by Richard Johnson

Mick Fleetwood, drummer and founding member of Fleetwood Mac, says that the band will definitely be back in the studio by September. Fleetwood recently visited Stevie Nicks' house with Lindsey Buckingham, and they've pulled together more than twenty new songs for the group's next project.

"There's no shortage of new material," Fleetwood says. "Lindsey is starting to work through the songs already -- that's the way we always do it in Fleetwood Mac. So Stevie and Lindsey are going to do their solo things this coming summer, and then it's going to be full tilt into Fleetwood Mac."

The role of singer and keyboardist Christine McVie remains uncertain. McVie didn't play at the group's reunion at the White House on January 6th. "I think it is fair to say that that was sort of an important gig for us, because we did it without Chris," says Fleetwood. "It proved the band could function without her." McVie may contribute to the new album, but Fleetwood is convinced she won't tour again. "She didn't enjoy touring in 1997 [when the band was promoting The Dance]. She just doesn't have a comfort with traveling and performing live any more."

Nicks' new solo album, Trouble in Shangri-La, which features co-production by and collaborations with Sheryl Crow and a guest spot by Macy Gray, is due May 1st. As for Buckingham's project, in January, he told Rolling Stone, "The music I have right now, is the best that I've ever done on my own, or with Fleetwood Mac. [I'm] tapping into some new areas." Buckingham does not yet have a release date.