This 1970s gem from Fleetwood Mac might be the band’s most underrated

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Around half a century ago, Fleetwood Mac was simply a band, but by 1975, they had become something more formidable – a force to be reckoned with in the Pop/Rock world. Yet, their journey to stardom began much earlier than when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined the group.

Initially, the Fleetwood Mac album didn’t rank high on the Billboard 200 chart, debuting at position 183 on August 2, 1975. However, with their first three U.S. Top 40 hits (“Over My Head,” “Rhiannon,” and “Say You Love Me”), Fleetwood Mac managed to reach the No. 1 spot on the album chart by September 4, 1976. To date, the album has sold over nine million copies in the U.S., nearing the prestigious Diamond award from the RIAA.

In the 1960s, Fleetwood Mac gained significant popularity not just in their native America but particularly in England and Europe. However, one of its founding members, Peter Green, decided to leave the band. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie remained as the core members, with subsequent additions subtly changing the band’s direction.

The origins of the band leading to the album Fleetwood Mac

During the 1970s, the persistent influence of Peter Green was challenging to shake off as Fleetwood Mac persisted, adding fresh members like Jeremy Spencer for a short stint and Christine McVie for several decades. To break free from their traditional Blues background, Fleetwood Mac sought a new image that would redefine them, leaning more towards a Rock-oriented direction.

In 1970, Kiln House marked the debut of the character “Jewel-Eyed Judy,” who was modeled after the band’s secretary, Judy Wong. Wong also introduced her longtime friend Bob Welch to the band at this time.

After parting ways with his band Head West, based in Paris, Welch received a plane ticket to travel northwest and join Fleetwood Mac at their countryside estate, Benifold, located in Hampshire. In the 1995 BBC documentary “Family Trees,” Mick Fleetwood recalled that Welch was an unusual individual who had already become a member of the band before they even played their first note.

During their third visit, Welch started developing their live performance and ultimately crafted the tunes that would eventually form the album “Future Games” (1971).

When you listen to the song “Future Games,” you’ll notice Welch’s graceful transitions between chords. Furthermore, Welch demonstrates his skill at trading off guitar solos with Danny Kirwan. He’d pass the lead to Kirwan, then take it back using rich double-stop and double-tracked bends. Notably, although Kirwan penned three songs for the album, it was the relaxing eight-minute instrumental piece “Future Games” by Welch that first gained Fleetwood Mac airplay on U.S. Adult Oriented Rock (AOR) radio stations.

On Bare Trees (1972), Welch placed two tracks, including the sleek and romantic “Sentimental Lady,” which gained significant airplay on AOR stations, paving the way for daytime play on Pop radio. However, a minor misstep in Penguin (1973) was rectified in Mystery To Me (1973), as Welch emerged as the primary songwriter, delivering the FM radio hit “Hypnotized.

Following some internal conflicts within the group and uncovering a false version of Fleetwood Mac, Welch relocated the long-standing English band to Los Angeles. Whether it was Fleetwood expressing his desire for another guitarist or Welch advocating for a “heavier rock” direction, this shift in strategy ultimately resulted in Welch’s departure by Christmas 1974. The exact sequence of events remains debated.

After another round with the cycle of departures and arrivals, only Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie were left in the 1975 version of Fleetwood Mac. Towards the end of December, Fleetwood was scouting Sound City studios in Van Nuys as a potential location to record their upcoming album.

In a studio, renowned musician Lindsey Buckingham, known for his skills as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, stepped outside to discover Keith Olsen playing his song “Frozen Love” at high volume in the main room. What left Buckingham even more astonished was seeing Mick Fleetwood, with his eyes closed, lost in the rhythm, simply enjoying the music.

Via Olsen, Fleetwood proposed a collaboration to Buckingham, but since Buckingham and his partner Stevie Nicks had recently completed their first album together for Polydor, Buckingham stated that they were an unbreakable duo. With Christine McVie holding the power to decline the pair, they all convened at a Mexican eatery. In a short span of time, McVie and Nicks became inseparable.

One reason for transitioning Fleetwood Mac from roomy England to vibrant Los Angeles was so that the band could take charge of its own management. Once Fleetwood Mac’s leader stepped into a managerial role, they secured another record deal with Reprise.

As a devoted fan, I recall reading in John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Lindsey Buckingham’s book “My Twenty-Five Years in Fleetwood Mac” (co-authored with Stephen Davis) that our beloved band was told they earned enough to cover the electric bill. Determined to disprove such claims and much more, we retreated into a humble garage, while Stevie Nicks continued crafting her melodies on her Hohner Pianet at our shared apartment. Meanwhile, Christine found inspiration for her creativity during family visits.

1975, prior to their studio session at Sound City in February, Chris shared songs like “Sugar Daddy”, “Warm Ways”, and “Over My Head”. During the Buckingham Nicks recordings, Stevie refined “Crystal” and contributed the band’s versions of “Landslide” and “Rhiannon”, while Lindsey offered “So Afraid” and “Monday Morning”.

On May 15, 1975, Fleetwood Mac’s newest version performed at the Civic Center Theatre in El Paso, Texas, showcasing the fruits of their labor. The audience enjoyed well-known tracks from Christine, such as “Hypnotized” and her early guidance steering the band towards pop music with “Spare a Little Love For Me,” originally from the 1972 album “Bare Trees.

Gradually approaching the stage, Stevie found herself amidst the resounding strumming of “Rhiannon’s” bold chords. With newfound assurance, she addressed the audience, “I present to you a tune that tells the tale of a Welsh sorceress.

Following a performance in Anchorage, Alaska, on July 9th as an opening act for Canned Heat, the band demonstrated their readiness for long-haul trips. On July 11th, Fleetwood Mac’s second self-titled album was unveiled with minimal publicity.

In Rolling Stone (requires a subscription), Bud Scoppa stated that Christine was now the main vocalist, but Stevie Nicks has not fully adapted to the band’s style yet. However, he praised the album as a remarkably seamless transition.

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2025-07-13 18:00