Musical groups often go through hard times. The culprit may be creative differences, growing pains, or just getting tired of each other after many years. In the case of Fleetwood Mac, their collective emotional nadir, according to Lindsey Buckingham, was in 1987 when they released their album Tango in the Night.
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Per faroutmagazine.co.uk, Buckingham acknowledged, "Everyone was at their worst, including myself. We'd made the progression from what could be seen as an acceptable or excusable amount of drug use to a situation where we had all hit the wall. I think of it as our darkest period."
Despite Their Issues, 'Tango in the Night' Is Memorable
Per the outlet, "...[H]earing Christine McVie, Nicks, and Buckingham's vocals layer on top of each other during the chorus is still one of the best moments of their career." They managed to put their problems aside to record an album that is as high-quality as anything Fleetwood Mac ever released. It did well commercially and was mostly favorably reviewed. According to American Songwriter, no fewer than four top twenty singles emerged from it, which is quite a feat.
Lindsey Buckingham Decided To Drop Out Of The Picture
Even after 'Tango' came out, the group was still racked with problems. Buckingham dropped a bombshell on his Fleetwood Mac colleagues in August 1987. He announced he was not going to tour to promote the record. Buckingham relented and returned for their reunion ten years later. Still, Tango in the Night stands as a swan song of sorts to that phase of the group's artistic existence.
Fleetwood Mac Achieved Legendary, Lasting Greatness
The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Per the Hall's web site, they were "one of the most influential rock groups of the '70s." Their album Rumours proved to be wildly successful, earning Album of the Year honors at the 1978 Grammy Awards. It also got a niche in the Grammy Hall of Fame 15 years later.
Although Fleetwood Mac had many ups and downs during their time together, they managed to create music that remains unforgettable and indelible
