New CBS Interview Sheds Light On Lindsey Buckingham’s Fleetwood Mac Exit
Lindsey Buckingham is out of Fleetwood Mac, a decision that we now know was made by the band as a whole.
As we reported just a few short weeks ago, Fleetwood Mac made headlines when they parted ways with longtime guitarist and lyricist Lindsey Buckingham, citing disagreements over the band’s upcoming tour. Aside from a quiet statement given to a news outlet and a brand new Facebook profile photo, there was nothing else on the band’s page; no explanations, no updates, not even an official introduction for new members Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.
That all changed when the band appeared on CBS This Morning.
Appearing as a brand new line up for the very first time, Fleetwood Mac discussed Buckingham’s departure and the future of the band with Campbell and Finn on board. While Mick Fleetwood was quick to weigh in on the band’s decision to let Buckingham go, it was Stevie Nicks who ultimately revealed why Lindsey is no longer with the band.
“We just couldn’t agree,” Nicks said simply. “When you’re in a band, it’s king. I have a solo career, and I love my solo career, and I’m the boss, absolutely. But I’m not the boss in this band.”
In a separate interview given to Rolling Stone, Nicks elaborated on Fleetwood Mac’s earlier claim that Lindsey’s departure boiled down to an issue with the band’s upcoming tour:
“We were supposed to go into rehearsal in June, and [Buckingham] wanted to put it off until November [2019],” Nicks revealed.
“That’s a long time. I just did 70 shows [on a solo tour]. As soon as I finish one thing, I dive back into another. Why would we stop? We don’t want to stop playing music. We don’t have anything else to do. This is what we do.”
There was also something else to consider when it came time to plan a brand new tour: time, and the fact that it’s not always on our side. Late last year Fleetwood Mac said goodbye to longtime friend Tom Petty, who died in October at the age of 66 after wrapping up a 40th anniversary tour with The Heartbreakers. When death hits home the way Petty’s death did, it’s a clear ultimatum to either hit the road while you still can, or run the risk of something happening and taking that chance from you.
“We need to take everyday that we have until we’re gone, and make it the best day that we can,” says Nicks. “If that can happen to Tom, then it can happen to anybody. I’m going to have the most fun I can. I’m going to stop complaining and I’m going to throw myself into all these projects, because you just never know.”
And seize the day they will. Fleetwood Mac hit the road on October 3rd for a massive North American run, beginning in Tulsa, Oklahoma and wrap up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 5th, 2019. Check out tour dates just below this article and find out if the Mac will be hitting your city!
An Evening With Fleetwood Mac North American Tour
10/3 – Tulsa, OK, BOK Center
10/6 – Chicago, IL, United Center
10/10 – Louisville, KY, KFC Yum! Center
10/12 – Lincoln, NE, Pinnacle Bank Arena
10/14 – Des Moines, IA, Wells Fargo Arena
10/16 – Indianapolis, IN, Bankers Life Fieldhouse
10/18 – Kansas City, MO, Sprint Center
10/20 – St. Louis, MO, Scottrade Center
10/22 – St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
10/26 – Cleveland, OH, Quicken Loans Arena
10/28 – Milwaukee, WI, Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center
10/30 – Detroit, MI, Little Caesars Arena
11/1 – Pittsburgh, PA, PPG Paints Arena
11/3 – Ottawa, ON, Canadian Tire Centre
11/5 – Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
11/7 – Columbus, OH, Nationwide Arena
11/10 – Edmonton, AB, Rogers Place
11/12 – Calgary, AB, Scotiabank Saddledome
11/14 – Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena
11/17 – Tacoma, WA, Tacoma Dome
11/19 – Portland, OR, Moda Center
11/21 – San Jose, CA, SAP Center at San Jose
11/23 – Sacramento, CA, Golden 1 Center
11/25 – Oakland, CA, Oracle Arena
11/28 – Phoenix, AZ, Talking Stick Resort Arena
11/30 – Las Vegas, NV, T-Mobile Arena
12/3 – Denver, CO, Pepsi Center
12/6 – Fresno, CA, Save Mart Center
12/8 – San Diego, CA, Viejas Arena
12/11 – Inglewood, CA, The Forum
12/13 – Inglewood, CA, The Forum
2/5 – Houston, TX, Toyota Center
2/7 – Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
2/9 – Austin, TX, Frank Erwin Center
2/13 – Birmingham, AL, Legacy Arena at The BJCC
2/16 – New Orleans, LA, Smoothie King Center
2/18 – Tampa, FL, Amalie Arena
2/20 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL, BB&T Center
2/22 – Columbia, SC, Colonial Life Arena
2/24 – Charlotte, NC, Spectrum Center
2/27 – Nashville, TN, Bridgestone Arena
3/3 – Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena
3/5 – Washington, DC, Capital One Arena
3/9 – Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall
3/11- New York, NY, Madison Square Garden
3/13 – Newark, NJ, Prudential Center
3/15 – Hartford, CT, XL Center
3/20 – Albany, NY, Times Union Center
3/24 – Baltimore, MD, Royal Farms Arena
3/26 – Buffalo, NY, KeyBank Center
3/31- Boston, MA, TD Garden
4/5 – Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center