1995 studio album by Fleetwood Mac
Time is the 16th studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 10 October 1995. This album features a unique line-up for the band, featuring the addition of country vocalist Bekka Bramlett (daughter of Delaney and Bonnie) and former Traffic guitarist Dave Mason. It was the second album released after the departure of Lindsey Buckingham in 1987 (although he makes an appearance as a backing vocalist on one track), and the only Fleetwood Mac album since 1974's Heroes Are Hard to Find to not feature any contribution from Stevie Nicks. Additionally, it is the final Fleetwood Mac studio album to feature Christine McVie as an official member.
The album received unfavorable reviews from critics and was a commercial disappointment, failing to chart in the US and peaking at number 47 in the UK.
Background
Around the time of the Behind the Mask Tour, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie announced that they would no longer partake in any Fleetwood Mac tours, although both indicated that they would still be willing to work with the band on studio albums. However, Nicks decided in 1991 that she would be leaving the band entirely after Fleetwood refused to let her include "Silver Springs" on her Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks compilation album. Vito left around the same time and signed a solo recording deal with Nicks' Modern Records. Following a one-off reunion with the Rumours era lineup for Bill Clinton's Inaugural Gala, guitarist Billy Burnette, who was one of the guitarist enlisted to replace Buckingham, left to continue his solo career.[3]
In 1993, drummer Mick Fleetwood approached vocalist Bekka Bramlett, who had previously performed with Fleetwood for his spinoff project The Zoo, to join Fleetwood Mac as a full member. Around the same time, Fleetwood had invited Mason to his cottage in Malibu, California and was listening to audition tapes submitted by other guitarists. Frustrated with his inability to find a suitable guitarist, Fleetwood jokingly remarked that if his search continued to be unsuccessful, then Mason would have to join the band. Mason responded "Mick in all seriousness, I would love that".[3]
Production
The initial recording sessions began in September 1993, with intentions to complete the album in four months. However, a series of gigs and a tour with Crosby, Stills & Nash pushed the completion date further back than expected. Following the conclusion of their tour with Crosby, Stills & Nash, Fleetwood Mac returned to the studio and recorded a dozen songs in two weeks. By May 1995, the band had 19 songs to choose from, and intended to narrow the track list down to 12.[4] However, a decision was made to add a thirteenth song, "These Strange Times", when Fleetwood expressed interest in recording one of his own compositions. With the exception of Bramlett, who fought for the song's inclusion on the record, the rest of the band was either unavailable or unwilling to play on it, so Fleetwood and Bramlett performed the song themselves with John Jones.[5]
Midway through the making of the album, Burnette was asked by Fleetwood to rejoin the band. Given his relatively late arrival, he only contributed three songs for the album.[6] Some of the guitars on Christine McVie's five songs were played by session musician Michael Thompson, and his parts were added to the existing guitar tracks played by Mason and Billy Burnette.[7]
Release
With the exception of a New Year's Eve performance,[5] the band did not tour following the album's release in October 1995, but had (without Christine McVie) toured from July to December 1994, and again from April to September 1995.[8] Christine McVie explained that "touring was never my favorite thing to do" and cited insomnia and her inability to sleep in "strange beds night after night" as some of her reasons for opting not to tour.[9] Jeremy Spencer, one of the band's original guitarists, joined the group on stage for their Tokyo performance.[3] The only songs from Time to be performed at these shows were "Blow by Blow" and "Dreamin' the Dream". "All Over Again" received its first live performances on the An Evening with Fleetwood Mac tour in 2018 as a live duet between Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, with new guitarist Neil Finn playing keyboards.[10]
Within a year this band line-up had split, with Mason, Bramlett and Burnette all leaving the band. Mick Fleetwood informed Bramlett of her dismissal on a fax following an altercation on the band's tour bus.[5] Christine McVie, who had already retired from live performances, informed the band that it would also be her last album appearance. Bramlett and Burnette recorded the Bekka & Billy album together in 1997, the same year Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks rejoined Fleetwood Mac.[3]
In his 2014 autobiography, Fleetwood expressed regret in assembling this lineup and stated that "this was the one time I should not have soldiered on". He explained that he should have known the "endeavor was flawed when it became clear that Dave Mason and Bekka Bramlett did not get along whatsoever...Bekka had no time for any kind of collective, connective, band-family stuff on the road at all, and like her mum, she did not mince words. Believe me, you don't want to have Bekka Bramlett unload on you, but that is what started happening to Mason regularly."[11] Bramlett explained that she took umbrage with Mason for smoking cigars on the tour bus and sharing unsolicited secrets with her about his wives and girlfriends. She stated that their working relationship improved after a phone call with her father, who advised Bramlett to keep her temper in check when around Mason.[5]
Songs
Another version of "Blow by Blow" had featured on the Gloryland World Cup USA 94 album for the 1994 World Cup the previous year.[12] The five-piece lineup fronted by Billy Burnette, Mason and Bramlett performed it at the tournament's launch concert along with "Dreamin' the Dream", "The Chain" and "Oh Well".
"Talkin' to My Heart" was written in Nashville by Burnette prior to his second stint with Fleetwood Mac.[13] "Nothing Without You" had originally been recorded by Delaney Bramlett, the father of Bekka, on his 1975 album Giving Birth to a Song which had featured writing contributions from Billy Burnette. An additional verse written by Bekka ensured she got a writing credit. Aside from this, her only writing contribution was "Dreamin' the Dream", although Bekka confessed that Burnette wrote about 80% of the song.[5]
The album also featured a rare lead vocal from drummer/band leader Mick Fleetwood on the seven-minute spoken piece "These Strange Times", produced by Duran Duran producer John Jones and written with Beach Boys co-writer Ray Kennedy. The spoken-word piece paid tribute to Peter Green and openly alluded to his songs "Man of the World" and "The Green Manalishi". The third verse also alluded to Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" and Lindsey Buckingham's "Walk a Thin Line".
Critical reception
The album received negative reviews. AllMusic gave the album a two star review, considering it to be a drop in quality from their previous efforts.[14] It was voted number 10 in the All-Time Worst Albums Ever Made from Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[15]
