Although Stevie Nicks has recently announced the end of Fleetwood Mac due to the passing of Christine McVie, this iconic band has been on the verge of breaking up for over half a century. They could have disbanded when their leader, Peter Green, departed in 1970, or when their exceptional guitarists Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan left in 1971 and 1972. They might have called it quits when their three main songwriters – Nicks, McVie, and Lindsey Buckingham – expressed interest in solo careers in the early 80s. Or when Buckingham left for the first time in 1987. Or when McVie decided to depart in 1998. Or when Buckingham was fired in 2018. Yet, each time, they found a reason to carry on.
“Hey,” wrote Steve Albini in the sleeve notes of Big Black’s last album in 1987, “breaking up is an idea that has occurred to far too few groups, sometimes to the wrong ones.” This sentence, written from the perspective of both a fan and a musician, encapsulates the conflict between the observer who desires their beloved musician to create an impeccable legacy and the performer whose livelihood depends on making records and touring – the very things that sustain their existence and often constitute their only skillset.
For musicians, the ideal moment to exit the stage isn’t necessarily when their albums fail to live up to the ones that brought them fame, or when the lineup on stage bears little resemblance to the original members. It’s not even when the fan base diminishes, and only the most loyal supporters remain. It’s when band members no longer derive any financial or emotional fulfillment from their involvement in the group.
It is likely that Fleetwood Mac has long achieved financial stability (although Mick Fleetwood, their drummer, claims to have “lost count” of his bankruptcies). Their decision to end the band stems from the belief that without McVie, a vital part of the group’s essence has vanished. As a fan, I would have preferred them to disband when they determined they could no longer collaborate with Buckingham. It’s not that I blame them for this choice; if the numerous accounts of Buckingham’s abusive and controlling behavior towards Nicks are accurate, it’s a wonder they tolerated him for so long.
However, Fleetwood Mac’s identity since their 1977 album “Rumours” has revolved around the juxtaposition of Buckingham’s simmering rage and Nicks’ ethereal enigma, as well as the legend of their past relationship. Without Buckingham’s vocal presence, his songs simply transformed into excellent pop tunes. Their 2018 tour without him felt akin to an upscale karaoke performance.
Occasionally, it may seem that a band should break up, only to discover that they shouldn’t. In 2016, when Brian Johnson departed from AC/DC (he has since returned), I expressed the opinion that the band should call it quits. However, they went on tour with Axl Rose as Johnson’s replacement, and those shows were the most exhilarating I had witnessed from AC/DC in years. I couldn’t envision how Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band could move forward without Clarence Clemons, who passed away in 2011, but Springsteen’s performances continued to captivate audiences (although it took three horn players to fill Clemons’ role).
I could provide an extensive list of bands whose legacies, in my opinion, would have been flawless if only they had disbanded much earlier. However, that decision is not mine to make. Moreover, I would have missed out on some remarkable experiences. If the Ramones, undeniably the greatest band in pop history, had ended after their first three flawless albums instead of gradually declining with subsequent records, I would have never had the chance to see them perform live, and my life would be lacking. Additionally, the band may not have attained the legendary status that still manifests in kids wearing Ramones T-shirts on the streets.
The bands that manage to break up at the opportune moment are often the few that possess the option of a second act. Big Black disbanded at an ideal time, as their guitarist Santiago Durango pursued a career in law. Meanwhile, Steve Albini became an immensely respected audio engineer and producer and formed another sensational group, Shellac. However, as with all instances, we can look to the band that pioneered it all: the Beatles. They split at the pinnacle of their fame, just as the decline in their collective creativity was beginning to emerge, yet before they began to plummet down that path.
Naturally, they were the Beatles. They understood that no matter what followed, the world would devour it eagerly, a luxury not afforded to most bands. Thus, I can extend more forgiveness than Albini: indeed, the notion of breaking up is one that far too few groups entertain. Nevertheless, walking away from one’s profession is no simple task, is it?
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