Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham Sues Band for Cutting Him from Tour

Lindsey Buckingham is done waiting for Fleetwood Mac to cough up money he says he's owed ... so the former lead guitarist for the group is suing his old bandmates for dropping him and, more importantly, not paying him.

In the suit, Lindsey says he and the rest of the legendary band signed a deal with Live Nation for a 60-show tour over 2 years and they were each going to make about $12-14 million.

As we reported, though, Lindsey was kicked out before the band started its North American tour. Remember, Mac classics like "Go Your Own Way" and "Don't Stop" are largely Lindsey jams ... with him singing the lead and playing lead guitar.

Lindsey's main issue with the band is financial. He tells TMZ ... "Over the last eight months, our many efforts to come to an agreement have unfortunately proved elusive. I’m looking forward to closure, and will always remain proud of all that we created, and what that legacy represents."

In the suit, he says "After 43 years of camaraderie and friendship, not a single member of the Band called [me] to break the news" of his firing. He also basically claims the Mac is nothing without him.

He says before he joined in 1975 they "had not achieved meaningful commercial success" -- and after he left, voluntarily, in 1987 they faltered, "falling from a stadium headliner to an opening act."

Lindsey is suing the band and each individual member for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. Translation: You guys owe me money, and it's time to pay.