Right on the heels of Lindsey Buckingham’s announcement of his new solo album due in September we get the announcement that while Fleetwood Mac will tour in early 2009, they will do it without Sheryl Crow as previously and extensively reported.

In Billboard today Lindsey was quoted saying that the reports of Sheryl Crow as a member of Fleetwood Mac “kinda got out of hand.” There were original discussions with Crow, but the group decided that although they had previously felt there was “too much testosterone on the stage” during their last tour in 2003, the most appropriate direction was to focus as the core foursome.

The plans are to tour after rehearsals in January as a means to warm up to working in the studio– “maybe even sowing some seeds musically that would get us more prepared to go in the studio rather than just going in cold,” said Buckingham.

I saw Fleetwood Mac in 2003 in Madison, WI during the Say You Will tour and was very impressed with how the band carried the live show without Christine McVie. I will certainly be seeing them in 2009.