Neil Finn on joining FM: “Stevie wanted to do it exactly the way Lindsey would have"

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by John Run

Reading Neil’s comments, I believe it only furthers what a one-off line up to fulfill touring obligations the 2018-2019 Fleetwood Mac line up was. The hardcore fans got worked up, but in the end, everyone got paid, even Lindsey, and most of the public seemingly enjoyed the product enough to buy copious amounts of tickets.

One thing that has been somewhat disproven is that Mike and Neil were ever really part of a forward looking, ongoing entity. They were brought in to do a job, and they did that job. When the job was over, their roles ended, as they had no ties to the band’s legacy. If you look at any promotion for the band’s continued repackaging and rerelease efforts, it is Mick, Stevie, and Lindsey who promote those releases through their media and interviews, and most promotional pictures at places like Apple Music and Spotify now include only the Rumours Five, and some cases just the surviving Rumours four.

What has come into more clarity now is the fact that going back to early into the timeline of the revamped touring line up, the principals were not particularly satisfied with the ongoing Fleetwood Mac product.

I will cite and source multiple examples –

CBS December 2018 – Lindsey states Christine wrote to him “I had nothing to do with any of this and I believe deep in her heart of hearts, Stevie wants you to come home.”

Uncut November 2021 -Mike Campbell is quoted as saying it is difficult to play parts that I did not create. An example is the Pre-Chorus of Dreams. It is very specific to Lindsey’s creativity and his unique touch and feel. My playing style and certainly my touch are different, and it slightly alters the timing, and it can throw Stevie off, and when I am late, do I get a stare of disappointment. Gypsy is another song that we had to change the arrangement of to fit Neil and I, and I felt Stevie never really dug what we came up with.

You Tube Kyle Meridith With March 2022 – Mike Campbell states that “I am no longer with Fleetwood Mac and I think that ship has sailed for me”

People Magazine June 2022 – Christine states that “I’d always want Lindsey back, Mike and Neil were a cheerful couple, but Lindsey was missed.”

Mojo April 2023 – Neil states “Fleetwood Mac doesn’t exist.” He goes on to state “Stevie couldn’t stand to be in a band with Lindsey anymore, but she wanted everything to be done just the way he would have done it.” Additionally, Neil is quoted as saying “Stevie put a lot of pressure on Mike to be like Lindsey.”

Why the quotes? To lay out case that this was never a fully functioning new incarnation of the band, but two founding members along with two longtime members of the most successful incarnation of the band, aligned with a manager who represented the band, and individually its biggest star, trying to get through a tour that was already booked, by adding expensive hired professionals to appease that dominant draw in the band, the only member capable of bringing arena size crowds to the seats. What was learned was the band could absolutely continue to draw crowds, and make giant amounts of money, but it was not a completely satisfying project for many of the participants.

Conveniently left out this quote from Mick, I see:

“Stevie is going out touring, Lindsey -in the past- has been touring, Neil Finn -who’s still in Fleetwood Mac, Mike Campbell…They all get out and play.”

https://youtu.be/uRxC7reECws

That being said, who cares? Why does it matter if they were full members or hired hands? What changes because of it?

Beyond maybe “Oh Well” (which he played with the Heartbreakers), it’s not as if Campbell or Finn are out there cred flexing about having been in Fleetwood Mac.