Fleetwood Mac Fires Lindsey Buckingham

[FORD]

rollingstone.com
Fleetwood Mac Fires Lindsey Buckingham
By Andy Greene
4-09-18

Fleetwood Mac has fired Lindsey Buckingham after a disagreement over the band's upcoming tour, Rolling Stone has confirmed. The band announced Monday that Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House will replace him.

News of Buckingham's departure initially broke when former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Billy Burnette shared an April 4th tweet that has since been deleted, saying: "Breaking news: Lindsey Buckingham is out but I'm not in." Rolling Stone has confirmed Buckingham's departure, though no specific tour dates have been announced.

Fleetwood Mac issued a collective statement about the news, saying: "We are thrilled to welcome the musical talents of the caliber of Mike Campbell and Neil Finn into the Mac family. With Mike and Neil, we’ll be performing all the hits that the fans love, plus we’ll be surprising our audiences with some tracks from our historic catalogue of songs. Fleetwood Mac has always been a creative evolution. We look forward to honoring that spirit on this upcoming tour."

Mick Fleetwood added, "Fleetwood Mac has always been about an amazing collection of songs that are performed with a unique blend of talents ... We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realize that this is the right combination to go forward with in Fleetwood Mac style. We know we have something new, yet it’s got the unmistakable Mac sound."

"Two weeks ago, I received a wonderful invitation to be a part of a truly great band," Finn tells Rolling Stone in a statement. "A few days later, I was standing in a room playing music with Fleetwood Mac. It felt fresh and exciting, so many great songs, a spectacular rhythm section and two of the greatest voices ever. Best of all, we sounded good together. It was a natural fit. I can’t wait to play."

Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974 along with Stevie Nicks. He wrote and sang many of their most memorable songs, including "Go Your Own Way," "Tusk" and "Second Hand News." He left in 1987 shortly before the Tango in the Night tour (where he was replaced by Billy Burnette) and rejoined in 1996 for The Dance reunion tour. He remained active on the road with them for the next two decades. They last played full sets at Classic East and Classics West in July of last year, through they did play a brief set in January at the pre-Grammy MusiCares concert in their honor. The set ended, fittingly enough, with "Go Your Own Way."

In August of last year, Mick Fleetwood spoke to Rolling Stone about the band's next tour. "I was in Italy recently and met Stevie out there," he said. "She said to me, 'Let's sit down and really listen to some stuff that sort of almost got forgotten.' So I know she's already thinking she wants to do some things we haven't done in years. I always think that Stevie and Lindsey should do a Buckingham Nicks song in the set. And have Christine do a blues song. I hope it certainly won't be the same show as we did before. We always played nearly three hours, and we cut it back a little bit for the wear and tear, but we do over two hours. And when you got three singers, which is, like, three bands, really, to get that perfect set, it's a trip."

[FORD]

I don't see this working at all. Buckingham is the best songwriter that band ever had. Campbell is probably an appropriate replacement as far as guitar playing goes, but he's neither a singer nor a lyric writer (when he sang a few songs on later Heartbreakers albums, the vocals were like Ronnie Wood on a bad day, and the lyrics were almost Hagar level bad).

Neil Finn is obviously being drafted as a vocalist, but he doesn't seem like a good fit for that band. The last time Buckingham got fired, the band went directly to Hell in a handbasket. And that was BEFORE all the band members were past retirement age.

[Terry]

Frankly, I'm surprised the band has still been chugging along as long as they have.

I wonder if the disagreement was over money.

Whatever.

[Terry]

I don't see this working at all. Buckingham is the best songwriter that band ever had. Campbell is probably an appropriate replacement as far as guitar playing goes, but he's neither a singer nor a lyric writer (when he sang a few songs on later Heartbreakers albums, the vocals were like Ronnie Wood on a bad day, and the lyrics were almost Hagar level bad).

Neil Finn is obviously being drafted as a vocalist, but he doesn't seem like a good fit for that band. The last time Buckingham got fired, the band went directly to Hell in a handbasket. And that was BEFORE all the band members were past retirement age.

It doesn't have to work in a songwriting capacity, just a touring/performing capacity. Mostly because I don't see Fleetwood Mac having a prolific future far as songwriting goes: the interest people have in the band these days is seeing them play the hits. And even without Buckingham they have enough members of the Rumors lineup still in the band to make at least the upcoming tour viable.

[FORD]

With Mike Campbell playing guitar, I'm sure Stevie will probably want to sing "Stop Dragging My Heart Around". But it ain't going to sound the same if Neil Finn is singing Tom's parts. (not that it would sound right if Lindsey was singing that song either)

[Terry]

I think when Buckingham departed in 1987, there was a far greater stigma over the departure of a key band member than there is today: audiences have become much more used to fractions of lineups touring these days than they were 30 years ago.

[Nitro Express]

Frankly, I'm surprised the band has still been chugging along as long as they have.

I wonder if the disagreement was over money.

Whatever.

That band is way past it's sell date. Nothing like getting fired 35 years after the band was having hits. It's kind of like firing a legendary quarterback when he is in the nursing home. I guess they really can fire everyone except for Stevie Nicks. They have to have her voice or it ain't going to fly.

[Kristy]

I don't see this working at all. Buckingham is the best songwriter that band ever had.

More sexism and misogyny from a bernie brat, everybody. Steve Nicks wrote the majority of their hits and then Christine McVie.

And you fuckers complain on why you lose so much.

[Nitro Express]

Stevie Nicks was the shit. They could replace everyone but her. Anyways the whole thing was some hippie love in that managed to pop out out some catchy songs and amazingly managed to record them while being numbed to the gills with drugs and fighting over who is going to fuck who.

[Kristy]

Stevie wrote the big hits, not Lindsey. These stupid fucking sexist bernie shits are so stupid

[FORD]

"Go Your Own Way" wasn't a huge hit? "Don't Stop" wasn't a huge hit (before the Clintons ruined it) "The Chain" wasn't a huge hit??

[Nitro Express]

Stevie wrote the big hits, not Lindsey. These stupid fucking sexist bernie shits are so stupid

Lindsey played his guitar for Stevie. Got her high and fucked her. The best move he made was being her boyfriend because without her singing and lyrics he would be selling drugs and playing guitar at the dive bar.

[Grit]

I saw Fleetwood Mac in the early 2000's. Lindsey Buckingham was simply awesome with great guitar and vocals. To each is own but I would not see them without Stevie Nicks or without Lindsey Buckingham in the band.

[Terry]

Stevie Nicks was the shit. They could replace everyone but her. Anyways the whole thing was some hippie love in that managed to pop out out some catchy songs and amazingly managed to record them while being numbed to the gills with drugs and fighting over who is going to fuck who.

She definitely has the highest iconic charisma factor of the band.

I think both of the McVie's could retire from the road and ticket sales wouldn't be impacted too much.

Long as you still had Mick Fleetwood, Nicks and Buckingham. Maybe you could even go on without Mick Fleetwood.

Without any of the Rumors lineup save for Nicks, at that point you just have Stevie Nicks giving a solo performance. And I'd add there would still be plenty who would go see Stevie Nicks as a solo act. That's not the same as just putting Stevie Nicks out onstage and calling THAT Fleetwood Mac: I don't quite think that would fly.

[Nitro Express]

I always liked how Mick Fleetwood looked like a crazy man behind the drums. Well these people are old. They got to be around 70. Not everyone has the Rolling Stones genes. Most bands are shot by the time they hit 70. Sammy Hagar is still managing to do shows but that's because God hates us and wants to punish us.