More Fleetwood Mac Drama: Lindsey Buckingham Sues the Band

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Yesterday we learned that according to Buckingham he was fired from the band because of Stevie Nicks. According to the report in Rolling Stone magazine the singer said she'd never share the stage again with him after she claimed he smirked at her during her speech in January at a MusiCares benefit show at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. A few days later their manager Irving Azoff told Buckingham that he was gone. He was replaced in the band by Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell and Neil Finn of Crowded House.

Now Buckingham has filed a lawsuit for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of oral contract and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.

The lawsuit says that Buckingham asked the group to postpone their tour three months so he could so solo music and solo shows but the they refused so he decided to postpone his solo stuff for a year. The papers also say each member of the band would earn $12-$14 million each from a deal with Live Nation

Though there never was a written agreement between this, the “Rumours” version of Fleetwood Mac with Buckingham, Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Christine McVie but California’s Uniform Partnership Act of 1994 says even without that no partner of the band “can be terminated from the Partnership without cause.”

On February 28 Buckingham sent Fleetwood an email trying to fix things but nothing happened. When he emailed John McVie he responded by saying he couldn't have contact with him.

Buckingham said, “After forty three years and the finish line so clearly in sight, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that for the five of us to splinter apart now would be the wrong thing, At the moment, the band’s heart and soul has been diminished. But our center, which had seen us through so much, is only laying dormant.”

Fleetwood Mac released a statement a comment saying they've not seen the complaint yet. - by John Beaudin

#FleetwoodMac #LindseyBuckinghamSues

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John Beaudin has been in major market radio (Edmonton, Vancouver & Calgary) for 35 years and a music journalist since 1989. He graduated from Broadcasting school as a news man so he would have the skills to write about the artists that inspired him since he bought his first album, “Madman Across The Water” by Elton John as a teen. In the 80's Beaudin was the host of the syndicated radio show “The Cross Canada Report” which had two version (Rock and A/C). Beaudin was also asked to be a judge at the Juno Awards (Canada's answer to the Grammys) Twice. He has anchored every position in radio including morning and afternoon drive and was a Program and Music Director for The Breeze and California 103 in Calgary. He currently hosts the popular Lovesongs at QM-FM in Vancouver and on iHeartRadio.

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[BonnieHalfElven]

What happens if he wins? He gets back into the band where everybody hates him? That sounds fun. I'm guessing he wants a cut of future money, but I see no winners here, however this ends.

[blissmaster]

They can risk losing a big portion of the money they’re making from touring without him, or they can rehire him and almost certainly increase ticket sales (not that Mike Campbell isn’t great; he’s just not Lindsey). They’ll bark back and forth for a while, get some free publicity, then kiss and make up. At 47, I’m probably close to the average Mac fan’s age: I don’t know if he should or shouldn’t be in the band legally or in terms of internal relations; I only know that I’m not going to pay to see them without Lindsey Buckingham.

[johnholloway]

Geez, what happened to 'The Chain'?...Thanks for the news, John. Sad story for such a great band. Keep us posted!...

[tinostabile]

Wow, what a bombshell. Wow... I wouldn't want this to get ugly. One of my all time favorite bands.. and guitarists... to wring each other through the mud. I am like you, John... I don't want to know all tthe details. All due respect to Neil Finn and Mike Campbell but Lindsey has his place in FM. If things are so bad.... and this no way he can be back because of stuff we don't need to know... settle out of court and that is it. The sad thing.... my love for this band... has somewhat diminished because of this. All this is leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
Thanks John even if it is not the type of news that I like to hear... you are doing an impeccable job.
Tino

[timalexwar]

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". Revenge is never good for the soul. And despite her claims for wanting happiness and freedom as she tours this year, I doubt if Stevie Nicks is experiencing either.

[trevg]

I get the lawsuit thing. If Buckingham thinks he's been wronged more power to him to make a stand. Having said that, it's time for this FM Drama thing to go away. I mean these are people in their 70's and been at this for over 40 years. It's time to lay this Drama crap to rest. Lindsay should just move on and stay solo, do his own thing. The dude's got mad skills as a musician and Artist and can stand by himself. It was great while it lasted but come on now. Let's move to the next chapter for all of them.

[janetwilbur]

Like you said there are always two sides to every story.. Time will tell. Thanks, John!

[uncleelmer]

Stevie is the money ticket here. What she wants happens. I think the foundation of the troubles is the love affair between the two and all the history. Stevie is entering her 7th decade with no family, love and Lindsey has both. I don't think she wants to see him on stage every night and be reminded. This entire matter is a spillover of the Lindsey/Stevie dramas. Lindsey will get a share of the tour as settlement which is what he really wants. Neil Finn and Mike Campbell will get a really nice salary but not what the principles are getting. Everyone will be just fine. We should all have such problems! Go Canada!

[vintagevinylvets]

At this point, we don’t want to know and it’s really it’s their business, not ours. Wish both sides all the best.🎧❤️

[timsears]

I will GUARANTEE there is more to this story than we know about....Stevie & Lindsay have had a very long history together and it would not surprise that there was more to this than whats being reported...

[parlowderick]

They should have handled this better. I know people have their own thoughts about which version of the band they like best, but for most people it is the "Rumors" lineup that is the most popular by far. When I found out that Fleetwood Mac would be touring without Buckingham I really lost interest in going to see them. To me the 3 most important members are Lindsey, Stevie and Christine. I would miss John and (especially) Mick if they were not in the band, but I would still be more than satisfied as long as the other 3 are in it. I would have preferred to see the whole band, but will still be happy to watch Buckingham on his solo tour.

[uscgwife]

Like you said, we do not have both sides of the story. The less we know, the better off we are in this lawsuit.

[pkisto-fabela]

Lindsey needs to get on with his own career and quit blaming stevie, It's not her fault he wanted to put the Macs farewell tour off for a couple of years to go on his own tour everyone knows Stevie's the hardest working woman in rock and always needs to be busy and won't just sit back and wait for him, plus she's a Gemini👊

[RickHenderson]

Potential complicating factor: LB and Christine McVie toured together last year. So unless that arrangement ended really badly, LB may at least have a claim on some of the money from the current Fleetwood Mac tour. Which may be all he's after anyway. I can't see the Rumours band being very, uh, harmonious on the road.

[rinehardt]

The drama just goes on and on. This is nothing new it's just you hear about it more now band split up they sue each other and Fleetwood Mac guarantee they'll be back together with Buckingham at some point. The stones are still touring and Mick Fleetwood and Keith Richard's have sued each other. I wish Fleetwood Mac and Buckingham the best

[LindaMalone]

All the replies have been removed. Why?

[jtmichaelson]

I hated adding a 'thumbs up' to this video because I hate that this has to go on. I was so looking forward to THE Fleetwood Mac to tour. But I gave it a 'thumbs up' in just for the support of your channel.

[Yup]

Good..they have treated LB like crap through the yrs

[Rezcat-yr]

Hey Brother John. It's not like he's Mark Farner of Grand Funk. I don't know what to think as I'm nursing my 65 year old knee from going up and down ship ladders so I can see these guys for hundreds of dollars for one night. I remember my first concert was in December of 71 when I took my girl to see the Moody Blues at the San Diego Sports Arena for $6.50 a ticket for reserved seats on the floor. I had to sell my Derek and the Dominos tickets cause she couldn't go out on a school night. It was the last time that Duane Allman played in San Diego. As for the Moody Blues. It was the Question of a Balance tour. Oh for the old days of good knees and great 🎸 Rock and Roll. Thank you Brother John for a great story. God bless.

[Looking]

Heard it came down to either Stevie or Lindsey staying in the band and Mick thought, be it right or wrong, that Stevie had the bigger fan base tour wise than Lindsey did and went with the money. I am sure he hated to choose but I am sure it was either letting one of them go or seeing both of them go and maybe thought, oh heck, better to lose one than both. Anyone remember when they came out with the Time release that did not have either Lindsey or Stevie on it? I am sure Mick does since that was the first record since Mr. Wonderful that made absolutely no dent on the U.S. charts (BTW, I kind of liked that record for what it was worth. I Wonder Why is my favorite track from it and that is a Dave Mason song from it). I feel if it wasn't for Lindsey, Tango In The Night would have been a much different record if it came out at all. Even Stevie admits she was only there for about 2 weeks out of a years worth of recording Glad she was in rehab but I wonder this though.... If Mick went to Lindsey and said like, Look mate, for memory and old time sake let the Mac do its thing with Mike and Neil right now and when we are done, we will all sit and talk again and see what we can be done. I wonder if Lindsey would either go OK Mick, for the memories or tell Mick where he could shove the memories and old times. If this, like John mentioned, is near the Mac's finish line, can anyone REALLY see the Mac call it quits once and for all without Lindsey doing one last run of concerts with them as a goodbye to the fans? I don't. If they call it quits like this they are basically spitting on the fans going thanks for everything but we got the money. I believe Mick is enough of a businessman to see the money that could be made with one last run with Lindsey. When they go through a months worth of tours and they don't make money, Mick will be looking up Lindsey's number on the old Rolodex and going Lindsey PAL how are you? Sure, you and Stevie can have separate dressing rooms and stand on either end of the stage as long as you are there friend and mate of mine!!!! Good luck Mac. As a lifelong fan, don't let your memory end like this. You worked to hard to have it end like this and be a shame if it did. No offense to Mike or Neil either. I am sure they would be the first to welcome Lindsey back. To be honest, I hope Lindsey reaches out to Mike and Neil and goes like, "Hey, nothing personal on either of you. You are just hired to do this. This is between me and the rest of the band not you so I wish you no harm and all goodwill."