Because they were so massively successful during that particular era, it’s natural to think of Fleetwood Mac in terms of the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks/Christine McVie singing/songwriting trio. But the band existed in several different incarnations before that. And then they had to exist after it as well. That necessity came about when Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac, forcing them to record an album with a pair of replacements.
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The Last ‘Tango’
When Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac, it changed the direction of the group, making them much more pop-friendly. It also ensured volatility, as the relationship between the two barely stayed functional once they ceased to be a romantic item.
In 1987, Fleetwood Mac released the album Tango In The Night, their first LP in five years. Even then, Buckingham needed to be coaxed back into the fold. He had already begun his next solo album, but Mick Fleetwood convinced him to take some of that material and fold it into a Mac release.
Despite that original uncertainty and the fact that Nicks barely participated in it while she tended to her solo career, Tango In The Night proved massively successful. It felt like a new era was beginning for the band. In truth, everything was about to change.
Lindsey’s Last
Lindsey Buckingham didn’t want to tour after Tango in the Night. Mick Fleetwood kept pressing him on it, even capitulating to several demands the artist made. Buckingham changed his mind, but then changed it again, announcing during a band meeting that he was out.
Fleetwood Mac had no choice but to adjust on the fly, since the plans for the tour had already gone far down the road. Mac decided to replace Buckingham with two guitarists. Rick Zito and Billy Burnette, established veterans as players, singers, and songwriters, joined the band for the tour.
When it came time to record another Fleetwood Mac album, the core members didn’t hesitate to ask Vito and Burnette to be a part of it. Not only did they contribute as guitarists, but they also participated in the writing and took lead vocals on a few songs, mixing in the last department with Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie.
After ‘Mask’
Behind The Mask, the album Fleetwood Mac recorded as a sextet, arrived in April 1990. The band spoke about how the album was more of a collaborative process than the ones in their recent past. Without Buckingham’s meticulous perfectionism dominating the recording proceedings, things went smoothly.
That said, Vito and Burnette, while doing a solid job throughout the record, couldn’t provide the jolt of energy and eccentricity that Buckingham delivered almost naturally. Behind The Mask also felt a tad genteel, lacking the explosive chemistry that characterized the band’s most popular era.
It wasn’t long before another Fleetwood Mac era would begin. Vito and Nicks were next out the door before the band would record again. And sadly, although they would often tour in later years, the classic five-person lineup of Rumours and all its wonderful follow-up albums would never again make another LP together.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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