Lindsey Buckingham On Writing With Christine McVie on 'Mirage'

Arriving in store today (September 23) are deluxe editions of Fleetwood Mac's 1982 album Mirage.

The new set comes as a single-disc remastered version of the album along with a two-disc Expanded edition and a Deluxe package that includes three CDs, a DVD and an LP. The latter two include bonus demos, rarities and alternative tracks, while the Deluxe also features a 1982 concert from Los Angeles.

Mirage was the more "traditional" follow-up to 1979's experimental Tusk and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, going on to be certified double platinum. Lindsey Buckingham tells us that it was also on album on which he and singer-keyboardist Christine McVie -- who wrote the first single "Hold Me" -- clicked in a way that was different from the way he worked with Stevie Nicks:

"I would say that it's...an intangible thing. It's a very strong thing of what I always thought was, for lack of a better term, the whole being greater than the sum of the parts...and I think in that sense Christine and I as two musicians who are very well-grounded in their craft have a kind of symmetry of respect and love for each other on a creative and a musical and a personal level, and I think that was a big part of what that whole being greater than the sum of the parts was at the time. The fact that what I could do for her, I did it for Stevie too but the fact that she (McVie) could infuse her sensibilities into my stuff and I could tap into what I do as a producer, say, and give back so much to her."

McVie rejoined the band in 2014 following a nearly 16-year leave of absence. Fleetwood Mac has been working on new material but no release plans have been announced.

 - Gary Graff

Mick Fleetwood on if he's listened to the expanded version of Mirage

Released today (September 23rd) is the deluxe and expanded version of Fleetwood Mac‘s 1982 chart-topping Mirage collection. The album, which was released on June 18th, 1982, was the group’s first studio set of the decade and topped the album charts for five straight weeks. Mirage, which was released in the wake of Stevie Nicks‘ 1981 solo breakthrough, Bella Donna, was pushed by constant airplay of its first two singles and videos — Christine McVie‘s “Hold Me” and Nicks’ “Gypsy.” A third song from the set, McVie’s opening track “Love In Store” stalled at Number 22. In Britain, Lindsey Buckingham‘s neo-rockabilly track, “Oh Diane” was released as a single and scored the band its only Top 10 hit off the album there, when it peaked at Number Nine.

The newly expanded version of Mirage, features the remastered original 1982 album, a second disc of 19 alternate versions and outtakes, along with a third disc featuring highlights from the band’s brief U.S. tour in support of the album.

We caught up with Mick Fleetwood and asked him if he’s actually gone through the entire deluxe reissue of Mirage: 

“Oh yeah, we’ve all heard it — a while ago, to be quite blunt. So, we’re very happy with the way Warners. . . they do a lot of leg work. Y’know, we don’t actually have anywhere near — sadly — we don’t have anywhere near the archive (the) Beatles, and (Rolling) Stones, and Eagles and. . . I’m always happy when we do find something with outtakes and stuff like that that have been kept, and also it’s that time to do that. We’ve never really got into it. The Stones and the Beatles, they’ve been doing this for a long time.”

Fleetwood Mac’s Mirage has been re-released in three different configurations:

Deluxe: Three CDs, DVD and LP. Original album remastered, plus B-sides and rarities; the original album on LP; live performances; and a 5.1 mix on DVD

Expanded: Two CDs. Original album remastered, plus a disc of B-sides and rarities

Remastered: Original album remastered. A digital version is also be available.