Time

[thewhitewingedd]

So, we know TIME tanked really bad...I think it has sold about 34-40 thousand copies or something like that...Not what you would expect from Fleetwood Mac for sure..Anyway..I have listened to it about a million times and still I can't find one thing wrong with it, so why do you think it tanked????...

[wetcamelfood]

I agree Adam, I think "Time" is a great album too!

I think it was the lack of promotion. It seems quite clear to me that WB/Reprise will simply REFUSE to get behind and promote a FM album unless it has the BN lineup (yes, I love the BN lineup too but if "the truth be told" and if I am "entitled to my opinion" and other such disclaimers...) if the VBO ad campaign statements of the new FM album being "their first full new stuido album in 15 years" are anything to go by. It could be argued that the new ad campaign is more Rhino's doing but this is not the first time these "ignoring other lineups/members" incidents have happened and those were long before Rhino's time. JMHO though.

John

[jwd]

Like John said, I think it was partly due to the fact that it wasn't promoted very heavily. BUT I think the main reason was because the Buckingham/Nicks combo wasn't there anymore, and with that I guess the record company didn't want to spend a lot of money on a FM they didn't think would succeed, or as well as the Rumours lineup had. Time has its moments, but I personally would have picked the BTM incarnation of FM to keep "things" more viable and alive.


Joe

[chiliD]

Here are some factors I think may have contributed:

1) Lack of backing by the record company

2) They ENDED the tour BEFORE the album was released.

3) The two remaining founding members' hearts weren't into it 100%

4) Their own identity crisis. There were three different lineups between the band that toured for 18 months before the album came out and the two different lineups that recorded the album.

5) They toured on an oldies package tour (with Pat Benatar & REO Speedwagon) instead of promoting the fact that they were a full, new lineup of Fleetwood Mac. They still were doing basically a set of Rumours tunes and Dave Mason solo tunes...nothing "NEW".

6) That they hired Dave Mason as a last resort, when there were other guitarists (seemingly) available that would've better fit the bill (Todd Sharp & Walter Egan are two that come to mind first)

From the "what if" files:

What if the litigations that tore apart the friendships between Mick, John & Chris and Bob Welch weren't so animosity filled, so that Bob Welch could've come back to the band after Rick Vito had left?? A "Time" lineup of Mick, John, Billy, Bekka & Bob?

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Here are some factors I think may have contributed:

1) Lack of backing by the record company

I can't really blame them. They knew Lindsey was getting friendly aging with the band. I think they saw the proverbial writing on the wall.

2) They ENDED the tour BEFORE the album was released.

The story at the time was that they were going to tour after the holidays. I suspect that the process of working with Lindsey had already started by that time, and they wrote it off.

3) The two remaining founding members' hearts weren't into it 100%

Probably because they saw the bigger prize on the horizon. I think it ended up being a lot harder keeping that band going than they thought it was going to be. Christine clearly wanted out, Dave had issues adjusting to being a member (NOT the boss) of a band, and Bekka & Billy wanted to do a country album.

4) Their own identity crisis. There were three different lineups between the band that toured for 18 months before the album came out and the two different lineups that recorded the album.

I think I follow what you're saying, somewhat.

5) They toured on an oldies package tour (with Pat Benatar & REO Speedwagon) instead of promoting the fact that they were a full, new lineup of Fleetwood Mac. They still were doing basically a set of Rumours tunes and Dave Mason solo tunes...nothing "NEW".

Just one token new song per set, it seems. Although, if they had done two songs per set, it would've been the same new song ratio the band did on the SYW tour.

6) That they hired Dave Mason as a last resort, when there were other guitarists (seemingly) available that would've better fit the bill (Todd Sharp & Walter Egan are two that come to mind first)

I'm not sure that's necessarily true. One, when Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette are the other two fronting the band at the shows, Dave makes perfect sense. Two, Dave brought some star power, which Sharp and Egan couldn't bring. Three, I think adding Dave was on Mick's mind for a while. I asked him in 1992 at a Zoo show if they were going to add any Delaney & Bonnie songs to the set, and he said "we may add that one Dave Mason wrote...I can't think of the name, but it was written by Dave Mason."

From the "what if" files:

What if the litigations that tore apart the friendships between Mick, John & Chris and Bob Welch weren't so animosity filled, so that Bob Welch could've come back to the band after Rick Vito had left?? A "Time" lineup of Mick, John, Billy, Bekka & Bob?

What if the band parted ways with Dave Mason after the album came out and brought back Lindsey?

FWIW, here's what I assume to be the personnel for each track. When reading the liners, I assume it's the band unless something tells me otherwise. Also key is the word "additional," which tells me it's the band and an extra musician. But, yeah, it's confusing as hell.

Talkin’ To My Heart: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
Hollywood: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
Blow By Blow: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Thoma
Winds Of Change: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
I Do: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Thompson
Nothing Without You: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Lindsey
Dreamin’ The Dream: Bekka, Billy, and Christine (maybe Dave?)
Sooner Or Later: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson, Tackett
I Wonder Why: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, Christine, and Thoma
Nights In Estoril: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
I Got It In For You: Mick, John, Bekka, Billy, Dave, and Christine
All Over Again: Mick, John, Christine, Thompson
These Strange Times: Mick, John, Bekka, Lucy, Jones

[Mac Fan]

I think Time is amazing, I don't find anything wrong with it.

[chiliD]

Sure:

Live 1994/95:

Mick & John (of course!)
Billy Burnette: guitar & vocals
Bekka Bramlett: vocals, tambourine
Dave Mason: lead guitar, vocals
Steve Thoma: keyboards, vocals

Studio: (non-Christine tracks)

Mick & John (of course!)
Billy Burnette: guitar & vocals
Bekka Bramlett: vocals, tambourine
Dave Mason: lead guitar, vocals
Steve Thoma: keyboards (on a couple of tracks)

Not sure if Christine was involved in these tunes, the liner notes aren't really specific that way...doesn't sound like it though.

Studio: (Christine tracks)

Mick & John
Christine McVie: keyboards, vocals
Mike Thompson: guitars
Bekka & Billy: background vocals (probably overdubbed later)

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Studio: (non-Christine tracks)

Mick & John (of course!)
Billy Burnette: guitar & vocals
Bekka Bramlett: vocals, tambourine
Dave Mason: lead guitar, vocals
Steve Thoma: keyboards (on a couple of tracks)

Not sure if Christine was involved in these tunes, the liner notes aren't really specific that way...doesn't sound like it though.

Studio: (Christine tracks)

Mick & John
Christine McVie: keyboards, vocals
Mike Thompson: guitars
Bekka & Billy: background vocals (probably overdubbed later)

In his Q and A, Billy Burnette claims Christine was present the entire time and recorded her stuff with them (as opposed to adding vocals and keyboards separately). But my impression when I hear Time is what you have surmised. I think Christine's involvement was very much separate from the rest of the new lineup members, save John and Mick.

[Richard B]

Listening to Time after an 8 year hiatus right now. A harmless album.

[Matthew]

I made this video today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDHGLvsy61o I still love that song.

[StreetAngel95]

Originally Posted by Matthew

I made this video today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDHGLvsy61o I still love that song.

awww matt it says there are copyright issues! upload it again, i'd love to see it!

[bluefox4000]

I'll have to listen again. I loathed it when i first heard it........i'll try again

Mick

[StreetAngel95]

Originally Posted by bluefox4000

I'll have to listen again. I loathed it when i first heard it........i'll try again

Mick

i hope that you atleast like "Nights in Estoril"! That song is amazing!