Lindsey Buckingham Sues Fleetwood Mac Over Dismissal from Band

It doesn’t actually sound like he did stand his ground. He wasn’t holding out. According to him, he was ready to go on with the tour after being denied a delay and thought that’s what was happening. But they kicked him out without even a word to him about it.

 

Tango In The Night is their second best selling album with three top 20 singles in both the UK and the US. Hardly 'bad times'.

Fleetwood Mac (1975)
Rumours (1977)
Tusk (1979)
Mirage (1982)
Tango in the Night (1987)
Behind the Mask (1990)
Time (1995)
Say You Will (2003)

Out of these 8 albums there are two stinkers. Curiously the same two albums with no input or songs from Lindsey Buckingham.

 

This just may be a Seinfeld thing. Next November meant November 2018, right? No that's this November. Next November is 2019. No, the next November is the next one.

 

I don't think even a chimp with a machine gun could fix this.

 

But the article adds the 2019 to Stevie’s quote when she didn’t actually say that. She actually said “next November” but the article changes that to “November (2019)” I bet in no article do they explicitly quote Stevie saying 2019.

 

who knows what the real story is....

from where I stand though, I side with LB on this.
His wish to go forward with new music is something I respect. A LOT. Stevie obviously has no interest in this, and the band seem to cater to her wishes rather than Lindsey's. I get that they don't want to take another 18 month break at this point in their lives, but still, I think they would have done just that for Stevie if it all came down to it.

 

I don't think Lindsey ever quit. He walked away in 1987. Nobody was fired. It's a huge difference. He wasn't up for a tour with them at that time, and yeah, it should have been handled way better, but they did pick up and soldier on without him. But through the whole Burnett/Vito time, Lindsey appeared on stage with them at various concerts, took full part in The Chain boxset, and in fact contributed his performance to a song each on Behind the Mask and even Time. And, of course, the Clinton inauguration. I think it's incorrect to say he "quit" the band, though he did step away for a considerable amount of time. But the door was always open for that configuration to return, and when they did it was met with massive acceptance.

 

Such a shame that a band like Fleetwood Mac should end up in this mess. Glad i have no wish to see them. I use to be a big fan but now i just wish they would retire quietly and rest on their laurels. So many great bands end up as enemies. YES is another one. Quite sad really

 

We now know he had a tour planned for this October, November, etc so... I dunno why people keep bringing this up.

 

I don't know what to think when multi-millionaires are suing other millionaires. Lindsey and Stevie are both worth about $75m, each. Is it really about the money or is he sending a message? I'm not quite sure what that message is though.

It seems like he was doing what he wanted and the group went ahead and did what they wanted. But then again, I'm sure there are contracts involved.

 

Well I don't know that I've championed them. I've said I thought it was going to work. I also said in my perfect world I'd prefer to be seeing the band with Buckingham next February.

I did say ignore the Ellen Show appearance and wait for them to do a 20-plus-song set on stage before passing judgment.

"It's going to work" doesn't exactly mean it's the greatest live show since James Brown at the Apollo, you know.

Of course Stevie is going to be smiling because she's in control. I basically was posing the happiness question in terms of would it be the same if Lindsey were there as much baggage is there with him.

I'll again describe Lindsey as adding acetylene to the situation. That's not an original line for me, I think either Graham Nash or David Crosby used it about what happens when Y is added to the equation CSN. Acetylene provides a spark. A spark can induce passion. Passion can certainly produce good music for us fans.

But that begs the devil's advocate question ... if some of the participants think it also induces misery on their part, should they go ahead just to please the fans and fulfill contractual obligations?

 

As someone who has attended both opening shows of both tours in last week - (and someone who has seen multiple FM shows previously)

It seems like both sides have never been happier - at least FM have a setlist refresh and some fresh new energy - and Lindsey has something to prove....

There's a part of me that even thinks this is an elaborate way to get ONE MORE TOUR with everyone reunited for even more £££££ in 2020....

 

Honestly, I wouldn't put that past this bunch, but you can only go to the well so many times, plus again the clock is ticking.

I'll also repeat something I said last night. People are so focused on the damn soap opera between Lindsey and Stevie ... craven mercenary he may be, I think Mick will pull the plug if and when John is no longer able to go. He's in the background on stage but IMO he absolutely is in the forefront of the band's future.

 

That could be because most FM fans didn’t seem to know the band had still be active (see their time on the state fair circuit).

 

Great response, thank you!

But no. No one should have to be miserable. At this stage in life I absolutely refuse to endure a miserable situation. Not for my own wife. Certainly not for fans if I had any.

I just think one participant has been working this angle since before the Buck/McVie release. The whole band willfully participated sans Nicks. It showed a solidarity between the remaining members. It's no wonder Buckingham had presumed her refusal to play with him meant she would be the one leaving.

What a slap in the face that must have been when a year later you have this.

When one person wields the power in a collective... it's not really a collective.

I hope he never goes back again. I'd like to see him work with people he deeply respects and make something special... take whatever his lawyers can get out of the ingrates, live it up with his family for the remainder of his life.

 

It's difficult not to side with Lindsay on this. Whenever it's the rest of the band against 1, you would naturally feel sympathy for the 1 left out. Of course at this point, we've only heard his legal filing and I suppose the band will countersue and spell out its case more specifically. But given Stevie's comments about albums costing a lot and making very little money, and about how she'd rather just make millions from touring -- which, however, crass that sounds, she's right -- it's a little ironic that this court battle is going to cost all of them a fortune in lawyer fees.

 

He isn't asking to get back in the band. If he signed a contract and is owed money, then they should pay. If it was a small amount, maybe you let it go. 14 million? That's worth trying to get some of it.

 

I think it's just a funny strange mix for a band.

You are the Drummer and Bass Player - the band is named after you - you are the only ever-presents, and yet three principle songwriters earn more than you and thanks mostly to you gifting them spots in your band.

Mick needs money and doesn't have the earnings stream that SN and LB and CM have. He'd tour without John if it meant $$$$. This isn't art to Mick - this is commerce. Lindsey has always been the artist first.

 

Of course not, so long as Nicks is still there twirling and blorping. They're the ones stuffing the RnRHoF ballot box for her as we write.

 

You may be right. I said he's a craven mercenary. But something tells me going on without John would be a step too far even for him.

 

She will get in. There's been no greater lock in the history of the Western world.

 

The man's worth $80 million now, he doesn't need the cash. I'm sure this to him is about the two P's, principle and ... sorry I have to go there ... P.R.

 

Still, from my perspective you don't leave potential money (or opportunities) on the table simply because he's rich enough.

Every dollar is additional piece of mind for the well-being of his kids (and their kids) long after he is gone.

It's arguably a biological instinct related to propagation.

...and screw FM!

 

"Respect your contracts", perhaps. If he signed a contract guaranteeing him $12M for the tour and then got axed, he's probably entitled to a payout. And even if you have a few dozen million, $12M isn't chump change. Although even if it is, it's still a way of "keeping score".

 

what really bugs me about this is that we'll most likely never see a HD live video from the Rumours line up.
The Dance is very good, but production wise a bit dated now, sadly. Boston is a poor production compared to what it COULD and should have been, considering how (fairly) recent it is. An of course, NO Christine in Boston...

BUGS me!