Fleetwood Mac News Round-Up: New Buckingham Interview, Nicks on ‘AHS’
Well…Lindsey Buckingham’s story of how he was ousted from Fleetwood Mac sure is interesting! Then again, should any of us expect anything less from one of the most tumultuously dramatic bands in history?
Buckingham gave an interview to Rolling Stone where he broke down how he got fired from Fleetwood Mac. Long story short: Stevie Nicks allegedly wasn’t a fan of his behavior when the band was honored at a MusiCares benefit in January, which led to a “him or me” ultimatum to the rest of the band. Manager Irving Azoff phoned Buckingham about this development to say Nicks had a problem with his “outburst just before the band’s set over the intro music — the studio recording of Nicks’ “Rhiannon” — and the way he “smirked” during Nicks’ thank-you speech.”
Of these moments, Buckingham said, “It wasn’t about it being ‘Rhiannon.’ It just undermined the impact of our entrance. That’s me being very specific about the right and wrong way to do something…The irony is that we have this standing joke that Stevie, when she talks, goes on a long time. I may or may not have smirked. But I look over and Christine and Mick are doing the waltz behind her as a joke.”
Buckingham then wrote an email to Mick Fleetwood after this phone call with Azoff under the impression Nicks was leaving the group, but when he didn’t get a response, Buckingham called Azoff back and said, “‘This feels funny. Is Stevie leaving the band, or am I getting kicked out?’” It was then Buckingham learned of Nicks’ ultimatum.
Call it a hunch, but it’s doubtful we’ve heard the last of this drama. Also, does anyone else find comfort in the fact that in a rock music landscape with few real nasty feuds, we can still count on Fleetwood Mac for a spirited row? For those looking for a silver lining in all of this, I just found it. (You’re welcome, BTW.)
On a lighter note (even though it involves an actual drama in TV form): Nicks reprised the role of herself/the White Witch on last night’s episode of American Horror Story: Apocalypse, where she sang “Gypsy.”
Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.
