Didn't one of them defer to the Family International?
Yeah, back when they were 'The Children of God'.
Funny that this thread has popped up as I was reading their history the other week. It really is like a soap opera script, with some dramatic exits from the band:
Peter Green got into LSD, culminating in him getting utterly brain-fucked at a Munich commune when on tour. His behaviour became more erratic, including trying to persuade the rest of the band to give all their money away. After leaving, he spent time in a mental hospital, and has had periods of mental health problems since - once being arrested for threatening his accountant with a gun (Green was annoyed that his accountant kept sending him money!)
Jeremy Spencer, whilst considered more sensible (and apparently a practising Christian throughout) was also partial to a bit of LSD. On a US Tour, he became increasingly twitchy, nervous and fragile, amplified by a session on mescaline in California. The band were due to play at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go that night and Spencer popped out the hotel, telling the others he was going getting a magazine. He didn't return. He was located several days later at the Children of God compound, where he'd had his long hair cut short and was wearing robes. He maintains he had just had enough of the band, and is still involved with the Family International.
Danny Kirwan, recruited when he was just 18, was always a bit sensitive and shy, and a musical perfectionist. After Green left the band, he had to take on more of a front role, which increased when Spencer left, and he was never comfortable. He clashed with Spencer's replacement, Bod Welch. His drinking and drug use got worse and it all blew up backstage before a US concert when he started arguing with Welch about tuning, began beating his fists on the wall, then smashed up the room with his vintage Les Paul. He refused to go on stage, and was sacked shortly after. Sadly, mental health problems and addiction followed for the rest of his life, and he spent time homeless and in hostels, before dying last year.
Bob Weston, who replaced Kirwan, was only with the band a year. He began an affair with Fleetwood's wife and although Fleetwood tried to continue gigging at first, he soon cancelled the tour and Weston was fired. This led to their manager claiming to own the Fleetwood Mac name and bringing in new musicians to fulfill the tour, followed by a bitter lawsuit.
Bob Welch's departure was less dramatic, but his walk-out was caused by the frictions in the band leading from Fleetwood's marital problems and the McVie's own marriage issues. Welch later had a falling out with the band, accusing them of ripping him off with royalties and taking legal action against them.
Amongst all the intra-band shagging:
Christine McVie had an affair with the band's sound engineer. Her and John McVie split. She then had a fling with the lighting director. Buckingham & Nicks split. She began an affair with Fleetwood, which ended when Fleetwood began shagging Nicks' best mate. Buckingham left in 87 after Tango in the Night,
The final chapter of lunacy (so far!) came last year when the band - having reformed in 97 - were preparing for a big tour. Buckingham wasn't happy with the musical content of the show and wouldn't sign it off. So he was fired. He took out a lawsuit and the band settled out of court. He's still out of the band.
