BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.- Julien’s Auctions, the world record-breaking auction house to the stars, proudly presents “Fleetwood Mac: Property from the Lives and Careers of Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood,” an exclusive presentation honoring three legendary GRAMMY® Award-winning band members of Fleetwood Mac, taking place live in a two-day auction event from Saturday, December 3rd - Sunday, December 4th, 2022 at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and online on julienslive.com. It was also announced that a portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares, the leading music industry charity, which provides the music community a support system of health and human services across a spectrum of needs including physical and mental health, addiction recovery, preventative clinics, unforeseen personal emergencies and disaster relief.
A spectacular collection of over 700 lots featuring the rock music icons’ instruments, awards, wardrobe, equipment and memorabilia from their landmark recordings, live performances and appearances, as well as furnishings, artwork, jewelry, and personal items from their homes will be offered.
Highlights Include:
Mick Fleetwood’s Rumours Album Cover Attire Hanging Balls, Stage-Played Talking Drum, 40-Inch Zildjian Traditional Gong, Bill Clinton Signed Drumhead and Farewell Concert Setlist, 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award, Bare Trees RIAA “Gold” Record Award and Harry Styles Pleasing “Shroom Bloom” Campaign Ensemble.
Christine McVie’s Rumours Photo-Matched Album Cover-Worn Dress, Yamaha C3 “Songbird” Baby Grand Piano, Chopped and Customized Touring Hammond B-3 Organ and Yamaha E3 Series Disklavier Electric Piano.
John McVie’s Rumours Custom Alembic “Continuously Fretted” Stainless Steel Fingerboard Electric Bass Guitar, Peter Green Gifted 1962 Fender VI Six-String Electric Bass Guitar and Royal Albert Hall Stage-Played 1960 Fender Precision Electric Bass Guitar.
Formed in 1967, Fleetwood Mac was born out of the British blues revival movement, led by guitarist/singer Peter Green, originally from the legendary John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, which included other distinguished British rockers of the 60s and 70s, such as Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor among them, and drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, whose surnames would inspire the band’s name.
Making their debut as Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac at the British Jazz and Blues Festival in 1967, Green, Fleetwood, McVie, and Jeremy Spencer landed their first Top Five hit on the UK Albums Chart in 1968 with their self-titled debut album and charted with their singles “Black Magic Woman” (later covered by Carlos Santana), “Need Your Love So Bad” and their first #1 hit on the UK charts “Albatross,” from their album The Pious Bird of Good Omen. During this time and throughout the early 1970s, the group’s roster of musicians would shift and sound would evolve towards mainstream rock, with the departure of founding front man Peter Green, and his replacement of Chicken Shack keyboardist and vocalist, Christine Perfect, who would marry Mac bassist John McVie and join the band officially for their fifth studio album, Future Games in 1971.
After the departure of founding member Jeremy Spencer and many other personnel changes, the group led by co- founder Mick Fleetwood and the McVies moved to California in 1974 to put down roots and develop a new sound. In 1975, the band was introduced to the folk-rock album Buckingham Nicks consisting of guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks. The duo was invited by Fleetwood to join the band and complete the legendary five-person, three-songwriter line-up most known today as the British- American pop-rock band, Fleetwood Mac, who would captivate audiences all over the world and shatter sales records for decades to come.
The new group’s 1975 self-titled debut album, Fleetwood Mac released some of their biggest and most classic hits, “Over My Head,” “Rhiannon,” “Landslide,” “Say You Love Me,” and reached Number One on the album charts, selling over five million copies in the U.S. alone. While the band had finally found commercial and artistic success, the members experienced internal turmoil and tensions which would become the subject of the songs written on their next and most iconic album, Rumours. Released in 1977, the commercial and critically acclaimed Rumours was a runaway success topping the American and British charts with their smash Top Ten singles “Go Your Own Way,” “Don’t Stop,” “You Make Loving Fun” and their Number One hit single, “Dreams.” Described by Fleetwood as “the most important album we ever made,” the album won the GRAMMY Award for Best Album in 1978 and is today RIAA-certified 20-times platinum, in addition to platinum, gold, and diamond certifications in countries all over the world, making it one of the best-selling and most-purchased albums of all time. After their tour, the band’s follow up 1979 experimental double album Tusk went multi-platinum and featured the Top Ten singles “Sara” and “Tusk.” In the 1980s, they released the double album Live and began their own solo projects including Fleetwood’s solo world music album The Visitor and I’m Not Me with his band Mick Fleetwood’s Zoo, Christine McVie’s 1984 solo album, Christine McVie, which garnered the Top Ten hit “Got a Hold on Me” and John McVie’s reunion tour with the Bluesbreakers. Christine McVie would continue to write hits for the band, including “Little Lies,” “Everywhere,” and “Save Me,” and contribute her distinctive musical voice in the classics “Songbird,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Think About Me,” and many others.
Throughout the decade, the group continued to dominate the airwaves and charts with their albums 1982’s Mirage, which produced the hit singles “Hold Me” and “Gypsy,” and its unforgettable music video–the highest-budget music video ever produced at the time and the first “World Premiere Video” on MTV in 1982 and recipient of the first “Special Merit” American Video Award in 1983 – and 1987’s Tango in the Night that generated the hits “Little Lies,” “Seven Wonders,” and “Everywhere.”
In 1993, the band famously performed at the inauguration of U.S. President Bill Clinton who had chosen their classic “Don’t Stop” as his campaign theme song. Four years later, they released the 1997 album The Dance, the band’s comeback live album and first in ten years, which debuted at Number One and generated the new version hit single of “Landslide,” a sold-out tour and Fleetwood Mac’s MTV The Dance special in 1997 featuring their iconic live performance of their greatest songs.
In 2003, Fleetwood, John McVie, Buckingham, and Nicks came together to release Fleetwood Mac’s first studio album in 16 years, Say You Will. In 2014, Christine McVie rejoined the group on Fleetwood Mac’s Unleashed, their first major tour since 2009 and released with Buckingham their album Lindsay Buckingham/Christine McVie in 2017. In 2011, the songs from Rumours were featured on the hit TV show Glee, as the album re-entered the charts at #11, with music downloads accounting for approximately 90% of album sales, making it the highest chart entry for a previously issued album to date. This was the first of many reintroductions of Fleetwood Mac to new generations of fans with a “Dreams” TikTok viral video and “The Chain” featured in the HBO series.
Christine McVie has been honored with the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music as a member of Fleetwood Mac, a Gold Badge of Merit from the British Academy of Songwriters, and in 2014 was presented with an Ivor Novello award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2019, she was the subject of the BBC documentary “Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac’s, Songbird.” McVie recently released an album called “Songbird”, a compilation of solo works from previous albums.
“This baby grand, where I have played ‘Songbird,’ the song I’m most proud of, has been such an important part of my life and career,” said Christine McVie. “Though it’s hard to let go, I’m happy that it will find a new home and owner who will hopefully cherish it as much as I have through the years. I’m additionally pleased that the proceeds of this instrument and my other pieces in this auction will go towards MusiCares to help so many music people in need.”
John McVie is one of the two band members to appear on every album and has toured consistently with Fleetwood Mac since 1967. In 1992, he released his solo album, John McVie’s “Gotta Band” with Lola Thomas and is ranked on Rolling Stone’s list of 50 greatest bassists.
In addition to his renowned and diverse career in music, Mick Fleetwood has written and co-authored several books about his life and Fleetwood Mac, appeared in television and film, including Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Running Man, and runs several business ventures including Mick Fleetwood Private Cellar winery in Santa Barbara County, California, the restaurant Fleetwood’s and Fleetwood’s General Store both in Maui, Hawaii and most recently, was named the face of Pleasing, Harry Styles’ new lifestyle brand. In 1979, Fleetwood Mac were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1998 Fleetwood Mac were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and in 2018, became the first-ever band to receive the MusicCares Person of the Year award.
“Julien’s Auctions is honored to offer this exceptional collection of music history coming directly from the legendary three members of one of the most influential and rock and roll bands of all time, Fleetwood Mac,” said Martin Nolan, Executive Director and CFO of Julien’s Auctions. “These pieces from their storied five-decade career represent the mystique and magic of Christine McVie, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, whose renowned musicianship, songwriting, vocal harmonies and camaraderie, have given the world a lifetime of illustrious performances and some of the most beloved and best-selling music ever recorded. We are also pleased to announce that a portion of the auction proceeds will benefit MusiCares, who honored Fleetwood Mac in 2018, as the organization’s Person of the Year, to support the charity’s work providing critical services to underserved members of the music community.”
Christine McVie highlights announced today include (with estimates):
• A Rumours Photo-Matched Album Cover-Worn Dress ($10,000-$20,000): A vintage maxi green, yellow, red, and cream leaf patterned dress, worn by Christine McVie on the back cover of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977multi-platinum studio album.
• A 1960s Stage-Played Chopped and Customized Touring Hammond B-3 Organ ($5,000- $7,000): Used by Christine McVie while on tour with Fleetwood Mac starting in the 1970s, the organ, marked “#1,” was professionally chopped and customized B3 by renowned Hammond experts KPC Keyboard Products Co., accompanied with its touring case (photo right).
• A Stage-Played Yamaha C3 Baby Grand Piano ($40,000-$60,000): Known as the “Songbird Piano” used extensively by Christine McVie while on tour with Fleetwood Mac for many years which would come out at the end of the show for the last song.
• A Yamaha E3 Series Disklavier Electric Piano with Custom “Christine F*cking McVie” Slipcover ($7,000-$9,000): A c. 2000s five-foot baby grand digital MIDI-equipped piano belonging to Christine McVie with black gloss finish and a custom black quilted slipcover with the words “Christine Fucking McVie” embroidered in white across the front. The piano was played on the 2014-2015 Fleetwood Mac On With The Show tour during the performance of “Songbird” at the end of the show (photo right).
• A 1969 Christine Perfect Melody Maker “Pop Poll Awards Top Singer” Award
($600-$800).
• A Circa 1960s Stage-Used Hammond Leslie Rotary Speaker ($1,000-$2,000): Used by Christine McVie with her Hammond organ while on tour with Fleetwood Mac.
• A Stage- and Event-Worn Navy and Green Polka Dot Thea Porter Dress ($10,000-$20,000): Worn by Christine McVie on multiple occasions throughout her career including a 1971 live performance and to the Second Annual Rock Music Awards held on September 18, 1976 in Los Angeles, California.
• A “Gypsy” American Video Award ($800-$1,200): Presented to Christine McVie for the 1982 music video for “Gypsy. “
• A Black Four Seasons of London Hooded Coat ($6,000-$8,000): Worn by Christine McVie on the cover of her 1984 self-titled solo album.
• A Stage-Played Weltmeister LM-25-12 Bandmaster Accordion ($1,000-$2,000): A candy red piano accordion part of Christine McVie’s selection of touring equipment for Fleetwood Mac and can be seen being played live by McVie on stage on numerous occasions, including during the iconic comeback performance of “Tusk” with the USC Marching Band during their MTV special at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, California, on May 23rd, 1997 that was recorded as live album The Dance (photo right).
• A Rust-Colored, Velvet Blazer ($500-$700): Worn by Christine McVie to the 1998 Brit Awards.
• A Black Velvet Biker-Style “Songbird” Patch Jacket Ensemble ($700-$900) custom-made by designer Margi Kent: Stage-worn by Christine McVie during a live concert performance at First Direct Arena, Leeds in Leeds on July 5th, 2015.
• A Pair of Black, Lace-Up Zadig & Voltaire Combat Boots ($200-$300): Worn by Christine McVie to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on March 29th, 2019 and throughout the 2018/2019 Fleetwood Mac Tour.
• A 2018-2019 “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac” Dressing Room Road Case with Portable Yamaha Keyboard and Accessories ($1,000-$2,000)
• A 2018-2019 “An Evening with Fleetwood Mac” Tour Traveling Vanity Case ($1,000-$2,000)
John McVie Highlights announced today include (with estimates):
• A 1976 Rumours Photo-Matched Custom Alembic “Continuously Fretted” Stainless Steel Fingerboard Electric Bass Guitar ($40,000-$60,000): Used extensively by John McVie both in studio and onstage c. 1976-1980, notably on “The Chain” which features one of the most iconic bass breaks in the history of rock and roll.
• A 1976 Prototype Alembic Series 1 Graphite Neck Through Electric Bass Guitar ($20,000-$40,000): One of two prototype Alembic Series 1 graphite neck through electric bass guitars, created in collaboration with Geoff Gould in 1976: the first two graphite neck basses to be made in this way, one sold to John McVie and the other sold to Stanley Clarke.
• A Peter Green Gifted 1962 Fender VI Six-String Electric Bass Guitar ($8,000-$12,000): A 1962 three-tone sunburst Fender VI six-string electric bass guitar, first gifted to Mick Fleetwood by Peter Green c. 1967-1969, and then to John McVie by Mick Fleetwood (photo right).
• A Royal Albert Hall Stage-Plated 1960 Fender Precision Electric Bass Guitar ($20,000-$40,000): A 1960 Fender Precision electric bass guitar, acquired by John McVie during the 1960s and used by him through the majority of his time with Fleetwood Mac.
• A Stevie Nicks Gifted Surfboard ($6,000-$8,000): A beige Island Fin custom surfboard gifted to John McVie by Stevie Nicks as a joke while he was living in Hawaii (McVie did not and does not surf).
• A 1953 First-Year Gibson EB1 Violin Body Electric Bass Guitar ($10,000-$20,000).
• A 1965 Hofner Club Electric Bass Guitar ($10,000-$20,000): Acquired by John McVie during the Peter Green era of Fleetwood Mac.
• A Rare 1970 First-Year Fretless Fender Precision Electric Bass Guitar ($10,000-$20,000): Owned and used by John McVie, featuring markings to designate his preferred tone and volume settings (photo right).
• A “Songbird” Stage-Played Photo-Matched Ernie Ball Earthwood Acoustic Bass Guitar ($20,000-$40,000): Played extensively by John McVie during Fleetwood Mac tours c. 1975-1982 for performances of “Songbird” and “Never Going Back Again,” among others.
• A Black “Little Lies” Music Video Played Video-Matched 1980s Kramer Ferrington Electroacoustic Bass Guitar ($10,000-$20,000): Played by John McVie in music videos from Tango in the Night including the Billboard hit singles “Little Lies” and “Seven Wonders.”
Mick Fleetwood Highlights announced today include (with estimates):
• Rumours Stage-and Album Cover-Worn Hanging Balls – with Signed Art Print ($100,000-$200,000): The two wooden balls worn by Mick Fleetwood as part of his attire for the seminal 1977 album cover. Attached to leather cords and housed in a soft maroon cloth drawstring case with the words “Open Sesame” embroidered in gold-tone thread. Lost and found many times over, the balls were originally lavatory chains snatched from a club Fleetwood Mac played during their early years and incorporated into his stage attire in a ribald nod to the blues tradition, something of a good luck charm.
• Iconic Stage-Played Talking Drum ($100,000-$200,000): Personally owned and played by Mick Fleetwood throughout his career with Fleetwood Mac. One of two main talking drums used by Fleetwood during performances, the other having red tension cords. As Fleetwood writes about talking drums, “It is a part of me, a portable way to express myself. When I play it, this primitive, one-drum signature becomes a part of my body. It allows me to participate without the cumbersome grandeur of a drum kit, and it takes me back to the basics: the intense need we humans have to communicate.”
• A 40-inch Stage-Played Zildjian Traditional Gong ($100,000-$200,000): Used by Mick Fleetwood as part of his touring equipment c. 1997-2019. Described by Mick as “the biggest member of the [Zildjian] family,” the gong can be seen being played by him on stage during Fleetwood Mac’s 1997 performance that would be recorded for The Dance and beyond. Features a small octopus mobile decoration attached to the bottom bar of the frame and housed in an official red “Fleetwood Mac” road case, numbered “253.”
• “Bare Trees” RIAA “Gold” Record Award ($50,000-$70,000): Presented to Mick Fleetwood for the album’s
sale of over 500,000 copies.
• A Bill Clinton Signed Drumhead and Farewell Concert Setlist ($80,000-
$100,000): From a private performance by Fleetwood Mac for Clinton’s farewell from office, organized by the White House staff in 2001. The clear Remo Weatherking Ambassador is inscribed from President Bill Clinton and reads, “With thanks for hosting me from beginning to end!/ Bill Clinton/ 6/22/2001.”
• A Harry Styles Pleasing “Shroom Bloom” Campaign Ensemble ($20,000-
$30,000): A psychedelic purple swirl patterned suit and top hat, worn by Mick
Fleetwood during a collaboration for Harry Styles’ beauty brand “Pleasing” (photo right).
• A Vintage 1967 Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac Debut “7th Annual Jazz and Blues Festival Windsor” Poster ($800-$1,200).
• A Studio-Played DW Collector’s Series Rumours Snare Drum ($8,000-$10,000): A DW Collector’s Series Rumours Icon snare drum, that is limited edition number one and was personally used and signed by Mick Fleetwood while in studio.
• A Black Felt Crow Top Hat ($20,000-$40,000): Custom made for Stevie Nicks by Mick Fleetwood with two attached taxidermy crows featuring a wide black ribbon hat band (photo right).
• A 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Award ($3,000-$5,000): Presented to Mick Fleetwood for Fleetwood Mac’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
• A Stage-Worn Ensemble: Worn by Mick Fleetwood on various tour stops including on September 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada as part of Fleetwood Mac’s “An Evening With Fleetwood Mac” tour, as well as bits of the ensemble worn during the band’s 2018 debut appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show ($8,000-$12,000).
