Stevie Nicks breaks silence on Lindsey Buckingham's bitter Fleetwood Mac exit in 2018
"It feels the time has come to shine a light on the truth"
Last updated 9th Sep 2021
Stevie Nicks has issued her first detailed statement about Lindsey Buckingham’s acrimonious exit from Fleetwood Mac and has insisted she “did not have him fired.”
In April 2018, Fleetwood Mac fans were shocked when the band announced the departure of Lindsey Buckingham and unveiled his two replacements, Crowded House’s Neil Finn and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' Mike Campbell.
Six months later Lindsey claimed Stevie got him fired from Fleetwood Mac and soon slapped his former band mates with a lawsuit claiming he lost out on at least $12million from their sprawling 60-date North American tour. The legal proceedings were eventually settled out of court.
In a wide-ranging new interview with The Los Angeles Times to promote his new self-titled solo album, Lindsey said he was disappointed that no one stood up for him when Stevie allegedly gave Fleetwood Mac the “it’s me or him” ultimatum.
“It would be like a scenario where Mick Jagger says, ‘Either Keith (Richards) goes or I go,’” Lindsey said. “No, neither one of you can go. But I guess the singer has to stay. The figurehead has to stay.”
Lindsey went on to say that Stevie wanted to “cut herself loose” from sharing the stage with him, explaining: “I think she saw the possibility of remaking the band more in the Stevie Nicks vein. More mellow and kind of down, giving her more chances to do the kind of talking she does onstage.”
In a statement issued via her publicist to The LA Times, Stevie Nicks slammed Lindsey’s claims as “revisionist history.”
“His version of events is factually inaccurate and while I’ve never spoken publicly on the matter, certainly it feels the time has come to shine a light on the truth,” Nicks says.
“To be exceedingly clear, I did not have him fired, I did not ask for him to be fired, I did not demand he be fired. Frankly, I fired myself. I proactively removed myself from the band and a situation I considered to be toxic to my wellbeing. I was done. If the band went on without me, so be it.
“And after many lengthy group discussions, Fleetwood Mac, a band whose legacy is rooted in evolution and change, found a new path forward with two hugely talented new members.”
Alongside Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac manager Irving Azoff also hit back at Lindsey to the LA Times.
During the chat, Lindsey said Irving Azoff “threw me under the bus” with regards to the alleged firing, and claimed, “Irving doesn’t need the money, but he’s still driven by the money.”
In response, Irving Azoff said: “I have historically declined comment on artists, but in the case of Lindsey Buckingham, I will make an exception.
“In speaking with Stevie, her account of events are factual and truthful. While I understand it’s challenging for Lindsey to accept his own role in these matters and far easier to blame a manager, the fact remains that his actions alone are responsible for what transpired.
“Frankly, if I can be accused of anything it’s perhaps holding things together longer than I should have. After 2018 when Fleetwood Mac evolved with their new lineup, my continued work with the band was due entirely to the fact I’ve been aligned with Stevie Nicks in thought and purpose from the earliest of days.
“While financial gain was not a motivator for me, it was a delightful bonus that the band scored their highest grossing tour ever without Lindsey.”
Featuring the singles ‘On The Wrong Side’ and ‘I Don’t Mind’, Lindsey Buckingham’s new solo album, ‘Lindsey Buckingham’, is released on Friday 17th September 2021.
Lindsey then plays his first ever solo dates in the UK in May 2022 taking in Glasgow, Liverpool and London. Tickets to Glasgow are still on sale from Planet Rock Tickets now.
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Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
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