#Slapdash mom mac#

By February 1966, Bardens, who had left the group, called on Fleetwood to join his new band, the Peter Bs, which soon expanded to become Shotgun Express (with Rod Stewart). However, by April 1965, when Fleetwood joined the band, it was fading into obscurity. It would take him from the Cheynes-with whom he supported early gigs by the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds-to stints in the Bo Street Runners, where he replaced original drummer Nigel Hutchinson, who had enjoyed brief television fame on Ready Steady Go!. Keyboard player Peter Bardens lived only a few doors away from Fleetwood's first home in London, and upon hearing of the proximity of an available drummer, Bardens gave Fleetwood his first gig in Bardens' band the Cheynes in July 1963, thus seeding the young drummer's musical career.

After a brief stint working at Liberty in London, he found his first opportunity in music.

At first, he stayed with his younger sister Sally in Notting Hill. With his parents' support, he dropped out of school at 15 and, in 1963, moved to London to pursue a career as a drummer. Fleetwood was inspired-as he said at the Brits Awards ceremony in 1989-by Cliff Richard, Tony Meehan, drummer of the Shadows, and for the Everly Brothers. His family encouraged his artistic side, as his father composed poetry and was an amateur drummer himself. He loved to laugh, but he was also a straight shooter.' Ībandoning academic pursuits, Fleetwood took up the drums after his parents, recognising that he might find a future in music, bought him a 'Gigster' drum kit when he was thirteen. He was quiet and wise, and he had a great sense of humour. When he spoke, everyone stopped and listened. 'The way he formed sentences was impeccable. 'Mick was very aristocratic,' recalls Ken Caillat, a sound engineer on Rumours. At 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) tall, he was an imposing figure, and sported a beard and long hair for much of his life. He nevertheless enjoyed acting during school, often in drag, and was a competent fencer. He performed poorly on exams, which he attributed to his inability to memorise facts. According to his own autobiography, Fleetwood had an extremely difficult and trying time academically at the English boarding schools he attended, including King's School, Sherborne, Gloucestershire, and Wynstones School, also in Gloucestershire. īiographer Cath Carroll describes the young Fleetwood as 'a dreamer, an empathetic youth' who, though intelligent, did not excel academically. He attended school there and became fluent in Norwegian. Six years later, they moved to Norway where his father was deployed by NATO. In early childhood, Fleetwood and his family followed his father, a Royal Air Force fighter pilot, to Egypt. His elder sister, actress Susan Fleetwood, died of cancer in 1995.

Michael John Kells Fleetwood was born in Redruth, Cornwall, second child to John Joseph Kells Fleetwood and Bridget Maureen (née Brereton) Fleetwood.

#Slapdash mom mac#

7 Songwriting credits for Fleetwood Mac.

2.4 Heroes Are Hard to Find, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours.

įleetwood has also enjoyed a solo career, published written works, and flirted briefly with acting. Buckingham and Nicks contributed to much of Fleetwood Mac's later commercial success, including the celebrated album Rumours, while Fleetwood's own determination to keep the band together was essential to the band's longevity. Fleetwood then invited Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to join. After several album releases and line-up changes, the group moved to the United States in 1974. Choosing to follow his musical interests, Fleetwood travelled to London at the age of 15, eventually forming the first incarnation of Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and Bob Brunning. Fleetwood, whose surname was merged with that of the group's bassist John 'Mac' McVie to form the name of the band, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998.īorn in Redruth, Cornwall, Fleetwood lived in Egypt and Norway for much of his childhood. He is best known as the drummer, co-founder, and leader of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. Michael John Kells Fleetwood (born 24 June 1947) is a British musician, songwriter and occasional actor.