Billy Joel Discussed Fleetwood Mac’s Future as a Band While Touring With Stevie Nicks
In 2023, Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks began a joint tour that surprised the fans of both artists. The co-headliners are both experienced artists who have been in the music industry for decades. For years, Nicks has shifted between touring with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After longtime bandmate Christine McVie died in 2022, though, her future with Fleetwood Mac is uncertain. Joel shared his thoughts on bands that continue performing together after the death of a longtime member.
Billy Joel, who is touring with Stevie Nicks, spoke about Fleetwood Mac’s future
Joel and Nicks have known each other for roughly a decade, but they haven’t performed together until this tour. He spoke about working with Nicks after McVie’s death, acknowledging that the next 10 years could see the deaths of many famous musicians.
“There’s gonna be a lot of attrition,” he told the LA Times. “I had an idea for a tour [of mine]: The poster has illustrations of a bunch of dead insects, and the name of the tour is Dropping Like Flies. I say to my agent, ‘Look, go ahead and be as grim as you want.’ We’re all aware of it.”
Joel didn’t seem to think it would be in poor taste for Fleetwood Mac to continue touring after McVie’s death. He believes that a band with enough successful material should be able to keep working together.
“Depends who it is,” he said. “I’d go see the Eagles even without Glenn because their material is so strong. They’ve been together so long, they’re a hard-working band.”
Still, he acknowledged that with certain bands, like The Rolling Stones, each member plays such a critical role that he would like the chance to see them.
Billy Joel shared what it was like to tour with Stevie Nicks
Joel has been a solo artist for years, so sharing billing with someone like Nicks is new for him.
“We met at a Fleetwood Mac gig in San Francisco probably 10 years ago,” he said. “I just got to meet her backstage, but we’ve never worked together, even though we both kind of hit at the same time. So this’ll be a completely new thing for me. I’ll probably do one of her songs and she’ll probably do one of mine.”
On their first performance together, Joel joined Nicks to sing “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” During his set, Nicks appeared onstage to sing “And So It Goes.”
What has Stevie Nicks said about Christine McVie after her death?
Her tour with Joel marks the first time Nicks has performed since McVie’s death. On the first night, she dedicated “Landslide” to McVie.
“I have to imagine she’s still here,” Nicks told the crowd, per Rolling Stone. “It’s all I can do.”
Shortly after McVie’s death, Nicks issued a statement on Instagram expressing her sadness.
“A few hours ago I was told that my best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975, had died,” Nicks wrote. “I didn’t even know she was ill… until late Saturday night. I wanted to be in London; I wanted to get to London – but we were told to wait. So, since Saturday, one song has been swirling around in my head, over and over and over. I thought I might possibly get to sing it to her, and so, I’m singing it to her now.”
