Neil Finn on Fleetwood Mac internal politics

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Why would you think its laughable Billy would think he would get the job? He replaced Lindsey before and knows the songs. He also was friends and worked with pretty much everyone even before joining. There had to be a reason why and I want to know. There could be some issue with Billy we don't know.
Or the band has really bad memories of the Rick/Billy era?

I agree, Billy was probably considered for replacing Lindsey. As for why he wasn’t hired, SteveMacD had a pretty good idea as to why he wasn’t chosen- he posted a picture of Billy around that time, and Billy did not look well. Between his health issues and surgeries, he looked unhealthy, even bloated. It pains me to say that, but I’m sure his looks and health were issues that may have contributed to their decision.

Despite a throwaway comment by Christine where she lumped the Billy/Ricky years with the Time lineup, I remember several interviews with both Stevie and Christine where they raved about the new guys, and I remember Casey Kasem in his top 40 countdown describing a joke the band played on John McVie where they put hay and chickens in his hotel room or something like that. And Billy and Stevie spoke about how, after they finished a show, they would still play in their hotel room together, because they enjoyed each other that much.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Why would you think its laughable Billy would think he would get the job? He replaced Lindsey before and knows the songs. He also was friends and worked with pretty much everyone even before joining. There had to be a reason why and I want to know. There could be some issue with Billy we don't know.
Or the band has really bad memories of the Rick/Billy era?

I wish it would have been Billy and Rick so that BTM stuff would for sure have been played. But my gut tells me Mick and Stevie wanted names that people would know and more people know the names Neil Finn and Mike Campbell, AND Stevie wanted to give Mike a job after Tom passed.

However, Mick and Rick only started talking to each other again in late 2019 or early 2020. In a Peter Green tribute video, Rick Vito said he and Mick had a disagreement about politics in 2016 and hadn't talked until Mick asked him to play in the Concert For Peter Green, which would have been late 19 or 2020. Rick is a Trump supporter and I think Mick is a Democrat, but he could be an intelligent Republican like Liz Cheney.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I wonder if there are old articles, interviews, where Rick or Billy told about Stevie putting the same pressure on them.

Was Stevie lucid from 87 through 1990 to even put pressure on them?

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

I have no idea how it went but I can just imagine that she had a conniption fit, issued her ultimatum, and then was like sh&t what will I do? She called Mike and said I need you to bail me out!! and gave him the big sales pitch (you need to get back out on the road, that's the best way to get over losing Tom, it'll be good for you and for me, we'll both make a ton of money, etc. I can hear it now) And he said ok I'll consider it. She told Mick Mike was in banking on Mike agreeing...and then they rehearsed and she thought, see this isn't bad at all, and the others probably thought so... and then as the tour went on and Madame wasn't so happy....I'd like to think she came to regret her fit of rage...but....

Great analysis! I think by Neil revealing all of this, he's not planning on going back to Fleetwood Mac if there is ever more concerts by that band.

[jmn3]

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

I think Neil’s going to be forced to walk back his comments with a statement saying how amazing Stevie was and such a team player who thought Mike was the best guitar player to be in Fleetwood Mac with her.

i highly doubt that. I don’t think Neil cares or has any vested interest in keeping the peace within Fleetwood Mac (which, as he stated, doesn’t even exist anymore). Whereas Mick or Christine (and even Lindsey) always kissed the Queen’s behind, Neil got his paycheck and that chapter was a one and done.

[BigAl84]

I wonder what line of BS Mick told them in order to get them to sign on the bottom line. There always seems to be a sense of disappointment that eventually surfaces.

[BigAl84]

I have to hand it to Neil. He’s more honest than anyone else involved in that lineup was willing to be.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

I have to hand it to Neil. He’s more honest than anyone else involved in that lineup was willing to be.

I’m guessing Mick or Neale Heywood let Finn know that Lindsey enjoyed NF’s music.
And he’s a gentleman for desiring to have dinner with Lindsey. Even Mike Campbell said he had the utmost respect for Lindsey’s contributions to FM. Stevie seems to be the only person who thinks Lindsey contributed nothing to FM.

[jmn3]

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

I’m guessing Mick or Neale Heywood let Finn know that Lindsey enjoyed NF’s music.
And he’s a gentleman for desiring to have dinner with Lindsey. Even Mike Campbell said he had the utmost respect for Lindsey’s contributions to FM. Stevie seems to be the only person who thinks Lindsey contributed nothing to FM.

And yet she can’t keep his name out of her mouth for ten minutes. She is obnoxious.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by jmn3

And yet she can’t keep his name out of her mouth for ten minutes. She is obnoxious.

Next week she’ll post an Instagram photo of her and Neil Finn at Capital Grille saying it was great to catch up with my best singing partner ever!

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by bwboy

, I remember several interviews with both Stevie and Christine where they raved about the new guys, and I remember Casey Kasem in his top 40 countdown describing a joke the band played on John McVie where they put hay and chickens in his hotel room or something like that. And Billy and Stevie spoke about how, after they finished a show, they would still play in their hotel room together, because they enjoyed each other that much.

Just wanted to say john was in on the chicken joke, it was played on JC who had kind of a phobia of chickens lol but this was around the Tusk tour, way before Rick and Billy's time w FM.

--Lis

[David]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

I think Mick thought there was a chance of new music with Lindsey out.

Probably so. He must have thought that Stevie could be convinced to record with Lindsey out of the picture and her old writing partner Mike Campbell working with her again.

I also think that both Mike Campbell and Neil Finn assumed they would be recording, not just touring. They both must have been disappointed that their new band wasn’t recording with them. They both keep an active recording schedule and both seem to enjoy that. If they had known beforehand that Mac was only going to tour every couple of years and nothing else, they may have had second thoughts about joining (unless the tour pay was just too compelling).

At the time, I bet Christine wanted to record again, even more so than doing these ridiculously big tours. I would venture to say that everybody in two configurations of Fleetwood Mac wanted to record, except Stevie. In that regard, she prevented a very fine recording band from doing its thing. Nice work, Stevie. And how’s that Rhiannon studio project coming along?

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

Just wanted to say john was in on the chicken joke, it was played on JC who had kind of a phobia of chickens lol but this was around the Tusk tour, way before Rick and Billy's time w FM.

--Lis

I seem to remember that from Mick's book


****someone frantically flipping through pages in a book ******
I don't know how to learn from the pages of a book.
She consults her book

[stevierocks87]

I went to the Cleveland show on the 2018 tour and was pretty much in tears the whole time, it was sad and a joke. I HATE what Stevie has done to the legacy of our favorite band, someone who I used to adore. I know that is not an uncommon sentiment here!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by stevierocks87

I went to the Cleveland show on the 2018 tour and was pretty much in tears the whole time, it was sad and a joke. I HATE what Stevie has done to the legacy of our favorite band, someone who I used to adore. I know that is not an uncommon sentiment here!

It was just a nasty power move on her part. And she's more full of herself than ever in her latter years. Ahhhh well, Christine passed and FM died.

The only hope of her killing it again is if Mick let's her.