I am one of the many people around the globe who would put Fleetwood Mac's Rumors album among the top albums of all time. It is easily one of my top three favorite albums (the exact placement might depend on the day you ask me). Though I've listen to most of their subsequent releases since then, I would count myself as a huge fan of the group - just the album. Still, seeing this book about the band available, I thought I'd dig just a little deeper.

Nearly everything presented here is freely available online, but author Tyler Martin Sehnal pulls it together in an almost cohesive manner. Almost.

Sehnal organizes the book in sequential order from the band's earliest years to the most recent information with chapters organized by a period of years. But within the chapter Sehnal plays a little lose with time without making it clear beforehand, sometimes restating an incident but from another band member's perspective. One for instance is Buckingham's firing from the band.

The incident is mentioned first, rather casually; "the band has again taken on two new members to replace their recently ousted guitarist and sole male vocalist, Lindsey Buckingham" which is followed immediately with "Buckingham hadn’t been the one to make the call this time around, though. In reality, the band had let Buckingham go following a several-month-long dispute between the two parties...". The chapter goes on to talk about Buckingham and Christine McVie's duet album and on to a 2018 special performance at Radio City Music Hall which ends with:

That night, the band’s performances and speeches went off without a hitch, and Buckingham even noted that what the group was feeling “more than ever in our career [was] love.” Therefore, the news that would break only three months later left fans and those close to the band utterly shocked: in April 2018, it was announced that Lindsey Buckingham had been fired from Fleetwood Mac.
This seems like a 'big reveal' being at the end of a chapter, but we'd already read about it.

It is also important to note that Sehnal definitely has a bias in favor of Lyndsey Buckingham - he admits to it but even if hadn't it definitely shows. The full title of the book should be a very clear indicator.

I should also point out that, at least in my ARC Kindle version of the book, an entire quarter of the book is end notes and/or bibliography.
It's a quick read, and, to repeat what I stated earlier - most of this can be found online or already is known for any true Fleetwood Mac fan. It's probably just about right for someone like me who, while I enjoy(ed) the music, doesn't care a whole lot about the band's shenanigans.

Looking for a good book? Playing In the Rain: Lindsey Buckingham & Fleetwood Mac by Tyler Martin Sehnal is a quick-to-read overview of the band who arguable produced one of the best po/rock albums of all time.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a good bio book about Fleetwood Mac. It was a well written book. It talked about the bands start in music till present time.

Well researched and written account of Lindsey Buckingham and his influence on the success of Fleetwood Mac. The group's endless turmoil and inner feuding is already well documented but for readers not knowing the whole story, this will provide valuable insight. Every Fleetwood Mac and Buckingham solo album is analyzed and each song discussed.

The Fleetwood Mac Era

In the 1970 and 1980s, radio airways were dominated by the group Fleetwood Mac. It seemed everyone had a copy of their Rumors album. Today, those that first listened to Fleetwood Mac when it first came out, when they were in their teens and twenties are now grandparents. Yet even today it cannot be dismissed as “your grandparents’ music.

“Playing in the Rain: Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac,” by Tyler Martin Sehnal, is a history of the group. It follows Fleetwood Mac from its original inception to the present.

Opening with the group’s origins as a blues band in England, Sehnal follows it to the United States. The band started in 1967, founded by Peter Green, and two other musicians. Guitarist John McVie joined shortly after its debut performance. It was named Fleetwood Mac (for Mick Fleetwood and John McVie). John McVie’s then-wife, Christie McVie provided vocals.

It remained a solidly midlist group from then until 1974, even after its move to California. By then, the group was down to Fleetwood and the two McVies. To expand the band’s sound, Fleetwood invited two then-unknown, and romantically-involved musicians, vocalist Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, to join the band.

Adding the two supercharged the group. The 1975 album Fleetwood Mac (also known as the White Album) launched the group. The 1977 album Rumors sent it into the musical stratosphere. From then on, the group occupied music’s heavens. Its individual members were like skyrockets, spreading and exploding.

Sehnal follows both the group and its individual members. He tells the history of each album and analyzes the music. He also follows their individual careers, their breakups, and reunions. Although Nicks became the band’s most famous member, Sehnal makes the case Lindsey Buckingham was the one most responsible for Fleetwood Mac’s success. A prickly perfectionist, Buckingham created the sound for which Fleetwood Mac became known.

This book is a labor of love by the author. His admiration for the group is profound and sincere. This does not blind him to the group’s shortcomings or the individual members’ faults (including those of Lindsey Buckingham). “Playing in the Rain” is not hagiography. It is a balanced and nuanced history of Fleetwood Mac. Their strengths and weaknesses are both presented, leaving the readers to draw their own conclusions.

In total, the pluses outweigh the minuses. Sehnal has written a brilliant history of a brilliant musical group.

“Playing in the Rain: Lindsey Buckingham & Fleetwood Mac,” by Tyler Martin Sehnal, Ingramspark, 2023, 324 pages, $17.99 (paperback), $9.99 (ebook)
This review was written by Mark Lardas, who writes at Ricochet as Seawriter. Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City, TX. His website is marklardas.com.

With PLAYING IN THE RAIN, Tyler Martin Sehnal has accomplished that most difficult of feats -- telling the story of the remarkable band Fleetwood Mac, bringing to life the band, their music, their impact on music and the world around them as they loved, battled, found and lost their ways in the world and with one another. For diehard fan me, it was the backstage pass and deep dive into creativity, creation, and changing the world one song at a time. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

Growing up with Fleetwood Mac in the 70s, my friends and I were true fans of Fleetwood Mac. So with this book just published in Feb, 2023, I was so eager and not disappointed to take a trip down, memory lane, with Lindsay Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie and the rest of FM to fill in the gaps now (as an adult) that I was either too young or too ignorant to care about back in the day.

What an eye opener this book is in covering the history of their interpersonal relationships- their business relationships - the stage antics and in some cases the aggressive song lyrics. Buckingham even developed a special hybrid type of strum on the guitar which really made his sound unique- things that might have been plain to some degree as they performed and recorded, but to the fans, this was the magic of Buckingham & Nicks - of Fleetwood Mac. The Chain was never supposed to break! It was powerful- it was hauntingly special- the Rumours 5!

It’s been said and arguably proved: “ that thunder does only happen when it’s raining” after all…..

Recommended for anyone interested in Buckingham, Nicks, and the history of Fleetwood Mac’s albums and singles. Songs written for and collaborations with others. It’s all covered here from the earliest of days of their formation to current time, and acknowledges with sorrow the loss of bandmate, sister and best friend, Christine McVie.

My thanks to NetGalley, Tyler Martin Sehnal, and the publisher to an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.

Great biography of an incredible musician. Must-read for music fans everywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an excellent biography of an excellent musician. It's very insightful and full of thoughtful, revealing and painfully honest interviews. Any fans of Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham's solo work, or rock and roll history will enjoy reading this.

Bookbub: Book Not Listed



"Fun, easy to read. Focuses on the entire BN era Fleetwood Mac."

Somehow I thought this was going to focus more on Lindsay than it did; but it does give us more than another Stevie Nicks bio. It focuses more on the BN era mac than it does on Lindsay, but it also touches on his solo albums & his relationships. We also get an album by album review of all FM from "the White album" forward & all of LB's solo work; plus comments on other Mac related projects.

I like that we don't have to suffer through a round of boring childhood biographies!
I also like the explanation of Lindsay's unique guitar styling.

One thing the book did for me is made it obvious that FM as a band is far greater than the individual parts; I also didn't know how involved LB was in the production of the 1st 2 hit albums.
The BN Mac era albums without LB are pretty much unlistenable; & while I enjoy LB's solo records, they are not catchy enough for frequently listening imo.

Also, another example of how a successful pop (by that I mean pop in it's era) artist/group sabotaged themselves with excessive drug & alcohol use. And it must be so much worse today.....

If you're an uber fan, there won't be much new here for you; I'm in between & it totally held my interest. I read it in 1 day, which means I was absorbed in the book.

Easy to read writing style.

I received a copy of this book at no charge, and I'm leaving an honest review.

Finishing PLAYING IN THE RAIN today was a particularly poignant reminder of the loss of Christine McVie last November 30th, especially as her cause of death was revealed. Fleetwood Mac was Rock and Roll royalty and Lindsey Buckingham’s collaboration with bandmates was the catalyst which propelled them there. If you love Rock and Roll, you will love this book.

A captivating book that provides a fresh perspective on Lindsey Buckingham's journey and his impact on the world of popular music. The writing is engaging and insightful, taking readers on a journey through Buckingham's early years as a rock and roller to his legendary status as a solo artist and producer. The book is filled with fascinating interviews and anecdotes, offering a comprehensive and compelling portrait of one of rock and roll's most intriguing figures. This is a must-read for any music fan looking to deepen their understanding of Fleetwood Mac and the broader cultural landscape in which they emerged.

An engrossing read that provides a deep dive into the life and career of Lindsey Buckingham, one of rock and roll's most influential figures. The book is expertly written and packed with fascinating insights into Buckingham's journey, his relationships with other band members, and his impact on the world of popular music. The author's passion for the subject shines through in every page, making this book a must-read for any fan of Fleetwood Mac or rock and roll in general. This is a masterful biography that sheds new light on one of music's most intriguing personalities.

An undeniably interesting subject, the repetitive way in which the book was written becomes grating. How many times can Stevie Nicks be referred to as a “Witchy Woman” or mention of Buckingham’s finger picking prowess. The timeline, although broken down into chunks jumps backwards and forwards and covers old ground with repeated mention of breakups and solo projects that poor Lindsey couldn’t get to. I feel like this book just needed stricter editing, as a Fleetwood Mac fan it’s made me want to relisten to their back catalogue but reading this book was very frustrating at times.