Mick Fleetwood believes that the upcoming Fleetwood Mac spin-off album, which features the whole band except Stevie Nicks, is good enough to win awards.

The LP is to be released in the summer under the banner of Buckingham McVie, since it consists of songs written by Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie. However, it also features Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, after singer Nicks arranged a solo schedule and declared herself unwilling to participate in further recording with Fleetwood Mac. (Speaking of which, Stevie Nicks tickets are still available for her current tour, which features support from the Pretenders.)

"The crafting of the album became so specifically about Chris and Lindsey some time ago," Fleetwood told Uncut. “It came under the heading of music that had to come out. Chris is full of vim and vigor, which is mind-blowing, and I’m really happy for Lindsey, because this is what he most likes to do – putting something together.

“This relationship is a real expression of a musical powerhouse that’s come to the fore, and we’re all happy about that," he added. "It’s really cool. I think they’ll be walking down some red carpets with this one.”

Buckingham said he's grown since the last time he worked with McVie. "I realized I’m a completely different person," he said. "I’m a father of three children, I’ve been married almost 20 years. I’ve had my journey, and Christine has had her own journey.”

McVie returned to Fleetwood Mac in 2014 after a handful of earlier guest appearances on stage convinced her to rethink her retirement, which had begun in 1998. The band had started work on a record together before Nicks decided she didn't want to take part. “It’s an umbilical cord that can’t be broken," McVie said. "It just pulls you back.”

But Nicks plans to return in time for a road trip next year. “The 2018 tour is supposed to be a farewell – but you take farewell tours one at a time," McVie noted. "Somehow we always come together, this unit. We can feel it ourselves.”

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