Last November, Feetwood Mac star Christine McVie passed away under strange circumstances, and now it has been discovered what happened to her. McVie suffered an “ischemic stroke,” and her death certificate also lists “atrial fibrillation” and “large atrial thrombus” as major factors in her death. A deadly three-way cocktail.
McVie wrote several of the group’s biggest hits, such as Little Lies and Songbird, and the album Rumours largely documents his split from his partner John McVie. But who are they really, this British group that is still playing all over the world today? Below, we tell you the story of a group that has been around for over fifty years and has lived through all kinds of social changes during their history.
A historic group
In the music industry, it is common to find stories of bands that form, succeed and disintegrate in the blink of an eye. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and Fleetwood Mac is one of them. With a career that spans more than five decades, this British-American band has gone through numerous ups and downs and controversies, but has managed to stay on its feet and continue to win over audiences.
Fleetwood Mac’s story begins in the mid-1960s, when drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie join the blues band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. However, it wasn’t until 1967 that Fleetwood and McVie decided to form their own band, which they named Fleetwood Mac in honor of their last names. In its early years, the band had a rather unstable lineup, with musicians constantly coming and going.
But in 1975 everything changed. The band was in Los Angeles recording their tenth studio album, when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined as guitarist and vocalist respectively. It was then that Fleetwood Mac found their definitive lineup and began to create the music that would lead them to success.
Rumours, a historic album
The album that would mark a before and after in the band’s career was Rumours, released in 1977. This album, which talked about the personal relationships and love problems of the band members, became a worldwide success and sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Songs like Dreams, Don’t Stop and Go Your Own Way became anthems for an entire generation.
However, behind this success was a storm that threatened to destroy the band. The personal relationships between the members of Fleetwood Mac were at a boiling point, with romances, heartbreaks and disagreements that were reflected in the music they were creating. In addition, drug and alcohol abuse was seriously affecting some members of the band.
In spite of everything, Fleetwood Mac managed to survive the storm and move on. In the following years, they released several successful albums, such as Tusk and Tango in the Night, and remained one of the most influential bands of the 1980s.
But controversies did not stop following them. In 1987, Lindsey Buckingham left the band in the middle of a tour, which caused a great commotion among the fans. Buckingham was frustrated by the direction the band was taking and decided to pursue a solo career, with more missteps than success but making it clear that all was not so well in the all-star band.
The storm raged, but Fleetwood Mac moved on once again, and in the 1990s released a new album, Behind the Mask, with guitarist Billy Burnette and keyboardist/vocalist Bekka Bramlett. And, although this album was not as successful as its predecessors, the band continued to tour and stay active.
Landing in the new millennium
In 1997, Lindsey Buckingham reunited with Fleetwood Mac for a tour, and in 2003, the original lineup of the band, with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan, reunited for a benefit concert. However, tensions between the band members were still present, and in 2018, Lindsey Buckingham was fired from the band for “creative differences”. The guitarist was replaced by Mike Campbell of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House.
The latest big blow for the band has come with the death of Christine McVie. But, considering that they have not stopped changing their line-up over the years, it is likely that the group will continue even when all the original members have passed away.
Because, despite all the controversies and line-up changes, Fleetwood Mac has managed to maintain its legacy as one of the most important bands in the history of music. Their influence can be seen in numerous bands today, and songs like The Chain” and Landslide are considered rock classics.
In addition, Fleetwood Mac’s music has been recognized multiple times by the music industry. In 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2018 they received the MusiCares Person of the Year award for their contribution to music and their humanitarian work. That’s not counting their Grammy awards, which number in the dozens.
Without a doubt, Fleetwood Mac has been able to adapt to changes in the industry and stay relevant over the years. His ability to create emotional and catchy music has transcended time and has reached generations of fans.
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