Step into the whirlwind journey of Fleetwood Mac, where relationships intertwine, songwriting flourishes, and musical evolution knows no bounds. We delve deep into the band's captivating narrative. In this rollicking episode, you'll learn:

• The origins of the band in England in the 1960s as a blues band featuring a very different lineup
• How the founder suffered a severe mental health decline that altered the course of the band
• How the aristocratic son of a Royal Air Force commander went from a window cleaner to Fleetwood Mac leader
• How one band member left the band to join a cult
• How a trip to the grocery store led to the discovery of soon-to-be superstars Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham
• The revealing true meaning of 5 of their most famous songs based on Mark Blake's interviews with the band

Join host Dave Anthony and Fleetwood Mac author Mark Blake for the fascinating story behind Fleetwood Mac's journey from the pubs of England to become a US and global phenomenon. Picture this: a plot straight out of a gripping soap opera, where band members forge romantic connections, battle with addiction, weather breakups, and witness a revolving door of musical talent. And at the heart of it all lies Fleetwood Mac, a band synonymous with drama and musical brilliance.

Guest Bio:
Mark Blake is the author of the soon-to-be-released Dreams: The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac and has interviewed each member of Fleetwood Mac several times over the decades. He has also written books on Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Who, and Pink Floyd.

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Bonus Content:

1. Download the Official Garage to Stadiums Fleetwood Mac playlist on Apple Music or Spotify
2. Visit GaragetoStadiums.com for bonus content on Fleetwood Mac, including concert footage, transcripts and other interesting facts.

In this episode, you will experience the sights and sounds of the mid-1960s London scene version of Fleetwood Mac, typified by this performance on the BBC from the era. Blake reveals the incredibly random way Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were discovered and went from a folk performing duo on their first album to becoming additional band members, contributing powerful songwriting, vocal harmonies, and Buckingham's blazing guitar. These two were directly responsible for massive hits like Rhiannon, which was seen HERE in a scorching live performance in 1976 on NBC’s music show Midnight Special.

Fleetwood Mac's journey had its share of challenges amid the musical triumphs. Mark Blake paints a vivid portrait of the band's dynamic personalities, fueled by passion, breakups, tension, drug use and the occasional thrown drink. Yet, from this cauldron of creativity emerged an album born from chaos yet etched into the annals of music history as one of the Top 10 albums of all time.

Original Air Date: 2024

Host: Dave Anthony

A top 5% of podcasts in the world, Garage to Stadiums is a podcast for true music fans — the ones who want more than just headlines and hype. This show is for listeners who care about the full story behind the artists: their childhoods, musical influences, early gigs, personal battles, journey to stadium-level fame and the drama in between.

Why are we different? In each episode host Dave Anthony features guests who know their stuff and bring real insights from their time with the performers — from respected rock journalists to documentary filmmakers.

If you want smarter music commentary and behind-the-scenes stories you won’t hear anywhere else, subscribe now and get your backstage pass to music history.

Travel back to early 1960s Motown when an 11-year old child prodigy mysteriously appeared on the scene. Stevie Wonder rose from deep poverty, a fractured home and a significant physical disability to become one of the most influential musicians of all time. As you will hear, he was also a master of innovating new sounds, producing hits across many musical genres - soul, R'n'B, rock, reggae, pop, funk and more. In this episode you'll learn:

1. The incredible story of Stevie's birth and difficult family life
2. How Motown records was formed by an unexpected source, and then discovered Stevie
3. The ultimatum by a young Stevie that changes his economic situation
4. How a knock on a random door in New York resulted in Stevie's greatest albums
5. How a terrible accident changed Stevie forever
6. About his diverse set of hits from various genres

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Guest Bio - Paolo Hewitt has followed Stevie's career for decades. Paulo was a writer for UK music magazines, New Musical Express and Melody Maker, where he both interviewed Stevie Wonder and reviewed several of his albums. Paulo has also written extensively about the hiphop scene and has authored books on several artists. He appeared on two very popular Garage to Stadiums episodes to discuss the careers of David Bowie and Oasis.