The Five Creative Revolutions Of 70’s Lindsey Buckingham: From Lost Album To Tusk’s Genius

The 1970s was arguably the most pivotal and creatively explosive decade for Lindsey Buckingham, a period that transformed him from a struggling folk-rock guitarist into the sonic architect of one of the world’s biggest bands. This era, spanning his pre-Fleetwood Mac work with Stevie Nicks to the ambitious, fractured genius of the *Tusk* album, laid the groundwork for his legendary status. As of late 2024, the enduring power of this period is being highlighted by the highly anticipated, newly remastered reissue of the elusive *Buckingham Nicks* album, a project that connects his earliest 70s struggles directly to the present day, proving his revolutionary approach to pop music remains critically relevant.

This deep dive explores the five distinct creative revolutions that defined Lindsey Buckingham’s 70s journey, revealing how his unique guitar technique, turbulent personal life, and uncompromising production vision reshaped the landscape of rock and roll.

Lindsey Buckingham: A 70s Biography and Profile

Lindsey Adams Buckingham was born on October 3, 1949, in Palo Alto, California. His journey to becoming a rock legend was unconventional, rooted in a unique blend of folk, pop, and an almost anti-rock approach to the electric guitar. His profile during the 1970s can be broken down into key biographical milestones:

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• Full Name: Lindsey Adams Buckingham
• Born: October 3, 1949 (Palo Alto, California)
• Key Relationship (1970s): Stevie Nicks (romantically linked from approximately 1972 to 1977)
• Pre-Fleetwood Mac Group: Fritz (1967–1972)
• Duo Debut: *Buckingham Nicks* (1973)
• Joined Fleetwood Mac: December 31, 1974
• Defining 70s Albums: *Fleetwood Mac* (1975), *Rumours* (1977), *Tusk* (1979)
• Primary Role: Lead Guitarist, Co-Lead Vocalist, Songwriter, and later, Producer/Arranger

1. The Genesis of Genius: The Lost *Buckingham Nicks* Album (1973)

Before the global fame of Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were a struggling musical and romantic duo. Their self-titled debut album, *Buckingham Nicks*, released in September 1973 on Polydor Records, is the definitive document of their early 70s sound.

The album, produced by Keith Olsen, was a commercial failure upon release, leading to the duo being dropped by their label. However, the record—often referred to as the "lost album"—was a crucial showcase of Buckingham's burgeoning talent. It featured his distinctive fingerpicking style and ambitious arrangements, setting the stage for the complexity he would bring to Fleetwood Mac. The album’s raw energy and songwriting quality were compelling enough that Mick Fleetwood heard it while looking for a studio to record the next Fleetwood Mac album, leading to the fateful invitation to join the band.

The album’s significance has soared in recent years, with news that the duo, now partnered with Rhino Records, is planning a newly remastered reissue, targeting a 2025 release. This makes the 1973 recording a fresh and relevant topic, highlighting the foundational nature of his early 70s work.

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2. The Sonic Architect: Revolutionizing the *Rumours* Sound (1977)

Buckingham's arrival in Fleetwood Mac in late 1974, along with Stevie Nicks, immediately injected a vibrant, California-pop sensibility into the band’s blues-rock roots. This creative shift culminated in the 1977 masterpiece, *Rumours*. While the album is famous for its tales of inter-band romantic turmoil, its sonic success is largely attributable to Buckingham’s meticulous and revolutionary production techniques.

His approach to *Rumours* was that of a sonic architect. Instead of simply recording live takes, Buckingham treated the studio as a canvas, layering and assembling the best pieces from countless separate takes. Virtually every track on the album is a composite of overdubs and lifted sections, creating a "pristine" and "aural assembly" sound that was groundbreaking for its time.

Key tracks like "Go Your Own Way" and "Second Hand News" showcase his aggressive acoustic strumming and precise electric lead work. For the electric guitar, he primarily used a Fender Stratocaster, often double-tracking it to achieve a thicker, more powerful sound, combined with Marshall and Hiwatt amplifiers to create the album’s signature clarity and punch.

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3. The Unconventional Virtuoso: Fingerpicking and Volume Swelling

Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar playing in the 70s was a complete departure from the era’s dominant blues-rock style. He is one of the few prominent rock guitarists of the time who largely eschewed a pick, relying instead on a unique, complex fingerpicking style.

His technique was significant because it was "free of the blues mannerisms" that many rock fans expected, giving his sound a clean, percussive, and distinctively pop-oriented edge.

• Fingerpicking: This style allowed him to simultaneously play bass lines, rhythmic accents, and melody, creating the illusion of multiple guitarists.
• Volume Swelling: A signature 70s technique, particularly evident on tracks like "Dreams." He would use a volume pedal to gradually increase the sound of a plucked note, creating a sustained, ethereal, and "violin-sounding effect" that added a layer of sophisticated atmosphere to the band’s music.

His gear reflected this unique approach. While he used a Gibson Les Paul Custom for stage presence, his core 70s sound relied on the Fender Stratocaster and, later, a 1952-54 Telecaster for the *Tusk* era, often paired with a Leslie Combo Preamp to achieve his signature swirling textures.

4. The Creative Left-Turn: The Experimentalism of *Tusk* (1979)

Following the monumental success of *Rumours*, Buckingham faced a creative crisis. He feared that repeating the formula would compromise his artistic integrity. His response was *Tusk* (1979), a sprawling, 20-track double album that served as his tour de force and a deliberate "creative left-turn."

Buckingham contributed nine tracks and oversaw much of the production, pushing the band toward an ambitious, experimental sound that shocked fans and the record label. He consciously moved away from the "pristine" sound of *Rumours*, embracing "fairly crude production techniques" and a more lo-fi aesthetic, especially on his tracks. He often recorded drums loosely and used unconventional studio methods to achieve a raw, art-punk edge that foreshadowed the alternative music of the 1980s.

This willingness to risk everything for artistic vision—a trait that would define his solo career—is the ultimate statement of his 70s creative revolution. The album, though initially viewed as a commercial disappointment, is now considered a masterpiece of experimental pop and a testament to Buckingham's uncompromising genius.

5. The Unspoken Style: Sharpness and Intensity on Stage

While Stevie Nicks defined the 70s bohemian-witchy aesthetic, Lindsey Buckingham’s stage presence and style were equally distinct, embodying a sharp, focused intensity. His look, especially during the *Rumours* and *Tusk* tours, was a contrast to the era’s more flamboyant rock stars.

His style was generally clean, tailored, and unfussy, often featuring sharp blazers, fitted shirts, and dark trousers. This visual simplicity served to focus attention entirely on his virtuosic, often frenetic, guitar work and his intense, focused stage presence. Unlike other guitarists who relied on grand movements, Buckingham’s power came from his coiled, athletic energy and the sheer speed and precision of his fingerpicking. His intense focus and physical commitment to his performance made him a captivating, if often understated, figure on stage, a style that perfectly complemented the drama of Fleetwood Mac's music and the contrast with Nicks’ ethereal look.