In 2018 there are some lessons we should have already learnt. Namely, that Fleetwood Mac doesn’t work without Lindsey Buckingham. Just as it wouldn’t work without Stevie, a farewell tour minus Lindsey would be a slap in the face to fans who long ago hopped aboard the turbulent plane ride that has been the Mac’s career.
Now for those who can put two and two together I understand you’ll be thinking, how does a 21 year old claim to love/know so much about a band that rose to prominence in the late 1960s? Well, untrusting reader, I have loved Fleetwood Mac since I heard the incomparable Stevie Nicks singing Rhiannon on the radio at the tender age of 10. The lyrics, hauntingly perfect and wise, combined with the voice of Nicks, at once whispering before transitioning into raw, powerful vocals have stuck with me to this day.
In my short life I have been fortunate enough to see the Mac during the reunion tour boasting the return of keyboardist and vocalist, Christine McVie in 2015 and also Stevie Nicks on her solo tour in 2017, where she busted out a few of the band’s more popular songs.
Often referred to as the Queen of Rock n Roll, there is no one description that perfectly encapsulates Nicks and what she brings to Fleetwood Mac. On her own, she has penned the more famous numbers from the band, such as Dreams- their only number one Billboard single- Landslide, Gypsy and Sara. Yet, perhaps the most amazing thing about Nicks is that at the age of 69, she still sounds like the same girl who first fronted the new look Mac in 1975.
As the lead singer, Nicks is often credited as the star power that shot Fleetwood Mac from the depths of despair, to the promise land of rock n roll music. To wholeheartedly believe this would be a faux pas on many accounts, the Mac’s success has been a team effort, a melding of creative genius that results in perfection.
Imagine removing any one member from Abba, it wouldn’t work, same goes for the Mac. Despite changing their line up more times than eating hot dinners throughout the years, to remove one member is to lose the essence of the band.
Without Mick Fleetwood we wouldn’t have the opening drum sequence to Dreams that allows the listener to be entirely immersed in the song before Nicks’ lyrics are heard. Removing Christine from the band would rob the world of Little Lies, just like leaving John McVie behind would have taken bass guitar out of every Mac song. Removing any one person from Fleetwood Mac removes pieces of brilliance from a band that has withstood the test of time.
Buckingham is Nicks’ muse. As much as their relationship has been plagued by volatility, she depends on him to fine tune her lyrics, compose the right music for her songs and fuel her onstage persona.
Removing members from the band and replacing them with other famous guitarists and or singers has failed in the past. The mere fact that two new guitarists have been hired to fill Lindsey’s spot is a testament to the talent of Buckingham and speaks further to the fact that in the context of the band, he is irreplaceable.
After seeing the way Buckingham and Nicks acted towards each other during their Australia tour, an air of undeniable chemistry was evident. Due to my age, I was unaware of the complexities that existed in the relationship between the two.
Buckingham was jealous of Nick’s career and her label as the frontwoman of a band she had only been asked to join because Mick wanted Lindsey. There were fights- verbal and physical, make ups, break ups, silent treatments and long periods of hostility. Yet the power of the music kept them together.
Fleetwood Mac is a band with a rich history that encompasses both the good and the bad. When one conjures up images of the band, Stevie is there shaking her tambourine and Lindsey is not far behind her, looking at her adoringly as he screams the lyrics to the Chain while playing a flawless guitar riff.
Fans lived through the drug phase that was Tusk, they supported Stevie in her solo endeavours, they took the bittersweet album that was Rumours in their stride, yet still they filled stadiums to hear the once in a lifetime musical combination that is Fleetwood Mac.
As great musician after great musician departs this world, the Mac should relish the fact they are all still standing and making great music.
Being a Fleetwood Mac fan has been akin to embarking on a rollercoaster ride, but the music, the lyrics, the film clips, well it has all been worth it.
This ride truly began in 1975 when Buckingham Nicks disbanded and became apart of Fleetwood Mac. If this truly is the farewell tour, there should be no regrets, everything should be authentic and celebratory of their history. A tour where Neil Finn sings ‘you can go your own way’ into Stevie Nicks’ face, will feel both insulting and utterly fake.
A Fleetwood Mac farewell tour without Lindsey Buckingham is a tour I don’t want any part in, because at the end of the day, it isn’t really Fleetwood Mac, is it?
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