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Originally Posted by PsychCat
And this is probably the best place to ask this....
WHY was Dave Mason in? That struck me as odd enough at the time and I thought lent itself to the tour as more of a "remember us?" thing sharing a stage with the likes of Pat Benatar and REO.
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With Rick Vito and Billy Burnette out of the picture (Billy quit the band in early 1993, but came back within a year), the band needed a guitarist. They actually were accepting tapes from guitarists. Dave Mason was an old friend of Mick Fleetwood's, and was staying at Mick's place after his longtime collaborator/musical partner Jim Krueger (who wrote "We Just Disagree") died. Dave and Mick were having a conversation. Dave asked Mick how the search for a guitarist was coming. Mick said "If it gets any worse, I'll have to ask you to join my band." Dave said "So, ask me." Mick asked "Would you like to be in my band." Dave said "I'd love to be in your band."
At least that's the story I've heard. The bottom line is that Dave was a legend in his own right, and without Stevie, Lindsey, or Christine (touring), I think Mick thought Dave could add a little star power (credibility) to the band. Considering Fleetwood Mac opened for Dave when in the early days with Stevie and Lindsey, and he opened for Fleetwood Mac during a few dates on the "Mirage" tour, it's not like there hadn't been a little association already.
And, considering they added Bekka Bramlett, who's folks had a minor hit with Dave Mason's "Only You Know And I Know" and worked extensively with Mason, I think Mick felt there was an obvious association that would jump start a group chemistry. I think adding Dave to the group was in the back of Mick's mind for a while, too. When I met Mick in 1992 at a Zoo show, I asked if they were going to add any Delaney & Bonnie songs to the set and he said "We may add that song by Dave Mason. He recorded it, and then they recorded it. I can't remember the name, but it was written by Dave Mason. Bekka would know the name of the song."
As for the "Time" tours/oldies thing, I guess I'd have more of an issue with it if it weren't for the simple fact that they weren't touring in support of an album. A year earlier, they opened for Crosby, Stills, and Nash, which felt totally natural (considering Mason's affiliation with that group AND their keyboardist, Mike Finnigan, who was a member of the Dave Mason Band). Those tours were to make money and build chemistry. Which really worked, considering the whole Bekka & Billy thing.
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Originally Posted by PsychCat
And I have missed Christine's remarks about Dave Mason up until I've read references to it here. Any links or crumbs to shed light on this? Thanks!  |
Basically, on an AOL chat, she said she though that adding Dave Mason was a bit bizarre, that she didn't see how he fit into Fleetwood Mac, and that if it had been up to her, they would have added Lindsey Buckingham. Christine and Dave go WAY back, though. Pre-Chicken Shack. She was Spencer Davis' girlfriend when he "discovered" Steve Winwood. Dave Mason was a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group. Christine is close friends with Steve Winwood, and there was always a mutual dislike between Mason and Winwood, so that may have played into it. There's a lot of history, and there's a lot that we don't know. But, I KNOW that the Dave/Christine thing goes far beyond creative differences.