Lindsey Buckingham, guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire, has left the group Fleetwood Mac, Variety has confirmed. Buckingham has been a key member of Fleetwood Mac, playing with the band from from 1975 to 1987, then, after a decade-long break, returning to the fold in 1997. Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a year later.
News of the exit was first shared by guitarist Billy Burnette, who tweeted on April 4, “Breaking news: Lindsey Buckingham is out but I’m not in.” The message was deleted a few hours after posting. Presumably, Burnette, who replaced Buckingham in the group from 1987 until it went on hiatus in 1995, was angling for a position in the band.
According to a source, Buckingham did not exit voluntarily, rather, says the insider, “He was fired.”
Buckingham was not a founding member of Fleetwood Mac, which formed in 1967, but was asked to join the group after the exit of Bob Welch in 1974. That incarnation of the band, which also included Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, went on to release one of the most successful albums of its time, 1977’s “Rumours,” which has sold more than 40 million copies and yielded such classics as “Don’t Stop” and “Go Your Own Way,” the latter written by Buckingham alone, as well as “The Chain” and “You Make Loving Fun.”
As a solo artist, Buckingham has released six studio albums. Last year, he and Christine McVie teamed for a well-received collection of original songs under the banner Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie.
Fleetwood Mac is managed by CSM and Suretone Management and booked by CAA.
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Lindsey Buckingham has parted ways with Fleetwood Mac months before they are scheduled to embark on a live tour.
In a statement, the band announced: “Lindsey Buckingham will not be performing with the band on this tour. The band wishes Lindsey all the best.”
Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham: ‘I said to Christine, ‘You can’t leave again’ Read more
It’s been revealed that Buckingham will be replaced on tour by the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell and Crowded House’s Neil Finn. “Fleetwood Mac has always been about an amazing collection of songs that are performed with a unique blend of talents,” Mick Fleetwood said. “We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realize that this is the right combination to go forward with in Fleetwood Mac style. We know we have something new, yet it’s got the unmistakable Mac sound.”
Finn said in a statement: “Two weeks ago I received a wonderful invitation to be a part of a truly great band. A few days later I was standing in a room playing music with Fleetwood Mac. It felt fresh and exciting, so many great songs, a spectacular rhythm section and two of the greatest voices ever. Best of all, we sounded good together. It was a natural fit. I can’t wait to play.”
The band’s Facebook page has since changed its profile image from one of the band to an illustrated picture.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fleetwood Mac in 1975: John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham. Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Buckingham originally joined the band in 1975 and played with them until 1987. In this incarnation, featuring Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks, they released 1977’s Rumors. The album sold over 40mcopies. Buckingham rejoined the band in 1997 and last year released a duet album with McVie.
His most recent performance with the band was during a concert in January honoring Fleetwood Mac as MusiCares Person of the Year. The Fleetwood Mac tour is to start in June. Last week, the band re-entered the US charts with Dreams after it was used in a meme.
Photo: Steven Ferdman/Getty Images
We wish we could say this is secondhand news, but … alas. Variety confirmed Lindsey Buckingham departed Fleetwood Mac ahead of the band’s upcoming international tour, leaving the lineup of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, and Stevie Nicks to perform without his virtuoso guitar and vocal skills. An hour after the original news broke, Rolling Stone additionally confirmed that Buckingham was fired “after a disagreement” about the tour, although the nature of the disagreement hasn’t been disclosed. Buckingham hasn’t commented on the firing, with the band only issuing a brief statement of confirmation: “Lindsey Buckingham will not be performing with the band on this tour. The band wishes Lindsey all the best … Fleetwood Mac has always been a creative evolution. We look forward to honoring that spirit on this upcoming tour.” The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell and Crowded House’s Neil Finn — the epitome of talent! — will be subbing in for Buckingham during the tour, but if you need to sadly listen to Rumours a few times at your cubicle for the rest of the day, we totally understand. In fact, we encourage it.
This post has been updated to reflect the additional news of Buckingham’s firing.
(CNN) Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham are cutting ties.
A representative for the band confirmed to CNN on Monday that Buckingham and the band have parted ways and that he will not be going on tour with them in the fall.
"Lindsey Buckingham will not be performing with the band on this tour," a statement read. "The band wishes Lindsey all the best."
The representative would not provide any further details as to what led to his departure. A source close to the band told CNN that the split was "over musical differences regarding the tour." A representative for Buckingham referred questions to the band.
Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974, the same year as the band's longtime lead singer, Stevie Nicks. Buckingham, who has since served as the lead guitarist for the band, wrote some of the band's most well-known songs including "Go Your Own Way," which was the lead single off the band's highly successful 1977 album, Rumours.
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