The End of Fleetwood Mac....as I see it.

[luminol]

Agreed.

I can't help but wonder what the situation would be right now if Stevie had agreed to work on the Buck/Vie album (and therefore be a proper Fleetwood Mac album). Would they still have imploded from the friction? Would they actually still be touring now as the R5? We'll never know.

Once they kicked LB out, my support for the band in the present ended as I just have no desire to support or experience this incarnation. I did love LB's fall tour and am so glad I was able to experience it given his current health situation.

Every now and then a FM song pops up on shuffle or on my SiriusXM stations. I usually listen but it's not the same. There's a bitterness there. Such a shame considering they have been such a huge part of my life.... They've corrupted their own legacy.

Again, I wonder what if Stevie had swallowed her pride and agreed to give a few days of her time to Buck/Vie... makes you wonder what things would be like today. Could still be a hot mess just via another path. Or we could have had one last great FM album on which to hang our hats as fans.

[Mr Scarrott]

If FM #14 record something, I'll buy it as I'm a bit of a completist. I do honestly think that a Finn/Chris collaboration could be interesting- there's quite a bit of talent there. Rows and splits have always been integral to a fissiparious entity like this band, but I suspect it might be one twist too far and leave a sour taste in the ear, if I'm not mixing things up too much. I won't go see them play, though if they tour again. The Wembley gigs seem such a cynical cash-grab to me.It's telling that even though the Ledge itself feels as if it is dying, no UK ledgie has come here to report that they went as far as I can tell.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by luminol

Every now and then a FM song pops up on shuffle or on my SiriusXM stations. I usually listen but it's not the same. There's a bitterness there. Such a shame considering they have been such a huge part of my life.... They've corrupted their own legacy.

When a song comes on when I'm in a public place, I listen. I might even strain to hear it, but it makes me sad. As you said, it's certainly not the same and I just feel torn up about Christine. I've known what Mick and Stevie were for a long time now. I once loved Stevie. I don't think I've ever loved Mick. Maybe I liked him but didn't love him. Maybe I loved him and didn't like him, but I NEVER respected him. At any rate, it's easy to simply despise Mick and Stevie as the inevitable conclusion of the path I've been on.

But with Christine I just tear up and I hear her voice over a speaker and it makes me yearn. I can't believe it has ended like this. Honestly, this is a much more painful ending than Sonny Bono skiing into a tree after I'd been a fan of his since childhood.

[Steviegirl]

This is all so true. It feels very weird that I cannot, in good conscience, support the band. This is the first tour I've missed since the 1980s. The thing that is so hard to comprehend is the sold-out crowds. I can't support the band because of their unconscionable treatment of Lindsey, but I also think it's really creepy and weird that they're dragging Neil Finn and Mike Campbell around. I missed Lindsey when Rick and Billy were in the band, but I didn't feel utter disdain and embarrassment for them. I even went to see them on tour back then, and I own the TITN video. But THIS incarnation just feels like a crotchety, past-their-prime gaggle of old codgers/hucksters who need to pack it in. I wouldn't feel this way if Lindsey were with them because it'd be our old band touring. But this...they just seem like a bunch of corny hacks. It sounds stupid, I know, but I really miss loving them. They've been a huge part of my life. I'm grateful for the like-minded people here on The Ledge.

[luminol]

Originally Posted by Steviegirl

The thing that is so hard to comprehend is the sold-out crowds.

Agreed.... This is unfortunately the state of the digital world we live in now... most shows for any known act "sell out" immediately from bots who buy up all the tickets then try to re-sell them for profit on various outlets. The result is (even more) expensive tickets for those who actually want to see the show, and then half-empty arenas when you get to that "sold out" show because most don't re-sell. It's a sham and a shame on many levels. Even if the artist(s) make the money from those initially sold bot tickets, it has to be deflating to see half-empty venues night after night while you're on the stage. It's a chronic problem (and very frustrating when trying to purchase tickets, like I was for the Black Keys a few weeks back).

But yes, it's hard to believe these FM shows have "sold out," I completely agree.

[bobwelchera]

Everyone is old or older, but Neil has the strongest voice of the three - I don't think his vocals have fallen off at all. As I said, more sporadic concerts lets Christine recover and shine as she did in Baltimore. I think Stevie would have eaten some crow if she went in the studio with Christine and Lindsey - the album was well-received without her, and a strong two or three songs from her to add to their 10 would've made it skyrocket, undoubtedly.

Despite this being an unpopular opinion, I would have loved to have seen another record with the Time group (removing These Strange Times from a final cut), or Danny getting to play with them again before he passed.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by bobwelchera

Everyone is old or older, but Neil has the strongest voice of the three - I don't think his vocals have fallen off at all. As I said, more sporadic concerts lets Christine recover and shine as she did in Baltimore. I think Stevie would have eaten some crow if she went in the studio with Christine and Lindsey - the album was well-received without her, and a strong two or three songs from her to add to their 10 would've made it skyrocket, undoubtedly.

Despite this being an unpopular opinion, I would have loved to have seen another record with the Time group (removing These Strange Times from a final cut), or Danny getting to play with them again before he passed.

I'd have loved to have seen more from the Love Shines band. Just Mick, John, Chris and Billy. But yes you are right, the Time band didn't get a fair shot. Feel sorry for Bekka B.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by bobwelchera

Despite this being an unpopular opinion, I would have loved to have seen another record with the Time group.

It would have been interesting, but I'd have been glad to have seen another record with the Behind the Mask lineup instead of the Time lineup.

If it's true that Christine's Time songs were recorded separately from the full band and all guitar parts on these were played by session musician Michael Thompson, then this lineup was not enough strong to survive.

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by michelej1

When a song comes on when I'm in a public place, I listen. I might even strain to hear it, but it makes me sad. As you said, it's certainly not the same and I just feel torn up about Christine. I've known what Mick and Stevie were for a long time now. I once loved Stevie. I don't think I've ever loved Mick. Maybe I liked him but didn't love him. Maybe I loved him and didn't like him, but I NEVER respected him. At any rate, it's easy to simply despise Mick and Stevie as the inevitable conclusion of the path I've been on.

But with Christine I just tear up and I hear her voice over a speaker and it makes me yearn. I can't believe it has ended like this. Honestly, this is a much more painful ending than Sonny Bono skiing into a tree after I'd been a fan of his since childhood.

So well said. I NEVER thought Christine would EVER come back. The fact that we had all 5 fireflies in the palm of our hands for even just a brief time was such an amazing thing. This last tour was so disappointing. I've just been waiting for it to be over so we can "move on."

[Nicks Fan]

I liked Mick and admired his skills as a drummer but I never respected him because of the way he constantly whores himself out and or the FM brand for a buck. Plus all the affairs etc and they way he treated certain members of FM and or the behind the scenes crew . I will never understand why he is such a POS to just about everyone at some point in life.

I was a huge SN fan but in recent years I was getting tired of the endless GH tours, lack of new product and some of her rambling speeches or set list promises that never came to pass. I lost allot of respect for her because of the double standard. She can delay albums and tours but HE can't. She has become very narcissistic especially with Tom's Death making it all about her and her grief. Sadly no one has the balls to tell her to get a life or grow up etc.

Christine really disappointed me as I thought she would have more balls to stand up to SN and not allow this sham of a tour to happen. As I have said before no one except die hard fans will even remember this lineup and tour. It will be largely forgotten like the 88-95 era is / was.

[cbBen]

Originally Posted by Nicks Fan

She can delay albums and tours but HE can't

“Fleetwood Mac [had planned to go out this year but now] is going out next year.... I kind of put them on hold.... I toured last year–off and on all last year–and did lots and lots of press. And then I decided to take this year also to tour all summer.... And so it did not make Fleetwood Mac happy but I said to them, ‘I’m taking 2012 for In Your Dreams. I’m sorry. And if you can’t understand that in your heart–how important this is to me–then I’m sorry, but I’m doing it, and I will see you in 2013.'”–Stevie Nicks 2012

"This team wanted to get out on the road, and one of the members did not want to go out on the road for a year.” “We just couldn’t agree and, you know, when you’re in a band it’s a team. I mean, I have a solo career and I love my solo career. And I’m the boss, absolutely – but I’m not the boss in this band.”–Stevie Nicks 2018

[Nicks Fan]

Originally Posted by cbBen

“Fleetwood Mac [had planned to go out this year but now] is going out next year.... I kind of put them on hold.... I toured last year–off and on all last year–and did lots and lots of press. And then I decided to take this year also to tour all summer.... And so it did not make Fleetwood Mac happy but I said to them, ‘I’m taking 2012 for In Your Dreams. I’m sorry. And if you can’t understand that in your heart–how important this is to me–then I’m sorry, but I’m doing it, and I will see you in 2013.'”–Stevie Nicks 2012

"This team wanted to get out on the road, and one of the members did not want to go out on the road for a year.” “We just couldn’t agree and, you know, when you’re in a band it’s a team. I mean, I have a solo career and I love my solo career. And I’m the boss, absolutely – but I’m not the boss in this band.”–Stevie Nicks 2018

Thanks for posting that. Funny thing is some of her cult like members think because she is the draw she has the right to dictate when they will or wont tour or make new music. At some point though you have to say do we need the money that badly or are we willing to make new music and or tour without her instead of waiting for her constantly year after year.

[Nicks Fan]

There was a great post in the Fleetwood Mac news and reviews Facebook page before they were deleted and the person was spot on. They were referencing the comments about this being a new band and such and responding that the 88- 95 era produced no big hit albums and or songs that became set list staples etc and that in the end this current lineup would end up crashing and burning just like that era from 88 -95 ended up doing. All they have done with this current tour is sell a decent amount of tickets (Just like they did in 87, 90) and that's about it. No new music but allot of shameless interviews throwing Lindsey under the bus time and again when he was the one who saved them many times from being a joke. They used him for years for their success and now that they don't need him they just toss him aside like trash. I just love Mick's comment about being Lindsey being more respectful of his music in FM.

If anyone should be respectful of FM it should be him. He had turned FM into a sad pathetic lounge act more than once and the brand is tarnished. I don't care how many tickets you sell on a tour. The fact that for the past 15+ years FM has been largely a nostalgia act resting on the past vs making new music is something that real fans don't take lightly. I truly wonder what he's gonna do when after this tour he is broke again and needs more money?