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Home , Dave Mason, Gift of Screws, Go Your Own Way, Never Going Back Again

Guitar BY RUSSELL HALL

TOO LS

O Lindsey F

T HE T RAD E n G

U Buckingham I TAR n LIN DS E Y B U CKIN G H AM

When it comes to playing guitar, insists he isn’t a virtuoso.

Many would disagree with that assess- alone in his bedroom fguring out how ment, but in Buckingham’s view, to duplicate the sounds made by guitarist LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM Gift of Screws virtuosity isn’t necessarily a good thing. Scotty Moore. [ Reprise ] “Tere are times when cleverness or “It wasn’t about facility,” Buckingham technical profciency can overwhelm the says. “It was more about being so interested Great Day Time Precious Time simplicity or the openness of what needs in music and wanting to learn to play those Did You Miss Me to be there,” he explains. “It can be hard, songs. When you’re 7 or 8, your learning Wait for You Love Runs Deeper sometimes, to not do too much. Knowing curve is way quicker. I was so taken with Bel Air Rain where to play and where to be silent are this form of music, I had to be a part of it.” The Right Place to Fade important.” Fast-forward 50 years, and the rich- Gift of Screws Underground Buckingham has been putting that philoso- ness of Buckingham’s contributions to Treason phy into practice for more than fve decades. contemporary music is beyond dispute. Beginning at age 6, when his parents gave Afer making a superb folk-pop him a Mickey Mouse ukulele, the future with childhood friend , the member set about perfect- northern California native was invited by ing a fnger-picking technique that’s as to join Fleetwood Mac.

unique as it is captivating. Stacking an Nicks came along, as well; together, the elly Swift/Retna older brother’s Elvis Presley 45s on the two helped transform the group into a K phonograph, Buckingham spent hours brilliantly sophisticated pop band. Photo by

64 PERFORMING S ONGWRITER D ECEMBE R 2008 GUITAR LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM CONTINUED

Following the success of —the lot more acoustic-based. When I started that music, of course, you’re talking about landmark 1977 album that vaulted Fleetwood working on new material for this album, basic Travis-picking [named afer famed Mac to the top of the rock world—Buckingham I wasn’t necessarily expecting it to go country-music guitarist Merle Travis], which tried to take the group in a more adventurous in such a full-on rock direction. It just everybody was learning. musical direction. Te changes met with seemed to want to go there. And when it resistance from both the band and their did, those stragglers seemed to want to Is it true your frst guitar was a cheap record company, however, setting the stage include themselves. Harmony acoustic? for the dual-career track Buckingham has Tat’s right, although I frst learned some pursued since. Beginning with 1981’s chords on a plastic ukulele. Ten, when Law and Order, the singer- I was about 8 years old, I got a Harmony -guitarist carved out six-string, three-quarter-size guitar for a successful solo career while Christmas. It cost 35 or 40 bucks. reuniting, on occasion, with his bandmates. Did you feel an immediate facility for the Buckingham’s latest CD, instrument? Gif of Screws, ofers a bevy of It’s hard to say. What I did feel was an imme- treasures from both songwriter diate motivation, triggered by my brother’s and guitarist perspectives. More Elvis Presley 45s. I had been exceptionally aggressive than 2006’s Under the interested in music before then. I was tuned Skin, the disc veers from bluesy in to my parents’ record collection which rif-rockers (“Wait for You”) to ranged from the South Pacifc soundtrack to propulsive, “”- Patti Page to my dad’s collection of Dixieland style anthems (“Te Right Place to jazz 78s. I was always interested in what Fade”) to incendiary bashers that was making those sounds, and trying to sound like the Stooges meet Les understand what I was listening to. Claypool (the title track). Along the way, Buckingham tosses in When did you frst try to write? several changes of pace including I didn’t write until 1972, near the very end the ethereal, plucked-guitar epic of the frst band that Stevie and I were “Time Precious Time” and the ballad in. Stevie had been writing tunes since “Treason” that’s as elegant as any- she was in high school. She thought of thing he’s ever written. Stevie Nicks with herself as a writer-poet, very early on. Clearly, at age 59, Buckingham Buckingham in 1979 Actually, I still don’t think of myself as a is at the top of his form. At home writer but as more of a stylist. Obviously in L.A., he spoke with us about his I’ve gotten better at it, but it still comes guitar style, songwriting and the in bits and pieces—the process of putting relationship between his solo career and “I still don’t think of myself a song together. It’s hard for me to get the his work in Fleetwood Mac. whole thing down on paper and say, “OK, as a writer but as more of here’s the song. Now what are we going to Several of the songs on the new album were a stylist. I’ve gotten better, do with it?” written years ago. Why are they only now seeing the light of day? but it still comes in bits and Does the process always originate with a Back in 2002 I was poised to put out a solo guitar part? album. As has been the case on several occa- pieces.” Occasionally something has come from sions, however, Fleetwood Mac intervened sitting at the piano. Lately I’ve been thinking and said they would like to make a studio Even though it’s a rock album, your fnger- that might be a good thing to try again. I album. Because I had all that material, and picking style is very much at the center haven’t done it in a long time. In a band because Mick [Fleetwood], especially, had of the things. How did you get into that situation, you’re forced to have more of played on a lot of it, it seemed a natural technique at such an early age? a complete song. You can’t go in and say, thing to fold it over into what became the Part of that stemmed from not taking lessons. “Here, I have this part” and expect anyone 2003 Fleetwood Mac album Say You Will. As a child, I found my own way in a manner to respond to that, unless you formally put that made sense to me. Tere’s always been yourself in a co-writing situation. On the So some of these songs are ones you had an element of that that’s worked for me. I other hand, when you work alone and play that weren’t used on Say You Will? wasn’t motivated to use a pick. I wasn’t fn- a lot of instruments, you can work more Tat’s right. Between Stevie’s songs and my ger-picking right away, but I strummed with on nuance. You can start with something songs, there wasn’t enough room for every- my hand, because I didn’t know any better. that’s much less feshed out, and then slop thing unless we put out a double album, But even Scotty Moore had an element of the colors on. It’s like painting. which we had endless discussions about. fnger-picking and orchestral playing going So there were a few stragglers that went on. He used a pick, but he also used a couple Beyond technique, does playing without a on the shelf. Those songs weren’t really of other fngers to fll out what he was doing. pick make you feel more of direct connection appropriate for Under the Skin, which I did Te other thing was, before the British Inva- to the guitar? a couple of years ago. Tat album was a sion, a lot of folk music became popular. In I think so. It has its good and bad points. It Photo by Arthur D’Amario/Retna

PERFORMING S ONGWRITER D ECEMBE R 2008 65 GUITAR LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM can be a little sloppy. Sometimes on stage, and some of the Taylor acoustics I use on redefning that song. When Fleetwood Mac when I’m playing lead, I’ll look down and stage, work well in the studio. Sometimes went out in 1997 to do what became the see that I’m just thrashing around. I don’t I go straight into the board with a Roland live CD—Te Dance—that song would go know what I’m doing with my fngers, and synth. You can get some good lead sounds down like a storm every night. I realized it looks sort of odd. When I frst joined that way, along with, of course, other weird something was connecting strongly with the Fleetwood Mac, Mick tried to get me to use things that sit well behind the lead guitar to audience. Plus, it was more challenging than a pick. He felt there was a lack of “pointed- give it a mysterious sound. “” and more rock ’n’ ness” in my sound. I tried it once or twice in roll. In a lot of ways, it became a template for shows but dropped it pretty quickly. You’ve spoken about a certain wanting to do an album like Under the Skin, album that had a big impact on you as a where I could expand that idea into other To what extent did you have to make lead player. songs. It seemed to answer some questions. adjustments in your style, when you and Tat album—Alone Together—came out Te more mature you get as an artist, the Stevie joined Fleetwood Mac? in 1970, about the time the original band more you look for something that strikes It was an exercise in paring down. Tere Stevie and I were in was breaking up. I was a diferent tone. wasn’t as much room to establish any sort of trying to embrace lead playing, and the style statement, in terms of what I had done things Dave Mason was doing on that album Did the experience of making 1979’s Tusk, on [1973’s] album. Te seemed to mesh with what I was aspiring and the reaction to it, serve you well, in band’s pre-existing sound made it difcult to do. He wasn’t trying to be technically that it forced your hand with regard to for me to even play the model of guitar I profcient, and the playing had a plaintive making solo ? had been using. Te electrics I played had quality that ft what I was already doing as It did force my hand. When we began work always been either Stratocasters or Telecasters. an acoustic player. on Tusk, it was difcult to get the band to And both those Fender guitars sounded a experiment with some diferent ways of little anemic within the band. I was forced Didn’t playing “Big Love” [from 1987’s Tango making music. But by the end of making to switch over to something “fatter,” which, in the Night] on stage change your thinking the album, everyone was actually quite at the time, was the [Gibson] Les Paul. Te with regard to guitar playing, as well? enthralled with the results. I don’t know irony was that the Les Paul wasn’t especially Yes. Tat wasn’t the frst time I had done a that the same was true for Warner Bros. I suited to my style. Tere was a lot of adapting song with just an acoustic. “Never Going would have loved to have been a fy on the to do, but there’s also a lesson there. Being in Back Again,” from Rumours, had worked wall when that album was played in the a band is all about compromise and working well, but that song was more of a chamber boardroom. for the good of the whole. piece and had a folkie, classical quality. “Big Anyway, a year later there was a lot of Love” started as an ensemble piece with backlash because the album didn’t sell Were you directly involved in developing Fleetwood Mac. I don’t remember how it anywhere close to what Rumours had sold. the Turner Model 1 guitar that you’re so made its way to the stage as a single-guitar When that happened, there was an edict closely associated with? piece, but obviously I had an interest in that came down from the [rest of the] I didn’t give Rick Turner any technical input, or any input in terms of its visual aspects. PRODUCT REVIEW My involvement was more general. I said, PHONIC FIREFLY 808 UNIVERSAL “I’m in this band that has a certain sound. BY DAVE JONES Te guitars I used”—which I felt were more 192kHz USB/FireWire Interface with Studio Preamps appropriate to my style—“don’t seem ap- propriate to the sound of the band. Can Expanding their line of Firefly interfaces, The preamps are definitely good bang for the you make me a simple guitar that somehow Phonic has pumped up the I/O of their 192kHz- buck. A bright meter bridge illustrates plenty of bridges the gap between a Les Paul and a capable 808 to be more inclusive: The Firefly headroom, and we delighted in this very practical Telecaster or Stratocaster, sound-wise?” In 808 Universal has all the abundant input and indulgence, not often found on lower-priced other words, I wanted the fullness of the output options and high sample rates of much multi-channel interfaces. All eight channels have Les Paul along with a very clean sound. I more expensive interfaces. convenient independent phantom power and, also wanted it to be percussive enough, USB 2.0 is included—in addition to FireWire in addition to the combo inputs, channels 1 and and have enough top end, to work with on the Universal version—which makes it pain- 2 feature a pad and a TRS insert. a fnger-picking style. And that’s what he less for Mac or PC users to plug in and begin came up with. He hit a home run as far as recording right away. Two front-mounted IN A NUTSHELL: Home-studio centerpiece, I’m concerned. He gave it the one pickup combo XLR-1/4” inputs (channels 1 and 2) high-end recording interface or mobile mixer, and a couple of knobs, and that was it. I still and a headphone jack are handy for the home Phonic’s Firefly 808 Universal can handle any marvel at how well it’s worked for me. studio, but keeping the line and XLR inputs number of scenarios that call for digital I/O or for channels 2-8 on the back side maintains multiple preamps. Do you have two or three other go-to guitars a tidy house, as well; the rear panel houses for studio work? the requisite MIDI, S/PDIF, clocking, etc. One STREET PRICE: $500. I generally use either the Turner or a Strato- big surprise is eight channels of opti- caster—or sometimes a Telecaster—for lead cal ADAT I/O, fantastic for small-venue playing. As far as acoustics go, I have an old recording with the right digital mixers. [Martin] D-18 I got when I was 19. Tat gui- The 808 Universal can also be used as tar sounds better as the years have passed. a standalone eight-channel mixer in live I also play a Baby Taylor. Small guitars, or rehearsal settings.

66 PERFORMING S ONGWRITER D ECEMBE R 2008 END

fne with things, I probably wouldn’t I don’t think there’s any one thing. It’s more have made any solo albums. a case that maybe there are things you can do only once on a Fleetwood Mac album. Do you ever feel that your adventur- You couldn’t get away with doing them ous side is at war with your gif for three or four times. Tere are lots of things hooks and melodies—things that on Under the Skin that are just one guitar, have more commercial appeal? or two guitars and voice, and nothing else. I don’t see the two as being at odds— Politically, that would be fne in Fleetwood although the record company does, Mac as a one-of type of thing. On Rumours, and maybe to some extent the for instance, you wouldn’t want to have four band does, too. In the case of Gif songs like “Never Going Back Again.” It just of Screws, I don’t think anything’s wouldn’t be appropriate. at war. It’s funny—afer I turned the album in I started getting calls Are plans still in place for Fleetwood Mac from Warner Bros. saying how to begin rehearsing in January? much they loved it, that this was Tat’s a possibility. Tere’s still quite a bit of the album they had wanted last road that we need to walk together in order time around. Tey weren’t too to put things in a certain place, with regard crazy about Under the Skin. What to interaction. For that reason alone, there’s is at war is the big machine versus the small an interest, for me, in reconvening, to see band that we weren’t going to take those machine. I couldn’t have the esoteric side if if we can approach things a little more hu- sorts of chances again, and we were going I didn’t have the mainstream side. And, to manly. Christine [McVie, who retired from to revert to a more conventional way of some extent, I wouldn’t be able to fold back the band in 1998] is still not in the picture making music. As a result, those next two into the mainstream—the big machine—if I for this. She has no interest in touring, and albums—although they have some great weren’t able to do these other things. Tere’s that’s fne. But Stevie and I have some stuf songs—refect the fact we were treading a direct relationship. Tey feed each other. to work on. Tat, in and of itself, becomes water. Since that process was disallowed intriguing. I’ve known Stevie since I was 16, within the band, the only way I could go Are there things you can do as a solo artist and we’ve been through things together that there was to make solo albums. If Tusk had that you absolutely cannot do within the no one else has. We know each other awfully sold a bit more, and if the band had been parameters of Fleetwood Mac? well. It should be fun. 5.2)6!,%$4/.%

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PERFORMING S ONGWRITER D ECEMBE R 2008 67