I grew up adoring two artists - ABBA and Fleetwood Mac. I lived and breathed them during the 70's/80's period but of course, ABBA ceased recording and Fleetwood Mac became fractured, scattering intermittently and re-emerging in various incarnations from late 1987, but always missing a pivotal 'classic era' member until Christine resumed performing live with the band briefly in 1997 and then again in 2014. Unfortunately, the 'classic five' line-up would never record again after 1987's 'Tango In The Night'.
Hardcore fans of the band may never forgive Stevie Nicks for not participating in the 'Buckingham McVie' album (released in 2017), which was in gestation from as early as 2012 (with at least 10 Lindsey Buckingham tracks demoed with the band's rhythm section, Mick Fleetwood and John Mcvie). Lindsey very deliberately wrote a clutch of songs specifically in Stevie's vocal range as an enticement, but she was never committed to the idea, only contributing a dusted-off (as of then) 40-year-old demo and backing vocals to two of Lindsey's tracks (of her choosing) on a preliminary EP, released in 2013.
Lindsey and Christine began working together on
their album in 2014, always with the intention of luring Stevie in at some stage, even pausing work to accommodate band tours and Stevie's solo pursuits. Stevie oscillated on a few occasions, even stating publicly that she would participate but ultimately relied upon excuses revolving around albums being passe/no longer selling and not having Christne back in the fold (
until she was). Most fans agree that Stevie simply didn't have her writing muse intact, hence 2014's '24 Karat Gold' solo album of re-recorded demos dating back many years prior. She also cited not being able to work with Lindsey in the studio but managed live tours until she engineered his sacking in early 2018. It's all such a shame since the other four band members were keen to pay homage to their legacy and most definitely would have kissed Stevie's arse to gain any traction but I guess the carrot was not sufficiently dangled. It's notable that upon promoting the album in 2017, both Christine and Lindsey stated the project was never intended to be a Mac outing, obviously in the interests of band politics, but then in late 2018, Lindsey confirmed that it had always been conceived with the band in mind, but Stevie simply messed them about.
The album that ultimately materialised in 2017 was fine but a little on the polite side. Stevie's absence was apparent, in terms of the all-important three-part harmonies and also her more esoteric, idiosyncratic writing style. The three songwriters/vocalists had always balanced each other so well and as others have previously mentioned, from 1988 onwards, there was always a piece of the puzzle missing. Nevertheless, tracks such as "In My World", "Red Sun", "Love Is Here To Stay", "On With The Show" and the brilliant "Carnival Begin" fared rather well in their released versions.
In the aftermath of what has transpired - Lindsey's ousting and Christine's death - it's tempting to consider the idea of the album being revisited with Stevie laying down harmony vocals and contributing some of her original compositions for good measure. After all, the album only sold modestly so if remarketed with the band brand instated, most casual fans would likely embrace it as a new recording. One can only hope something of this nature may transpire.
However, I digress. Christine's passing was most unexpected, with many fans considering her to have been the healthiest member of the band (despite being the eldest) and stalwart to the end. She was a great lady - often acerbic and sarcastic in interviews but ultimately grounded and compassionate towards those in her orbit. She was a dedicated, gifted musician and wrote many of the band's classic tracks. Apart from penning the majority of the 'hit singles', her body of work between 1971 and 1979 was essentially flawless. It was only with 'Mirage' in 1982 that she began to falter but even so, there were many great tracks to follow ("Little Lies", "Isn't It Midnight", "As Long As You Follow", "Heart Of Stone", "Nights In Estoril" etc.).
It's interesting that Stevie has written in recent days about the two of them being "best friends", but the reality is that they had little or no contact between 1991 and 1996 and then again from 1998 till 2013. Christine also mentioned in a radio interview this year that they had not spoken since the last tour ended three years ago. I saw that show in 2019 and it's fair to say the two of them had great chemistry onstage, along with Neil Finn, but I think Christine mostly tolerated Stevie's irrational, egotistical behaviour. Christine wasn't one for fuss or superficiality, instead she kept her head down and toiled away, leaving an extensive catalogue of incredible musical contributions for us to forever appreciate.
Disclosure: Stevie happens to be my favourite artist of all time so this post was not an opportunity to 'bash' her, rather I just wished to present an honest account of the last ten years and not whitewash the situation. Stevie,
in my much sought-after and accurate opinion 
, is not only the band drawcard but the most talented member. Controversial I know, and ultimately subjective, but one can't go past her contributions to the 'Tusk' album - which, incidentally, also contained Christine's best collection of original songs.
In closing, I shall cherish the work left behind and adore Ms Perfect for all eternity. Rest in peace beautiful lady.
, is not only the band drawcard but the most talented member. Controversial I know, and ultimately subjective, but one can't go past her contributions to the 'Tusk' album - which, incidentally, also contained Christine's best collection of original songs.