Hard to believe

In the history of the music industry, many bands have come and gone. Some have caused a sensation overnight and have faded, leaving only a faint echo for posterity. Many have had a good long career. Very few can claim a span of forty years, often interrupted but never entirely gone from the scene. Get one for Fleetwood Mac, return for another (possibly) tumultuous US tour. With all four original members back together again, this charismatic and forever popular band returns to remind fans why they have never been forgotten.

going back a time

The story behind the incredible Fleetwood Mac dates back to 1967 in the UK, when three members of another band called the Bluesbreakers broke up to form their own band. The three of them were Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, and the band was simply called Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, to cover all the bases, so to speak. They released only one album under the same name, and their sound was still very “Bluesy” – this was the “British blues boom” era. The album did well in England, but received little attention in the US The first song to spark American interest was “Black Magic Woman”, on their third album.

The changes in the “staff” at Fleetwood Mac will make your head spin, but at first. . . Peter Green left, and Christine Perfect McVie (then John’s wife) joined as keyboardist in 1969. From then until 1975, two new members were added: Stevie Nicks on vocals and Lindsey Buckingham on guitar. Five albums were released and the five members became familiar to fans as the Fleetwood Mac band, with Stevie Nicks’ remarkable voice and style becoming a “signature sound” for the group.

Changes in attitudes

Success and fortune did what they usually do: they caused internal conflicts between the members of the band and an excessive use of alcohol and other drugs, in particular cocaine. However, the ‘backbone’ of the group somehow held its own and continued to record. Even though Stevie Nicks went off to do a solo concert on her own, and other contributing members “shut down” either temporarily or eventually, the music kept going and fans kept asking for more. While still with the band, Stevie Nicks had a hit single with “Rhiannon” from the “Fleetwood Mac” album.

The “Rumors” album was Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hit at the time and won the 1977 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Then they released “Tango at night”, which contains four successful singles and more success with the public and critics. Storms and dissension between various band members didn’t stop them from leaving the sound, though with different artists joining and then leaving, that sound eventually underwent changes. According to most of his fans, everything was fine.

The band put together and headlined their own tour during this time, and performed with other headliners such as REO Speedwagon and Pat Benatar. They were still playing sold-out gigs on their tour, and their fans weren’t disappointed. Bill Clinton’s request to perform “Don’t Stop” (his campaign theme song) at his inaugural ball in 1993 reunited the old group, but they split again for several more years.

After that appearance, things got chaotic again, but the band kept performing. They had their own successful tour and opened for other artists like Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon, and their audience never let them out of their sight. Fleetwood Mac as a band continued to split and reform, and it wasn’t until 2004 that they came together again with the release of “Say You Will”, their 15th album.

They are ready. They are established. Let’s go!

After all these years, and five years after their last big break on the music scene, Fleetwood Mac is back with us, on tour in the US with the scheduled release of a new CD/DVD entitled “Unleashed”, The band kicks off an “Unleashed” series of performances beginning March 1 at Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena. From there, fans can follow their procession from city to city and tickets are selling out. The energy, enthusiasm and sound of the “main four” – Fleetwood, McVie, Nicks and Buckingham – are sure to captivate the audience and make Fleetwood Mac tickets on stage an exciting and unforgettable experience for all.