With her share of Rumours profits, Christine McVie bought Anthony Newley’s property in the Santa Monica Mountains, where she added a sculpture studio to the grounds.

The first song Stevie Nicks wrote was called ' I’ve Loved And I’ve Lost And I’m Sad But Not Blue'.She was ordered to mimic Christine McVie’s vocal so the song could be included on re-recorded hits compilations. While working as a session singer in 1977, Cyndi Lauper recorded a version of the Fleetwood Mac track ' You Make Loving Fun'.Zoo, a side project which kept Mick Fleetwood musically occupied during Fleetwood Mac’s ‘80s and ‘90s periods of hiatus, sometimes featured Aussie rocker Billy Thorpe.An old friend of Lindsey’s who would often drop by the Fleetwood Mac studio during ‘70s recording session, Warren Zevon’s 1978 hit ' Werewolves Of London' features John McVie’s bass and Mick Fleetwood’s drumming.

Appearing on the 1996 Twister soundtrack, the song ' Twisted' was the first duet credited to Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham since the pair released their pre-Fleetwood Mac 1974 debut album, Buckingham Nicks.After leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1987, Lindsey Buckingham returned to the band for a one-off encore of ' Go Your Own Way' at their Great Western Forum gig in Inglewood, California in 1990.It was the second album in a row where one of Nicks’ contributions had been unceremoniously lopped, with her track ' Silver Springs' being removed from the original Rumours tracklisting at the last minute. When Fleetwood Mac’s lengthy 1979 album Tusk refused to fit onto original CD pressings, it was Stevie Nicks’ song ' Sara' which was trimmed.It spent 31 weeks at number one in the US, as well as more than 680 weeks in the UK’s Official Albums Chart Top 100. Rumours, one of the top 10 best-selling albums ever, has spent more time in the UK chart than the rest of Fleetwood Mac’s studio albums put together.It ended up being the first Fleetwood Mac session. In 1967, acclaimed UK blues musician John Mayall gave his former bandmate Peter Green a birthday present of studio time at Decca Records.Bassist John McVie originally trained as a tax inspector.Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham’s brother Greg won a silver medal in the 200 metre individual swimming medley at the Mexico City Olympic Games in 1968.

Vocalist Stevie Nicks recorded her 1981 debut solo album Bella Donna in Bill Cosby’s house.

The rhythm of Rumours’ opening track ' Second Hand News' was influenced by Lindsey Buckingham’s love of The Bee Gees’ 1975 single ' Jive Talkin’'.

He quit the band on after a breakdown which was linked to his LSD usage.

Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green took his first tab of LSD in San Francisco during the band’s 1968 tour.

Fleetwood Mac were banned from London’s Marquee Club after original guitarist Jeremy Spencer wore a giant phallus on stage.

Keyboardist Christine McVie’s first gig in London was supporting chart-toppers The Shadows.After leaving his Denver psychiatric facility, he later told police he planned to kidnap and impregnate her, since he believed her witchcraft would cure his homosexuality. In 1998, Ronald Anacelteo was arrested for stalking Stevie Nicks.In honour of the eternally popular band’s half a century, here are 50 facts… or are they merely Rumours? Only Mick Fleetwood remains in the diamond-selling group from this original line-up, with bassist John McVie joining the band in September 1967. Fifty years ago this week, Fleetwood Mac made their debut at Windsor’s National Jazz and Blues Festival.

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