DON'T STOP: WHY WE (STILL) LOVE FLEETWOOD MAC'S RUMOURS
BY: ALAN LIGHT
ALAN LIGHT has put into this Non-Fiction book about Fleetwood Mac's second successful album since the three British band members invited Lindsey Buckingham on January 1, 1975 to join their band, and Lindsey said only if his girlfriend Stevie Nicks was able to join since he said they come as a package deal. I think that this changed everything by adding these two talented new members, and whether it was the combination of the five working together, but I in my humble opinion, think that it was the addition of Lindsey Buckingham, and song writer Stevie Nicks that quickly skyrocketed this band to be such a huge success. The book doesn't say that, but I remember when I was eleven years old when I first heard the song "Rhiannon," and I loved it, and the book doesn't say that song is their first huge hit, sung by Stevie Nicks, that the world took notice of Fleetwood Mac. The book doesn't give that first LP single any recognition, although it does a couple of times refer to the album as their White Album. I know for a fact that that first hit brought them out of obscurity, and I would have liked to have seen this author acknowledge that. Also, even though he refers to that first White album that doesn't get enough credit since that album and especially "Rhiannon," is what put them in the position to make their second Album ''RUMOURS." Even though he narrowly focuses on just their second Album "Rumors," I am disappointed in part that he doesn't give that hit song any mention, since I think it deserves attention because it is a favorite by many, and it should have been included. So I have mixed feelings about this book for if not for that hit that made Fleetwood Mac, a household name, their rise to fame had started with that blockbuster, best selling song. Since it's my review I am acknowledging that first White album, since there's a lot of people who besides me I grew up with that remember how they came from oblivion until "Rhiannon."
I remember when "Rumors," was released in 1977, and how popular the album was, since I heard it played at parties that we attended. My favorite part of the book was the second section when the author wrote a chapter about each song on Rumors. I guess I was not surprised that Bill Clinton used the song called, "Don't Stop," for his campaign theme song. That was never a favorite of mine. What I did already know was that "Daisy Jones and the Sixth," which I read the ARC, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, was based on Fleetwood Mac, but I never saw the movie, and I don't know if I would be interested in seeing it or not. What I already knew about Lindsey saying he would only join the band if they included Stevie, since they came as a package deal which is old news. What I did found sweet that Christine McVie welcomed Stevie, and that they had such a great friendship throughout the years until Christine's passing away in 2022. I have always wondered why they would choose to eliminate the Stevie Nick's song called, "Silver Springs," from Rumors to be one of my favorite songs I'll never understand, which the book said it was too long, was a huge disappointment to me. Anybody who has never heard it, it's on Fleetward Mac's greatest hits albums that came out in the 1990's which we bought with the DVD, and Stevie Nicks sings a duet with Lindsey Buckingham, you are in for a treat. It's a beautiful song about their break up. While the book did include that song even though it was bumped off Rumors, I was happy that the song was acknowledged.
While overall I did enjoy this book, and I'm happy that post millennials find Rumors still relevant today, I think that I find it mind boggling that there's such a huge following towards that compared to Fleetwood Mac's Greatest hits, which I prefer, personally. I think that Rumors must be a favorite of this author, but it was well written, except I didn't care for the parts where he questions those that are young enough to be my kids, which probably makes me the wrong audience for this book, but certainly not the band, or their music either. Although, I am a big fan of Stevie Nicks and her solo music that she produced around 1980 and after.
Publication Date: November 4, 2025
Thank you to Net Galley, Alan Light and Atria Books for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.
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