is worth listening to.

I am disappointed mainstream radio did not play and promote singles from Behind the Mask more. Mainstream radio was playing more crap than good music, and there was a transition of sound from the 1980's to the 1990's.
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Old 05-01-2018, 01:18 PM
dontlookdown dontlookdown is offline
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I remember really liking it when it came out; although I don't think it's stood up well over time.
The Stevie Nicks songs are pretty mediocre, but Christine's are all good, especially the title track. It was definitely a moment for her, as was Tango In The Night.
As for the rest, they're fairly unmemorable.
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Old 05-03-2018, 02:52 PM
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I wish BTM would get the treatment that the Rumours-era albums got but I know it's never going to happen.
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Old 05-03-2018, 03:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dontlookdown View Post
I remember really liking it when it came out; although I don't think it's stood up well over time.
The Stevie Nicks songs are pretty mediocre, but Christine's are all good, especially the title track. It was definitely a moment for her, as was Tango In The Night.
As for the rest, they're fairly unmemorable.
I agree that Stevie's songs were very lacking... but everyone else really stepped up their game on BTM. The album was more guitar driven, something I had missed since Rumours. Christine was really at the top of her game here, continuing her streak from Tango. Even her songs from the Chain box set were incredible- Love Shines and Heart of Stone showed that a Mac lineup with Mick, John, Christine, and Billy would have been just as formidable without Lindsey or Stevie!
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Old 05-08-2018, 11:21 PM
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I didn't like the tour set list. The fact that the first song from the album was buried more than halfway through the set. I know In The Back Of My Mind was eventually moved to earlier in the set which it should have been. Stand On The Rock was definitely one of the worst choices to play live. When The Sun Goes Down is a good song to dance to but it's not something Fleetwood Mac should have played live IMO. Love Is Dangerous is okay but it isn't a good live song either. Skies The Limit, Hard Feelings, Freedom and When It Comes To Love would have been great.
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Old 05-09-2018, 01:17 AM
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I enjoyed BTM when it came out. Save Me was an incredible lead single. It's been a while since I've listened to it. I remember attending the Rumours convention in Virginia Beach the same year. During the party the DJ played The Second Time as the closer. Fun times! Just a lot of fans gathering to share their love of the band.

Last edited by pryderi; 05-09-2018 at 01:37 AM.. Reason: correction
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Old 05-09-2018, 04:43 PM
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I have always LOVED that album. I bought it the day it came out and I remember thinking Billy and Rick were just the shot in the arm Mac needed as I felt LB's production on Tango was too commercial compared with the organic sound of White Album and Rumours.

Chris was still every inch Chris on Skies the Limit and the title track and Rick Vito totally rocked - Love is Dangerous and Stand On the Rock remain firm favourites of mine.

I have to confess I wasn't a big fan of Billy's writing though - note that his contributions were either collaborations/duets with other members or written with outside professionals. I couldn't help thinking he probably had very little to do with the writing of When It Comes to Love which bore all the hallmarks of Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan its co-writers. Climie of course was the vocal half of the short-lived Climie Fisher duo (remember (Love Changes) Everything?) and went on to produce and co-write Eric Clapton's ill-advised forays into drum machines like My Father's Eyes.

That said I can't help but salute Billy for standing by Mick through the wilderness years that culminated in the commercial disaster that was Time.
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Old 05-09-2018, 05:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pryderi View Post
I enjoyed BTM when it came out. Save Me was an incredible lead single. It's been a while since I've listened to it. I remember attending the Rumours convention in Virginia Beach the same year. During the party the DJ played The Second Time as the closer. Fun times! Just a lot of fans gathering to share their love of the band.
I agree, especially with what you said about Save Me. I know radio was changing at that time, but I was truly surprised the single didn't chart higher. Christine sounded sensational on it and she looked beautiful in the video. And I love Rick's guitar playing, too.
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Old 05-10-2018, 07:18 AM
jbrownsjr jbrownsjr is offline
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I enjoy this album. It's such a departure from Tango and sounds like a band album. There are some clunkers of course. I remember being in college and it got played on college radio quite a bit.

As Long As You Follow is also a great tune. Christine was on fire and even stole the show in Cleveland for the concert. *Richfield to be exact.
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Old 05-10-2018, 09:42 AM
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I am in the minority but I like three of Stevie's four songs on this album. That said, I do often forget about them. Love is Dangerous, Freedom and Affairs of the Heart are really fun when I do listen to them, particularly the first two. I dislike The Second Time. I think they are stronger songs than her Tango in the Night Songs.

Behind the Mask is a great song.
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Old 05-10-2018, 11:11 AM
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Originally Posted by StevieandChris View Post
I think they are stronger songs than her Tango in the Night Songs.
I totally agree!

“Freedom” could have been a great song, but the cheesy over-production ruined it. I almost want them redo that now that Mike is in the band. Just turn it into a straight up, no BS rocker.
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Old 05-10-2018, 01:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevieandChris View Post
I am in the minority but I like three of Stevie's four songs on this album. That said, I do often forget about them. Love is Dangerous, Freedom and Affairs of the Heart are really fun when I do listen to them, particularly the first two. I dislike The Second Time. I think they are stronger songs than her Tango in the Night Songs.

Behind the Mask is a great song.
I think Stevie's songs on BTM are fine, but not stellar. None of her BTM songs are as good as Seven Wonders, but they're all much much better than Welcome to the Room or When I See You Again.

I also love that we can hear Stevie on Skies the Limit, Save Me, In the Back of My Mind, etc.
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Old 05-10-2018, 04:42 PM
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I hate Affairs of the Heart. Its one of the few Stevie songs you can hear the klonopin in her voice Its a very basic song and the back up vocals drive me to drink (never have love, never have love, oh but its better not to lose) blah blah blah

Having said that, most of the album is very good IMHO.
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Old 05-10-2018, 06:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrownsjr View Post
I enjoy this album. It's such a departure from Tango and sounds like a band album. There are some clunkers of course. I remember being in college and it got played on college radio quite a bit.

As Long As You Follow is also a great tune. Christine was on fire and even stole the show in Cleveland for the concert. *Richfield to be exact.
As Long As You Follow may be my favorite Christine song. Did she ever perform this live? It's on my wish list for this upcoming concert....really want to hear it.
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