Before the turbulence of Rumours and the arena-sized fame of Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were two young dreamers in Los Angeles, making music and posing nude on the cover of their only joint album. Released in 1973 as Buckingham Nicks, the record was a commercial failure at the time but would go on to achieve cult status among collectors and fans—long out of print, often selling for $40 to $90 on the secondhand market.
That will finally change on September 19, when Buckingham Nicks is officially reissued on vinyl, CD, and streaming platforms via Rhino. The long-overdue release marks the first time the album will be widely accessible in digital formats, nearly 50 years after its initial release.
Music historian Brian Mansfield calls the album “iconic,” not necessarily for its content but for its elusive legacy. Featuring Buckingham’s layered guitar work and the haunting harmonies that would later define Fleetwood Mac, the album remains a snapshot of a moment before global fame—before heartbreak and lawsuits, before “Landslide” and “The Chain.”
The couple’s story began years earlier in Northern California, when they met at a local church and sang “California Dreamin’” together. They later joined a band called Fritz, opening for legends like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, before striking out on their own in L.A. According to biographer Stephen Davis, Nicks was deeply devoted, hand-washing Buckingham’s jeans and embroidering stars and moons on the hems.
Despite its failure to gain traction at the time, the album played a pivotal role in Fleetwood Mac’s history. Mick Fleetwood reportedly heard “Frozen Love” at Sound City studios and invited Buckingham to join the band—on the condition that Nicks join as well. Their debut with the group in 1975 launched a new era of success.
Today, the original Buckingham Nicks remains a highly sought-after item in record stores. Collectors like Bob Fuchs at Electric Fetus in Minneapolis say copies rarely last more than a few hours on the shelf.
Reflecting on the reissue, Buckingham said, “We were just kids, but the work holds up.” For many fans, it’s a glimpse into a past full of promise, love, and the early magic that shaped one of rock’s most legendary pairings.
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