Update: As reported by Rolling Stone, Lindsey Buckingham was fired by Fleetwood Mac. The outlet confirmed that Fleetwood Mac fired Buckingham “after a disagreement over the band’s upcoming tour.”
This fall, Fleetwood Mac will be hitting the road, but as reported first in Variety, the band will be without their longtime guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham. Buckingham first joined the group in 1974, touring and recording with the band until 1987—he later rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 1997, with his tenure extending until present day. Mike Campbell, longtime lead guitarist for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn, frontman for Crowded House, will replace Buckingham during Fleetwood Mac’s upcoming, yet-to-be-announced tour.
As Mick Fleetwood told Variety, “Fleetwood Mac has always been about an amazing collection of songs that are performed with a unique blend of talents.” He continued, “We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realize that this is the right combination to go forward with in Fleetwood Mac style. We know we have something new, yet it’s got the unmistakable Mac sound.”
In a statement, the group collectively announced this lineup change, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome the musical talents of the caliber of Mike Campbell and Neil Finn into the Mac family. With Mike and Neil, we’ll be performing all the hits that the fans love, plus we’ll be surprising our audiences with some tracks from our historic catalogue of songs. Fleetwood Mac has always been a creative evolution. We look forward to honoring that spirit on this upcoming tour.” The statement ends, “Lindsey Buckingham will not be performing with the band on this tour. The band wishes Lindsey all the best.”