Is the Mac coming back? Representatives of Fleetwood Mac made preliminary overtures to concert promoters recently for a possible tour this summer reuniting the popular lineup of the veteran band: Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and CO-founders Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

That quintet, which was behind two of the ‘70’s era’s most successful and quintessential albums "Fleetwood Mac" and "Rumours" , came to an end when Buckingham left in 1987, and hasn’t toured together since the early ‘80’s.

Nicks and Christine McVie also departed after a "farewell" tour in 1990, though the five did come together to perform the 1977 hit "Don’t Stop" – the theme song of President Clinton’s 1992 campaign - at am inaugural event kicking off his first term four years ago.

Groups manager Carl Stebner had no comment, but sources close to the group confirm the reports and said that a new album is also expected, possibly involving material that Buckingham and Nicks have been working on for planned solo albums. The group is still under contract to Warner Bros. Records.

But in a market where many pop fans can’t stop thinking about yesterday, the time seems ripe – even without an album – for the Mac to follow such other ‘70’s acts as the Eagles, Steely Dan, KISS, and the Sex Pistols onto the union trail.

"If it’s launched the right way, with a lot of support from VH1 and with that lineup back together, this could be a very meaningful tour", say’s Brian Murphy, president of Los Angeles concert promotions firm Avalon Attractions.

The one problem is that even after the departure of those key members, Fleetwood Mac continued with Dave Mason, Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette (who replaced Buckingham in 1987) joining Fleetwood and John McVie in a new lineup. It too broke up last year following one poor – selling album and a tour, but even that limited presence may have diluted the band’s value.

"The only debate over this is the name ‘Fleetwood Mac’ has been used by variations of this band for so long that it doesn’t have the impact the ‘the Eagles‘ had , says Murphy.

Still the presence of a name act is welcome in a year that, at this point, is looking pretty thin on sure things. The U2 and possible Rolling Stones tours are the stadium – level shows on that level, while Aerosmith and an expected Journey reunion tour are the only ones considered can’t – miss for arena bookings.

Meanwhile, a planned tour by reunited Motley Crue comes with a big question mark in terms of how big it can be, as do expected returns to action by George Michael and Lionel Richie.