Stevie Nicks could only cope with "about three minutes" of being in the presence of former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham.
Stevie Nicks has recalled what led to the firing of Lindsey Buckingham in 2018
The Fleetwood Mac frontwoman, 76, and the 75-year-old fired guitarist briefly reunited last year at the late Christine McVie's funeral, and not only did they have an awkward reunion, but she believes the group's late keyboard player - who died at the age of 79 after suffering a stroke in November 2022 - was playing with the weather beyond the grave as they experienced a hurricane that made for a "really intense" atmosphere at the celebration of life.
In a lengthy interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Stevie recalled: “Christine threw down a hurricane on top of Nobu, which is where we had it.
“Almost blew the whole place away, honest to God. Tore down the entire deck that was all decorated and everything. So it was kind of crazy. We all felt like she was there, because it was really intense."
Stevie admits she gave Lindsey - who was replaced by Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers and Neil Finn of Crowded House after being ousted once again from the legendary group in 2018 - "more than 300 million chances" to change his ways.
She continued: “The only time I’ve spoken to Lindsey was there, for about three minutes. I dealt with Lindsey for as long as I could. You could not say that I did not give him more than 300 million chances.”
The firing came after an alleged altercation between the former couple at the MusicCares benefit in 2018.
The 'Dreams' hitmaker claimed Lindsey "wasn't very nice" to "anybody", including her pop star friend Harry Styles, and it was actually her parents who persuaded her to send him on his way.
The 'Go Your Own Way' hitmaker recalled: “I think that all just happened the way it should have.
“It happened one night, not planned, at a MusiCares [benefit concert]. I didn’t even tell anybody it had happened in my head until the whole ceremony was over. I took with me that night a song that I had done with LeAnn Rimes called ‘Borrowed.’ I took it with me to play for him because I thought we could do this song beautifully.
“That’s when he wasn’t very nice to anybody; he wasn’t very nice to Harry Styles.
“I could hear my mom saying, ‘Are you really going to spend the next 15 years of your life with this man?’ I could hear my very pragmatic father — and by the way, my mom and dad liked Lindsey a lot — saying, ‘It’s time for you guys to get a divorce.’ Between those two, I said, ‘I’m done.'”
Despite being at war over the years, Stevie says Lindsey - who suffered a heart attack in 2019 - will always been an "icon" and she wishes him well.
She added: “I hope he lives a long life and continues to go into a studio and work with other people.
“He’s also an icon, and he can teach people. He’s not stopped in his tracks. He can still make music and have fun.”
Stevie also reiterated that there are no plans for Fleetwood Mac – which also included drummer Mick Fleetwood, 77, and bassist John McVie, 78 - to reunite following the loss of Christine.
She said: “We had lots and lots of time, and lots and lots of tours that could have been the reconciliation tour and ‘now we’re going to quit’ tour. So, I just felt that Christine and I had done everything we could do to make it a happy place. And it wasn’t a happy place anymore.”
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