Fleetwood Mac splits

ICONIC BAND FORMED IN 1967 LOSES BUCKINGHAM

LOS ANGELES: The members of Fleetwood Mac say they parted ways with longtime guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, one of the rock group’s most influential members, due to conflicts over their upcoming North American tour.

‘‘It became just a huge impasse,’’ the band’s drummer and co-founder Mick Fleetwood said. ‘‘We hit a brick wall where we decided we had to part company.’’

The British-American band behind 1970s hits Go Your Own Way and Don’t Stop, said two weeks ago it would tour without the 68-year-old songwriter and guitarist, but declined to give a reason.

Fleetwood, 70, refused to say whether Buckingham had been fired.

‘‘We don’t use that word because I think it’s ugly and it’s not a question of that,’’ Fleetwood said. ‘‘But it’s like a marriage that came to an end and there are reasons why, and as a band we needed to move on — and we have,’’ he said. Buckingham has not commented. Fleetwood Mac formed in 1967 and has been plagued by romantic and creative tensions among members as well as a shifting line-up.