Lindsey Buckingham and his daughter Leelee have returned with another of their occasional reaction videos. Memorably, the pair offered their thoughts on Charli XCX’s Von Dutch video earlier this year, but this time, they’re watching a clip of an artist covering a song that Lindsey is far more familiar with.
We’re talking about Florence and the Machine’s take on Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain, which they performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2010. Buckingham, of course, is one of the song’s writers and original performers, but was previously unaware of this particular version.
“Hmmm - guy learned the part,” says Buckingham as the song begins, seemingly surprised that (we assume) the Florence and the Machine guitarist has taken the time to master it.
Listening to Florence Welch’s voice in the verse, Buckingham says: “I’m missing the harmonies a bit, but that’s alright.”
“No one can replicate your and Stevie’s [Nicks] harmonies,” replies Leelee, probably correctly.
Florence certainly had enough personnel on stage to have a go at recreating them, though; spotting the huge line-up of backing singers, Lindsey notes that “they shoulda used them in the verse.”
A good point, well made - but what does Buckingham make of The Machine’s playing on The Chain’s famous instrumental coda? As John McVie’s iconic bassline begins, Lindsey confirms that “He got the writer’s credit for having written that part because it was so thematic.”
Then, of course, there’s Buckingham’s closing guitar solo: “No one plays this solo like you, that’s for sure,” says Leelee, playing the dutiful daughter role perfectly. Her father is diplomatic about Florence’s guitarist’s effort, though: “He’s doing OK… he’s got the spirit.”
And Lindsey’s overall verdict? “I thought it was lovely. I mean, it was lovely that they decided to do it. It shows some regard for what we had done. And, you know, if there's a passing of the torch there I think they carried it very well. I mean, it was quite impressive.”
A cautious thumbs-up, then, but there was something else we spotted in the video that made us wonder. When Leelee asks Lindsey if he’s ever played Glastonbury, he responds with a cryptic “Hell if I know,” though we suspect he’s well aware that neither he or Fleetwood Mac have ever performed there.
And maybe we’re reading too much into this, but there’s something about this smile that makes us wonder if conversations are happening in regard to the 2027 festival.
“We’ve played some big shows in England, but I don’t know about that one,” continues Buckingham, possibly mischievously, but now that he and Stevie Nicks are back on speaking terms, maybe something could be on the cards…
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