Just after the release of "Rise And Fall " way back, when I was young, I noticed an increase in tempo from start to end. It only shows that also the best of drummers like BB can have a problem with keeping the tempo. (Please, don't shoot me).
In my long life as a musician I have had the misfortune of standing in front of audiences - having to play lead in "Foot Tapper" in an insane up-tempo or in a tempo best suited for The Mantovani String Orchestra. I have had to sing ballads tempo 200 or rock'n'roll tempo 80. It seems to be a nature of law that drummers insist they are the only ones with any knowledge of setting a tempo, and they get upset and angry, if other band members suggest a metronome for count-in. We have tried other band members for making the count-in, but the drummer took no notice and played like always!
I have also spent days in the studio, while a drummer tried to follow a metronome, and no other work could be done while this lasted. Quite expensive for a band!
In my dreams I have made an invention: Som sort of mechanical device with a nail pointing up should be put into every drummer's stool and connected to a metronome controlled by the lead singer/player. That should do the trick, but maybe I would get complaints from WWF!