Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, the iconic musical duo and former romantic partners, have mended their long-strained relationship. Their renewed connection comes to light during a recent appearance on the podcast Song Exploder, where they discussed their collaborative track "Frozen Love" from the reissued Buckingham Nicks album.
This development marks a significant shift, especially after Nicks had previously indicated a deep rift and an unwillingness to work with Buckingham again. Their joint participation on the podcast, albeit in seemingly separate interviews, reveals a new chapter in their complex personal and professional history.
Key Takeaways
- Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are back on speaking terms.
- They discussed their song "Frozen Love" on Song Exploder.
- The duo reflected on their early career and personal relationship.
- Nicks previously stated she had given Buckingham "more than 300 million chances."
- The 50th anniversary of Rumours in 2027 sparks reunion speculation.
A Look Back at Their Shared Journey
Nicks and Buckingham's story began in 1966 when they first met as students at Menlo-Atherton High School in the Bay Area. Nicks recalled the moment with a sense of nostalgia. "Lindsey and I started talking about it last night. This whole thing seems really like yesterday to us," she shared on the podcast.
Their initial encounter involved Nicks harmonizing with Buckingham on a rendition of "California Dreamin'" at a youth group social. However, their formal musical collaboration started a few years later when they joined the band Fritz.
Interesting Fact
Before forming the duo Buckingham Nicks, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham opened for legendary artists Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin as part of the band Fritz.
Fritz achieved some success, even opening for major acts like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. Despite this, they struggled to secure a record deal. Producer Keith Olsen suggested that Nicks and Buckingham would find more success as a duo.
Buckingham reflected on that period, noting, "Keith was extremely supportive, but Fritz was never able to secure a record deal." Nicks described the experience as "terrorizing" for them. "We loved these guys," she stated. "So we were not at all happy about that, but there was nothing we could do...It was our first super disappointment in the music business."
Yet, Nicks also saw the silver lining in the situation. She called it an "invitation to greatness," acknowledging that both she and Buckingham recognized the potential in their new path.
The Genesis of Buckingham Nicks and "Frozen Love"
The transition from a band to a duo also intensified their personal relationship. Nicks believes that the departure from Fritz drove them closer. "It drove us together, because we just couldn’t figure it out," she explained. "And then we fell in love with each other, and that was it."
They dedicated themselves to writing their debut album, Buckingham Nicks. The final track on the album, "Frozen Love," became a focal point of their Song Exploder discussion.
"The song is about two people that were in love, that had a lot of differences and saw the world slightly differently, but had this like relationship that seemed to be, like a gift."
Nicks characterized the song as a modern-day tragedy, drawing parallels to literary works like Wuthering Heights or Great Expectations. She noted, "Nobody really loves happy songs. Certainly I didn’t, and neither really did Lindsey."
After Nicks wrote the core of the song, she handed it over to Buckingham for his input. Buckingham described their creative dynamic. "I don’t think she craved my input on that level, and nor did I crave hers on production or instrumental level, either," he said. He added, "She understood that I was transforming things for her, and I understood that I wouldn’t have had anything to transform without the beautiful center that she’d given me."
Background on Buckingham Nicks
Released in 1973, the Buckingham Nicks album was not a commercial success at the time. However, it served as a crucial audition for Fleetwood Mac, leading to their invitation to join the legendary band.
Nicks openly discussed the challenging nature of their relationship during that period. "Our relationship was up and down and up and down and up and down and difficult, but at the same time, fantastic," she recalled. She emphasized that the quality of their music made the personal struggles worthwhile. "And what we were doing was so fantastic, that it was worth putting up with the trials and tribulations of a relationship that’s difficult."
A humorous anecdote from Nicks involved a misheard lyric in "Frozen Love." She joked that the line "Hate gave you me for a lover" was actually intended to be "Fate gave you me for a lover." "When I hear myself sing that line, it sounds like I’m saying ‘hate,’" she admitted. "So, that’s not good. I’m sorry, Lindsey. I’m calling him later."
The Fleetwood Mac Connection
While Buckingham Nicks did not achieve commercial success, it famously became their ticket into Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham recounted the pivotal moment when he was at Sound City studios and heard "Frozen Love" playing loudly. He investigated and found Mick Fleetwood listening intently to their song.
"I’m going, ‘What the hell?’" Buckingham recalled. "And so I open the door and I go in, I see this tall guy, like, standing there listening to ‘Frozen Love,’ and he’s just rocking away to this song. And I’m going, ‘What is going on here?’ And so the song finishes, and Keith says, ‘Oh, Lindsey, this is Mick Fleetwood.’"
Key Moment
The song "Frozen Love" from the Buckingham Nicks album was directly responsible for Mick Fleetwood discovering the duo, leading to their invitation to join Fleetwood Mac.
This encounter led to their historic invitation to join Fleetwood Mac, transforming the band's sound and leading to global superstardom. Their combined talents contributed to some of the most iconic albums in music history, including Rumours.
Looking Ahead: Hopes for a Future Collaboration?
The mending of their relationship comes after a period of considerable tension. Last fall, Nicks told Rolling Stone that her last conversation with Buckingham was brief, occurring at Christine McVie’s celebration of life. At that time, she expressed no interest in a proper farewell tour for Fleetwood Mac with him.
"The only time I’ve spoken to Lindsey was there, for about three minutes," she said previously. "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 recent Song Exploder appearance suggests a softening of this stance. With the 50th anniversary of their landmark album Rumours approaching in 2027, the possibility of a reunion or a new collaboration is now a topic of renewed speculation among fans and industry observers. This newfound cordiality could pave the way for future projects or even a final farewell performance, a prospect that seemed unlikely just a few months ago.
The musical chemistry between Nicks and Buckingham has always been undeniable, even amidst their personal difficulties. Their ability to put aside past grievances for a public discussion of their shared musical legacy indicates a level of respect that fans have long hoped to see return.
The future remains uncertain, but for now, the "frozen love" between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham appears to have truly thawed, opening doors to possibilities that once seemed firmly closed.