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Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac
A consummate insider as the girlfriend of Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac singer and guitarist, Carol Ann Harris leads fans into the very heart of the band’s storms between 1976 and 1984. From interactions between the band and other stars-Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, and Dennis Wilson-to the chaotic animosity between band members, this memoir combines the sensational account of some of the world’s most famous musicians with a thrilling love story. Illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, the parties, fights, drug use, shenanigans, and sex lives of Fleetwood Mac are presented in intimate detail. With the exception of one brief interview, Carol Ann Harris has never before spoken about her time with Fleetwood Mac.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
October 10, 2011
This is one of the most horribly wonderful books I've ever read. It was poorly written and meandering
and sometimes just didn't make sense, but it was also juicy, shocking, unintentionally hilarious, and filled with guilty pleasures.
The first thing to note is that, even if only half of this is true, Lindsey B. was a grade-A butthole. Carol Ann deserved whatever riches were coming to her for putting up with him and the rest of the band for over five years. Carol Ann certainly had lingering jealousies against Stevie; not only did she spell out Stevie's entire name upon every single reference of her in the book, but she made Stevie out to be a nasty witch. Carol Ann's lack of self-awareness here certainly underscores her portrayal of herself as the naive innocent in her time with FM.
And the writing. The writing! At one point, Carol Ann takes a paragraph to describe garlic bread. You're writing a book about Fleetwood Mac, lady. STOP IT. And the adverbs! There were so many, they ate some of the verbs whole.
This is a must for any Fleetwood Mac fan, but take it with a grain of salt. I kept craving more specific details about the band itself -- behind-the-scenes details about recording, writing, etc. -- but realized as I finished it that this was Carol Ann's book. As much as she probably saw in her years with FM, she wasn't a band member herself -- making this account limited in scope.
and sometimes just didn't make sense, but it was also juicy, shocking, unintentionally hilarious, and filled with guilty pleasures.
The first thing to note is that, even if only half of this is true, Lindsey B. was a grade-A butthole. Carol Ann deserved whatever riches were coming to her for putting up with him and the rest of the band for over five years. Carol Ann certainly had lingering jealousies against Stevie; not only did she spell out Stevie's entire name upon every single reference of her in the book, but she made Stevie out to be a nasty witch. Carol Ann's lack of self-awareness here certainly underscores her portrayal of herself as the naive innocent in her time with FM.
And the writing. The writing! At one point, Carol Ann takes a paragraph to describe garlic bread. You're writing a book about Fleetwood Mac, lady. STOP IT. And the adverbs! There were so many, they ate some of the verbs whole.
This is a must for any Fleetwood Mac fan, but take it with a grain of salt. I kept craving more specific details about the band itself -- behind-the-scenes details about recording, writing, etc. -- but realized as I finished it that this was Carol Ann's book. As much as she probably saw in her years with FM, she wasn't a band member herself -- making this account limited in scope.
June 29, 2023
I have been a fan of this group since the Rumor's album. This audiobook was on the free side and I had looked at it over the years and thought why not read it. I have an interest in biography's and its free, a winning combination for me. Obviously, my point of view only.... The reader of the book sounds like she is a 16 yo girl (or maybe it's the combo of the writing and the reading). I read the book about Stevie Nicks "Gold Dust Woman" and thought it was so so when it came out.
Carol Ann Harris is the author and I know she was VERY young when they met but still.....she just gives up everything all of the time to please Lindsey. Carol Ann came across as such a Mary Sue with a HUGE case of Lindsey Buckingham worship. He was narcistic and later abusive and she made excuse after excuse for him. Why the 4* then. It was such a behind the scenes picture of excess of drugs, vanity and affairs with everything that makes for a fun read. The book was published in 2007 so much of this is ancient news and the group has discussed a lot of the "excesses" in interviews.
Carol Ann Harris is the author and I know she was VERY young when they met but still.....she just gives up everything all of the time to please Lindsey. Carol Ann came across as such a Mary Sue with a HUGE case of Lindsey Buckingham worship. He was narcistic and later abusive and she made excuse after excuse for him. Why the 4* then. It was such a behind the scenes picture of excess of drugs, vanity and affairs with everything that makes for a fun read. The book was published in 2007 so much of this is ancient news and the group has discussed a lot of the "excesses" in interviews.
August 23, 2014
This book was so so funny. It was like reading fan fiction with an author self-insert and the self-insert is a total Mary Sue.
My favorite thing was how at the beginning she tries to make Stevie Nicks out as super jealous of her. Yes yes Carol, I'm sure the woman who is so fierce that Beyoncè herself sampled her music is jealous of YOU.
My favorite thing was how at the beginning she tries to make Stevie Nicks out as super jealous of her. Yes yes Carol, I'm sure the woman who is so fierce that Beyoncè herself sampled her music is jealous of YOU.
May 29, 2009
Carol Ann Harris' account of her years with Lindsey Buckingham and the Fleetwood Mac family will resonate with anyone who has ever been a band chick. She writes of being shy and uncertain as to her place in the band family, as well as her early recognition that the band and the music would always come first. Having a relationship with Buckingham was a package deal;she would automatically have a relationship with his band as well.
Harris explores her frustration over her desire to care for and protect the health of Buckingham, while knowing that for him, the music was all that mattered. This is a well-written stereotypical story of a young girl who willingly surrenders her interests and career options for the man she loves. As the role of rhythm guitar player is to hang back and enable the lead guitar to shine, the role of band chick is to remain in the shadows, always supportive and encouraging, never voicing an opinion on musical direction.
Harris' descriptions of the prodigious drug and alcohol use within the Mac family, coupled with constant turmoil and tension, provide the framework for the disintegration of her relationship with Buckingham. Her pain is palpable when reading of her dream life turning into a nightmare. Avid Mac fans may not enjoy reading of the excess, nastiness and internal dissent, but Harris needed to tell her story in order to reclaim herself. This is her truth, her life, and another side of rock and roll.
Harris explores her frustration over her desire to care for and protect the health of Buckingham, while knowing that for him, the music was all that mattered. This is a well-written stereotypical story of a young girl who willingly surrenders her interests and career options for the man she loves. As the role of rhythm guitar player is to hang back and enable the lead guitar to shine, the role of band chick is to remain in the shadows, always supportive and encouraging, never voicing an opinion on musical direction.
Harris' descriptions of the prodigious drug and alcohol use within the Mac family, coupled with constant turmoil and tension, provide the framework for the disintegration of her relationship with Buckingham. Her pain is palpable when reading of her dream life turning into a nightmare. Avid Mac fans may not enjoy reading of the excess, nastiness and internal dissent, but Harris needed to tell her story in order to reclaim herself. This is her truth, her life, and another side of rock and roll.
May 30, 2015
First off, I feel compelled to say that there were many passages in this book that were very well written, to the point where I found it difficult to believe that this lady, not a trained or experienced writer, could put such down on paper (or in electrons). There was some very nicely phrased writing, here and there.
With that compliment out of the way, this book was agonizing to read, and I am embarrassed to say that I completed it. Similar to the 'Making of Rumours' book by engineer Ken Caillat, but orders of magnitude worse, this book was all about the author. This woman simply could not say enough about how she was a 'part' of Fleetwood Mac. Clearly, she was, at the time, and remained, at the time of the book's writing, impressed with herself. For what earthly reason, one can only guess. She was merely 'there' contributing nothing but, apparently, to serve as a punching bag for Lindsey Buckingham. The writing became so repetitive and cloying that despite a desire to see how it all turned out, it was painful to continue on to the next page and read more of the same drivel. I must say, however, that one should not expect anything more from a book written by someone who claimed a desire to be an audio engineer, and further claimed to have some expertise in the field at age 22, when she obviously couldn't tell her posterior from a hole in the ground. Yes, sour grapes from someone who should have put the book down within the first 50 pages, as any hope that the book would improve was lost at every turn.
The melodrama couldn't be be any greater, the hyperbole of everything she encountered could not have been greater. Because of this, any descriptions of things that may have genuinely had a serious impact on the author, like the episodes of violence she purported to experience at the hands of the brilliant but presumably unbalanced genius guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, Mr Buckingham, should be met with skepticism, perhaps not about whether they happened, but surely whether severity was even remotely close to how she described them. When small, insignificant things are described as monumental, there is nowhere left to go when describing things more significant. Thus, the book rapidly becomes tiresome, as does her incessant fawning over Mr. Buckingham and her impressive narcissism. If, however, you want to read what is most likely a fairy tale based on some level of reality, and want to try to get a feel of life with a rock star, this might be an okay read. If you're looking for a realistic account of what this kind of lifestyle is/was like, I'm guessing this would be far down an a list of such tomes.
With that compliment out of the way, this book was agonizing to read, and I am embarrassed to say that I completed it. Similar to the 'Making of Rumours' book by engineer Ken Caillat, but orders of magnitude worse, this book was all about the author. This woman simply could not say enough about how she was a 'part' of Fleetwood Mac. Clearly, she was, at the time, and remained, at the time of the book's writing, impressed with herself. For what earthly reason, one can only guess. She was merely 'there' contributing nothing but, apparently, to serve as a punching bag for Lindsey Buckingham. The writing became so repetitive and cloying that despite a desire to see how it all turned out, it was painful to continue on to the next page and read more of the same drivel. I must say, however, that one should not expect anything more from a book written by someone who claimed a desire to be an audio engineer, and further claimed to have some expertise in the field at age 22, when she obviously couldn't tell her posterior from a hole in the ground. Yes, sour grapes from someone who should have put the book down within the first 50 pages, as any hope that the book would improve was lost at every turn.
The melodrama couldn't be be any greater, the hyperbole of everything she encountered could not have been greater. Because of this, any descriptions of things that may have genuinely had a serious impact on the author, like the episodes of violence she purported to experience at the hands of the brilliant but presumably unbalanced genius guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, Mr Buckingham, should be met with skepticism, perhaps not about whether they happened, but surely whether severity was even remotely close to how she described them. When small, insignificant things are described as monumental, there is nowhere left to go when describing things more significant. Thus, the book rapidly becomes tiresome, as does her incessant fawning over Mr. Buckingham and her impressive narcissism. If, however, you want to read what is most likely a fairy tale based on some level of reality, and want to try to get a feel of life with a rock star, this might be an okay read. If you're looking for a realistic account of what this kind of lifestyle is/was like, I'm guessing this would be far down an a list of such tomes.
July 18, 2022
I read this because Fleetwood mac is my favorite music artist, specifically Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, but i found the writing in this book to be very odd. It read like Carol hadn’t gotten over her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham even though she acknowledges it was very unhealthy, even leading her to almost death more then once.
The way Carol Ann Harris writes about her time with Fleetwood Mac, she describes everything as a high energy event no matter what it is, making it hard to believe the truth in everything mentioned in the book.
I also had a problem with the way she described Stevie Nicks, she spends the first half of the book not mentioning anything of Stevie’s personality besides painting her as a jealous ex-girlfriend with nothing else going for her, in the second half there’s a turn when Stevie starts to become friends with Carol but you can still see how Carol was intimated by Stevie and her past with Lindsey. This was countered by the way she spent the rest of the book frequently gushing about how much she loved the other three members of the band, and the rest of the fleetwood mac “inner circle” that she constantly mentions being apart of
The way Carol Ann Harris writes about her time with Fleetwood Mac, she describes everything as a high energy event no matter what it is, making it hard to believe the truth in everything mentioned in the book.
I also had a problem with the way she described Stevie Nicks, she spends the first half of the book not mentioning anything of Stevie’s personality besides painting her as a jealous ex-girlfriend with nothing else going for her, in the second half there’s a turn when Stevie starts to become friends with Carol but you can still see how Carol was intimated by Stevie and her past with Lindsey. This was countered by the way she spent the rest of the book frequently gushing about how much she loved the other three members of the band, and the rest of the fleetwood mac “inner circle” that she constantly mentions being apart of
November 28, 2011
I just finished reading this book and tend to agree with other reader's comments that there are many inconsistencies in this story that leave the reader wondering how much is true and how much is fantasy...it's also difficult to believe certain incidents took place the way they are described by Carol Ann when all the info I can find on the breakup between Lindsey and her describe it very differently. That is, that Carol Ann was evicted from their Bel Air house for her drug addiction problems by Lindsey, and not how Carol Ann would have us believe in her book. There are many instances in this story where things are left out, Carol Ann's role in them is not spoken about, and other times when things come across as blatant lies, such as the car accident in which Carol Ann claims to haphazardly glance down at her seatbelt which is undone, buckle it up as an afterthought, then ploughs her car headfirst into a tree. This, and similar incidents, struck me as the typical manipulative behaviour of someone with a Personality Disorder's desperate attempts to hold on to a relationship. The drug use by Carol Ann herself is also brushed over, and knowing personally and professionally (from my work as a drug and alcohol counsellor) the addictive qualities of cocaine myself, I found it hard to believe that she did not suffer withdrawals or any other after-effects from going cold turkey after touring, as she claims to have done in this book. It left me wondering, above all, what elements of her relationship with Lindsey were actually true, as given the inconsistencies throughout the book, her story does not seem very credible. Many other questions went through my mind as I read this story, and that in itself, was distracting and added to my difficulty in believing her version of events. Watching the grammys she described on youtube last night, I once again was left wondering when Lindsey appeared to have no trouble getting up on stage, whereas she describes him as having needing to be carried up....hhhmmmm...
July 26, 2011
This is definitely an interesting read for anyone who's a big fan of Fleetwood Mac, especially during the periods of "Rumours" and "Tusk", but it's hard to take everything that Carol Ann says at face value. If we are to believe her entire account, Lindsey was the one with all of the problems, while Carol Ann maintained the roll of martyr throughout their entire relationship.
While I'm sure that a lot of this book was based on her perception of the truth, I find it difficult to believe that all of the conversations she cites were recalled verbatim (though it doesn't surprise me if she and Sara Fleetwood really did record a number of their gossip sessions). I do think that this sheds light into some of the inner workings of Fleetwood Mac, from the touring, drug use, affairs, health issues, etc. But does it paint an entirely accurate picture of the relationship between Lindsey and Carol Ann? Probably not.
I'm sure Lindsey's got his own side of the story, which may not be told through a tell-all autobiography, but through his music. Songs like "Caroline", "Go Insane", and "I Must Go" spin a bit of a different tale. Guess it's true when it's said that there are 3 sides to every story - in this case, hers, his & the truth.
While I'm sure that a lot of this book was based on her perception of the truth, I find it difficult to believe that all of the conversations she cites were recalled verbatim (though it doesn't surprise me if she and Sara Fleetwood really did record a number of their gossip sessions). I do think that this sheds light into some of the inner workings of Fleetwood Mac, from the touring, drug use, affairs, health issues, etc. But does it paint an entirely accurate picture of the relationship between Lindsey and Carol Ann? Probably not.
I'm sure Lindsey's got his own side of the story, which may not be told through a tell-all autobiography, but through his music. Songs like "Caroline", "Go Insane", and "I Must Go" spin a bit of a different tale. Guess it's true when it's said that there are 3 sides to every story - in this case, hers, his & the truth.
October 19, 2024
Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac is the story of the legendary Fleetwood Mac between the years of 1977 and 1984 as told by Carol Ann Harris, the then-girlfriend of the band's charismatic guitar player, Lindsey Buckingham. As a member of Fleetwood Mac's inner circle, Harris was often present with the band on tour, in the recording studio, at parties, and at award ceremonies. Her account of these years takes the reader behind the scenes of the on-stage glamour, and into the complex, and often tumultuous, relationships between the various band members.
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I have long been a fan of Fleetwood Mac's music (and Stevie Nicks in particular), and thought this book sounded like an interesting insight into the group. It was, but it felt (understandably) one-sided and ultimately left me wanting to know more.
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Harris's involvement with Fleetwood Mac began shortly before the release of the critically acclaimed Rumours album, which famously detailed John and Christine McVie's divorce, Christine's affair with a member of the band's crew, and the disintegration of the notoriously fractious relationship between Buckingham and Nicks. Harris remained a part of the Fleetwood Mac family during Nicks' ill-fated affair with Mick Fleetwood, the subsequent releases of Tusk and Mirage, and the beginnings of Buckingham's solo career. As you might expect, Storms focuses less on the music and more on Harris' relationship with Buckingham. While interesting, it did relegate the other members of the band to the periphery of the story, with Nicks in particular being portrayed almost as a caricature of herself.
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What started off for Harris as a love affair clearly became a drug-fuelled nightmare. Life with the band, and Buckingham in particular, involved heavy drug use, copious infighting, and a number of incestuous relationships within the Fleetwood Mac family. Most sinister though, is Harris' depiction of coercive control, in which she alleges that she was first charmed and later abused into relinquishing her independence, leaving her at the mercy of an angry and violent Buckingham.
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There are some parts of the text that come across as incongruent, not least Harris' depiction of herself as a naive, self-sacrificing martyr with no agenda, which contrasts uncomfortably with her excessive drug use and admission that she secretly recorded private conversations. It's also obviously disturbing to read allegations of such brutal behaviour in connection with such a well-loved band. Nonetheless though, I found the book interesting, largely entertaining (although horrifying in parts), and mostly well-written (if a little wandering).
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I have long been a fan of Fleetwood Mac's music (and Stevie Nicks in particular), and thought this book sounded like an interesting insight into the group. It was, but it felt (understandably) one-sided and ultimately left me wanting to know more.
📚
Harris's involvement with Fleetwood Mac began shortly before the release of the critically acclaimed Rumours album, which famously detailed John and Christine McVie's divorce, Christine's affair with a member of the band's crew, and the disintegration of the notoriously fractious relationship between Buckingham and Nicks. Harris remained a part of the Fleetwood Mac family during Nicks' ill-fated affair with Mick Fleetwood, the subsequent releases of Tusk and Mirage, and the beginnings of Buckingham's solo career. As you might expect, Storms focuses less on the music and more on Harris' relationship with Buckingham. While interesting, it did relegate the other members of the band to the periphery of the story, with Nicks in particular being portrayed almost as a caricature of herself.
📚
What started off for Harris as a love affair clearly became a drug-fuelled nightmare. Life with the band, and Buckingham in particular, involved heavy drug use, copious infighting, and a number of incestuous relationships within the Fleetwood Mac family. Most sinister though, is Harris' depiction of coercive control, in which she alleges that she was first charmed and later abused into relinquishing her independence, leaving her at the mercy of an angry and violent Buckingham.
📚
There are some parts of the text that come across as incongruent, not least Harris' depiction of herself as a naive, self-sacrificing martyr with no agenda, which contrasts uncomfortably with her excessive drug use and admission that she secretly recorded private conversations. It's also obviously disturbing to read allegations of such brutal behaviour in connection with such a well-loved band. Nonetheless though, I found the book interesting, largely entertaining (although horrifying in parts), and mostly well-written (if a little wandering).
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July 23, 2017
Well if you are a hardcore Fleetwood Mac fan, you will probably read this book, however if you are a fan you'll be very dubious of Harris' claims and question her account of the band on the whole. Clearly Harris is trying to paint herself like some naff, innocent, doe-eyed girl who 'stands by her man', who she's placed high on a pedestal. Everyone around her is out of control and selfish which really wears thin along with her 'oh my gosh' naivety. Harris' retelling of certain events just don't seem true, and she seems also deluded regarding Buckingham's real feelings for her (at one point, it's clear that Buckingham is hooking up again with Stevie Nicks), her drug taking and more bizarrely her place in FM machine (she talks about FM as if she was one of the members). At the end of the day, it's tawdry reading and not that well written but like everyone has mentioned it is quite salacious in parts, you just won't fully believe it.
January 21, 2021
I'm on a Fleetwood Mac kick, and while i thoroughly enjoyed Get Tusked which detailed the recording of Fleetwood Mac's follow-up to Rumours, and that covered some of the same timeframe as this book, I was pretty let down with Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac. The book is written by Carol Ann Harris, who was Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham's girlfriend and eventually finace for eight and a half years. She met him during the post-production phase of Rumours, when the band had seen some success with their Fleetwood Mac album; the first to feature Lindsey and his then girlfriend Stevie Nicks. The recording of Rumours was traumatic for the band, as it saw Lindsey and Stevie ending their 7+ year relationship, Christine and John McVie divorcing, and Mick Fleetwood ending his relationship with his wife. Little did they know that once Rumours hit the airwaves, all their lives, and the lives of those close to them, would forever and radically change.
What Harris does well is show who dramatically superstardom (in the biggest way) changes your life, whether you are the object of that adulation, or part of their inner circle; and Harris talks a lot about the Fleetwood Mac 'family' and the intensity and isolation those in that family were subject to. Post-Rumours, she details the tour that found the band reliving all their emotional battle scars over and over in front of thousands of people. From there they went directly to the recording of Tusk, whereby Lindsey took a tyrannical, creative control of the band and steered them in a direction away from Rumours and towards the likes of the Clash and Talking Heads, who were starting to make waves at the time. The Tusk world tour, which spanned over a year and a half, Harris explained, broke the band, unleashing the best and the worst of all of them, so that when it came time to record their solo albums, and follow-up Tusk with Mirage, relationships were strained to the breaking point.
Harris was quite young when she met Buckingham, and she was trying to learn to become a production assistant at the recording studio where Fleetwood Mac was working on Rumours. Throughout the book, after she becomes Lindsey's girlfriend, she bounces from career to career, trying to find her place: from model, to actor, to costume designer for music videos. I guess it's no surprise that she tried her hand at writing (as she did with singing, at Buckingham's urging) but she probably should have had the book ghost-written. The book reads like a high schools girl's diary, endlessly rhapsodizing about the glossy high points, and eagerly detailing in lurid details, the moments that the band their their 'family' kept zealously hidden from the press and public. Throughout it all, while Harris does paint herself as a willing participant, there is a distance that suggests she was always of the higher moral character than those around her, and there is a vague uncomfortable sense of her being lured in and trapped like a cult.
As in the case of any such story, there are probably multiple points of view on what happened during those years; as many as there are viewers, and we're talking nearly 30 years ago. Buckingham gets the worst of it in Storms, and Harris' read on him seems fairly possible, but while he is the one she would have the most intimate knowledge and memory of, he's also the one she has most reason to distort given the tumultuous ending of their relationship. The rest of the band and their circle come off fairly poorly on the whole, even though she does try to include positives about each of them. (One of my few favorite trashy moments is when Christine slaps Lindsey, tells him off, then throws a drink in his face for some reprehensible onstage behavior and in defense of Stevie.)
If you're a fan of trashy gossip mags, and the Fleetwood Mac drama, or if you're a glutton for the helpless-young-woman-who-is-abused-by-her-partner-but-stays-with-him-because-she-knows-her-love-will-change-him type of stories, then THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Everyone else would probably rather skip it.
What Harris does well is show who dramatically superstardom (in the biggest way) changes your life, whether you are the object of that adulation, or part of their inner circle; and Harris talks a lot about the Fleetwood Mac 'family' and the intensity and isolation those in that family were subject to. Post-Rumours, she details the tour that found the band reliving all their emotional battle scars over and over in front of thousands of people. From there they went directly to the recording of Tusk, whereby Lindsey took a tyrannical, creative control of the band and steered them in a direction away from Rumours and towards the likes of the Clash and Talking Heads, who were starting to make waves at the time. The Tusk world tour, which spanned over a year and a half, Harris explained, broke the band, unleashing the best and the worst of all of them, so that when it came time to record their solo albums, and follow-up Tusk with Mirage, relationships were strained to the breaking point.
Harris was quite young when she met Buckingham, and she was trying to learn to become a production assistant at the recording studio where Fleetwood Mac was working on Rumours. Throughout the book, after she becomes Lindsey's girlfriend, she bounces from career to career, trying to find her place: from model, to actor, to costume designer for music videos. I guess it's no surprise that she tried her hand at writing (as she did with singing, at Buckingham's urging) but she probably should have had the book ghost-written. The book reads like a high schools girl's diary, endlessly rhapsodizing about the glossy high points, and eagerly detailing in lurid details, the moments that the band their their 'family' kept zealously hidden from the press and public. Throughout it all, while Harris does paint herself as a willing participant, there is a distance that suggests she was always of the higher moral character than those around her, and there is a vague uncomfortable sense of her being lured in and trapped like a cult.
As in the case of any such story, there are probably multiple points of view on what happened during those years; as many as there are viewers, and we're talking nearly 30 years ago. Buckingham gets the worst of it in Storms, and Harris' read on him seems fairly possible, but while he is the one she would have the most intimate knowledge and memory of, he's also the one she has most reason to distort given the tumultuous ending of their relationship. The rest of the band and their circle come off fairly poorly on the whole, even though she does try to include positives about each of them. (One of my few favorite trashy moments is when Christine slaps Lindsey, tells him off, then throws a drink in his face for some reprehensible onstage behavior and in defense of Stevie.)
If you're a fan of trashy gossip mags, and the Fleetwood Mac drama, or if you're a glutton for the helpless-young-woman-who-is-abused-by-her-partner-but-stays-with-him-because-she-knows-her-love-will-change-him type of stories, then THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Everyone else would probably rather skip it.
May 14, 2015
I read Howe's STEVIE NICKS: Visions, Dreams and Rumors -
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - and decided I needed to read this to get Harris' side of the story, and what a tale it is! She chronicles her love affair with Lindsey Buckingham--complete with stories of abuse--and dishes dirt on the rest of the band members and their inner circle. This is one of the books that you can't tear yourself away from but all the while you are going "Hmmmmm... interesting, but did that really happen?" and "How can anyone remember that much detail from 30 years ago [I had originally written "20" years but my math was off], especially when there was so much drug use?"
If you can't get enough of Fleetwood Mac's members' life stories, give this one a whirl, although I warn you that there is a lot of drama, plus it's not particularly well-written (there were a lot of unneeded adjectives and descriptions) and rather lengthy.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... - and decided I needed to read this to get Harris' side of the story, and what a tale it is! She chronicles her love affair with Lindsey Buckingham--complete with stories of abuse--and dishes dirt on the rest of the band members and their inner circle. This is one of the books that you can't tear yourself away from but all the while you are going "Hmmmmm... interesting, but did that really happen?" and "How can anyone remember that much detail from 30 years ago [I had originally written "20" years but my math was off], especially when there was so much drug use?"
If you can't get enough of Fleetwood Mac's members' life stories, give this one a whirl, although I warn you that there is a lot of drama, plus it's not particularly well-written (there were a lot of unneeded adjectives and descriptions) and rather lengthy.
October 26, 2012
So Fleetwood Mac were a guilty pleasure in my younger, trying to be cool days. They are still a pleasure in my older don't care days.
I was wondering if there was a history of the band type book, something salacious that gives the inside view of all the drama/drugs/inter band affairs and came across this book written by Lindsey Buckinghams girlfriend of the time. So its all that, gossip and scandal but sad as well. She's a pretty young girl, he's a controlling abusive dick and beats her up a few times. And how all of them are still alive given the blizzards of blow consumed is pretty incredible. The 70s were a strange time.
I was wondering if there was a history of the band type book, something salacious that gives the inside view of all the drama/drugs/inter band affairs and came across this book written by Lindsey Buckinghams girlfriend of the time. So its all that, gossip and scandal but sad as well. She's a pretty young girl, he's a controlling abusive dick and beats her up a few times. And how all of them are still alive given the blizzards of blow consumed is pretty incredible. The 70s were a strange time.
February 9, 2016
I'm having a really bad case of book hangover. I finished this book and just stared at the back cover trying to figure out why this book was so god damn interesting and hard to put down. The hangover is horrible, gonna take an advil and go to bed.
**edit**
Now for a real review... Loved this. Great insiders peek into the rock star life. Other famous musicians showed up as well which was cool.
And lastly on much more serious note I have to say that this was a really eye opening account of domestic violence. It's just shocking and heart breaking that some people have gone through stuff like this and my heart goes out to her.
**edit**
Now for a real review... Loved this. Great insiders peek into the rock star life. Other famous musicians showed up as well which was cool.
And lastly on much more serious note I have to say that this was a really eye opening account of domestic violence. It's just shocking and heart breaking that some people have gone through stuff like this and my heart goes out to her.
April 17, 2023
A harrowing tale by any measure, but the writing is so overwrought that at times I found it nearly laughable. I’m not really a Fleetwood Mac fan but I’d recommend this to anyone who is—it definitely gives a sense of what it was like to be a member of the inner circle.
October 23, 2024
I had started this book and ran across another one I wanted to read first and then remembered this one.
This one. Wow! What a mess! I finished it quickly because it kind of felt like rotting trash you had to get to the curb for Tuesday morning pickup because you just don’t want this stink in your house.
Actually…. Although interesting at points…. It really did feel like a lot of this was just plain garbage. I didn’t know what was true and what was just fabrication by the author.
Truth: Buckingham was disgusting and quite mean and just an awful person.
That is really all I can be truly sure about in this book.
It was so poorly written. I feel like the author was trying to either rid herself of the demons that haunt her from her time with FM and it also felt like she wanted to prove she was with the band… which in a sense she was “with them”… just not an actual band member.
I’m not sure why she put up with such abuse. Love? Trying to stay relevant by clinging to something that was long gone and maybe never even was? Drug addiction? I just don’t know.
She was definitely jealous of Stevie Nicks and her past relationship with Buckingham, even if she tried to laughably act like it was Stevie who was jealous of her. ( In the words of Aerosmith… Dream On)
She made Stevie out to be a serious villainess and I honestly think Stevie didn’t really think about her much at all. She was fighting her own demons.
It was actually pretty amazing that Fleetwood Mac could produce such brilliant music when you realize they were just such a dysfunctional mess….but then I suppose that can be the same with just about any of the truly great bands. Plenty of talent…huge egos… too much time spent together and add in drugs and alcohol and you got yourself a band that performs miracles.
Anyway…. If you are a big Fleetwood Mac fan and you have an afternoon to just kill some time…. Kill a few brain cells and read this book. Wait to take your shower until after you are done. You will want to wash this trash off of you!
This one. Wow! What a mess! I finished it quickly because it kind of felt like rotting trash you had to get to the curb for Tuesday morning pickup because you just don’t want this stink in your house.
Actually…. Although interesting at points…. It really did feel like a lot of this was just plain garbage. I didn’t know what was true and what was just fabrication by the author.
Truth: Buckingham was disgusting and quite mean and just an awful person.
That is really all I can be truly sure about in this book.
It was so poorly written. I feel like the author was trying to either rid herself of the demons that haunt her from her time with FM and it also felt like she wanted to prove she was with the band… which in a sense she was “with them”… just not an actual band member.
I’m not sure why she put up with such abuse. Love? Trying to stay relevant by clinging to something that was long gone and maybe never even was? Drug addiction? I just don’t know.
She was definitely jealous of Stevie Nicks and her past relationship with Buckingham, even if she tried to laughably act like it was Stevie who was jealous of her. ( In the words of Aerosmith… Dream On)
She made Stevie out to be a serious villainess and I honestly think Stevie didn’t really think about her much at all. She was fighting her own demons.
It was actually pretty amazing that Fleetwood Mac could produce such brilliant music when you realize they were just such a dysfunctional mess….but then I suppose that can be the same with just about any of the truly great bands. Plenty of talent…huge egos… too much time spent together and add in drugs and alcohol and you got yourself a band that performs miracles.
Anyway…. If you are a big Fleetwood Mac fan and you have an afternoon to just kill some time…. Kill a few brain cells and read this book. Wait to take your shower until after you are done. You will want to wash this trash off of you!
November 22, 2016
I have been on a sort of Fleetwood Mac bio journey recently and this book had to figure in. My main interest is Stevie Nicks, but I am a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac as well and they are inextricably linked. Like most Stevie fan girls, I have also been very interested in Lindsey Buckingham and this book is one of the more Lindsey-centric books about Fleetwood Mac that is out there.
The book is written by a long term partner of Lindsey's who clearly had a profound effect on Lindsey and his music. Carol Ann Harris was the first real long time girlfriend of Lindsey's after his relationship with Stevie ended. She has an interesting background recording concerts before bootlegging was an illegal activity. She's a big music fan and is compelling figure on her own. This is a very interesting book--it has some big, juicy events in it and some gossip-y type material that is entertaining but overall for this type of book it is not particularly trashy. What makes it more compelling is that Lindsey Buckingham basically disputes almost everything in the book--as he would--he comes out very badly. There is physical abuse alleged, extreme neglect and some really dark behavior that would make anyone ashamed. I'd like to believe it's false as I admire Lindsey as a musician but to be honest, it matches up with most of the other material I have read about him. The biggest conflict in information here is that each blames the other for their drug habits and bad behavior. Ms. Harris is pretty open about her drug use and that most of it began with her spending time with Fleetwood Mac. She admits that Lindsey mostly smoked weed which is pretty minor league considering the alcohol and cocaine use described here and in other books about the band. Whatever the reality is, this was a very rough period for this woman. It's pretty clear that Lindsey was the great love of her life and she highlights his positive qualities as well as the negative --he's clearly a very attractive figure--beautiful, intelligent and very gifted--but also vain in the extreme and extremely self involved. He's the type of Heathcliff figure that most women run into at some point in their lives and fall into like a black hole. It definitely took way more than I would have put up with to get Ms. Harris to walk away but she was financially dependent on him (partly due to his disliking her to work) and in his favor, he did help her financially for a period after the relationship ended. Despite how badly he seems to have treated her, she definitely still retains fond memories of him and their relationship so I don't dismiss her claims out of hand.
My biggest criticism of her comes in her recollections of Stevie Nicks. She attempts to sound "fair" but really--who could be fair in her situation? Forced to be around her current partner's great love and a woman that would make most women feel inadequate, I can see why she would resent Stevie, but frankly she often comes off sounding like a mean girl. I know Stevie Nicks is not perfect, no matter how big a fan I am, and most people doing massive amounts of cocaine do some damn questionable stuff but I honestly do not believe some of the stories she tells about Stevie. They have an air of "I am trying not to sound like I am completely influenced by jealousy" but in reality, I suspect that colored much of her interactions with Stevie. Like most biographies, you will have to judge for yourself based on what passes the smell test with you and other information you read.
Overall, it was a very easy read, sad and complicated but enjoyable. Recommended if you are trying to form a complete picture of the band.
The book is written by a long term partner of Lindsey's who clearly had a profound effect on Lindsey and his music. Carol Ann Harris was the first real long time girlfriend of Lindsey's after his relationship with Stevie ended. She has an interesting background recording concerts before bootlegging was an illegal activity. She's a big music fan and is compelling figure on her own. This is a very interesting book--it has some big, juicy events in it and some gossip-y type material that is entertaining but overall for this type of book it is not particularly trashy. What makes it more compelling is that Lindsey Buckingham basically disputes almost everything in the book--as he would--he comes out very badly. There is physical abuse alleged, extreme neglect and some really dark behavior that would make anyone ashamed. I'd like to believe it's false as I admire Lindsey as a musician but to be honest, it matches up with most of the other material I have read about him. The biggest conflict in information here is that each blames the other for their drug habits and bad behavior. Ms. Harris is pretty open about her drug use and that most of it began with her spending time with Fleetwood Mac. She admits that Lindsey mostly smoked weed which is pretty minor league considering the alcohol and cocaine use described here and in other books about the band. Whatever the reality is, this was a very rough period for this woman. It's pretty clear that Lindsey was the great love of her life and she highlights his positive qualities as well as the negative --he's clearly a very attractive figure--beautiful, intelligent and very gifted--but also vain in the extreme and extremely self involved. He's the type of Heathcliff figure that most women run into at some point in their lives and fall into like a black hole. It definitely took way more than I would have put up with to get Ms. Harris to walk away but she was financially dependent on him (partly due to his disliking her to work) and in his favor, he did help her financially for a period after the relationship ended. Despite how badly he seems to have treated her, she definitely still retains fond memories of him and their relationship so I don't dismiss her claims out of hand.
My biggest criticism of her comes in her recollections of Stevie Nicks. She attempts to sound "fair" but really--who could be fair in her situation? Forced to be around her current partner's great love and a woman that would make most women feel inadequate, I can see why she would resent Stevie, but frankly she often comes off sounding like a mean girl. I know Stevie Nicks is not perfect, no matter how big a fan I am, and most people doing massive amounts of cocaine do some damn questionable stuff but I honestly do not believe some of the stories she tells about Stevie. They have an air of "I am trying not to sound like I am completely influenced by jealousy" but in reality, I suspect that colored much of her interactions with Stevie. Like most biographies, you will have to judge for yourself based on what passes the smell test with you and other information you read.
Overall, it was a very easy read, sad and complicated but enjoyable. Recommended if you are trying to form a complete picture of the band.
January 6, 2013
Carol Harris has weathered the, "storms" of the inner circle of Fleetwood Mac! Living in a world of drug abuse and other abuses that caused tears to fall in a torrential downpour at the drop of a hat. Carol lived in fear of when the next storm would blow in causing Lindsey's terrifying temper to blow up into a full scale category five force hurricane that resulted in wave after pounding wave of rage. Stevie sang, "Thunder only happens when it's raining!" Or does it? Seems where Lindsey is concerned thunder happens anytime! After all, Stevie did refer to this in one of her songs, "Storms", "Never a calm blue sea!" One really has to consider why Stevie wrote so many songs about stormy weather after reading, "Storms." I've seen Lindsey in concert a few times since the storm clouds have cleared out of his life. It seems a warm calming breeze has blown into his life. Lindsey is a tormented musical genius who seeks solace within his music.
And speaking of Stevie.....this book is it Stevie fans, the closest we are ever going to get to a biography or other tale on her own tumultuous stormy life. Carol depicts the rise of Fleetwood Mac from being just another fledgling rock n roll band to super stardom glory with Rumours. She was in the right place at the right time and her account of life in the inner circle of Fleetwood Mac is the best primary account other than Mick Fleetwood's own story. Mick doesn't reveal to his readers the full scope of the inner torment and pain of this band consisting of egos and musical geniuses, but Carol does. Carol no longer had a vested interest in the band after she broke up with Lindsey so she was able to write such a voyeuristic saga. Carol reveals what the others wouldn't or couldn't. Many critics of her book are quick to point out she is dramatic and perhaps stretching the truth herself. One does have to question how she could possibly recall accurately and objectively details from the drug fueled days. Speaking of recall, sadly, the time has passed for any kind of accuracy in a book written by any one of the five band members that comprised the version of Fleetwood Mac that rose to rock and roll fame and lavished themselves in the excesses of the, "good life!" Stevie falters frequently in her renditions of the old days and stories from the past so much so that her credibility is questioned. Fans even wonder if dementia is setting in. The secrets of the inner circle shall naught be revealed. Tight lipped they are and the tales will go to the grave, no ghosts to haunt either! We only know what Mick, Lindsey, John, Stevie, and Christine want us to know. Lately it seems the band has given Stevie the power and she reigns as the voice for Fleetwood Mac in more ways than one. Soon all the members, one by one, will be carried out to that place in the Wide Sargasso Sea where The Chain will never be broken and storms rage and the Peacekeepers don't exist.
In the end Carol Harris has written of all the books out there on Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, the one with the most accuracy. Carol had the guts to write her book, "Storms" which has created a fury and storm among fans. Either way, love her or hate her, this is as close as fans are going to get to that long awaited auto-biography of Stevie or any of the Fleeting Five members. I rate this four stars due to it's lack of depth.
And speaking of Stevie.....this book is it Stevie fans, the closest we are ever going to get to a biography or other tale on her own tumultuous stormy life. Carol depicts the rise of Fleetwood Mac from being just another fledgling rock n roll band to super stardom glory with Rumours. She was in the right place at the right time and her account of life in the inner circle of Fleetwood Mac is the best primary account other than Mick Fleetwood's own story. Mick doesn't reveal to his readers the full scope of the inner torment and pain of this band consisting of egos and musical geniuses, but Carol does. Carol no longer had a vested interest in the band after she broke up with Lindsey so she was able to write such a voyeuristic saga. Carol reveals what the others wouldn't or couldn't. Many critics of her book are quick to point out she is dramatic and perhaps stretching the truth herself. One does have to question how she could possibly recall accurately and objectively details from the drug fueled days. Speaking of recall, sadly, the time has passed for any kind of accuracy in a book written by any one of the five band members that comprised the version of Fleetwood Mac that rose to rock and roll fame and lavished themselves in the excesses of the, "good life!" Stevie falters frequently in her renditions of the old days and stories from the past so much so that her credibility is questioned. Fans even wonder if dementia is setting in. The secrets of the inner circle shall naught be revealed. Tight lipped they are and the tales will go to the grave, no ghosts to haunt either! We only know what Mick, Lindsey, John, Stevie, and Christine want us to know. Lately it seems the band has given Stevie the power and she reigns as the voice for Fleetwood Mac in more ways than one. Soon all the members, one by one, will be carried out to that place in the Wide Sargasso Sea where The Chain will never be broken and storms rage and the Peacekeepers don't exist.
In the end Carol Harris has written of all the books out there on Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks, the one with the most accuracy. Carol had the guts to write her book, "Storms" which has created a fury and storm among fans. Either way, love her or hate her, this is as close as fans are going to get to that long awaited auto-biography of Stevie or any of the Fleeting Five members. I rate this four stars due to it's lack of depth.
December 19, 2007
My top read of 2007!
As anyone who knows me will attest, I'm a sucker for a tell-all rock autobiography and this is certainly one of the best.
No one in the Fleetwood Mac inner circle has ever written their memoirs, so this book provides a highly anticipated and fascinating insight into the decadent world of 70's rock.
Harris's style is unapolgetically dramatic and wildly romantic - it's all chiffon and velvet, candles and cocaine. It could irritate many readers, but not me. Her tone perfectly matches the era and the fantastical story she's telling. To do it any other way would be an injustice.
From the (literal) highs of the band's uber success with Rumours, to life on the road and the druggy stage rituals, from the on-going fights to the eventual descent into drink and drug hell, Harris revels in revealing all, leaving no stone unturned.
It's both predictable (cocaine and alcohol abuse, Nick's hatred of Harris) and surprising (Buckingham's alleged physical violence towards Harris, his epilepsy). It opens the lid on Fleetwood and Nick's affair and his eventual defection with Sara Racour (Harris's best friend), Fleetwood's financial ineptitude, Christine McVie's turbulent affairs with Curry Grant and Dennis Wilson and Nick's brief, bizarre marriage which she later came to completely forget.
It's a cracking Jackie Collins-esque read. As soon as I'd finished, I turned back to the first page to start again. There's so much to absorb and every word of it's a cracker.
As anyone who knows me will attest, I'm a sucker for a tell-all rock autobiography and this is certainly one of the best.
No one in the Fleetwood Mac inner circle has ever written their memoirs, so this book provides a highly anticipated and fascinating insight into the decadent world of 70's rock.
Harris's style is unapolgetically dramatic and wildly romantic - it's all chiffon and velvet, candles and cocaine. It could irritate many readers, but not me. Her tone perfectly matches the era and the fantastical story she's telling. To do it any other way would be an injustice.
From the (literal) highs of the band's uber success with Rumours, to life on the road and the druggy stage rituals, from the on-going fights to the eventual descent into drink and drug hell, Harris revels in revealing all, leaving no stone unturned.
It's both predictable (cocaine and alcohol abuse, Nick's hatred of Harris) and surprising (Buckingham's alleged physical violence towards Harris, his epilepsy). It opens the lid on Fleetwood and Nick's affair and his eventual defection with Sara Racour (Harris's best friend), Fleetwood's financial ineptitude, Christine McVie's turbulent affairs with Curry Grant and Dennis Wilson and Nick's brief, bizarre marriage which she later came to completely forget.
It's a cracking Jackie Collins-esque read. As soon as I'd finished, I turned back to the first page to start again. There's so much to absorb and every word of it's a cracker.
October 13, 2017
Spoilt Rock Star. Drug Addled Messes
I've read some of the other reviews where people seem to be fixated with her writing style. Personally, I think she put lots of depth and detail into it. Enough for us to see that the members of Fleetwood Mac, have no idea about reality, money or how to treat the fans who made them rich. Whilst I like quite a bit of their musical output, the band pretty much act like spoiled rich brats. And, Lindsey Buckingham who the author tells us time and time again is a musical genius ( he's not by the way IMHO) as if that is all the excuse he needs to be a violent woman beating, jealous hateful man. Of course Carol Ann herself must bare some blame for not walking out the first time he laid hands on her. And of course we only get one side of the story. But, America being the litigious society it is. We must assume if this got published that factually it's correct. Being a rockstar is a strange and privileged life but that does not justify many of the actions of the band in this book.
I've read some of the other reviews where people seem to be fixated with her writing style. Personally, I think she put lots of depth and detail into it. Enough for us to see that the members of Fleetwood Mac, have no idea about reality, money or how to treat the fans who made them rich. Whilst I like quite a bit of their musical output, the band pretty much act like spoiled rich brats. And, Lindsey Buckingham who the author tells us time and time again is a musical genius ( he's not by the way IMHO) as if that is all the excuse he needs to be a violent woman beating, jealous hateful man. Of course Carol Ann herself must bare some blame for not walking out the first time he laid hands on her. And of course we only get one side of the story. But, America being the litigious society it is. We must assume if this got published that factually it's correct. Being a rockstar is a strange and privileged life but that does not justify many of the actions of the band in this book.
September 6, 2015
An true fly on the wall perspective of Fleetwood Mac during their 70s rise to stardom. This is Carol Ann Harris' view of the fame and (mis)fortunes of one of the biggest bands of all time. You'd be forgiven for thinking this is some Sondra Locke tell all. Carol Ann was there and did lay out her life. Only thing I will say is that it's obviously very one sided. Carol Ann constantly talks about her modelling career, and how Lindsay resented her for it, well she let him?
September 27, 2021
The amount of cocaine in this book is staggering. Great insight/dirt on their tours/lifestyle. Devastating details on Lindsey Buckingham’s anger issues and physical abuse. It kind of explains why the band eventually kicks out their best songwriter.
September 15, 2025
This memoir is salacious for sure with recollections of life on the road with Fleetwood Mac powered by heaping helpings of cocaine and drama. The narrator of the audiobook is not the best though as she puts emphasis on the wrong syllables over and over. Carol portrays herself as a sweet waif who is gets involved with big bad wolf, Lindsey, and becomes part of the Fleetwood Mac VIP entourage.
I have been a fan of FM since their inception and read Mick's memoir way back when. This book is pretty entertaining.
I have been a fan of FM since their inception and read Mick's memoir way back when. This book is pretty entertaining.
September 17, 2022
I’m so fucking embarassed having read this book
June 13, 2024
This book delivers more than I was expecting. Definitely worth a read if you’re a Fleetwood Mac fan.
July 4, 2024
Hlustaði á þessa og mæli með! Mjög góð bók fyrir þá sem vilja læra meira um Fleetwood Mac
July 19, 2023
3.5 stars--Fleetwood Mac's Rumours is one of those iconic albums of the 1970s, so well capturing a moment in time. STORMS reminds readers that money and fame don't make a person happy. It also, depressingly, captures the unequal dynamics of troubled human relationships and how similarly ugly that can look across time, place, and social strata.
June 17, 2023
one of the most beautifully tragic stories i’ve ever read. could not put this down and found myself turning pages for hours. invoked an incredible amount of tears and heartache, as you really feel like you’re there with Fleetwood Mac. must read!!!
October 9, 2017
It was enthralling and entertaining, yet by the end of it was quite repugnant. This reader laughed at loud when he first started reading the story, but by the end he was almost in tears. Suffice to say, it had me glued to the book until it was finished. The book left me a very different view of the band and particularly, Lindsey Buckingham. Indeed, when ever I hear the name, Lindsey Buckingham, I actually cringe and when I play their music with his vocals on lead it makes me think of 'Storms' and what Linsey did to Carol Ann Harris. This person thought that Lindsey, in particular, needed professional help or at least get some anger management therapy. He was a monster, if believe everything that was printed. Gee, their music was fantastic and great in concert, but this person has NO reason to meet them personally, though.
Perhaps, the core the issue that surrounded Fleetwood Mac was that they all had failed relationships with each other and this lead to intense disharmony within the group. Lindsey and Stevie Nicks, for example, were at one time in a romantic relationship with each other that ended during the making of 'Rumours'. And also, even though both members were still in the group (to some degree) Christine McVie and John are now divorced and have been since the late seventies. (Actually, Christine left the band in 1998 and has only rejoined it in 2016. That's one hell of a break). Also, during their turbulent time, Mick Fleetwood had had a casual relationship with Stevie that ended badly (of course) particularly when he was already married! But, then you could blame the excessive use of cocaine, the excessive consumption of alcohol, excessive schedules that were set or even the excessive use of 'pot that they smoked.' Christine McVie looked back at Fleetwood Mac in the seventies and simply rolled her eyes. There was "the madness that was Fleetwood Mac: the broken relationships and ill-advised affairs (in particular, Nicks's doomed fling with Fleetwood) that played out over mountains of cocaine, gallons of alcohol and so much marijuana that McVie says she didn't even need to smoke it: "You would just get high on the air," she recalls. "Those guys would blow it in your face and you'd go: 'Wow, that's strong!'". The Guardian, Dec 12, 2013.
For what its' worth:
"Despite all the fall-outs, drug abuse and reckless love triangles, Fleetwood Mac are still standing. Indeed, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie feature on the new album". The Telegraph (UK) Jun 16, 2017. The new album is simply called, "Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie" because everyone was there except Stevie so they called it a collaboration instead of a Fleetwood Mac album which was good because it didn't really sound like a Fleetwood Mac album.
Good on you, Carol Ann Harris, for getting out when you did! It was not a sane environment.
Perhaps, the core the issue that surrounded Fleetwood Mac was that they all had failed relationships with each other and this lead to intense disharmony within the group. Lindsey and Stevie Nicks, for example, were at one time in a romantic relationship with each other that ended during the making of 'Rumours'. And also, even though both members were still in the group (to some degree) Christine McVie and John are now divorced and have been since the late seventies. (Actually, Christine left the band in 1998 and has only rejoined it in 2016. That's one hell of a break). Also, during their turbulent time, Mick Fleetwood had had a casual relationship with Stevie that ended badly (of course) particularly when he was already married! But, then you could blame the excessive use of cocaine, the excessive consumption of alcohol, excessive schedules that were set or even the excessive use of 'pot that they smoked.' Christine McVie looked back at Fleetwood Mac in the seventies and simply rolled her eyes. There was "the madness that was Fleetwood Mac: the broken relationships and ill-advised affairs (in particular, Nicks's doomed fling with Fleetwood) that played out over mountains of cocaine, gallons of alcohol and so much marijuana that McVie says she didn't even need to smoke it: "You would just get high on the air," she recalls. "Those guys would blow it in your face and you'd go: 'Wow, that's strong!'". The Guardian, Dec 12, 2013.
For what its' worth:
"Despite all the fall-outs, drug abuse and reckless love triangles, Fleetwood Mac are still standing. Indeed, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie feature on the new album". The Telegraph (UK) Jun 16, 2017. The new album is simply called, "Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie" because everyone was there except Stevie so they called it a collaboration instead of a Fleetwood Mac album which was good because it didn't really sound like a Fleetwood Mac album.
Good on you, Carol Ann Harris, for getting out when you did! It was not a sane environment.
June 28, 2023
I have too many thoughts. First of all, audio was probably the wrong choice. The narrator was inflecting in the wrong places and constantly emphasizing ‘the man I love’ even after stating he had just ripped her hair out or choked her. And also done in an eye batting, heart sighing, teenage crush way. It was just cringe and set the tone as very naive.
However in print it might stay that way. I’m not trying to bash a victim but Harris still seemed to be defending him. There is no reflection on her part. Everything Buckingham did to her is justified by her for the sake of his tortured soul and the music. She just had to get out. Now don’t get me wrong. I love Fleetwood Mac and struggle myself with his contribution to something that is so important to me. But he is a piece of shit. And everyone should have been holding him accountable at the time. Ends don’t always justify means. Especially when she was not in the band. She was in an intimate relationship with him. I think she still needed to do a lot more soul searching before putting pen to paper. Kudos for calling him out. She just needed to drop a few 100 ‘man I love’s and stop making excuses. Just call him what he was. A narcissistic, egotist who thought it was ok to beat his girlfriend and it wasn’t. Period.
Also not super game of how she wrote on Stevie Nicks. She constantly wrote about her in the most negative ways, implying Nicks was jealous of Harris or threatened by her presence. Her stories of their interactions either cast Nicks as vapid, hysterical, or arrogant. Harris would then constantly refer to her as a ‘rock goddess’ and express deep desire to be her friend. To me it made Harris come off as insecure over Nicks’ presence.
However in print it might stay that way. I’m not trying to bash a victim but Harris still seemed to be defending him. There is no reflection on her part. Everything Buckingham did to her is justified by her for the sake of his tortured soul and the music. She just had to get out. Now don’t get me wrong. I love Fleetwood Mac and struggle myself with his contribution to something that is so important to me. But he is a piece of shit. And everyone should have been holding him accountable at the time. Ends don’t always justify means. Especially when she was not in the band. She was in an intimate relationship with him. I think she still needed to do a lot more soul searching before putting pen to paper. Kudos for calling him out. She just needed to drop a few 100 ‘man I love’s and stop making excuses. Just call him what he was. A narcissistic, egotist who thought it was ok to beat his girlfriend and it wasn’t. Period.
Also not super game of how she wrote on Stevie Nicks. She constantly wrote about her in the most negative ways, implying Nicks was jealous of Harris or threatened by her presence. Her stories of their interactions either cast Nicks as vapid, hysterical, or arrogant. Harris would then constantly refer to her as a ‘rock goddess’ and express deep desire to be her friend. To me it made Harris come off as insecure over Nicks’ presence.
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