Celebrating 50 Years of Fleetwood Mac Recordings.
The  Story So Far (recap #5)... 

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

Mick Fleetwood and John McVie founded Fleetwood Mac. The group's name prophetically refers to the only 2 members that have survived the decades since its formation. 

Both had previously met as members of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. That band also included Peter Green who joined Fleetwood Mac in 1967. He steered the new band as its songwriter. mixing the blues with a British attitude.

 That same year, Jeremy Spencer joined the line-up.

In 1968, Fleetwood Mac released its debut album and 2 new singles: “Black Magic Woman” and the UK #1 “Albatross”. 

 

Around that time, Danny Kirwan joined.

In 1970, Green quit Fleetwood Mac. Spencer and Kirwan shared songwriting duties. The group recruited McVie's wife Christine Perfect.

In 1971, Spencer - who like Green had been suffering mental health issues due to drug use - left the band and joined a religious cult.

Kirwan and McVie shifted the group's musical direction towards a mainstream sound.

The addition of Bob Welch in 1971 moved the band even further from its psychedelic blues roots.

 

 Relations between Kirwan and Welch led to the sacking of the former. He was replaced by guitarists Bob Weston and Dave Walker in time for the 1973 album 'Penguin'.

Walker did not seem a good fit for the group so he was dumped. When it was discovered that Fleetwood's wife Jenny was involved with Weston, he too was asked to leave the band.

A bogus Fleetwood Mac was touring America, assembled by its manager Clifford Davis. The group successfully sued and began working on its next album, 'Heroes Are Hard To Find'. Released in 1974, it was the final Fleetwood Mac LP to feature Bob Welch. He left and eventually launched a solo career which produced the hits "Ebony Eyes" and a re-working of a previous Fleetwood Mac song he had written entitled "Sentimental Lady".

The group was now reduced to a trio: Mick Fleetwood and the McVies. By accident, a recording by a duo named Buckingham Nicks came to their attention. The group investigated and invited Lindsey Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac. He replied that he would only accept if they agreed to add his partner Stevie Nicks too.

The multi-platinum line-up was finally in place. In 1975, a new album was unleashed. 'Fleetwood Mac' outsold its predecessors, reaching #1 in America and hatching the hit singles "Rhiannon", "Say You Love Me" and "Over My Head".

As sessions began for a follow-up album, each of the members was undergoing breakdowns in their relationships. The marriage of Fleetwood and Jenny Boyd was over. John and Christine McVie had divorced. Buckingham and Nicks had also broken up. 

While all of this turmoil was going on, Fleetwood Mac recorded its classic album 'Rumours'. The LP went on to sell over 40 million copies worldwide. It spent 31 weeks at #1 in America. The disc hatched several hits, including the band's only US #1 single "Dreams".

Rather than follow a formula for its next project, Fleetwood Mac released 'Tusk', an ambitious double album. It included the singles "Sara" and "Tusk". 

The next years saw solo recordings from Nicks, Christine McVie and Buckingham as well as former member Welch. Each of these releases spawned hit singles.

In between, the classic 'Rumours' line-up released a live album and 1982's 'Mirage'. The final studio album by this version of Fleetwood Mac was 'Tango In The Night' in 1987.

Buckingham quit and was replaced by Rick Vito and Billy Burnette. This new line-up recorded the 1990 album 'Behind The Mask'. It performed poorly. Vito departed in 1991. The 'Rumours' team re-united briefly 2 years later to perform at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. Nicks parted ways with the band later that year, replaced by Bekka Bramlett and Dave Mason. The band released the 'Time' album in 1995. Chrisine McVie quit Fleetwood Mac after a new live disc. 'The Dance'.