PART 27: 2017. The history concludes here (for now).
This Caffé
Latté special tribute spans the decades since the release of the group’s debut
album in 1968, stopping off at 100 of the best tracks from its 50 years of
recorded output as a band and as soloists in chronological order.
FLEETWOOD
MAC
100
GREAT SONGS OVER 50 YEARS
The group’s history defies the
odds. There’s been several line-up changes; shifts in musical directions and
internal relations that rival those in soap operas. Throughout it all, 2
members have remained its core: Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.
The latter 2 founded Fleetwood
Mac with Peter Green, in 1967. That same year, Jeremy Spencer joined the fledgling
group’s line-up.
In 1968, Fleetwood Mac released
its debut album followed by another 2
new singles: “Black Magic Woman” and the UK #1 “Albatross”. By now, Danny
Kirwan was in the line-up. Fleetwood Mac released a series of singles and early
albums.
By 1971, Green and Spencer had
been replaced by Christine McVie (John’s wife) and Bob Welch. ‘Bare Trees’
followed in 1972, the last album to feature Kirwan. Bob Weston and Dave Walker
joined. The former was ditched before the completion of the ‘Mystery To Me’ LP later
that year. Weston was sacked prior to the group’s 1974 album, ‘Heroes Are Hard
To Find’.
When Welch quit, Fleetwood Mac asked
Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood asked him to join the band. He agreed on the
condition that his partner Stevie Nicks would also be recruited. They all
agreed. Finally, the platinum-selling line-up of Fleetwood Mac was in place;
with Buckingham and Nicks now flanking Christine McVie, Mick Fleetwood and John
McVie. The first album to feature this new combination was ‘Fleetwood Mac’ in
1975.
Follow-up album ‘Rumours’ was
recorded while all of the members dealt with the end of their relationships.
Mick’s marriage to Jenny was over. John & Christine McVie were divorced.
Buckingham and Nicks had ceased being a couple. Despite the odds, the band
created a classic LP filled with exceptional tracks. It reached #1 all over the
globe. In America, it spent a total of 31 weeks at the top. The album has sold
in excess of 40 million copies worldwide.
In 1977, former member Bob Welch
enjoyed solo success with singles from his ‘French Kiss’ album. It featured a
reworking of “Sentimental Lady”, a track he had contributed to Fleetwood Mac’s
‘Bare Trees’ and “Ebony Eyes”.
Meanwhile, Fleetwood Mac released
the highly anticipated follow-up to ‘Rumours’ in 1979, the ambitious double
album ‘Tusk’. The next year saw the release of a live album with new tracks.
‘Mirage’, issued in 1982, was a
return to form for Fleetwood Mac. By 1985, the 3 principal songwriters within
the band had issued solo albums, with Nicks attracting the most acclaim and
sales.
The group re-united to record
new album ‘Tango In The Night’, issued in 1987. This would be the final studio
LP to feature the classic ‘Rumours’ line-up. Buckingham quit the band shortly
after the LP’s release.
A compilation of the ‘Rumours’
line-up’s greatest hits was issued in 1988 and included new track “As Long As
You Follow”, written by Christine McVie and new husband Eddy Quintela.
In 1990, Fleetwood Mac released
‘Behind The Mask’ which featured Buckingham’s replacements Rick Vito and Billy
Burnette. The former quit in 1991. Hopes were high when the ‘Rumours’ line-up
reunited briefly to perform at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993.
Nicks quit that same year. The group added new members Dave Mason (ex- Traffic)
and (daughter of Delaney & Bonnie) Bekka Bramlett. This line-up recorded
the 1995 album ‘Time’.
By 1995, Mason and Bramlett were
gone while Nicks and Buckingham were back. The most successful version of the
group re-united for a live album entitled ‘The Dance’ which included some new
songs. This would be the final Fleetwood
Mac album to feature Christine McVie as a member.
Buckingham dropped a new solo
studio album in 2008 entitled ‘Gift Of Screws’ with the lead single “Did You
Miss Me”, co-written with his wife Kristen.
In 2003, a new Fleetwood Mac
album emerged, highlighted by the return of Buckingham and Nicks. It was the now
4-piece band’s first in 8 years and the first to include the latter 2 since
1987.It returned the band to the Top 10. This remains the most recent Fleetwood
Mac studio album.
Christine McVie returned to
Fleetwood Mac in 2014. She and Buckingham released a self-titled duet album 3
years later. It included cameos by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Since then,
Buckingham has not joined his bandmates on their live tour. Neil Finn (Crowded
House) and Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) replaced him.
LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM CHRISTINE McVIE
- Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
UK: #5;
USA: #17
99FEEL ABOUT YOU
Writers:
Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
100IN MY WORLD
Writer:
Lindsey Buckingham
With each update
on this site, tracks will be added to the spotify playlist- FLEETWOOD MAC Caffé
Latté selects 100 GREATEST SONGS (1968 -
2018).
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