Stevie Nicks Share Why She Doesn’t Like Touring With Neil Finn

Fleetwood Mac’s legendary songstress, Stevie Nicks, has always had a complex relationship with her bandmates. From her well-documented clashes with her former lover and musical partner, Lindsey Buckingham, to her current lineup choices, Nicks’ collaborations haven’t always been smooth sailing.

After years of turmoil, Buckingham’s abrupt departure from the band in 2018, Nicks found herself collaborating with two new guitarists. One was Mike Campbell, a familiar face from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, a band Nicks had collaborated with in the past.

However, the presence of the other guitarist, Neil Finn of Crowded House, presented a different story. It seems Nicks harbored some unresolved issues with Finn stemming from a past encounter, leading to a current situation of avoidance.

Theirs was a symphony of pain and popularity

Listening to Rumours is akin to witnessing a raw emotional tapestry. The candid lyrics and poignant melodies reveal the tumultuous experiences of Fleetwood Mac during its creation. 

Their discography becomes an exposé of fractured relationships, riddled with infidelity, betrayal, and suspicion. While all five members of the band’s pop era contributed to this narrative, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham stood out with their particularly barbed lyrical exchanges.

Fueling the fire, the late 1970s saw the band grappling with escalating cocaine use, pushing them toward a breaking point. Ironically, this period witnessed the birth of iconic albums like Rumours and Tusk, cementing their musical legacy.

Despite the looming threat of implosion, Fleetwood Mac remarkably held it together even after the breakdown of Nicks and Buckingham’s relationship in 1976, continuing to perform and create music together until 1987’s Tango in the Night.

Buckingham leaves Fleetwood Mac

Following the release of Fleetwood Mac’s fifth studio album with Buckingham, the band’s future became uncertain as the guitarist decided to step away. In a heartfelt statement, Buckingham revealed the complexities of his relationship with Stevie Nicks as a key factor in his decision.

Buckingham openly discussed the lack of closure he felt regarding their relationship, emphasizing its impact on his personal and artistic growth. He stated, “I needed to get some separation from Stevie, especially because I don’t think I’d ever quite gotten closure on our relationship.”

He further explained, “I needed to get on with the next phase of my creative growth and my emotional growth. When you break up with someone and then for the next ten years you have to be around them and do for them and watch them move away from you, it’s not easy.”

This statement shed light on the emotional toll that years of creative collaboration, intertwined with a personal relationship, had taken on Buckingham. His departure marked the end of an era for Fleetwood Mac and left fans wondering what the future held for the band.

He came back, but was fired in 2018

Following Buckingham’s departure, Fleetwood Mac attempted to move forward. Their 1990 release, Behind the Mask, received lukewarm reviews, reflecting a lack of the band’s usual spark. With waning enthusiasm, they disbanded in 1995. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, they reunited a mere two years later, with both Buckingham and Nicks returning to the fold.

Despite their personal differences, Nicks and Buckingham maintained a professional working relationship for two decades. This resulted in sporadic tours and studio releases under the Fleetwood Mac banner.

However, in 2018, the band’s history of navigating complex relationships took another turn. Buckingham requested to postpone a tour to promote his solo album, prompting the band to fire him.

His departure marked another significant shift in Fleetwood Mac’s lineup. Filling the void left by Buckingham, the band recruited seasoned musicians Mike Campbell, formerly of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn from Crowded House, continuing their musical journey with a new chapter.

The reason why Stevie avoided Neil Finn

The addition of Finn to Fleetwood Mac after Buckingham’s departure wasn’t without its share of irony for some fans. Back in 1981, when Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were co-headlining a tour, Finn, then performing with his band Split Enz, opened for Petty. However, despite being in the same touring circle, something about Finn rubbed Nicks the wrong way.

According to Mike Chunn’s biography of Split Enz, Stranger Than Fiction, Nicks actively avoided contact with the band backstage. Chunn describes an incident where Nicks treated Split Enz as if they “had some contagious disease” and barred them from backstage altogether.

The apparent reason for Nicks’ aversion stemmed from Finn’s filming habits. He reportedly carried a Super 8 camera around, capturing candid moments on the tour. One particular instance involved Finn filming Nicks warming up with her signature “tu-whit tu-whoo” vocalizations backstage. This seemingly harmless act triggered Nicks, prompting her to have security intervene and demand that Finn stop filming and leave the area.

This past encounter, though seemingly trivial, cast a long shadow, creating an awkward dynamic that resurfaced decades later when they found themselves bandmates in Fleetwood Mac.

Wrapped in irony and oddities

Despite their limited success in the US with Split Enz, Finn’s career trajectory took a different turn. He formed Crowded House, which achieved widespread success with hits like “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Something So Strong” during 1986-1987. While Split Enz was primarily driven by his brother Tim, Crowded House firmly established Neil as a prominent figure in the music scene.

This established career made Neil a compelling choice for Fleetwood Mac after they parted ways with Lindsey Buckingham in 2018. The irony of Finn replacing Buckingham isn’t lost on fans, given the band’s history of dramatic personnel changes.

Adding to the ironic layers is the musical resemblance between Phil Judd, the band member Finn replaced in Split Enz, and Buckingham. Similar to Buckingham, Judd often wrote unconventional songs using the mandolin and adopted a distinct, sometimes “demented” vocal style.

Despite the historical oddities, Neil’s inclusion in the touring lineup proved financially successful. Their 2018-2019 tour grossed over $171 million, demonstrating both his musical talent and the enduring appeal of Fleetwood Mac.