Mick Fleetwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mick Fleetwood
Fleetwood performing with Fleetwood Mac in 2018
Born	Michael John Kells Fleetwood (1947-06-24) 24 June 1947 (age 78) Redruth, Cornwall, England
Occupation	Musician songwriter
Years active	1963–present
Spouse(s)	Jenny Boyd ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1976)​ ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1978)​ Sara Recor ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 1995)​ Lynn Frankel ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2015)​
Children	4
Musical career
Genres	Blues rock pop
Instruments	Drums percussion
Labels	Blue Horizon Warner Bros. RCA Sanctuary

Michael John Kells Fleetwood (born June 24, 1947) is a British musician, songwriter, and actor. He is best known as the drummer, co-founder, and leader of the famous rock band Fleetwood Mac. The band's name comes from his last name and the last name of the group's bassist, John "Mac" McVie. In 1998, Mick Fleetwood was honored by being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac.

Mick was born in Redruth, Cornwall, England. He spent much of his childhood living in Egypt and Norway because of his father's job. When he was 15, he decided to follow his passion for music and moved to London. There, he helped form the first version of Fleetwood Mac. Over the years, the band released many albums and had some changes in its members. In 1974, the group moved to the United States. Mick then invited Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to join the band. Buckingham and Nicks played a big part in Fleetwood Mac's later success, especially with their famous album Rumours. Mick's strong desire to keep the band together was key to their long career. Besides Fleetwood Mac, Mick has also had a solo career, written books, and even tried acting.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Michael John Kells Fleetwood was born in Redruth, Cornwall. He was the second child of John Joseph Kells Fleetwood and Bridget Maureen Fleetwood. His older sister, Susan Fleetwood, was an actress. When Mick was very young, his family moved to Egypt because his father was a pilot in the Royal Air Force. Six years later, they moved to Norway, where his father worked for NATO. Mick went to school there and learned to speak Norwegian fluently.

People who knew Mick described him as a "dreamer" and a kind person. He was smart but found school difficult, especially memorizing facts for exams. However, he loved acting in school plays and was good at fencing. Mick grew to be very tall, about 6 feet 6 inches. He was known for his calm and wise way of speaking, and he had a great sense of humor.

Mick became interested in drums when his parents bought him a "Gigster" drum kit at age thirteen. His family supported his artistic side; his father even wrote poetry and played drums as a hobby. Mick was inspired by musicians like Cliff Richard and The Everly Brothers. With his parents' encouragement, he left school at 15. In 1963, he moved to London to become a professional drummer. After a short time working at a store, he found his first chance in music.

Career Journey

Starting in London

Mick Fleetwood's first music job came in July 1963. He joined a band called the Cheynes. With them, he opened for famous bands like the Rolling Stones and the Yardbirds. He then played with other groups, including the Bo Street Runners and Shotgun Express, which featured Rod Stewart. In April 1967, Mick joined John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, where he met John McVie.

Peter Green, a guitarist in the Bluesbreakers, helped Mick learn and experiment with his drumming. Mick later left the Bluesbreakers. Green also left and decided to form a new band. He wanted Mick Fleetwood and John McVie to join him because he liked their rhythm section. Even though John McVie was unsure at first, both Mick and John joined Green by the summer of 1967. This was the start of Fleetwood Mac.

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Era

Fleetwood performing with Fleetwood Mac in 1970

The first version of Fleetwood Mac played their first show in August 1967. John McVie soon joined full-time, replacing the first bassist. So, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Peter Green, and guitarist Jeremy Spencer became the first stable lineup of Fleetwood Mac.

The band's first album, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, came out in 1968. They toured the United States for the first time. Their second album, Mr. Wonderful, was released without Green's name in the title. A musician named Christine Perfect played on the album and later married John McVie in 1968. Another guitarist, Danny Kirwan, also joined the band. They had success with their third album, Then Play On, and hit songs like "Albatross". However, Peter Green eventually decided to leave the band.

Changes and Challenges (1970–1973)

After Peter Green left in May 1970, Mick Fleetwood remained a steady member as the band's lineup kept changing. Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan took on bigger roles in writing songs. In September 1970, the album Kiln House came out with Spencer, Kirwan, John McVie, and Fleetwood. Christine McVie played keyboards and sang backup. The band moved into a large mansion, which Mick enjoyed because it brought the group closer.

In early 1971, Christine McVie officially joined the band. The group traveled to San Francisco. Jeremy Spencer disappeared one afternoon and was later found to have joined a religious group. Mick tried to get him to return, but Spencer stayed with the group. Bob Welch then became a new member. Their next album, Future Games, was released that year, followed by Bare Trees in 1972. During tours, Mick often helped solve problems between band members. Danny Kirwan was later asked to leave the band. The band then added guitarist Bob Weston and singer Dave Walker. Their album Penguin (1973) did not get good reviews, and Walker left the group. Their next album, Mystery to Me, was better received.

In October 1973, Mick asked Bob Weston to leave the band. Around this time, Mick took on more responsibility for managing the group.

Moving to the US and Rumours Success

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham on the Say You Will Tour in 2003

In 1974, the band moved to Los Angeles, where they recorded the album Heroes Are Hard to Find. By November 1974, Bob Welch had left. Mick was looking for new music for the band. By chance, he heard music from an album called Buckingham Nicks. Mick was very impressed. On New Year's Eve, 1974, Mick invited Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks to join Fleetwood Mac. The new lineup quickly started practicing together.

The next year, the new group released the album Fleetwood Mac. This album was a huge success for the band. It reached number one in the US and sold over five million copies. Mick Fleetwood also helped the band manage themselves, believing they could do a better job than an outside manager. He was known for his great leadership skills and his willingness to take risks.

Rumours was largely recorded in Sausalito's Record Plant, a wooden structure with few windows, located at 2200 Bridgeway.

The band recorded their next album, Rumours, starting in February 1976. The recording process was challenging. Most band members wanted to record at home, but Mick insisted they stay at the studio. Despite the difficulties, the band felt they had created something "pretty powerful."

Rumours became a massive hit. It was Fleetwood Mac's second number one album in the US and stayed at the top of the charts for 31 weeks. It also reached number one in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The album sold millions of copies worldwide and won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978.

Tusk and Later Career

Tusk, Fleetwood Mac's 12th studio album, came out in 1979. This album was more experimental, especially with Lindsey Buckingham's creative ideas. Mick was again important in keeping the band together. He talked with Buckingham about his ideas, telling him to go ahead if the music was good. Even though some band members, like John McVie, found the experimental style difficult, Mick considers Tusk his favorite Fleetwood Mac album. He believes the freedom given to each member helped the band survive. The album sold four million copies, which was less than Rumours.

Fleetwood in 2009

Mick Fleetwood has also worked on many other music projects. His 1981 album, The Visitor, had African influences. The song "You Weren't in Love" was a big hit in Brazil. In 1983, he formed Mick Fleetwood's Zoo and released I'm Not Me. He later released Something Big in 2004 and Blue Again! in 2008 with the Mick Fleetwood Blues Band.

Mick has also played drums on many solo albums for his bandmates, including Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. In 2007, he played drums on a John Lennon cover song for a charity album.

Mick co-wrote a book about his life and adventures with Fleetwood Mac called Fleetwood—My Life and Adventures with Fleetwood Mac. It was published in 1990. In the book, he shared stories about other musicians like Eric Clapton and members of the Rolling Stones.

Besides music, Mick has acted in TV shows and movies, usually in smaller roles. He appeared in the movie The Running Man (1987) and an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989).

In 1989, Mick co-hosted the BRIT Awards, a big music awards show in the UK. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac. As of 2021, Mick Fleetwood had been a member of Fleetwood Mac for 53 years, making him the only member who had been in the band for its entire history.

Playing Style

Mick Fleetwood taught himself to play drums from a young age. His family encouraged his love for music and bought him his first drum kit. Early in his career, Peter Green helped Mick overcome challenges with keeping the beat during live shows. Mick often sang along to songs to help him stay on rhythm. Green also taught Mick how to follow and predict what the lead guitarist would play. This skill later helped Mick choose Lindsey Buckingham for Fleetwood Mac.

Fleetwood drumming in 2013

One person who played with Mick early on said that Mick was "very open to playing with different people as long as he didn't have to change his style." He was a straightforward drummer whose style worked well with many different kinds of music. Mick was not known for long drum solos, but his disciplined way of playing helped keep a band of strong personalities together without getting in their way.

A sound engineer for Rumours, Ken Caillat, called Mick "one of the most amazing drummers." He noted that Mick arranged his drum set in a unique way. Mick also hit his drums very hard, except for his kick drum.

Personal Life

Mick Fleetwood has been married three times and has four children.

In the 1960s, Mick met and became interested in a model named Jenny Boyd. They married in June 1970. They divorced in 1976. They later lived together again and temporarily remarried to help their children move to the United States, but their second marriage also ended in divorce. They had two daughters together.

In November 1978, Mick moved in with Sara Recor, a friend of his and Stevie Nicks. Mick married Sara in 1988, and they divorced in 1995.

Mick married Lynn Frankel in 1995. They had twin daughters in 2002. They divorced in 2015.

Mick became a U.S. citizen on November 22, 2006. For many years, Mick Fleetwood has called Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii his home. Sadly, his restaurant and bar there were destroyed in the 2023 Hawaii wildfires.

Equipment

Fleetwood in 2013, surrounded by his extensive drum kit

When Mick was 15, his parents bought him a Rogers drum kit, which helped him get his first music job. When he was with Fleetwood Mac, he mostly used Ludwig Drums for live shows and Sonor Drums in the studio. He liked Ludwig drums because of their large bass drums and tom-toms. By the Tusk tour, Mick switched to Tama Drums. He felt that Ludwig's quality had gone down and Sonor couldn't make a bass drum big enough for him. Since the 1990s, Mick has used Drum Workshop drums. His drum kit for the Say You Will Tour was made from wood found at the bottom of the Great Lakes. All of his drum parts are covered in 18-carat gold.

Mick used Paiste cymbals from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. He liked their sound and higher tones more than Zildjian cymbals. After 1994, he switched to Zildjian cymbals.

He also uses Remo drumheads, Easton Ahead 5B Light Rock drumsticks, and Latin Percussion instruments. Mick has added many percussion instruments to his drum setup, including a large 40-inch Zildjian gong, two rows of wind chimes, and congas.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Mick Fleetwood's Zoo

Other

• Total Drumming - sample and loop compilation

Songwriting Credits for Fleetwood Mac

Mick Fleetwood didn't write many songs for Fleetwood Mac, but he did co-write or write a few:

Film and TV Roles

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Mick Fleetwood para niños

• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards