Fleetwood Mac Fires Lindsey Buckingham: Crowded House’s Neil Finn, Tom Petty Guitarist Mike Campbell Join Band
As Fleetwood Mac prepares for a highly anticipated “Farewell Tour,” the band has reportedly fired Lindsey Buckingham. According to Rolling Stone, Buckingham was fired after a “disagreement” over the tour.
The esteemed music periodical posted that the first inkling that there was trouble with the band when former Buckingham replacement, Billy Burnette, shared a now-deleted tweet that said “Breaking news: Lindsey Buckingham is out but I’m not in.”
Burnette may have been hinting that he was available to reunite with the band that he, along with Rick Vito, joined when Lindsey Buckingham left in 1987. Burnette continued working with the band until 1991 and then left to work on a country album. As for Vito, the blues guitarist left in 1991, but performed as recently as 2016 with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band.
The two new Buckingham replacements are Mike Campbell, best know as the sensational Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist, and Neil Finn, who is best known for his work with Crowded House.
Campbell is no stranger to the band, especially to Stevie Nicks. He has been working with her since her first solo album, Bella Donna, playing guitar and co-writing songs with the “Stand Back” singer. His guitar playing is so exceptional that it can be assumed that he will be taking over Lindsey Buckingham’s “guitar duties.”
As for Neil Finn, there does not appear to be any obvious musical relationship between the talented Crowded House singer and songwriter and Fleetwood Mac. Yet, according to Ultimate Classic Rock, Mick Fleetwood and Neil Finn have forged a strong musical bond over the past two years.
The “Don’t Dream It’s Over” singer and Fleetwood have recently been “palling around,” in recording studios. Fleetwood has been a huge fan of the New Zealand native since the late 80s, and it can be assumed that the golden-voice Finn will be replacing Buckingham on vocals.
A clearly excited Neil Finn has already issued a statement to Rolling Stone on his joining Fleetwood Mac.
“Two weeks ago, I received a wonderful invitation to be a part of a truly great band,”A few days later, I was standing in a room playing music with Fleetwood Mac. It felt fresh and exciting, so many great songs, a spectacular rhythm section and two of the greatest voices ever. Best of all, we sounded good together. It was a natural fit. I can’t wait to play.”
It appears that the two new additions will add some fresh blood to the songs that fans have loved for decades.
#FleetwoodMac recruits Mike Campbell, longtime lead guitarist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Crowded House frontman Neil Finn for upcoming, as-yet-unannounced fall tour. https://t.co/C6DGVx1f31 pic.twitter.com/212MGQPsS9
— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) April 9, 2018
The band’s drummer, Mick Fleetwood, issued a statement about the two new replacement musicians that they are “thrilled” to include in the 2018 version of Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood promises fans that they will be performing “all the hits that the fans love.” He also promises to “surprise” fans with some lesser known gems from the band’s “historic catalogue.”
Fleetwood Mac has fired longtime member Lindsey Buckingham after a disagreement over the band’s upcoming tour https://t.co/sOwEib3Jxr pic.twitter.com/kGvu4tre1A
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) April 9, 2018
“Fleetwood Mac has always been about an amazing collection of songs that are performed with a unique blend of talents… We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realize that this is the right combination to go forward with in Fleetwood Mac style. We know we have something new, yet it’s got the unmistakable Mac sound.”
In 1974, Lindsey Buckingham was asked to join British blues band, Fleetwood Mac, after the band heard the album Buckingham Nicks, which he recorded with his then-girlfriend, Stevie Nicks.
This seemed like an unusual pairing as Fleetwood Mac was known as a blues band, and Buckingham and Nicks were definitely more soft rock, with a twinge of country.
The “Go Your Own Way” songwriter refused to join the band without Stevie. Soon, Fleetwood Mac would be kings of the “California Sound” and go to sell over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the most successful bands in rock history.
