NEVER BREAK THE CHAIN
Fleetwood Mac-World's
Greatest
Band
**************************************************************************************** "Incarnations"
of Fleetwood Mac **************************************************************************************** History
In May 1967 Mick was fired from the
Bluesbreakers (for being too drunk to play=:-); in June, Peter
Green left the Bluesbreakers ( some sources say he was fired) and
called Mick up and asked him did he want to paly some drums in
his new band? Mick and Peter were then inrtroduced to Jeremy
Spencer who was an Elmore James fan. Peter and Mick wanted John
to play bass but John didn't want to leave the Bluesbreakers at
that point so Bob Brunning was hired instead. In August,
1967, Fleetwood Mac made its debut at the Windsor Blues and Jazz
Festival. They did quite well, getting great reviews. In
September, the group played at the Saville Theatre in London. In
November, Fleetwood Mac released its debut single, "My Time
Ain't Long". Along about this time, John McVie joined
Fleetwood Mac. Some sources say he was fired by Mayall
(Bluesbreakers), others say he left because of musical
differences. Bob Brunning left Fleetwood Mac and formed his own
band, the Sunflower Brunning Blues Band. In December, Fleetwood
Mac went on a college and club tour. 1968 brought more
success! Fleetwood Mac's debut album, Fleetwood
Mac, hit #4 on the British chart and #198 on the
American chart. In March, "Black Magic Woman" was
released as a single and charted at #37 in Britain. (Later, this
song was released in the United States by the group Santana. In
May, Fleetwood Mac toured Scandinavia. In the summer of 1968,
Fleetwood Mac toured the United States for the first time,
debuting in Detroit and then going on to California. They were
kind of amazed by the whole hippie scene in San Francisco! In
August, 1968, John McVie married the lovely Christine Perfect,
lead girl singer of the band Chicken Shack. They had met the
first time at the Windsor Music and Jazz Festival. Their second
album, Mr . Wonderful, was also released that
summer and charted at #10 in September on the British charts.
Later that year, the band toured Britain and picked up a new
guitarist named Danny Kirwan. By December the band was back in
the United States and appeared in the Miami Pop Festival, along
with Marvin Gaye, the Grateful Dead, and Three Dog Night, among
others. January 1969 found the group in Chicago, playing
with Muddy Waters, one of their idols. Fleetwood Mac also
recorded there. They returned to Britain to find
"Albatross", written by Peter Green, in the # 1
position on the British charts. This was a significant song as it
moved Fleetwood Mac out of the blues baracket and more into
mainstream rock.The album English Rose was
released in America, and Mick and Jenny Boyd moved in together,
Peter released his next single, called "Man of the
World" in April and it hit #2 on the British charts in May.
At this point the group's contract with Blue Horizon ended and
they eventually found another company. In July of 1969, Fleetwood
Mac toured the United States for the third time. In San
Francisco, the band played with Junior Walker.Three albums were
released later that year,Pious Bird of Good
Omen,Then Play On and Blues
Jams at Chess. Peter's best known song from The
Play On was "Rattlesnake Shake". In November, the
single "Oh, Well" hit #2 on the British charts. The
song reflected Peter Green's renunciation of his Jewish faith and
embracing of Christianity.
of
Fleetwood MacThe history of the band Fleetwood Mac began when
Mick Fleetwood met Peter Green and John McVie when they were all
playing in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Mick, having not
done well in school, had come to London to seek his fortune as a
drummer. Peter was born in London and grew up there. By the age
of fifteen he was playing bass with a few groups. Eric Clapton
was Peter Green's idol, and Peter went to all Eric's
performances, learning from him. He swtiched to lead guitar
because of Eric! Peter got a break in the fall of 1965: Eric left
the Bluesbreakers for awhile and Peter got to substitute for him.
Of course that only lasted as long as Clapton was absent and when
Clapton came back, Peter was out! Later, when Clapton formed the
band Cream in 1966 and left the Bluesbreakers for good, Peter
Green joined the Bluesbreakers in his place. Later, Mick was
asked to play in the band. Mick had earlier met John McVie. John
had been born in London and grew up there like Peter had. John
began playing bass at age fourteen when he and a group of friends
got guitars and tried to play Shadows songs. John decided it
would be a good idea to play bass since it was something nobody
else wanted to play. At first his family was a little skeptical
but when they saw his picture in a local newspaper they were
convinced and his dad bought him a pink Fender on credit. John
joined the Bluesbreakers in 1963. Peter, John and Mick enjoyed
playing together in the Bluesbreakers and recorded some music on
some free studio time Mayall gave Peter for his
birthday.
Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
January of 1970
found Jeremy Spencer releasing his first solo album, Jeremy
Spencer. The group played backup for Jeremy. At this
point, Peter Green began to feel a little disillusioned with the
music business and with being a rock star. He felt he wasn't
doing enough to help the world, and he started talking about
giving all his money away. The rest of the band didn't think that
was such a hot idea!! In February, the band went on a European
tour and while they were in Munich, Germany, Peter met a group of
young people who fed him bad acid and tried to persuade him to
stay with them. Peter almost did, but was convinced to stay in
the band until the end of the tour. Then Peter quit the band. His
last gig with the band was at the Bath Festival in Bath,
Somerset. In May, Peter's last song with the band, "The
Green Manalishi" was released and in June it hit #10 on the
UK charts. The song was a graphic description of the mental
terror he was going through at the time. Mick married Jenny Boyd
in June also. The band rented a house in the country called Kiln
House and they all moved there in the summer of 1970. Living
together in the one big house was Mick's idea; he thought it
would be easier to keep the band together there and easier to
rehearse and so on.There the next album was made, appropriately
called Kiln House, with the cover art done by Christine.
In August, the band toured America for three months, Jeremy
taking over the creative lead. When they came home, the lease on
Kiln House had run out, so they bought a house called Benifols
not far away from Kiln House.
In 1971, Mick and Jenny had their first child, Amy. In February, while the band was in Los Angeles on a tour, Jeremy Spencer disappeared. Jeremy had not wanted to go to Los Angeles; he said "something bad was going to happen". The band got there during an earthquake, which did not reassure Jeremy. Once the band was settled in at Hollywood Hawaiian Hotel, Jeremy "popped out for a bit" to buy newspapers and did not come back. After extensive searching, Jeremy was found. He had joined the "Children of God", a religious cult. Jeremy refused to leave the cult even though the band was in the midst of a tour. Peter Green responded to a group SOS from the band and helped them finish out the tour. In April, Judy Wong introduced the band to Bob Welch, who replaced Jeremy Spencer. The band was soon working on a new album of Welch, Kirwan and Christine McVie compositions. The album was called Future Games. It was released in September and charted at #91 in the US in November. The band toured extensively to promote it.
1972 found the band recording Bare Trees, which was released early in the year. By May, 1972, it charted at #70 on the US charts. The cover featured a photo by John McVie. The band then toured to promote it and Danny Kirwan began acting strangely. Bob Welch and Danny didn't get along too well. One night, Danny refused to go on stage and play and ended up fired from the band. Bob Weston and Dave Walker were recruited to replace him. The band returned to England to record their next album, Penguin. The idea for having penguins for a logo and this title comes from John McVie, who loves penguins.
Fleetwood Mac with Bob Welch
Early in 1973, the band recorded Penguin and released it. It charted at #49 on the US charts and was moderately successful here, but it was not popular in England. The band toured to promote it and then returned to England to record their second album of that year, Mystery to Me. The band then went on tour to promote that album and while they were on tour, Bob Weston got involved with Jenny Fleetwood. This needless to say did not go down well with Mick, so Bob was kicked out of the band! The band cut short their tour, which made Clifford Davies, their manager, mad and he threatened to start up a new Fleetwood Mac and he had the nerve to ask Bob Welch to join that band! Davis followed through on his threat and created a bogus Fleetwood Mac and took them on tour! In December, Mystery to Me charted in the US at #67.
In 1974, the band moved to Los Angeles at Bob Welch's suggestion. he thought it would be good in view of their problems with the bogus Mac, and they'd be closer to their record label, Reprise. The band toured to promote its newest album, Heroes Are Hard To Find. In December of that year, Bob Welch quit the band and went on to form his own band, Paris. That meant Mick was out looking for a new guitarist. When he had first come to LA, Mick had been checking out a place to record and found a place called Sound City, and met the producer, Keith Olsen. To demonstate Sound City's capabilities, Keith Olsen played a track from an album he had produced called Buckingham Nicks. The track he played was called "Frozen Love". Mick wanted to know who the guitarist was, and was told it was Lindsey Buckingham.
A Photo From The Buckingham Nicks Concert
Lindsey Buckingham, Mick was told, was part of a duo called Buckingham Nicks, the other half of which was Lindsey's girl friend Stevie Nicks. Seems Lindsey and Stevie had come to LA to record an album on Polydor. The record hadn't done too well and they were working on a second one. When Bob quit the band, Mick knew just who he wanted: Lindsey Buckingham. He called Keith Olsen and said he was interested in having Lindsey join the band. Olsen said that he doubted Lindsey would be interested unless Stevie was asked to join, too. Mick said, fine, he wanted them both. New Years Eve, 1975, Keith Olsen told Lindsey and Stevie Mick wanted them to join the band. A dinner meeting was set up so that the old band members could meet Lindsey and Stevie. Mick was particularly concerned that Stevie and Christine hit it off. They did, and during dinner, Mick asked them if they would join the band. They did, and the best known incarnation of Fleetwood Mac was born.
Fleetwood Mac, 1975
1975 brought the release of Fleetwood Mac, the White Album, in June. The album was co produced by the band and Keith Olsen. In August, Fleetwood Mac entered the charts. Beginning in May of 1975, the band toured to support and raise interest in the album. Lindsey and Stevie, especially Stevie, were a big hit with the audiences. Because they needed some radio airplay, "Over My Head" was remixed as a single that would "sound good on car radios". This helped sell albums, and this album did better than the others had done so far. The band toured most of 1975 in support of it.
Dig Chris in the HOT PANTS!! HeHe! (and Stevie in the hip hugger jeans!)
In December, 1975, Fleetwood Mac won a gold record; it had sold a million and a half copies. Warner's had a different attitude toward the band now and were willing to give a cash advance on the next album.
The band spent most of 1976 recording Rumours. The title was John's idea, since "rumours were flying" regarding the band members. At the time Rumours was being recorded, everybody was going through some kind of trauma-John and Christine were getting divorced; Stevie and Lindsey were breaking up and Mick and Jenny's marriage was on the rocks. Probably it would have done everybody good to get away from each other. There was no thought of not going on, however. Mick decided the record should be made in a new place called Record Plant in Sausalito, and that the band should all work there together so everyone would stay focused. It was a tiny studio with not a whole lot of room for the fighting couples to stay out of each others' way. Stevie and Chris rented a condominium each in Sausalito harbor and became very close during this time, sometimes hiding in each other's condos to get away from their angry ex's. Mick and the "lads" stayed at a place "up in the hills" where it was "wild and crazy". It took over a year to make Rumours; there were little mishaps along the way like the "tape eating" recorder that they nicknamed "Jaws", the "thousand dollar cookie session", where they ate some very potent hash brownies and spaced out for the rest of the night, and that they played the tapes so much they lost the "high end" and had to redo most of them. When Rumours was finished, Chris says, "They knew it was good, " but not how good it turned out to be. After Rumours was finished the band went out and toured for seven months. Rumours sold in excess of 15,000,000 copies, spent 130 weeks on the US charts and over 400 on the UK charts. It won a Grammy for Album of the Yearand also received Favorite Band and Favorite Album awards at the fifth annual American Music Awards.
A sad note: In January 1977, Peter Green was committed to a mental hospital after he threatened accountant Clifford Adams, who was delivery Peter's royalty check.
Rumours Line 1977
When the time came to make a new album, the band rented space at Village Recorder, but they built a studio to suit their needs. It was pretty expensive. After the success of Rumours it was difficult to know what to do next. As Lindsey says, they probably couldn't have made a Rumours Two if they tried. Lindsey wanted to go in a new direction, more New Wavish. He asked Mick if he could do some recording at home and bring in the music for the band to react to. Mick agreed as long as all of them were playing on the songs. John and Chris weren't too thrilled with the idea, however. Lindsey did a lot of the recordings at home regardless. Stevie's songs were done at the studio, though and Chris's. Mick wanted to add the "village band" idea to the album after a visit to his mother's in Normandy where he heard a village band, so for one track, "Tusk", the band got the USC Marching Band to perform with them. When they got finished recording, they had too many songs for one album so Tusk was released as a double album. Tusk cost more to make than any other album they had made so far, so it was figured that the band needed to sell about five million copies to break even. The band then toured for about a year in support of Tusk in grand style, spending scads of money!! =:-)When all was done, Tusk sold about four million copies and peaked at #4 on the US charts and #1 on the UK charts. After a year of touring the band was tired and burnt out and took time off. Singles from Tusk included "Sara", "Tusk", "Sisters of the Moon" and "Think About Me".
Fleetwood Mac, Tusk, 1979
Lindsey looks happy, doesn't he??
After the long Tusk tour was over in 1980, the band took a nine month break and did other things, mostly solo recording projects. Mick went to Africa and came back with some music that he later released on an album called The Visitor. The 1980 Live Album was released. The Live Album made the UK charts and # 31 and the US charts at #14. The Live Album featured "Fireflies" and "The Farmer's Daughter" as new songs. "Fireflies" peaked at #60 on the US charts. Stevie released Bella Donna which eventually topped the US charts, and Lindsey released Law and Order which peaked at #32 on the US charts in 1981. The single "Trouble" went to #9.
Fleetwood Mac. 1980
John and Chris look happy!! Lindsey looks a tad bored....
In 1981, the band reconvened in Heronville, France at Le Chateau Studios, the "Honky" Chateau of Elton John fame, to record their next album, Mirage. Mirage was an attempt to get back into the Rumours style which the band had veered away from in Tusk. Each writer showed up with some good songs; Chris had "Hold Me", a reflection on her relationship with Dennis Wilson; Stevie had saved "Gypsy" from Bella Donna and Lindsey came with "Eyes of the World", "Empire State" and "Oh, Diane". Mirage was recorded in seven months. It was released mid-1982 and was an artistic and financial success, though not on the Rumours scale. The band did a short tour of eighteen shows to promote it in the summer of 1982, which was very successful, but people were busy with other projects and didn't want to tour longer than that. Mirage sold about five million copies and peaked at #1 on the US charts in August, 1982,having already peaked at #5 on the UK charts. Singles from Mirage included "Hold Me", "Gypsy" and "Oh, Diane". Videos having made their appearance by now, Fleetwood Mac made one for "Hold Me" and "Gypsy", easily my favorite!! of all their videos.
Back Cover to Mirage, 1982
I love this pic...
Several years went by before Fleetwood Mac made a new album. In the intervening years, the members pursued individual projects. Mick and a collection of artists known as Mick Fleetwood's Zoo produced an album called I'm Not Me in 1983; Stevie produced The Wild Heart that same year; and Christine and Lindsey released albums in 1984 - Christine McVie and Go Insane. Stevie released a third solo album, Rock a Little, in 1985. Stevie's albums sold in the millions and did very well on the charts.
In 1985, Christine was working on the sound track to Blake Edwards' film, A Fine Mess. She had been asked to record an old Elvis song, "Can't Help Falling in Love" and she enlisted Lindsey's and John's help with it. Richard Dashut was called to help produce it and Mick came along too. Four fifths of Fleetwood Mac found themselves together at a studio in August, 1985. From this gathering, which went well,came the idea to do a new album which became Tango in the Night. The album was mixed and overdubbed in Lindsey's home studio and took about eighteen months to produce. Christine contributed "Everywhere", "Little Lies" and "Isn't It Midnight" to the album and co-wrote "Mystified" and "You and I" Parts I and II with Lindsey for it. Lindsey donated some of the songs he'd been going to use on his solo album: "Caroline", "Tango in the Night", "Big Love" and "Family Man". Stevie, while all this recording was going on, was on tour for Rock a Little. Finally Stevie was able to come to the studio and she contributed "Seven Wonders", "Welcome To The Room, Sara" and "Whe I See You Again". This was a bad time for Stevie; she was addicted to cocaine and finally was forced to seek treatment. "Welcome To The Room, Sara" is about her experience at the Betty Ford Center. Tango in the Night was a big success! It was released in the spring of 1987 and sold more than eight million copies.When the time came to tour in support of Tango in the Night, Lindsey did not want to go on the road, preferring instead to work on his solo album. After some arguing back and forth, Lindsey quit the band. It was not a pleasant farewell for anyone concerned. Thus ended for the time being the most popular "incarnation" of Fleetwood Mac. Lindsey was replaced by Rick Vito and Billy Burnette, whom Mick had known from his Zoo days, and the band went on tour for Tango in the Night.
Tango in the Night, 1987
In 1988, Fleetwood Mac released a Greatest Hits album, which charted at #3 in the UK. It featured some new music by Christine and her husband, Eddy Quintela, "As Long As You Follow", and a new Stevie song, "No Questions Asked". Christine married Eddy in 1986.
In 1989, Stevie's fourth album, The Other Side of the Mirror, was released and charted at #3 in the UK and #10 in the US.
In the spring of 1990, Fleetwood Mac released Behind the Mask. Behind the M ask topped the UK chart in April 1990 and hit #16 on the US chart in May, 1990. Behind the Mask featured the line up of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Billy Burnette and Rick Vito. The band went on tour to support Behind the Mask. At the end of the tour, Stevie and Christine announced that they were leaving the band.
In the fall of 1991, Stevie Nicks released ,Timespace, a greatest hits collection, which debuted at # 16 on the UK charts and finally peaked at #30 on the US charts.
In 1992, Mick put together a band called Zoo and they released one album, Shakin' the Cage. John McVie also released a solo effort in 1992 called Gotta Band. Also that year, Lindsey released Out of the Cradle, an excellent solo work which received five stars from Rolling Stone. I became a Lindsey fan at this point! and went out and got Law and Order and Go Insane! Out of The Cradle though peaked at #128 on the US charts and didn't do that well commercially. Lindsey did his first solo tour in support of Cradle. Also released in 1992 was the box set The Chain.
Lindsey Buckingham
Out of the Cradle, 1993
Oooooooooooh.....sigh...to die for...
In 1993, President Clinton asked the "Rumours" era incarnation of Fleetwood Mac to perform at the Inaugural Ball. The members reunited for this event and sang "Don't Stop", Clinton's theme song.
Fleetwood Mac at the Inauguration, 1993
In 1994, Stevie released ,Street Angel, which peaked at #45 on the US charts and #16 on the UK charts.
In 1995, Fleetwood Mac, now comprising Mick, Dave Mason, John McVie, Christine Mc Vie and Bekka Bramlett, released Time. That summer the band, without Christine, toured with Pat Benatar, REO Speedwagon and Orleans. Time only charted in the UK at #47.
In 1996, Stevie and Lindsey sang "Twisted", a song for the soundtrack of the movie "Twister".
1997 brought great news for all of the fans of the "Rumours" era line up of Fleetwood Mac! A reunion was planned with a possible tour!! Lindsey, while working on his next solo album, to be called Gift of Screws, asked Mick to help him out on the drums, and later John and Christine got involved. Warners got wind of this and saw an opportunity. Stevie was called in and soon a special for MTV was in the works. Recording for that began in May 1997. The band decided to go on tour and an album was released called The Dance. ( The title comes from a Matisse painting). Both tour and album went much better than Mick or any of them expected and they actually enjoyed themselves! The Dance was nominated for several Grammys and Fleetwood Mac won an award in Britain. Fleetwood Mac was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Fleetwood Mac, 1998, at the Hall of Fame
1998 - we fans eagerly await the release of Lindsey's Gift of Screws and are being "enchanted" this summer at Stevie's tour to support her boxed set Enchanted which was released in April. We are hoping??(please) that there will be more Fleetwood Mac albums and tours.
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