The friction between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham that went public with 1977’s Rumours has yet to cool.
“We are a cast of characters who never really belonged in the same band in the first place,” says Buckingham, 63. “But the synergy works, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the mines lie in the field this time. It wouldn’t be a band without that tension. All the same things kick in. I know what I’m supposed to do. I know whose face to get in to make things happen. All those roles are so familiar. I’m ready to pick up the dice and roll again.”
Rumours was recorded during the breakups of the band’s two couples, Nicks and Buckingham and John and Christine McVie, who left in 1998. The three carried on, along with drummer Mick Fleetwood, and will launch an arena tour April 4. Nicks will perform a solo concert Saturday at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio.
Nicks, the most commercially successful Mac spinoff, finished a two-year tour supporting her lauded In Your Dreams, co-written and co-produced in her home with Dave Stewart. Since the release of “Seeds We Sow,” Buckingham has been touring with his band and in solo acoustic mode.
It was a confidence booster that improved his singing, he says. He’s aware Nicks is returning with greater spunk after her winning streak, which could set the stage for a clash.
Her solo outing “renewed Stevie’s spirit,” he says. “I’m happy she had a couple of great years. If it means a more complex political landscape, so be it.”
Buckingham’s solo foray “has been good for him,” says Nicks, 64. “Playing (one-man shows) can’t help but give you a certain compassionate softness. It’s very different from Fleetwood Mac.”
And while she declares the “Dreams” project with Stewart “the best year of my life,” Nicks is eager to return to Mac and determined to establish harmony.
“I’m going to be very clear about what I want,” she says. “What I want is for this band to get along and have a great time. So I’m demanding that. We are going to have a great collaborative working relationship. We’re always great on stage. I don’t say that from a conceited place. We’ve been playing since 1975. We know what we’re doing up there.”
Buckingham can’t argue with that.
“The important thing is for us not to let the politics or landmines get in the way of us having a good time, especially for Stevie and me,” he says. “There’s been a subtext of competition and animosity, which is the flip side of love, for a long time. I think it’s driven both of us. Now is an appropriate time for us to acknowledge the context of our relationship and see what’s left for us to do. If this is the beginning of the last act, let’s wind up in a place that dignifies what we started.”
USA Today / Thursday, February 28, 2013
