[jbrownsjr]

Wow!! This is pretty much how I feel. And he nailed it.

STEREOGUM: Were those earmarked for another project? You mentioned you’ll likely have another solo album next year.

BUCKINGHAM: I did this thing with Christine last year, which was actually a really nice album. We had a ball taking it out on the road. Initially, the idea was that maybe we do a Fleetwood Mac album. She was still not in the band, but Mick and John and I had gone in with Mitchell Froom and cut some songs. So a few of the things of mine were already there, and of course when we got to that point and tried to engage Stevie in that idea, she didn’t want to do it.

STEREOGUM: Didn’t want to do an album?

BUCKINGHAM: No. And I’m the one who gets fired, right?

STEREOGUM: I read you haven’t spoken to any of them since then.

BUCKINGHAM: I haven’t spoken to any of them. Once we signed some papers a few weeks ago, I did hear from Christine in an email, as I expected to. I know Mick would probably like to, but I think he’s too embarrassed and just a little too weak-willed to do it. I won’t hear from Stevie because it was all her trip anyway. Again, I just have to forgive them because it’s really just Stevie being so needy for a certain kind of attention and maybe not wanting to compete with the vitality that I have.

STEREOGUM: Do you think you’ll ever end up back with the band?

BUCKINGHAM: Look, it’s Fleetwood Mac, anything’s possible. Maybe they’ll get it out of their system. If they ask me to come back, would I? Sure, because to me I think the lack of a proper farewell tour, if that’s what we’re doing, that doesn’t undercut, like I say, the legacy that we have so carefully built as the five of us, which they’re not doing right now. I don’t know what they’re doing. It’s a cover band kind of deal, and Stevie may be enjoying that, and that’s fine. If she is happy doing that, there is no one outcome that I think is going to be okay. The way I look at it is it’s giving me an opportunity to do some things in a more rapid-fire way with some new people who actually care about what I’m doing and not just about getting the money from Fleetwood Mac. Look, I mean it does make me question who these people are, but again, to look at it compassionately, I think it’s all coming from a lack of perspective and to some degree a certain weakness on their parts. I can’t stop loving them because of that.