The musician Mick Fleetwood called his sonic soulmate: “This ever-changing partner”
Mick Fleetwood has always had a slight air of being a master of ceremonies, the man who conducts the chaos of Fleetwood Mac in all its circus style.
In certain ways, he has to be like that. Peter Green had invited him into his brainchild of a band, being incredibly generous in attributing the name to him rather than taking all the glory. Of course, it didn’t take Fleetwood much convincing to sign his name on the dotted line, but there was one condition: he had to have his right-hand man with him.
That was the ‘Mac’ part of the equation, otherwise known as John McVie. The pair had been drunken tearaways within the ranks of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, but Green still spotted their potential when they had the space and freedom to be themselves. The trouble was, going out on a limb by starting a new band, when you already had a relatively steady source of income, was a bit of a worry.
As such, it took a bit of convincing for McVie to join Fleetwood Mac, understandably because he was concerned about the money. But as soon as he relented and agreed, it was almost as though Fleetwood could see their everlasting success written in the stars. He had his best mate by his side, and nothing else mattered.
You could see just how close Fleetwood and McVie were, and still are. But by the same token, you could also argue that their relationship extended to something far beyond just a solid friendship. They were soulmates, in every sense of the word. In music, in life, and as men, they were a pair who were made for each other.
“John McVie, who plays bass with Fleetwood Mac, is not only my best friend, he’s also my musical best friend because he’s formulated a style that accommodates this ever-changing partner in the rhythm section,” Fleetwood once said, being well-aware of his own idiosyncrasies and the situations he has put McVie up against over the years.
Yet simultaneously, it also speaks to a testament in McVie that although they may have had their moments of choice words and exchanges, he would never ultimately leave his best friend and frontman’s side. They built the ship of Fleetwood Mac together, and he would never want to let his side of the bargain down.
And certainly, joining the band was a worthwhile investment, as you could imagine, his money worries very soon dissipated after they properly got the show on the road. In many ways, they have never stopped moving and performing since then. It’s only when you pause and take stock that you realise that those early days were almost 60 years ago now.
Fleetwood Mac would be nothing without Fleetwood, but equally, it would also be nothing without McVie. They are two sides of the same coin, singing from the same hymn sheet, two peas in a pod. However you want to put it, one thing is clear – they couldn’t have gone on this raucous, rock and roll journey without each other, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
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