Mick Fleetwood Muses On Fleetwood Mac Musical

In a wide-ranging interview this week, legendary Fleetwood Mac founding member Mick Fleetwood revealed musings on bringing the turbulent and triumphant story of the internationally adored rock group to the stage.

When asked if he is a "prisoner" to the band after having kept it together - in various forms - for forty years, Fleetwood relates, "Well, that's an interesting phrase. And in truth, just as of late - the last few years, really - I've had to work at just not being this creature that almost gets obsessed: 'It's gotta continue,' and 'What if ... ?' And I've truly done pretty good at letting go. And it's truly appropriate: We've done way too much, all of us, to be herded into my world of,'At all costs, Fleetwood Mac.'"

Fleetwood continues, clarifying, "So now, what you see is really pretty much a version of a bunch of people that happen to want to do something. And they haven't been coerced or crafted, or sold their soul to the company store. ... All of that stuff is gone. Which makes this, again, a really, really clear vision of what we're doing. And I can't think of any other band that I know that has gone through the arc of all of these [changes], even before Stevie and Lindsey. It would make a great play, and I hope one day that we somehow do that."

As for the songstack? Well, Fleetwood is only in early stages of developing the project, clearly, but in the interview he remarks upon one song that remains a staple at their live shows and which very well could act as the theme song for his character in the musical, going so far as to sing a bit of it in the interview, acapella - "The Chain", from RUMOURS, the only song ever written by the group together, as a whole.

Fleetwood remarks, "I'd say 'The Chain'. [It's message should] be written on my grave: 'That's what he did. He half-killed himself keeping this bunch together.'"

Also, if ever an Act One finale could top WICKED's "Defying Gravity" it would be a tune about another famous witch, Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks-penned mega-hit "Rhiannon"!

Fleetwood Mac's new EP, EXTENDED PLAY - their first new music since 2003 - is available now. The band is currently on tour, as well, so be sure to catch them while you can!

Check out the original NPR story here.

So, what Fleetwood Mac musical mainstays would you like to see make their way into a stage musical based on the story and albums of Fleetwood Mac?