The love affairs (and subsequent breakups) of 1970s-era Fleetwood Mac can largely be attributed to a sex-friendly decade, the musicians’ constant and close quarters, more than their fair share of booze and drugs, and, apparently, an iconic photoshoot for Rolling Stone shot by Annie Leibovitz.
You probably already know the one we’re talking about.
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Four Exes In A Bed, What’s The Worst That Could Happen?
Fleetwood Mac’s relationship drama is almost as enduring as their musical legacy. After all, put five attractive musicians in a room, give them access to seemingly infinite money and drugs, and have them write songs about each other, and therein lies a memorable and addictively alluring band narrative. Photographer Annie Leibovitz wanted to capitalize on the romantic buzz surrounding the band with their 1977 Rolling Stone cover.
The image features all five members of Fleetwood Mac canoodling in bed together. Christine McVie rests her head on Lindsey Buckingham’s shoulder. Stevie Nicks curls into the crook of Mick Fleetwood’s arm. John McVie is on the far side of the bed (at Christine’s request), enjoying a solo flip through the pages of a Playboy magazine. “The intention was a spoof on our private lives,” Fleetwood recalled later.
Leibovitz’s shot became an instant classic, but it took some convincing to get everyone on board. “When Annie said she wanted us to lie down together on a big bed, it was like, ‘Hmm, hope you have a backup idea.’ But she said, ‘No, you’re going to look great. This will be fun. Have a glass of champagne,’” Nicks remembered. So, they compromised. The band (and all its scorned lovers) climbed into bed, but the recently divorced McVies would be nowhere near each other, and Nicks would not be cozying up to her ex-boyfriend, Lindsey.
The Photoshoot That Started A Fleetwood Mac Affair
Annie Leibovitz’s decision to cram quarreling ex-lovers, even if they were still bandmates, into a bed was a daring one. She ran the risk of alienating the musicians to the point of walking out of the shoot, especially considering the incredibly fresh animosity between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. But in a testament to Fleetwood Mac’s ability to power through the messiest of relationship dramas, they did it anyway.
As it turns out, the experience revealed more positive emotions than negative ones. (We’re sure the case of champagne and complimentary c****** Leibovitz brought to the photoshoot helped.) In a compromise to avoid cuddling with Buckingham, Nicks said, “I curl up next to Mick [Fleetwood] for the next three hours while Annie is suspended over us on a platform.” The “Dreams” singer said the hours beside a shirtless Fleetwood “planted the seed” for the musicians’ affair the following year.
Even before Nicks and Fleetwood had their fleeting pas de deux, the photoshoot rekindled a romance between the frontwoman and Buckingham. “Afterwards, Lindsey and I got to talking about how amazing it was that not so long ago, I was a waitress, and he didn’t have a job, and now we were on the cover of Rolling Stone with this huge record. We lay there for about two hours talking and making out,” Nicks said. “Finally, Annie had to tell us to leave because she had rented the room for only so long.”
As Fleetwood put it, Leibovitz’s iconic photoshoot for their 1977 Rolling Stone cover promoting their smash hit album, Rumours, “showed us exactly as we were: all married to each other.”
Photo by Andre Csillag/Shutterstock