Stevie Nicks has opened up about her tumultuous relationship with ex-husband and former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham, stating that she gave him “300 million chances” during their time in Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham joined the band in 1974 and remained until 1987. He later rejoined in 1996 but was ultimately fired in 2018 after his working relationship with Nicks deteriorated. He was replaced by Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Nicks revealed that her last contact with Buckingham was in 2023 at the funeral of their late bandmate Christine McVie.
Nicks reflected on how she felt relieved about cutting professional ties with Buckingham, stating that everything unfolded as it should have. She recounted that the decision happened unexpectedly one night at a MusiCares benefit concert. She kept it to herself until the ceremony concluded, bringing along a song she had worked on with LeAnn Rimes called ‘Borrowed’, which she thought they could perform beautifully together. However, she noted that Buckingham was not very kind to anyone at that time, even to Harry Styles. This led her to hear her mother’s voice questioning whether she wanted to spend the next 15 years with him, along with her pragmatic father’s voice suggesting it was time for them to divorce. Ultimately, she decided that she was done.
Despite their past, Nicks expressed her best wishes for Buckingham, hoping he lives a long life and continues making music with others. She acknowledged his status as an icon and his ability to teach others, emphasizing that he hasn’t stopped creating and can still enjoy his craft.
Earlier this year, Buckingham mentioned he would rejoin the band “in a heartbeat,” while Mick Fleetwood expressed hope for a reconciliation between Nicks and Buckingham, even without a tour planned. In early 2023, Fleetwood noted he intended to continue performing but not as Fleetwood Mac, stating, “I’d say we’re done, but then we’ve all said that before. It’s sort of unthinkable right now.”
However, Nicks reiterated in the interview that following McVie’s passing, there was no chance for any further Fleetwood Mac activity, despite recent online excitement among fans. She compared the situation to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, noting Graham Nash’s regret over not doing more as a band before David Crosby’s death in early 2023. Nicks remarked that while that sentiment is true, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had not performed as frequently as Fleetwood Mac. She felt that she and McVie had done everything they could to create a joyful environment, but it was no longer a happy place.
In other news, Nicks recently made her first appearance on Saturday Night Live in 41 years, where she performed her new single ‘The Lighthouse’ alongside her classic solo track ‘Edge Of Seventeen.’
–Silviya.Y