Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham 50 Years Later
Before Rumours turned them into rock royalty, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were just two young musicians trying to make it in Los Angeles. After meeting in high school and performing together in the band Fritz, the duo became romantically and musically linked. In 1973, they released their only album as a duo: Buckingham Nicks.
The album is a blend of folk-rock melodies, intricate harmonies, and emotional songwriting. It didn’t chart, and the label dropped them shortly after. Still, the album gained a cult following, especially thanks to its provocative cover, featuring a topless Nicks and shirtless Buckingham, which Nicks later admitted made her uncomfortable.
Although the album failed commercially, it captured something real between them: the start of a creative partnership that would change rock history. Buckingham Nicks also played a crucial role in their careers. In 1974, Mick Fleetwood heard a track from the album and was so impressed with Lindsey’s guitar work that he invited him to join Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham insisted Nicks come too, and rock history was made.
Now, over 50 years later, Buckingham Nicks is finally getting an official re-release. Remastered and shimmering with new sonic clarity, it captures the connection between two artists before the drama, before Rumours, before the arenas and breakup ballads. It’s not just an album—it’s the origin story of rock’s most turbulent love affair.
Nicks calls it “a gift to the fans who believed in us before the world knew our names.” Buckingham, despite past tensions, agreed: “It’s time.”
Whether you’re a fan of Stevie’s mystic energy or Lindsey’s guitar wizardry, this album is a time capsule; back when the music came first, the heartbreak came later, and Fleetwood Mac was still just a rumor.
Doug O’Brien
