There are several stages to Fleetwood Mac’s career. Members have joined and left, and their sound has undergone numerous changes as a result of turbulent disputes or artistic development. With guitarist Lindsey Buckingham leading the way, though, it was never better thanks to his trademark licks and riffs, which even he would call “epic.”
Due to his immense skill, Buckingham required not one, but two players to take his place in the lineup. This change occurred after he left in 2018. In order to try to replicate the sound that Buckingham produced alone, Mike Campbell and Neil Finn had to collaborate. They had to write guitar parts that were not only iconic and anthemic, but also sophisticated. The complexity was such that they needed an extra pair of hands.
The Fleetwood Mac discography features a plethora of amazing instrumental moments by Buckingham. To mention a few, there’s the soaring solo in “The Chain,” his distinct finger-picking in “Never Going Back Again,” and the rolling, spiralling playing on “Big Love.” He and Stevie Nicks’ arrival in 1975 elevated the group to a new level and propelled them into their most prosperous period to date, solidifying their status as a legacy act.
That is partially due to the earlier work done by Buckingham and Nicks. The pair spent years as romantic and creative partners after meeting in high school. They signed a record contract with Polydor and put out their self-titled debut album in 1973, but it was a commercial failure. Before long, they had no money, no contract, and no idea where to go from there. Both of them continued to write songs. However, they had nothing to do with them; their hits were just sitting in notepads.
That is, until they met Mick Fleetwood and accepted his invitation to join his group. This said they were part of a package. Their draughts found a home, bigger and better than ever, with the band arranged around them.
In that hazy interim period, Buckingham wrote one of his favourite songs. Upon their arrival in the band, the two showcased to the other members their rough versions of songs that were initially written for Buckingham Nicks. Speaking of recording their first Fleetwood Mac album, he said, “It made the process of cutting that first album much easier than it would’ve otherwise been, working with people we’d never worked with before.” They sounded better than ever with a full band, especially on a track the guitarist refers to as “epic.”
Now it’s “I’m So Afraid” on that album of the same name from 1975. It addresses Buckingham’s complex feelings about the music business and serves as a perfectly timed reminder to just try to trust the process and have faith that everything will work out in the end. It was an investigation into two areas. One involves using a guitar to create a triad of melody that sounds very orchestral. Finally, he said, “the solo’s unleashing at the end, which developed into epic proportions over the years on stage.” It also tackled the dichotomy of possessing self-assurance and believing in oneself to be valuable in the unstable entertainment sector. However, it simultaneously highlighted the fear that is harbored beneath that confidence.
The album’s last track was written in a panicked moment when the musician felt cut off from his career. It completes the circle by showing how that faith and confidence paid off.
