The tumultuous relationship between Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham has fueled rock 'n' roll legend for nearly half a century.
From their early days as a romantic couple to their bitter breakup and subsequent years of creative tension, the duo's famous beef has captivated fans and inspired some of the band's most iconic music.
Now, drummer Mick Fleetwood has expressed hope for a long-awaited reconciliation between the estranged bandmates in a recent interview with MOJO published on July 9.
“It's not a secret, it's not a conversation that there's a brick wall there emotionally,” Fleetwood shared. “Stevie can talk clearly about how she feels and how she doesn't feel, and so can Lindsey. But I will say, personally, I'd love to see some healing between them — and that doesn't have to come in the form of a tour, necessarily.”
Nick and Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac on New Year's Eve 1974 after performing as a duo under the name Buckingham Nicks.
Their romantic relationship ended in 1976, shortly before the band recorded their landmark album Rumors, however they continued to perform together professionally for many years. They were instrumental in creating the band's signature sound and were mainstays until 1987, when Buckingham left the group, followed by Nick in 1990.
Both returned in 1997, only for Buckingham to be sacked in 2018.
After Buckingham's departure in 2018, he claimed it was “all Stevie did”, claiming she gave the band an ultimatum that led to his firing.
Nicks denied his claims: “I didn't ask to be fired. Honestly, I shot myself. I proactively removed myself from the band and a situation I considered toxic to my well-being. i was done If the band continued without me, so be it.”
Meanwhile, the future of Fleetwood Mac was uncertain following the death of long-time member Christine McVie in November 2022.
Both Fleetwood and Nicks have stated that the band is unlikely to reunite without her. Nicks said MOJO last month, “Without Christine, it's not possible. There's no way you're going to put Fleetwood Mac back together in any way. Without her, it just couldn't work.”
“Even though I thought I could work with Lindsey again, he's had some health issues,” says Nick, referring to Buckingham's heart surgery in 2019.
“It's not for me to say, but I'm not sure if Lindsey could do the kind of tour that Fleetwood Mac does, where you go out for a year and a half. It's so demanding.”
Fleetwood reiterated that McVie's death marked the end of a Fleetwood Mac revival, saying in February last year that he had drawn “a line in the sand” about playing with the band again but would be happy if the members continued to make music in other projects.
Reflecting on the past year, he said: “It's been a strange time for me. Losing sweet Christine was devastating. And then, in my world, I'll kind of miss the band too. Me too [split] and with my partner. I just found myself licking my wounds.”
Despite the uncertainties, Buckingham expressed in February that he would return to the band “in a heartbeat” if given the chance.
Meanwhile, Nicks has been busy with her solo career and is set to headline London's BST Hyde Park on July 12, supported by the likes of Baby Queen and Nina Nesbitt. This comes after the music legend was forced to postpone a number of recent shows 'due to illness'.
