The one musician Stevie Nicks wanted in Fleetwood Mac: “Please tell her that I’m looking for her”
In the band’s heyday, Fleetwood Mac’s lineup was as revolving as a spinning wheel. It would seem that if you stayed still for too long in the inner sanctity of the rock scenes of London or Los Angeles, you could find yourself in a recording studio standing across from the band and ready to harmonise. Including those members who remained at the heart of the group (such as Stevie Nicks), Fleetwood Mac featured something like 20 separate musicians throughout the 1970s and ’80s.
That’s largely due to the fact that they were all either diddling or divorcing one another, but that’s beside the point. Fleetwood Mac appeared to operate as an umbrella entity, welcoming and shutting the doors on members at will. It never really hampered their output, however, with the group having operated as one of the most saleable and worthwhile acts of their day.
The make-up of a band is absolutely essential to its success, and chemistry can be its life or death. That doesn’t mean band members have to like each other. But it does mean there needs to be some friction; some propelling force. I imagine Stevie Nicks knew this all too well as she made her way in and out of the band on a number of occasions.
Over the years, Nicks has shared her deep admiration for a range of singers who could seamlessly slip into the group. Joni Mitchell is a noted favourite for Nicks, and her ethereal vocals could undoubtedly find a place in the group. Grace Slick and Janis Joplin – another pair highlighted by Nicks – certainly had the swagger to own any room the group sat themselves down in.
But more recently, Nicks opened up about the person she would like to have in Fleetwood Mac more than any other. Perhaps it’s the shared love of witchcraft and occultism, or perhaps it’s that their star signs are perfectly matched, but Stevie Nicks has made it plain that she’s infatuated with the idea of having Lorde as part of her band’s lineup.
During a concert, Nicks talked about her admiration for the New Zealand singer, saying: “I actually don’t know her, and I wish she was here. I was hoping I would get to cross paths with her. But I think she is so very talented. Like, if she had been my age, and lived our age, she probably would have been the third girl in Fleetwood Mac. So, if you run into her, please tell her that I’m looking for her.”
And it seems like the feeling is mutual. A few years ago, Lorde made an Instagram post that read: “Ladies and gentlemen, I saw the best concert of my life last night and it was Fleetwood Mac.” She then went on to write a lengthy description of her journey to the concert, explaining how the rain was pouring down and that it was nearly impossible to get a ticket but that it had all been worth it in the end. “Stevie, how purely magical it was to see her in front of me, my crescent moon mother, in the flesh, all in black, her hair playing tricks with the light,” Lorde wrote.
Unfortunately, at that time, Nicks had no clue who Lorde was and had no idea she had attended the concert. A missed opportunity for an internet-breaking collaboration seemed all but lost. However, if the ‘Landslide’ singer has anything to do with it, soon enough, the two stars will collide.
Anticipating another meeting, Nicks later said, “I found out after I left that Lorde and her Mom and Dad were there. I want her to know I hope she comes this time. Let me buy her Mom and Dad tickets and I can meet them all.” But Lorde didn’t get the chance to take Stevie Nicks up on her offer, having embarked on a tour of her own following the release of her debut album.
Thankfully, following Nicks’ request for fans to reach out to Lorde, somebody forwarded the singer a video capture of Nick’s comments and forwarded them to Lorde in a tweet. Lorde quickly re-tweeted it, writing, “I could cry”. But despite the pair’s affection for one another, they are yet to collaborate. It seems that both Lorde and Nicks are eager to work together in the future, so who knows, maybe Lorde will end up being the “third girl” in Fleetwood Mac after all.
