Mick Fleetwood on the future of Fleetwood Mac without Christine McVie: “It’s unthinkable”
The world of classic rock looked vastly different after Christine McVie passed away. While she might not have sung on iconic songs like ‘Go Your Own Way’, McVie’s way with melody became the anchor in Fleetwood Mac throughout their towering years in the ‘70s. After attending the 2023 Grammy Awards though, Mick Fleetwood thinks that her death might be the end of the line for the band as well.
When asked about the possibility of continuing Fleetwood Mac on without McVie, Fleetwood said: “I think right now, I truly think the line in the sand has been drawn with the loss of Chris.”
Then again, this isn’t the first time that the Mac has lost a key member of the band. Ever since the beginning, the band’s lineup has been elastic, with everyone from Peter Green to Bob Welch turning in time before McVie even got behind the keys.
When she did step up to the microphone, though, everyone paid attention, from the delicate soul at the beginning of ‘Songbird’ to the classic opening of ‘Don’t Stop’. That said, it’s not like the Mac hasn’t made music without Christine. For over a decade in the 2000s, McVie wasn’t a part of the touring band due to her fear of flying.
While Mick has mentioned moving on from Fleetwood Mac, he sees the optimistic side. Since guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has been a bit of a free agent for years, Fleetwood mentioned the joy in getting to do his own thing. He said: “They all get out and play, so I’m gonna be doing the same thing, finding people to play with”.
Fleetwood isn’t ruling out the prospect of working with his old bandmates, but it’s a far way off right now. He explained: “I’d say we’re done, but then we’ve all said that before. It’s sort of unthinkable right now.”
McVie did get her proper recognition at the Grammys as well, with Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt joining Fleetwood onstage for a beautiful performance of ‘Songbird’.
If there were to be a new Mac, though, it would be more of a celebration of the emotion Christine packed into every song she sang. As Fleetwood himself put it: “It was our Christine who gifted so much to millions around the world. She is being remembered Everywhere. Just as her song says, ‘I want to be with you everywhere,‘ and she is.”
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