The Story of Fleetwood Mac

Published 2024 by Mark Blake

  I've written about Fleetwood Mac before.

  After seeing them in concert and while reflecting on why I like the music I enjoy.

 A book by Mark Blake pulls back the curtain on one of the most iconic rock bands of the 1970s and 80s. I was aware that the band had its roots in the 1960s, they were founded in 1967, long before I was paying attention.

 The super-group came alive for me when my friend and next-door neighbor introduced me to the band's music. 

 Peter Green is credited in the book as the founder of the band who played lead guitar, and joined Mick Fleetwood on the drums with bass player John McVie (Mac) forming the rock and blues band. 

 It's story of hits and misses with ups and downs of trying to make a living playing music. There are lots of distractions - other opportunities, women, drinks and drugs - all play prominently in their story.

Christie Perfect, yes, that is her real name, daughter of a musician in England, met John McVie while he played in an earlier band. They married, and John's band-mates recognized a need for someone to play the keyboard. It turned out that Christie McVie was a singer and songwriter who became a key member of Fleetwood Mac.

In 1974 the band had their first album reach the top-40 in U.S. but were still working on their sound. When Mick Fleetwood found a new guitar player and song writer named Lindsey Buckingham he also added another singer and writer named Stevie Nicks.

In concert in Milwaukee. 10/28/2018 dwm

The sound you and I know as Fleetwood Mac was defined by their next album, Rumours in 1977. It's still selling!

Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and Christie McVie provided the words and music that made the band a household name.

The band would regularly move into together to nurture their creative process. That was where the distractions came in, and surprisingly to me, the band rode out situations I'd expect would break even a tight-knit group.

When I finally saw Fleetwood Mac in concert, with the childhood friend who introduced me to them, the quintet became four as they removed Buckingham from their final world tour. 

Christie McVie died in 2022, putting to rest any idea the group might pull it together for a final farewell. 

The book is separated into seven sections of history with short stories painting vivid pictures of the messiness involved in the creative process. After finishing the book, I knew I couldn't have made it in their inner-circle, but I'll always enjoy the music.

The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac - DREAMS Mark Blake, Pegasus Books, 2024.