Mick Fleetwood has posted an emotional video on his social media pages featuring footage from a recent ceremony held on his property on the Hawaiian island of Maui marking the one-year anniversary of the wild fires that devastated the nearby town of Lahaina.
The fires, which took place on August 8 and 9, 2023, took the lives of more than 100 people. It also completely destroyed the Lahaina’s business district. Among the buildings that were incinerated was Fleetwood’s on Front St., a restaurant and bar owned by the Fleetwood Mac drummer.
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Accompanying the video, Mick posted a note that reads, “One year after the devastating fires in Lahaina, we came together to honor the resilience and spirit of our beloved Maui. As we hold this ceremony, we remember those we lost. Through the strength of our community, we stand and heal as we continue to rebuild.”
What Fleetwood Said in the Video
The clip begins with footage of Fleetwood strumming a ukulele, and then captures him addressing a small gathering of people on his property.
“Today, a year ago, the unfortunate disaster [happened] that no one could imagine, where we lost life, and property didn’t seem very important,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer said in the video. “[I]f you follow the sun as it sets over the mountains and the clouds there, is the remains of Lahaina. Lahaina town … was the royal Hawaiian capital of all of these islands.”
He continued, “People forget, sometimes too quickly, that we lost the whole town. And we’re here to support and thank you for being here.”
Fleetwood then turned his attention to a sign from his restaurant that somehow wasn’t destroyed in the blaze.
“This funny old sign here survived. We don’t know quite how,” he noted. “It was on a restaurant, a place of commune, that was very much part of the community in Lahaina and on the island. But what really is important is not what the sign says. It’s the fact that it survived.”
Mick also explained that as part of the remembrance, he and some others had been playing music throughout the day.
“In our world, here, we’re left with playing music as this day passes us by,” he said. “I am with friends, people that I love, and my best thought is to be here with loved ones, my extended family who are not here, that all had huge resonance with this island.”
He added, “And there are strangers to the island that are here visiting, and we welcome you. … And every single second of the day, as we played music, has been relevant to the healing.”
Fleetwood Recently Took Part in a Maui Benefit Festival
As previously reported, Fleetwood was among many musicians who took part in various music events held in the Lahaina area as part of the inaugural Maui Music & Food Experience. The festival, which run from September 5 to September 7, included a Jimi Hendrix tribute concert.
The show’s lineup featured Fleetwood, former Hendrix bassist Billy Cox, and Rolling Stones touring members Darryl Jones and Bernard Fowler. The bill also included Charlie Sexton, Ernie Isley, Ivan Neville, and more.
Fleetwood’s Upcoming Collaborative Album
The coming weeks will see the release Blues Experience, the blues-themed collaborative album Fleetwood recorded with ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. The record will be released on October 18.
As previously reported, Blues Experience is a 10-track collection featuring reinterpreted versions of various classic blues songs and other covers. The album includes renditions of the blues standard “Rollin’ N Tumblin’,” the Procol Harum classic “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and the Stevie Wonder-penned Jeff Beck gem “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers.”
In addition, Blues Experience features a spoken-word version of the Christine McVie-penned Fleetwood Mac ballad “Songbird.” A second rendition of the tune, without vocals, also is included on the album.
Blues Experience can be pre-ordered now, and is available on CD, as a vinyl LP, and via digital formats.