Brian Green left his band, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in the mid 1960s.  When they lost their drummer, Green arranged to bring on long-time associate Mick Fleetwood.  Mayall had given Green free recording time, which led to Green, Fleetwood, and the fourth member of the Bluesbreakers,

Fleetwood Mac

There's a chemistry. Fleetwood Mac is a band of chemistry. It always has been. None of us are schooled; we're a bunch of primitives who have honed their art by doing it a long time and by having sensibilities that oddly mesh in a way you wouldn't expect. It just works.

The Early Years

Brian Green left his band, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers in the mid 1960s.  When they lost their drummer, Green arranged to bring on long-time associate Mick Fleetwood.  Mayall had given Green free recording time, which led to Green, Fleetwood, and the fourth member of the Bluesbreakers, John McVie recording five songs together, the fifth of which was entitled Fleetwood Mac.

Green and Fleetwood decided to make a go of Fleetwood Mac, but, at that time, could not convince John McVie to leave Mayall.  They recruited the rest of their band and debuted at the Windsor Jazz and Blues Festival in 1967.  McVie joined the band soon after.  Their first album, Fleetwood Mac, was released in 1968, hitting #4 on the UK charts.  

Building an Empire

Fleetwood Mac recorded three more albums in the 1960s, each charting high in the UK .  These albums were the last recordings to include any blues elements.  In 1969, the band moved to the U.S. and signed with Warner Bros Records.  Green left the band, and McVie's wife, Christine, joined the band.  T

The roster of the band changed repeatedly during this time, but by the end of  1975, the cast of the band was finally stable, having brought in Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, who would be with Fleetwood Mac through the 1980s.  They recorded nine albums in the 1970s, including the 1977 Rumours album, which sold over 40 million copies and was one of the best-selling albums of all time.  The album released multiple hit singles, including  Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun, and Don't Stop.

Life On Top

The 1980s saw three more albums, all multi-platinum, including Mirage, which was the second most successful album in their career, offering the singles, Gypsy, and Hold Me, among others.  Radio airplay and video airplay on MTV of these and past hits reinforced their popularity.  To date, Fleetwood Mac has released 17 studio albums, six live albums, and twelve compilations.  Their hits are available on line for free streaming or for download purchase at multiple music sites.

Due to addiction issues, and the volatile nature of the relationships within the band, they stopped touring together in the late 1990s, but they have reunited in the past few years and begun performing again.  They have indicated that they are also interested in recording together again.   While no release date has been set, an interview with Nicks suggested that the new album may be out by the end of 2010.

Did you know . . .

1. Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

2. Santana's hit, Black Magic Woman, was written by Peter Green and appeared on Fleetwood Mac's 1998 album, English Rose.

3. Fleetwood Mac signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records in 1969, and remain contracted with them still.

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