Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac

Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Stevie Nicks. This was the lineup in Fleetwood Mac that everyone knows, but there was an earlier Fleetwood Mac. The three men who can be considered the “original” band are Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. The band actually went through several more lineup changes during their first few years.

However the story really does start when Lindsey and Stevie joined the band (by this time Christine Perfect had joined the band and married John to become Christine McVie).

The self-titled “Fleetwood Mac” album was the bands big turning point. With the new lineup, this release became the bands first number one album. And they were just beginning.

The next release was “Rumours”, which became the bands all time best seller. Rumours was a huge success commercially. However, the big story was that as the band was creating the Rumours album, relationships within the band were falling apart, especially Lindsey and Stevie. Also, like with so many other bands of the era, drugs were a constant presence and caused personal upheaval within the group.

Many more solid albums followed, but without as much commercial success. This is not to say that Fleetwood Mac did not remain a commercial success, they did. But the magic of Rumours never quite happened again.

Still, this is one of the greatest bands of the 70s. Every member was a huge talent. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie drove the rythms with their talents on percussion and bass. Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks wrote the music and shared the duties of lead vocal.

Christine’s smooth-as-silk alto voice is probably one of the best voices of all time in female rock. Listen to her on “Songbird” or “As Long As You Follow”, that voice is as pure as they come.

Stevie Nicks’ dark and mystical lyrics can only be described as classical.

And Lindsey’s brilliant guitar work, with his unique style, is pure genius.