Featured Photo by Fleetwood Mac
Story by Anna Leadingham
Fleetwood Mac is a band that is no stranger to being in the spotlight. After releasing “Rumours: Live” earlier this month on Sept. 8, the band’s album has already shot up to #4 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart.
Fleetwood’s “Rumours: Live” is composed of all unreleased recordings from a 1977 concert recording at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Producer Ken Caillat (father of Colbie Caillat) recorded the Inglewood show on August 29, 1977, using a mobile recording truck. This truck was the same truck that recorded most of the “Rumours” album. The Band’s “Rumours” earned not one, but two Grammys for Album of the Year at the 20th Grammy Awards and had seven nominations total. The album spent 31 nonconsecutive weeks on the Billboard Top 100 at #1.
There are many reasons this album could have seen a sudden resurgence. Christine McVie, vocalist and songwriter for Fleetwood Mac and ex-wife of John McVie (bassist), passed away in 2022, which shook not only fans but also the members of Fleetwood Mac. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Lindsey Buckingham said this of her passing on his Instagram post: “I feel very lucky to have known her. Though she will be deeply missed, her spirit will live on through that body of work and that legacy.”
Stevie Nicks, singer-songwriter for Fleetwood Mac, posted a handwritten note on her Instagram that included lyrics to Hiam’s 2019 song “Hallelujah” and a sweet message to her friend. “See you on the other side, My Love! Don’t forget me. Always, Stevie.”
Another thought for the resurrection of “Rumours” could be credited to Nathan Apodaca. He released a viral TikTok video of himself skateboarding while drinking a bottle of Ocean Spray Cran-raspberry and lip-singing to the album’s #1 single “Dreams.” This video was noticed by Fleetwood Mac founder and drummer Mick Fleetwood, who recreated the video and started a trend among other celebrities and fans alike.
Personally, I believe this album peaked at the charts once again for its colorful inspiration and dramatic background that would fuel timeless songs of love and heartbreak for generations to come.
When the band went into the studio to record “Rumours” in 1976, their lineup was Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks. The McVies just divorced that year. Mick Fleetwood was struggling with substance abuse and his on-again-off-again marriage to Jenny Boyd. Mick married Jenny Boyd in 1970 and divorced in 1976. Jenny had an affair with Fleetwood Mac’s ex-guitarist Bob Weston, who was fired shortly afterward. Mick and Jenny would remarry in 1977 and divorce again in 1978 when Mick and Stevie Nicks would have an affair (yes, during Mick and Jenny’s 2nd marriage). This of course caused some jealousy with ex-boyfriend and current Fleetwood Mac guitarist, Lindsey Buckingham, whom Stevie broke up with just a year earlier.
The jealousy, love, lust and heartbreak caused some of the band’s arguably greatest songs of all time and an album that would be relevant by even today’s standards. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham would go on to write songs to dig at each other which they would record in the studio and force each other to play and listen to on stage. Imagine having your ex-girlfriend force you to play guitar for the break-up songs that she wrote for you in front of an audience.
Whether it be the death of Christine McVie, TikTok or the band’s drama, it is no surprise why Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” has made it to #4 on the Billboard charts yet again, 46 years after the studio album debut in 1977.
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