Watch Mick Fleetwood Deny That Stevie Nicks Had Anything To Do With Lindsey Buckingham's Fleetwood Mac Departure

When Fleetwood Mac goes on tour later this year, it won't be with the lineup many fans expected. Specifically, Lindsey Buckingham was famously and contentiously removed from the band, and while what caused Buckingham to be involuntarily removed from the iconic group remains unclear, there are more than a few followers who believe fellow Fleetwood Mac mainstay Stevie Nicks is likely the one responsible for the guitarist's dismissal. We still haven't heard from Nicks herself yet about the matter, but Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood recently stated Ms. Nicks wasn't the one who advocated for Buckingham's removal from the legendary band. Here's what Mick Fleetwood said when the press caught up with him:

Admittedly, Mick Fleetwood doesn't look like he was in a chatty mood when TMZ caught up with him. Nevertheless, Mick Fleetwood hopefully gave some relief to fans of Stevie Nicks in letting them know that -- according to him -- she wasn't the one who ultimately pushed Lindsey Buckingham out the door. So, if he's being open, that might provide some comfort. In any case, this is not the first time Mick Fleetwood has spoken out about what happened. A few weeks earlier, Fleetwood addressed the matter by saying it was a decision the band made as a whole to kick Buckingham to the curb. The 70-year-old music veteran also claimed it wasn't "a happy situation" for Fleetwood Mac -- especially as the band has often preserved through hardships, which is what has partially defined their legacy.

In any case, Fleetwood Mac replaced the indelible Lindsey Buckingham with not one, but two, musicians, which should hopefully express how much of an impact the singer-songwriter had on the signature band. Filling in for Buckingham for the upcoming tour are Mike Campbell, formerly of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn. Both are very fine musicians, although fans would probably prefer Lindsey Buckingham to be in Fleetwood Mac's good graces again. Although Lindsey Buckingham hasn't always stuck with Fleetwood Mac, this recent removal was the first time it wasn't his choice to pack up and leave.

Meanwhile, it was only a couple weeks earlier when Lindsey Buckingham spoke out about leaving Fleetwood Mac at a campaign fundraiser for environmental attorney Mike Levin. During this rare public outing for Buckingham, one of only a very few for the songwriter since he was ex-communicated from Fleetwood Mac, he also suggested that fans shouldn't be quick to point blame solely at Stevie Nicks. In any case, we'll certainly hear more about this contentious band break-up in the months to come, particularly as Fleetwood Mac prepares for their newest tour, which begins on October 3rd in Tulsa, OK.