by Ana Carolina Lopes

Have you heard of Daisy Jones and The Six? Read the book? Seen the show? If you did, it all sounds and seems very familiar, right? Particularly to lovers of 60’s and 70’s music. If you look into Daisy and Billy Dunne’s relationship, superbly played by Riley Keough and Sam Claflin, you spot elements of one of the most troubled, gifted, intense and famous couples in rock and roll history.

Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham met back in the late 60’s, when they were only high schoolers. In California, of course. All the best things happen in California. Before FM, they worked together in other projects like the band Fritz (back in school) and as a duo under the name Buckingham Nicks. As the latter, their only album wasn’t a major success and they were dropped by their label, Polydor Records. They did not achieve sales expectations with that project, but they did start to make a name for themselves in the California scene as the powerful, profound, seductive rock couple.

By the time they made it big in Fleetwood Mac, by getting in as a package deal, the money wasn’t tight anymore, but the fighting was never ending. If the arguments weren’t in person, they were through song. Must be hell having to sing songs you know are about you. Stevie’s “Dreams” was an answer to Lindsey’s “Go Your Own Way”. “Never Going Back Again” was written at the high of their break up, reflecting the guitarist’s desire to not make the same mistakes again. And those are just from the chaotic and dramatic recordings of the album “Rumours”, filled with heavy drug use – mostly cocaine, crashed relationships, divorce, cheating, pain, resentment and being in the same little room for hours on end (personally, I know how that last one feels like. But that’s a story for another time). “Landslide”, from their self-titled album, contemplates Stevie’s thoughts of either going back to school or continuing professionally with Buckingham, while supporting both by taking up jobs as a waitress and a cleaner – which she hated.

When you look at those two, front of stage, you get little fires everywhere. If you were fortunate enough to witness it in person, you’re one of the lucky ones. It’s when Lindsey is strumming his guitar, ruthlessly, and Stevie takes her microphone, turns it around and stares at him, that you learn there’s clearly a history there. A long history that might never really go away. It’s when her voice becomes raspy, somewhat enraged, and his fingers slide effortlessly through his guitar while locking eyes with her, that lines like “I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain” and “Time cast a spell on you, but you won’t forget me” are immortalized. They made a decision, together, to not break the chain, to keep the group united, to deal with their issues the best way they knew how – rhythmically.

The last time Stevie, Lindsey, Christine and John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood played together was in 2018. That same year, Buckingham was fired from the group. So, it is very unlikely they will all play together again, especially with Christine, an essential band member, gone.

What they left was a fascinating body of work, lessons on how to get over that difficult relationship (not through drugs, people), on how to do things you’re not fond of, and on how to use that become of the most quintessential bands of all time. Fleetwood Mac, and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Bucking, are a great example of how disorder and pure utter mess can be transformed into acclaimed, memorable and simply legendary art.