Lindsey Buckingham’s most brutal criticism of Stevie Nicks
Fleetwood Mac are widely seen as an unstoppable force within rock and roll, but that’s not to say the ride to get there has been anywhere near smooth sailing. Like so many bands, they’ve had their fair share of bust-ups and break-ups over the years yet have managed somehow to pull through – even if the conflict resolution meant they didn’t have the same band members they started with.
Despite not being one of the namesake founders, Stevie Nicks has commandeered the frontwoman position of the band for almost half a century, with an illustrious solo career under her arm to boot. Nicks has rightfully earned her double place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but this seismic success did not come without its moments of tension and animosity from the Fleetwood Mac fraternity.
The source of this sparring came mainly from Lindsey Buckingham, Nicks’ famously boyfriend turned bandmate who spouted some more than subtle insults towards his ex over his time in the group, even though they had continued working together after their breakup. However, perhaps this was less of a professional anger than it was a personal bitterness because, after all, Buckingham and Nicks had begun their careers pre-Fleetwood Mac in a double act inventively by the name of Buckingham Nicks. Following minimal success as a pair, they both made the leap to the band that would rocket them – and even more so Nicks – to superstardom, and that’s where the problems started.
Their relationship ended at the height of Rumours, and it was pretty clear from then that they could never get back on the best of terms. This dragged all the way through to 2018 when Buckingham was fired from the band, and he subsequently let leash with a brutal character assassination of his former partner.
“I think she saw the possibility of remaking the band more in the Stevie Nicks vein,” he said. “More mellow and kind of down, giving her more chances to do the kind of talking she does onstage.”
That doesn’t seem too scathing a thing to say, surely? Well, until Buckingham went on to firmly bulldoze any glimmer of reconciliation when he tried to reason: “You could do a whole analysis on Stevie at this point in her life and what she’s allowed to happen and what she’s allowed to slip away,” he added. “Her creativity, at least for a while, it seemed like she wasn’t in touch with that.”
It’s a hilariously debatable claim, given Nicks is roundly regarded, even to this day, as one of the most ethereal and commanding presences to ever grace the stage, but still, we’ll let him get his grievances off his chest. Buckingham then moved on to some age-related digs: “Same with the level of energy she once had onstage. I think that was hard for her, seeing me jump around in an age-inappropriate way.”
At least he’s humble about it. But Buckingham’s possibly most burning criticism delved into Nicks’ personal life, as he said: “Also, she’s lonely. She’s alone. She has the people who work for her, and I’m sure she has friends, but you know.”
Whatever their issues with each other, it’s still clear that the pair formed a major influence over music in the past century and will forever be remembered as such. Whether they’ll ever be able to get back on stage together without a new war breaking out is another question, but you never know; miracles are possible – just ask Oasis.
