Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s first and only duo album, Buckingham Nicks, has been given a fresh lease on life with its recent remastering and reissuing, more than fifty years after its initial commercial misstep rendered it a compelling enigma in rock history. RadarOnline.com explores the intricate dynamics behind its creation and the often tumultuous relationship between the two musicians.
Originally launched in September 1973, just 16 months prior to their induction into Fleetwood Mac, the album flopped, disappeared from shelves, and was never made available on CD or through legal streaming platforms.
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What Led to the Original Album’s Oblivion?
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Nicks and Buckingham released an album prior to their time with Fleetwood Mac.
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Despite the initial disappointment, the 10-track folk-rock collection achieved a sort of legendary status, marking the beginning of Nicks and Buckingham’s creative synergy that would later revolutionize Fleetwood Mac.
Nicks, now 77, expressed the complex nature of ownership over the album, which was mired in divided rights among herself, Buckingham, and producer Keith Olsen. “The stars never seemed to exactly align,” she reflected.
For Buckingham, approaching 76, the reasons for its obscurity were a puzzle. “One of Stevie’s managers has the masters in her house,” he stated in a past interview regarding their elusive original tapes. “The politics of Fleetwood Mac are strange,” he remarked, humor intertwined with a sense of urgency, “Better hurry up! That’s all I can say.”
The long wait is over as the album is now available in vinyl, CD, and digital formats, utilizing the original analog recordings.
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The duo is resurrecting their album, once deemed a commercial failure.
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“We knew what we had as a duo,” Nicks notes in the album’s new sleeve notes. “It stands the test of time.”
Buckingham concurred: “By these two kids who were pretty young to be doing that work.” Their journey began in 1966 at Menlo-Atherton High School in California’s Bay Area, where Buckingham stood out as a champion swimmer and budding guitarist, while Nicks, who had just moved from Arizona, focused on her music.
The two relocated to Los Angeles in 1971 to fully embrace their musical aspirations, with Nicks juggling waitressing jobs as Buckingham crafted his songwriting. “I believed Lindsey didn’t have to work; he should just lay on the floor and practice his guitar,” Nicks reminisced fondly.
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The Birth of ‘Rumours’
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Despite never being available on CD or digital platforms, the original album holds a unique charm.
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The album, Buckingham Nicks, was recorded at Sound City Studios along with producer Olsen. Despite featuring solid tracks like Crystal and Frozen Love, the promotional effort by Polydor fell short, leading to dismal sales and the demise of any plans for a follow-up project. Notably, a demo from their sessions called Without You eventually made it onto Fleetwood Mac’s 2013 EP, Extended Play.
Destiny intervened on New Year’s Eve 1974 when Mick Fleetwood visited Sound City for an audition. Captivated by Buckingham’s guitar solo in Frozen Love, he was compelled to invite Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac, on the condition that Nicks would also be part of the band. Just months later, this new iteration of Fleetwood Mac gave birth to a self-titled album featuring Nicks’ iconic hits such as Rhiannon and Landslide.
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‘Rumours,’ the Fleetwood Mac album, remains an iconic masterpiece in music history.
What followed was a significant chapter in music history.
Rumours (1977), recorded during the backdrop of Nicks and Buckingham’s breakup, has since sold over 40 million copies and become emblematic of its time. Despite their personal and professional challenges, Nicks has candidly shared that she offered Buckingham “more than 300 million chances.” He has likened their bond to “a marriage without the marriage papers.” However, after all these years, they have cast aside past grievances to revive the album that initiated their journey.
Reflecting on their path, Nicks mused, “If we had stayed in San Francisco, we would have still been famous, but Fleetwood Mac was our destiny.”
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