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FEATURED ALBUM 8/05/04

FLEETWOOD MAC - Fleetwood Mac
Produced by Fleetwood Mac and Keith Olsen
Warners, 1975

Listen to clips from the album here

The album which re-established the band as a major commercial force and set them up for the globe-conquering triumph of Rumours, Fleetwood Mac also marked the debut of the band’s most enduring line-up.

Since the departure of founding member and creative figurehead Peter Green, Fleetwood Mac had limped through the early 70s with a succession of poorly selling albums. When incumbent guitarist BobWelch left in late 1974, he suggested to Mick Fleetwood that he relocate to LA. It was to prove a fortuitous move for the lanky drummer.

While checking out recording studios, Fleetwood heard an album by a young duo called Buckingham-Nicks. Suitably impressed by the Lindsey Buckingham’s searing guitar solos, an offer was made, but Buckingham refused to join Fleetwood Mac unless his high school sweetheart and musical partner Stevie Nicks came with him.

The pair brought with them a backlog of songs, including Nick’s ethereal Rhiannon, but they also brought their slowly disintegrating relationship which would provide much grist to the Rumours mill later.

However, there was no denying the quality of the material on offer, from Nicks’ Crystal Woman and Landslide to Buckhingham’s ‘Monday Morning’ and ‘I’m So Afraid’. Meanwhile, Christine McVie also found a fresh new voice, turning in the jaunty ‘Say You Love Me’ and ‘Sugar Daddy’ (written for husband John).

The album’s success was spurred by relentless touring, with Nicks and Buckingham providing photogenic counterpoint to the band’s resident grizzled blues-rockers. Nicks in particular became an icon of post-hippie femininity as she whirled around the stage in chiffon and lace. Eventually, 15 months after it was released, the album topped the US charts.

However, the strains of touring took their toll on the fragile relationships within the band – the McVies had begun divorce proceedings, and Buckingham and Nicks were at each other’s throats. Even Mick Fleetwood was in the process of splitting from wife Jenny Boyd.

All this heartache and recrimination would pour out on the band’s next album, Rumours, but Fleetwood Mac captures the band freshly energised and creating a template for late 70s soft rock that has rarely been bettered.

Mick Fitzsimmons