Events

[ROCK] Fleetwood Mac frontwoman, Stevie Nicks, is Rolling Stone Magazine’s cover story this week, so let’s give some ink to the architect of Fleetwood Mac’s multi-platinum selling sound, Lindsey Buckingham, who “would be the undisputed star” of any other band had he not had the “mixed fortune to join with his beautiful girlfriend (Nicks)”, according to Rolling Stone. Buckingham masterminded Fleetwood Mac’s top-selling albums, sharpening the songs of the band’s other songwriters into bigger hits than any of his own, “You Can Go Your Own Way” notwithstanding. Catch Fleetwood Mac at the First Niagara Center on Saturday, January 31. Here are a few of Fleetwood Mac’s Buckingham-composed standouts:

1. You Can Go Your Own Way (Rumours, 1977) – Channeling his devastation over losing Nicks, Buckingham’s mainstream masterpiece is driven by a beautiful pop melody, but it’s his cathartic guitar solo that brings this song to the top.

2. I’m So Afraid (Fleetwood Mac, 1975) – It’s more hard rock than the Mac’s more lo-fi folk rock. A live staple, it showcases Buckingham’s intensity and passion through desperate vocals and acrobatic guitar work.

3. Big Love (Tango In The Night, 1987) – Buckingham’s furious bluegrass-style guitar picking on this standout single – originally slated for his solo venture – has earned him a place in the pantheon of guitar gods.

4. Tusk (Tusk, 1979) – A primal oddity recorded live with the USC marching band, this is one of Buckingham’s finest moments as a studio guru. It’s the cornerstone of the misjudged masterpiece, Tusk, which took a hard experimental turn following wildly successful Rumours, and ultimately demonstrated Buckingham’s creative vigor and refusal to rest on his laurels.