Mick Fleetwood On His New Signature Drum

By: RICHARD BIENSTOCK

For just under 50—yes, 50—years now, Mick Fleetwood has been the driving rhythmic force behind Fleetwood Mac. But he’s also so much more than just the guy in the back keeping the beat. In addition to co-founding the band (with long-departed singer and guitarist Peter Green) and lending his surname to their moniker, he is also their sole continuous member (even bassist John McVie, the “Mac” in Fleetwood Mac, was absent for a second), as well as a visual focal point for the group, his lanky, 6’5″ frame gracing the covers of the several of their albums, including 1975’s Fleetwood Mac and 1977’s monster smash Rumours.

That latter image has now been given new life in the just-released Drum Workshop Collector’s Series ‘Rumours’ Icon Snare. Hand-crafted in DW’s California Custom Shop from 11 plies of North American hard rock maple, the limited edition (only 250 will be produced) snare drum displays, in an inlay formed from a variety of laser-cut exotic woods, the famous Herbert Worthington III ‘Rumours’ cover photo of Fleetwood and singer Stevie Nicks hand in hand. “It’s a beautiful piece of art,” Fleetwood says of the snare.

But more than being merely a looker, the snare is also a great piece of musical equipment. Fleetwood says he plans on incorporating it into his live kit for future shows, in the process revealing to Music Aficionado that there will indeed be another round of touring from Fleetwood Mac in the next year or so. “And what would be better than to play the ‘Rumours’ drum onstage with the lineup that was on that album?” he remarks.

Read the full interview here.