The drama that has unfurled between Lindsey Buckingham and the remaining members of Fleetwood Mac has been speculated upon for months now. Ever since Buckingham was essentially kicked out of the band for reasons unknown to the general public, the world has been eager to know: what went down with Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac? Up until now, the only reason given was about the band's direction.
The iconic rock musician has generally kept quiet about the well-reported band break-up ever since it occurred back in April. While Lindsey Buckingham briefly discussed the separation during a campaign fundraiser for environmental attorney Mike Levin earlier this year, the singer-songwriter didn't get into any details about what happened, opting instead to offer his well wishes to the remaining members of the band.
But in the midst of performing his solo tour, Lindsey Buckingham finally provided more insight into what exactly went down during his final moments in Fleetwood Mac, and it sounds like it wasn't a very pleasant goodbye. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Buckingham claims it was Stevie Nicks who kicked him out of the band, as speculation suggested in the past, and Nicks reportedly said she "never wants to be on stage" with Lindsey again.
While Lindsey Buckingham's separation from Fleetwood Mac was announced closer to the spring, the decision was made at the top of the year in January -- or perhaps, even earlier than that. Buckingham was told the information in January, while he was at home with his wife watching the latest Grammys telecast. He got a call from their manager, Irving Azoff, who told him the unpleasant bit of news. Furthermore, Stevie Nicks was so completely at odds with Buckingham that she eventually found herself giving everyone an "ultimatum": either Lindsay had to leave, or she would leave.
Suffice to say, the chain was broken, and it sounds like Stevie Nicks had no interest in restoring the bond between the long-standing bandmates, despite their years shared together. While people getting fired from bands isn't anything new, particularly considering how Lindsey Buckingham has left the band before in the past, this news came as a bit of a bitter disappointment to Fleetwood Mac fan-- who are used to them working against their differences -- despite the pressures and hardships that come between them. After all, that internal anguish has fueled their creative fusion for decades.
This time, however, the straw broke and Stevie Nicks found herself unable to work alongside Lindsey Buckingham. And the reason is cited to be after the group performed at a MusiCares benefit show in New York City, where they were being honored for their career achievements. Nicks claimed his behavior at the event, including an "outburst" just before the band's set, caused Nicks to feel it was time to let Buckingham go from Fleetwood Mac. Ultimately, Lindsey Buckingham finds himself hurt by being let go of the group, and he believes it breaks the spell the group has created over the years.
The one thing that does bother me and breaks my heart is we spent 43 years always finding a way to rise above our personal differences and our difficulties to pursue and articulate a higher truth. That is our legacy. That is what the songs are about. This is not the way you end something like this.
Lindsey Buckingham and the remaining members of Fleetwood Mac, including Buckingham's replacements, are currently on their own individual tours. Buckingham began his solo tour on October 7th in Portland, OR, and he will next be performing at the Orpheum Theatre in L.A. on October 12th. Away from Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac began their own tour on October 3rd in Tulsa, OK. They will next be performing at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE on October 12th. Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac have gone a long way together. Now, however, they remain separated.
