Almost one year since best friend and bandmate Christine McVie died, Stevie Nicks is opening up about the future of Fleetwood Mac.
When the “Edge of Seventeen” singer was asked if there’s a possibility the band will ever tour again, Nicks, now 75, explained there’s no replacing McVie and that “there’s no reason to” because, “without her, what is it?”
Shortly after Christine McVie became a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1970, a 26-year-old Stevie Nicks was recruited as the band’s new lead vocalist.
With the addition of Nicks’ raspy timbre vocals in 1975, the bands’ sound was completely transformed, earning the group several back-to-back hits through the mid 1970s through early 1980s.
And in that time, McVie–who was married to John McVie, the groups’ bass guitarist–became the “soul mate” and “best friend” to Nicks.
In November 2022, the Fleetwood Mac maven was crushed to hear that McVie, 79, died after having a stroke, with a secondary cause of death listed as cancer.
“A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975, had passed away,” she shared in the note posted to Instagram. “…one song has been swirling around in my head, over and over and over…I thought I might possibly get to sing it to her, and so, I’m singing it to her now. I always knew I would need these words one day…it’s all I can do now.”
In the note, the singer penned the heartfelt lyrics to the third verse of the Haim song “Hallelujah,” which starts with, “I had a best friend, but she has come to pass. One I wish I could see now.” She signed off writing, “See you on the other side my love, don’t forget me, Always Stevie.”
Earlier this year, the “If Anyone Falls” singer dedicated the 1975 Fleetwood Mac song “Landslide” to McVie in a tearful live tribute. The song was one of the first she performed on stage–as a member of the band–with her late friend.
When she finished the song, Nicks is seen emotional, and dropping her head, the audience is heard rallying behind her.
“There’s really not much to say.” She said, struggling to keep her composure. “We just pretend that she’s just still here. That’s how I’m trying to deal with it. Thank you for listening.”
Explaining her emotions when performing that song, which carries decades of memories for her with McVie, Nicks said, “…it’s not getting easier, but I have to keep singing it until it is easier because it’s helping me work through this. Seeing the way the audience reaches out and being able to discuss losing somebody like that, it keeps her alive in my heart.”
She continued, “It’s like when I hear Taylor’s (Swift) “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” that’s who me and Chris were in Fleetwood Mac. We always were on our own. And now she’s sitting on my shoulder saying, you’re on your own, kid, but I’m always right here.”
Recently, Nicks spoke with Vulture magazine and was asked about the future of Fleetwood Mac.
Referring to the band’s 2018 tour, “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac,” Nicks said, “We had a really great time and it was a huge tour. That was there in the realm of possibility.” Nicks continued about her best friend, “But when Christine died, I felt like you can’t replace her. You just can’t. Without her, what is it? You know what I mean? She was like my soul mate, my musical soul mate, and my best friend that I spent more time with than any of my other best friends outside of Fleetwood Mac.”
Offering the disappointing news to fans of Fleetwood Mac, the singer of “Dreams” explained why the band reuniting is unlikely.
“We protected each other. Who am I going to look over to on the right and have them not be there behind that Hammond organ? When she died, I figured we really can’t go any further with this. There’s no reason to,” Nicks said.
This year was filled with a lot of firsts for Stevie Nicks, who will never again have the opportunity to make new memories with her closest friend.
It’s sad she’s not interested in performing with Fleetwood Mac but we understand why, and we send out love in her continued time of grieving.
Please share this story and let’s send our best thoughts to Christine McVie, who died November 30, 2022.
READ MORE
- Fleetwood Mac singer Christine McVie’s heartbreaking cause of death revealed
- Stevie Nicks’ 50-year career and her thoughts about life in 2020 – ‘Time is being stolen from all of us’
