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The 1979 Fleetwood Mac album that embraced complete chaos: “Absurd”
Fleetwood Mac’s 1979 album Tusk is presented as the band’s most deliberately chaotic and experimental record, breaking away from the polished soft-rock formula of Rumours. The article argues that its significance lies in Lindsey Buckingham’s push towards stranger, more varied sounds, allowing the disorder surrounding the band’s recording sessions to shape the music itself.
Christine McVie described the making of Tusk as “absurd”, recalling extravagant studio provisions including exotic food and crates of champagne. The double album moves between styles, from McVie’s country-tinged ‘Over & Over’ to Buckingham’s sparse ‘The Ledge’, Stevie Nicks’ ‘Sara’, kalimba-led arrangements and the off-kilter title track; despite its unconventional character, ‘Tusk’ still achieved radio and chart success.
In short
- Tusk turned Fleetwood Mac’s studio excess into musical experimentation.
- Lindsey Buckingham drove its eclectic, post-punk-influenced direction.
- Christine McVie recalled an extravagant and chaotic recording process.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Tusk exemplifies artistic courage and creative growth. Rather than mining the highly profitable Rumours formula, Lindsey Buckingham pushed the band towards experimentation and stylistic range—from country influences to sparse arrangements to unconventional instruments—allowing their creative processes to shape a rich artistic statement. The fact that this deliberately unconventional album achieved commercial success whilst maintaining artistic integrity suggests audiences genuinely valued the band's risk-taking and evolution beyond the soft-rock template.
The case against
Artistic success shouldn't be measured primarily by how boldly an album breaks from its predecessor, and Tusk's extensive stylistic variation might reflect creative disorder rather than intentional vision. An album that swings between diverse styles and moods can feel unfocused and self-indulgent rather than unified, whilst the extravagance of its chaotic recording sessions might indicate internal dysfunction rather than productive artistic collaboration. Rumours arguably remains the superior achievement—a cohesive, carefully crafted work that demonstrates the band's mastery when bringing a unified vision to completion.
Explained simply
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band whose best-known line-up included Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. Their 1977 album Rumours became a major hit with carefully arranged soft-rock songs, while the band’s relationships were under strain during its making.
Two years later, the group released Tusk, a double album that ranged across different musical styles. Buckingham pushed for a less polished sound, and the songs reflected the band’s varied approaches to writing and recording. Its importance lies in showing how a hugely successful band experimented with its sound while still reaching a wide audience.