Hobart Mercury Interview 1997
 

Hobart Mercury (Australia), August 22, 1997, Friday

HEADLINE: Fleetwood's comeback

BYLINE: GOODMAN DEAN

BODY:
They've been through chaotic years of drug addiction, conflicts and marital breakups, but somehow this veteran band has revived in a spirit of fun and friendship. DEAN GOODMAN reports from Los Angeles TWENTY years ago the members of Fleetwood Mac turned painful experiences into blockbuster success with their album Rumours.

The heady mixture eventually tore the band apart. But now the bad times are merely bittersweet memories, the quintet has reunited to release its first album in 10 years and promote it with a major concert tour.

Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, the best-known incarnation of the veteran band, started rehearsals on April 1.

Given that the band consists of two former couples and of people who have struggled with various personal and chemical demons, everything seems to have gone well so far.

"I think we all look back and laugh," said keyboardist/singer Christine McVie, 54. "So many bottles of wine have been drunk under the bridge since then _ and have flown under the bridge as well. We've all pretty much healed from those days." The last time these five released an album was in 1987 with Tango in the Night. Nicks, who had beaten a cocaine addiction the year before, was barely involved in the recording; Buckingham, still upset with Nicks over their breakup 10 years earlier, decided not to tour behind the album.

In recent years the once-mighty band had become a self-parody consisting of Fleetwood, the divorced-but-friendly McVies and some hired hands. It dissolved two years ago.

Fleetwood Mac taped three invitation-only concerts at a Warner Bros soundstage in Los Angeles in May, unveiling four new songs and revisiting chestnuts such as Rhiannon, Don't Stop and Tusk.

Fleetwood Mac: The Dance, a 90-minute concert special culled from two of those shows, premiered on MTV on August 12 and was syndicated internationally.

A companion live album, The Dance (Reprise), has been released and a world tour is scheduled to kick off late next month in Boston.

The TV special and album focus on songs from the 1975 album Fleetwood Mac, which marked the band debut of Buckingham and Nicks, and the 1977 follow-up Rumours.

The Fleetwood Mac album went to No. 3 in US charts. But about this time the McVies were divorcing, Fleetwood's wife ran off with his best friend and Nicks dumped Buckingham after seven years. Nicks later had a brief fling with Fleetwood.

All the chaos did provide some good material for Rumours. Buckingham savaged Nicks in Go Your Own Way, McVie wrote about her husband in Don't Stop and about her new beau in You Make Loving Fun, and Nicks dealt with bad relationships and cocaine in Gold Dust Woman.

Rumours won the album of the year Grammy in 1977, topped the US charts for 31 weeks, produced four top 10 singles and has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. Subsequent tours and albums cemented the group's place in rock history. But the inner turmoil never went away.

As "flag waver" for the band that he co-founded in 1967, Fleetwood, 55, always hoped his famous five would reunite. The group did sing Don't Stop for newly inaugurated President Bill Clinton in 1993 but it was an uncomfortable affair.

"The ironic thing, as with advice for lovers, (is) let go and they'll come back," Fleetwood said backstage after a taping. "I had given up on this happening, but it happened." The catalyst was a solo album Buckingham started more than a year ago.

He and Fleetwood had fallen out a few years earlier, but Fleetwood beat a drinking problem and played drums on the project. When the McVies and Nicks came aboard, a formal band reunion was the inevitable outcome.

"I just feel like there's a renewed enthusiasm for being in the band that I certainly didn't have when I left," singer/guitarist Buckingham, 49, said backstage.

"Everyone had taken some steps, growing-wise." Christine McVie, now married to musician Eddy Quintela, regards Fleetwood and her former husband, 51, like brothers and is getting along better with Nicks, 49, than ever before.

"Lindsey has really softened up in these last few years," she said.

"He's not such a tyrant as he used to be." The band is scheduled to play 40 dates in the US and may play in Europe and Australia.

Fleetwood would like the band to keep going, but Buckingham and McVie are not so sure. He has to finish his record and she had been looking forward to semi-retirement in the English countryside.

"Things are always subject to change in this band," McVie noted resignedly.

"You turn one corner and then the whole situation appears in a completely different light."

Christine is older than Mick. He was either less than 55 or she was more than 54.

This sounds like the beginning of a word problem!

Of course, sources report Mick's age differently. Although there's usually a disparity of more than a year! Michele

Years ago, most sources had Mick as being born in 1942. It wasn't until Mick wrote his book that had him being born in 1947 that I'd even thought of him not being the oldest member of Fleetwood Mac. I'm still not completely convinced that he isn't fudging his age a bit.;)

Yes, I don't believe Mick. I think someone actually had his birth certificate on Ebay once though, but I'm still skeptical.

I hate to say this, but I have thought about a "serious" interrogation of Biddy more than once. Hot lights, deprivation of food and water . . . Due to her age, I would avoid the waterboarding -- but I want the TRUTH.

At any rate, he LOOKS older than Christine. It does little good to lie about your age, when your looks can't corroborate you.

Michele

I actually believe he was born after 1942. (Who knows if he was born in 47!) He has often referred too Chris as his "big sis" and if she weren't I have a feeling she'd correct him--publicly.

I think the order of the ages goes as such: Christine, John, Stevie, Mick, Lindsey...Is that right?

I think you have it right.

Mick was born in 1947.

Gail

so Chris being the oldest?? ahhh I still think she is uber hot tho.

Stevie's not older than Mick.

Michele

Well, for those who care about such things, apparently Bob Brunning (he was born 15 days before Christine) is the oldest member across any lineup of Fleetwood Mac.


Lindsey Buckingham, Born: October 3, 1949 (1949) (age 57)

Stevie Nicks, Born: May 26, 1948 (Age 59)

Mick Fleetwood, Born: June 24, 1947 (age 59--soon to be 60)

John McVie, Born: 26 November 1945 (1945-11-26) (age 61)

Christine McVie, Born: July 12, 1943 (1943-07-12) (age 63)

Bob Brunning, 1943
David Mason, 1944
David Walker, 1945
Bob Welch, 1946
Peter Green, 1946
Bob Weston, 1947
Jeremy Spencer 1948
Rick Vito, 1949
Danny Kirwan, 1950
Billy Burnette, 1953
Bekka Bramlett, 1968

It's good to know that at least Chris isn't the oldest member of FM.:laugh:

I'm still skeptical about Mick. He certainly doesn't look 4 years younger than Chris.;):D

I think that may have something to do with his previous lifestyle :laugh:

He is younger than Chrstine though

Gail