Fleetwood Mac singer and keyboard player Christine McVie caused a fan frenzy earlier this month (February) when she appeared to suggest she, ex-husband John McVie and Stevie Nicks had given up touring with the supergroup for good.
However, the Songbird star has since released a statement to Rolling Stone, insisting her comments were taken out of context and admitting they “just don’t know” what the future holds for the band.
“First and foremost, I’m thrilled to see that everyone still cares so much about Fleetwood Mac, how humbling to know what a lasting impact this band has had,” she said.
“To clarify my recent comments, I was specifically asked if Fleetwood Mac would tour again. I gave a cheeky answer indicating that the band might be ‘done with that’ or ‘you just never know.’
“I always intended to convey that, particularly after the last year, we just don’t know what the future holds.”
Christine added: “In no way are any members of Fleetwood Mac ‘done’ with being part of the band. If anyone took that from my statement, that was a misperception and not intended.
“Fleetwood Mac is part of the DNA of who I am, and I know the same is true for Stevie, Mick and John. As for future touring… Who knows. We continue to hope for the best.”
The Don’t Stop singer’s latest comments come after, during an interview with BBC Radio 2, Christine hinted she, John and Stevie won’t be touring with the band in the future.
When asked whether Fleetwood Mac’s current line-up – also starring Neil Finn, Mike Campbell and Mick Fleetwood – would tour again, she told Sounds of the 70s with Johnnie Walker: “That’s an impossible question to even answer.
“If we do, it would be without John and without Stevie, I think. I think I’m getting a bit too old for it now – especially having had a year off. I don’t know if I could get myself back into it again.
“I know Mick would do it in a lightning strike, but I couldn’t possibly say… We’re certainly not touring this year either.”
She did not reveal whether the trio would still record with the band.
Reflecting on founding member John’s apparent departure from the group, Christine added: “He’s feeling a little bit frail. You know, he was ill – he’s fine – but he just hasn’t got the heart for it anymore.
“He wants to get on his boat. You reach a certain age where you go, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna bust a gut doing this anymore.
“You know, it all looks very nice when you come and see the show, but the work that goes behind it to get to that point is unbelievable.”
Fleetwood Mac formed in 1967 and enjoyed success in the UK as a blues band, before heading stateside and, after a string of line-up changes, recruited Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks and released their self-titled 10th album.
That line-up, featuring Lindsey, Stevie, Christine, John and Mick went on to release 5 studio albums, including the record-breaking ‘Rumours’, ‘Tusk’ and ‘Tango In the Night’.
Lindsey quit in 1987 and was replaced by Billy Burnette and Rick Vito, who toured the album and recorded follow-up ‘Behind The Mask’.
Rick and Stevie later left, while a hybrid line-up promoted the album ‘Time, after which the classic five reunited for ‘The Dance’ and a subsequent tour.
Fleetwood Mac toured sans Christine from 2003 to 2013 as a four-piece, after which she returned for the 2014-2015 ‘On With the Show’ jaunt.
Lindsey left the band in 2018 and, through 2019, Neil Finn and Mike Campbell joined for another world tour.
