Rare Photos of Fleetwood Mac Before Stevie Nicks, Grammys and Global Fame
Get a glimpse into the early days of the group when it formed in 1967
Before there were the hauntingly stunning vocals from Stevie Nicks, the sounds of Christine McVie’s keys or the tension from the relationship between Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, there was another life for Fleetwood Mac. Prior to the band gaining worldwide notoriety, including 120 million records sold and a Grammy for Album of the Year for 1977’ Rumours, the group was once made up of entirely different members.
Founded in 1967, Fleetwood Mac has gone through a number of changes over the years, including adjustments made to their lineup. The only original musicians who have continued with the band throughout its success are its founders, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bass guitarist John McVie, who combined their surnames in creating the group’s name.
Meet the original Fleetwood Mac lineup from the 1960s
Along with the founders, other original members included lead vocalist Peter Green and pianist and slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer. A year after they formed, guitarist and singer Danny Kirwan joined in 1968. Of course, the lineup has changed a number of times over the years, with Green being the first member to leave in 1970 after a bad experience with LSD. A year later, Spencer departed due to religious reasons, while Kirwan would later check out due to his alcoholism.
Christine McVie officially joined the group in 1970, although she had previously contributed to the band as a session musician. She and John had been married since 1968 and eventually made their working relationship permanent.
After Spencer left Fleetwood Mac, guitarist Bob Welch replaced him in 1971. Although he was a member for a while during the group’s transitional period from blues-based music to a more pop sound, he eventually departed as well in 1974 due to personal and professional struggles—including a strained relationship with the McVies.
Following Welch’s leaving, the lineup of the band that everyone knows and loves, with Nicks and Buckingham, was created on New Year’s Eve of 1974. See rare photos of the group before they became a Grammy-winning team!
Below is the original lineup of Fleetwood Mac— John McVie, Jeremy Spencer, Peter Green, Danny Kirwan and Mick Fleetwood— in a photo from 1968.
Jeremy Spencer, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Danny Kirwan and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac acting silly during a photoshoot in 1968.
Fleetwood Mac standing together at Heathrow Airport in the UK in 1969.
The band performs on the British television program Top of the Pops, which was a show focused on the latest chart hits that often featured live performances from the artists. Fleetwood Mac’s performance came in 1969.
By 1970, the group had a new member in Christine McVie, the wife of founding member John McVie. Her joining came after the departure of Peter Green when the group was searching for their new sound, transitioning from blues-rock to a more pop-rock sound.
In 1974, the band lost yet another member in Bob Welch, but that year also marked the beginning of the well-known Fleetwood Mac. Nicks and Buckingham joined up as a couple and they became the five-member band that would have a cultural impact on music history.
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