Fleetwood Mac is one of the most successful bands in history, with just one of their 17 studio albums — “Rumors” from 1977 — having sold 45 million copies. And, according to lead singer Stevie Nicks, an abortion she had in 1979 is at least partially responsible for the group’s existence.
In a recent wide-ranging interview with The Guardian, Nicks addressed a number of topics, including the decision she made to terminate a pregnancy at the height of Fleetwood Mac’s popularity and success. Nicks was in a relationship with Eagles singer Don Henley at the time.
“If I had not had that abortion, I’m pretty sure there would have been no Fleetwood Mac,” Nicks told The Guardian. “There’s just no way that I could have had a child then, working as hard as we worked constantly. And there were a lot of drugs, I was doing a lot of drugs … I would have had to walk away.”
As a performer from the age of 5, Nicks feels that life as a musician was her destiny.
“And I knew that the music we were going to bring to the world was going to heal so many people’s hearts and make people so happy,” she continued. “And I thought: you know what? That’s really important. There’s not another band in the world that has two lead singers, two lead women writers. That was my world’s mission.”
Nicks is referring to her bandmate, singer/pianist Christine McVie, with whom she has shared a close working relationship and friendship throughout the decades.
“If Christine was in this room with me right now, she’d tell you that we both made the decision not to have kids and instead follow our musical muse around the world,” she said. “It’s not my job, it’s who I am.”
Nicks credits her late mother, Barbara, with instilling in her the importance of independence and a drive not to depend on a man.
She also spoke about her fears that reproductive rights will be rolled back.
“Abortion rights, that was really my generation’s fight,” she said. “If President Trump wins this election and puts the judge he wants in, she will absolutely outlaw it and push women back into back-alley abortions.”
Fleetwood Mac, the pop-rock powerhouse group made up of a famously rotating roster of British and American members, has been active since 1968. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1979. In 1998, they also received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
[H/t The Guardian]
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
