The artist Lindsey Buckingham thought he could never equal
It’s important to stay humble. When musicians lose their heads at the dizzying heights of their success, things get rocky. Or, things get boring as they plateau out, delivering the same quality of song over and over as they coast by at what they perceive to be the best of their abilities. That’s why idols are so important to have, as they push a person to be better, try new things and constantly strive for more in an attempt to live up to their heroes. For Lindsey Buckingham, he looks to another legendary songwriter.
However, plenty of people would look to Buckingham himself. As a vital cornerstone of Fleetwood Mac during their most successful and well-known era, the decision to bring Buckingham and Stevie Nicks into the group undeniably made them legendary. It was after the couple joined the lineup in 1975 that the band not only took off commercially, becoming one of the biggest rock outfits in history, but also penned some of its biggest and best songs.
Buckingham is the man behind plenty of them, giving the group anthem after anthem. He wrote ‘Go Your Own Way’, a track so catchy and so full of feeling that it never seems to get old. He wrote ‘The Chain’, giving it that iconic guitar riff. There are plenty more, such as ‘Big Love’, ‘Second Hand News’, ‘Tusk’, and ‘Tango In The Night’, which all came from his hand.
There is no arguing or denying that Buckingham is one of the finest songwriters in modern musical history. But he’s wise enough to know not to rest on his laurels. “If you’re any good at all, you know you can be better,” he said, providing wise words for any creative.
Looking to his heroes is a major part of that as Buckingham continues to push forward, striving to be as good as the musicians he’s always looked up to. Being just as much of a music fan as he is a music maker, he was raised up, like all musicians were, as a keen listener of the legends.
In particular, he was greatly inspired by The Beach Boys and their leader, Brian Wilson. As one of the most influential songwriters in history, Wilson is a legendary idol who’s impacted the likes of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Phil Spector and beyond. Buckingham counts himself within those ranks.
“I think of myself as a stylist, and the process of writing a song is part and parcel with putting it together in the studio,” Buckingham said of his work. It’s a process that seems to mirror Wilson’s own as he took full control of The Beach Boys, often writing, composing and producing their works, sometimes even going as far as arranging whole orchestras. He was just as much of a master in the studio as he was as a performer, which is something Buckingham clearly strives to be, too.
However, loving Wilson and being a fan of his genius seems to keep Buckingham humble, or at least keep him aiming to get better and better at his work. In an interview with Mojo, the magazine likened his song ‘Blind Love’ to the Beach Boys. In response, the Fleetwood Mac guitarist said, “I could never write a song as good as Brian Wilson.” But it’s that humble yet enamoured admiration that keeps him pushing forward, trying to reach the heights his idol did.
