Not all bandmates get along as much as fans assume. Despite singing and dancing together and appearing to have the best chemistry while performing, sometimes bandmates disagree on everything from creative vision to finances and sometimes trivial issues. While a few are better at keeping these tiffs under wraps, more often than not, things boil over. Fans can sometimes sense that things are not all right with their favorite band when public meltdowns are followed by the “closing this chapter” statement, which is suddenly followed by diss songs
From romantic relationships that show why the phrase “don’t mix business with pleasure” is so popular to naming rights and drugs and alcohol, read on to see why members of some of the most iconic bands from the 60s and 70s could not stand each other.
Fleetwood Mac
Despite becoming one of the world’s best-selling musical acts, the band’s road was incredibly murky. The band had a revolving door of members, with about 19 members over the years.
A “new Fleetwood Mac” without members Fleetwood and McVie also toured briefly in January 1973 and were basically heckled off the stage. This happened between 1973 and 1974, when the band’s manager at the time, Clifford Davis, recruited Elmer Gantry, Paul Martinez, John Wilkinson, Craig Collinge, and Kirby Gregory as “The New Fleetwood Mac” in a desperate attempt to fulfill commitments to bookers and promoters after Fleetwood Mac had “temporarily disbanded” in Nebraska in the middle of their US tour.
Thankfully, the band survived that wild phase and the yearlong legal battle over the rights to the name “Fleetwood Mac” that followed. However, the interband affairs and bad romances almost spelled doom. The band found their synergy for a moment with the lineup of couples Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, and John and Christine McVie, and had a successful self-titled album, Fleetwood Mac (1975). Then came the 1976 breakup spree, more than enough to go around: the McVies split, Buckingham and Nicks called it quits, and Fletwood started an affair with Nicks while divorcing his wife. All that spice, passion, and emotion went into one of their most iconic albums, Rumours (1977).
The Everly Brothers, Phil and Don, were the 50s equivalent of the dreamy musical teen. Appreciated for their harmonies and sometimes credited for inspiring other bands like Simon & Garfunkel and The Beatles. Despite being one of the most iconic figures of ‘Fifties rock and roll, like many of us, you can understand that siblings can be insufferable; you love them always, although sometimes, you truly cannot stand them. Add amphetamine addiction and the stress of fame and creative differences to the mix, and it’s easy to see why the brothers hardly agreed on composition credits and royalties.
Lucky for fans, the band never really separated the artist from the person; hence, songs like “Dreams,” “Go Your Own Way,” and “The Chain” exist, giving them a peek into all the drama within the band. Lindsey Buckingham’s track “Go Your Own Way” was reportedly directed at Stevie Nicks, and Stevie responded with “Silver Springs,” reflecting the emotional fallout of their breakup. However, it did not make it to the Rumours album. There’s also Christine McVie’s love letter to her new beau, Martin Birch, the band’s sound engineer, whom she had dated while separated but still married to John McVie.
The irony was that the band had to perform these deeply personal songs together. With such a dynamic in the band, clearly, Fleetwood Mac was not braiding hair and roasting marshmallows.
The Everly Brothers
The brothers had reached an irreversible breaking point after a horrific live performance at California’s Knott’s Berry Farm in 1973. Don Everly appeared on stage visibly intoxicated, slurred his words, forgot lyrics, and played incorrect chords. Phil Everly, overcome with frustration, shattered his guitar and walked offstage. Afterward, they barely spoke until a brief exchange at their father’s funeral in 1975. The brothers gave solo careers a shot, but never really peaked, at least nothing close to their time as a duo.
All was right again when The Everly Brothers reunited and mended their relationship in 1983, starting with a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, until they quietly broke up again around 2005. Phil Everly died in 2014 at age 74, and Don Everly died in 2021 at 84.
The Beatles
The Beatles remain one of the most iconic rock bands in history, with 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the bestselling musical act of all time; it’s sometimes very hard to believe that fans barely got 10 solid years of the Beatles. Despite being friends since their teenage years, by the sixth year of their partnership there was already intense tension between them, and like many musicians who poured their hearts into the art, fans were front and center to all the tension between them.
In a December 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, John Lennon argued that the death of manager Brian Epstein marked the beginning of the end for the Beatles. Brian Epstein helped to polish their image and career and reportedly played a big role in grounding the band until he died in 1967. Shortly after, they disagreed over who would succeed Epstein. McCartney wanted his father-in-law, Lee Eastman, to manage the band, while Lennon preferred Allen Klein.
Lennon was the first to leave the band, but quietly in 1969, and The Beatles officially announced their breakup in 1970. Soon, the former bandmates John Lennon and Paul McCartney found themselves in a heated feud, using scathing lyrics as punches. Paul McCartney gave the first punch with the 1971 album Ram — particularly the track “Too Many People” — and John Lennon respondedwith a song many believe to be pop music’s harshest diss track, “How Do You Sleep?” from Lennon’s second solo studio album, Imagine(1971).
Mariam Emily Adama is a copywriter, SEO strategist, and digital marketer passionate about using words to inform, inspire, and influence. With over seven years of experience writing for global brands and managing digital campaigns, she brings a data-driven yet creative approach to content creation. When she’s not writing or analyzing trends, Mariam enjoys exploring new cultures, reading, and documenting stories that celebrate African excellence.