Testing artistic expression: revisiting the odd early Fleetwood Mac album covers
When we think of the legacy of Fleetwood Mac today, it’s usually surrounded by the tumultuous period that categorised Rumours. After the introduction of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, the band found exactly what they had been reaching for in the years prior, with many finally taking them seriously as genuine industry game-changers. Before that, however, they toyed with different creative identities before establishing one that fit.
Before achieving a significant breakthrough in 1975, Fleetwood Mac’s success had been relatively modest, with much of their appeal centring around their ability to blend folk and rock in a way that felt completely contemporary. While most of their achievements today are condensed into the handful of releases that involved Nicks and Buckingham, there’s no denying the gems that lurk within the lesser-known corners of their discography, when the lineup comprised a rotation of only Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Peter Green, and Jeremy Spencer.
For instance, the immediate grip of Mystery to Me‘s ‘Emerald Eyes’ or even the earlier Beatles-esque Mr Wonderful’s ‘If You Be My Baby’ feel entirely integral to the broader Fleetwood Mac story, proving a band that was always destined to make it in some capacity, they just needed to establish a hard-hitting, well-rounded sound before they would gain widespread appeal. In the beginning, however, although they were no doubt highly seasoned musicians, a lot of their approach felt more like a game of testing the waters to see what stuck.
Between the late 1960s and shortly after Green’s departure, the band’s visual identity seemed largely shaped by Fleetwood, who took the reins in designing their album covers to reflect the aesthetic he felt best suited them. While the first record was relatively plain, this approach became more pronounced on Mr Wonderful and the compilation album English Rose.
These playful elements remained throughout their discography but evolved into more sophisticated artistic expressions, moving away from the straightforward, tongue-in-cheek style Fleetwood initially favoured. Both album covers feature Fleetwood on the front—Mr Wonderful depicts him shirtless, wearing a large black hat, with a nearly unnoticeable doll in the bottom right corner. English Rose takes this playful approach even further, showing Fleetwood in drag while making a funny face.
Although completely suited considering the context of the band’s career at this particular juncture, these almost seem entirely out of place now, especially after looking at the monumental impact of records like Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and even Tusk and Tango in the Night, and how their popularity eventually stemmed from the music and band dynamics instead, with aesthetic identity almost taking a backseat. While there’s a lot to be said about the covers for those albums, they likely could have opted for something far more mundane and still had the same impact, while Fleetwood’s earlier efforts seemed to be reaching for something more immediately captivating when things seemed far more high stakes.
Whether he intended to inject an element of shock factor is uncertain, but this identity seems far removed from the Fleetwood Mac everybody came to know and love. Perhaps it was a sign of finding their footing when success wasn’t yet guaranteed, or maybe they just knew that with the inclusion of Nicks and Buckingham, everything would work out without the need for extra visual embellishments. Whatever the reason, this early identity remains particularly interesting, especially as it also didn’t seem very connected to the sound of the music itself.
