CROWDED House frontman Neil Finn has joined Fleetwood Mac, after core songwriter and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham was dramatically fired from the band.
Buckingham, whose guitar interplay with singer Stevie Nicks has defined the rock icons since he joined the band in 1975 and then re-joined them in 1997 after a decade-long solo departure, was "fired" from the band after a disagreement over an upcoming tour, Rolling Stone reports.
Finn and former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell will be joining the band for the upcoming US tour, the band said in a statement.
Finn confirmed the news on Twitter and in a statement to Rolling Stone, calling the decision a "natural fit".
"Two weeks ago, I received a wonderful invitation to be part of a truly great band. A few days later, I was standing in a room playing music with Fleetwood Mac. It felt fresh and exciting... I can't wait to play," he said.
News of Buckingham's departure was met with criticism from Mac fans, some of who vowed to boycott the upcoming tour.
"Absolutely ridiculous. You guys just got rid of your visionary, the man whose work created the sound of this lineup," said one viral comment on the band's Facebook page.
"Good luck with the tour – as great as Neil Finn and Mike Campbell are, this is not a Fleetwood Mac I have any interest in," the commenter added.
Drummer Mick Fleetwood looked to downplay the backlash with a statement saying the band "has always been about... a unique blend of talents."
"We jammed with Mike and Neil and the chemistry really worked and let the band realise that this is the right combination to go forward with in Fleetwood Mac style," he said.
Of course, this sort of drama is nothing new for the Hall of Fame band, who infamously navigated inter-band romances and break-ups throughout their heyday, fuelling biting hits such as Go Your Own Way and Silver Springs.
The band, with its reunited core lineup featuring Buckingham, Nicks, Fleetwood and Christine McVie, last toured Australia in late 2015, although Nicks and Fleetwood also made solo jaunts in more recent years.
The announcement comes as the band's hit Dreams, first released in 1977, re-entered the US Billboard charts this month on the back of a viral meme.
