Motion City Soundtrack announces indefinite hiatus

No guys, everything isn’t alright.

After being a band for almost 20 years, Motion City Soundtrack has announced that they will be breaking up. On Friday (March 11), the Minnesota-based band took to social media to announce the heartbreaking news. Their post on Twitter simply had the words “So Long, Farewell” and a link to a website. The link was a direct passage to the band’s Tumblr account which featured a letter to fans about the break up.

In the letter, they revealed that the plan to break up came after wrapping up their busy touring schedule late last year in support of 2015’s Panic Stations. In that time, they thought about the direction of the band and always came to the same conclusion; they weren’t sure in what direction the band was going. Instead of latching on in hopes of eventually figuring that question out, they decided it would be better to call it a day.

But instead of leaving their fans sad about the hiatus, Motion City did announce that they will head out on one final tour. “If you’ve ever been touched by our music, we ask you to come out and sing along with us one last time in 2016,” the band writes. Those final, upcoming tour dates will reportedly be announced this Monday, March 14. For now, you can read the band’s letter and in honor of their hiatus, watch the music video for “Everything is Alright.”

Hello, friends.

It has been a quiet winter for us. We’ve had some time at home after a very busy 2015. With this time, we’ve been able to think about the past, present, and future of Motion City Soundtrack. All of this thinking has led to several conversations, and these conversations have led us to a very bittersweet realization:

We have no idea what the future holds, but for now we are done.

Needless to say, we’re feeling all the feels – you may be as well. If so, or if you’ve ever been touched by our music, we ask you to come out and sing along with us one last time in 2016.

Please stay tuned for a very special final tour announcement on Monday. You can sign up to our email list HERE to be the first to hear the news. We really hope to see each and every one of you out there one more time.

Thanks for all the love over the years. It really means a lot to us – and it always will.

Josh, Justin, Jesse, Matt, and Tony

Foo Fighters to Address Split Rumors

UPDATE: Well guys, it’s official, the Foo Fighters will be going on an indefinite hiatus. As it turns out, the writing was already on the wall thanks to a recently surfaced interview. During a chat with Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins back in January, Artisan News was able to get the word straight from the musician. The video of the interview can be seen below and finds the sticksman telling them that “we’re on ihateus right now, we’re on an indefinite ihateus.”

According to Hawkins, it’s “not because we don’t love each other, or don’t want to make music together … We did so much in the last five or six years — we as a band could go into the studio tomorrow and have just as much fun as we ever had, but I think the world needs a break from us for a little while.”

So there you have it.

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ORIGINAL: Could the Foo Fighters be splitting up? Is Dave Grohl going solo? Is there some serious inter-band drama happening? Those are just a few questions that began to take over the internet on Tuesday (March 1) after the New York Post’s Page Six posted a story about the Foo Fighters splitting up.

According to a source who spoke with the gossip column, there is reportedly some major tension between frontman Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins. The source told Page Six that the tension has gotten so bad that the band has decided to “take a break.” The reported source told Page Six that, “the band [are] billing it as a ‘break,’ but it’s totally Dave going solo, and Taylor is pissed about it.” The source also claims that Grohl’s performance at the Oscars this past weekend was the gateway to his solo career.

But as we all know with gossip sites and publications, you need to take their reporting with a grain of salt. A few hours after the story was released, a band representative reportedly spoke with Entertainment Weekly and dismissed the claim as “utterly ridiculous.” But statements from representatives aren’t always one-hundred percent honest. In the middle of these ongoing rumors, the band took to social media to post a simple message that read: “Official band announcement tomorrow night. Stay tuned.”

Could it be the end of the Foo Fighters or are they going to turn this negative gossip bit around and announce something huge like a tour or new record? At this point who knows. Currently, it looks like we are back at square one, though it does seem like the band are taking a little bit of a break. In a recent interview with Billboard, Hawkins told the music publication that there’s nothing on the books for them in 2016.

Could you blame them for taking a much-needed break? They did spend a lot of 2014 promoting their recently released album, Sonic Highways while 2015 found them tirelessly touring behind the album. Then, in November of 2015, they give us The Saint Cecilia EP out of the blue. Who knows what the outcome will be. All we can do is sit back and wait for that announcement to be made.

Transit Announce Disbandment

After ten years of being together, Transit has announced their disbandment. On Monday (Feb. 29), the Massachusetts-based band released a statement to fans advising them of their split. In the letter they write that they have decided to close “this current chapter on Transit” to “direct our energy into other aspects of our lives.” But it doesn’t seem like there is any bad blood between the soon-to-be former band mates. “As for us as individuals, we will always love each other and the records we wrote together,” they write about the impending split.

Before officially calling it a day on the group, they did announce plans to close out the chapter of the band with a couple of final shows. Their final mini tour will find them sticking to the Northeastern part of the United States with show in New York, Philadelphia, Connecticut and of course Massachusetts. Read the band’s full statement below and check out the list of final tour dates after that.

“A letter to all who have shed blood, sweat, and tears with us over the last decade:

After ten years of writing, recording, and living on the road, it is time for us to close this current chapter on Transit, as we have decided to direct our energy into other aspects of our lives.

Since 2006 we’ve been given the incredible opportunity of sharing our music with the world, performing in over 14 different countries, and circling our own countless times.

Through all the ups and downs we have witnessed a side of humanity so caring and sincere that we now see the world in a vivid and magnificent light.

As for us as individuals, we will always love each other and the records we wrote together. We love all of you for lending an ear and losing your voices with us.

We will always be able to say that we had the best fans a band could possibly ask for. When we think about the road we’ll see all the faces and friends fly by in one big warm blur. Your stories and kind words helped push us along more than you may ever know.

April 21st to April 26th we will be performing an array of mixed songs from over the years at our final shows as a band. We have chosen some of our favorite intimate clubs to put this to rest at.

We never expected a few basement show to turn into ten years of traveling the world, playing the songs we love. For that we will always be forever grateful. We love you all and thank you.

Nothing lasts forever.
Goodbye.

Daniel, Joseph, Brandon, PJ, Torre
-Transit”

TRANSIT FINAL DATES:

Apr 21 – New York, NY – The Studio @ Webster Hall
Apr 22 – Philadelphia, PA – The Foundry @ The Fillmore
Apr 23 – Amityville, NY – Amityville Music Hall
Apr 24 – Hamden, CT – The Space
Apr 26 – Cambridge, MA  – The Sinclair

The Gaslight Anthem Announce Hiatus

Sad news for fans of New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem; the band has decided to go on hiatus.

Taking to social media, the band urged fans to read a message they had posted on their official Facebook page without actually revealing the news.

In the message, they announced that they had decided it was in the best interest of the group to take a break from it all. The hiatus will officially begin once they wrap up their European tour dates in August. In a nod to “going out on top,” the band’s last day will be Aug. 30 when they take the stage at Reading and Leeds.

But for those who think the band might put music behind them, don’t worry. In the letter, they confirm that all members will be active in one way or another on different projects.

Read the complete message from them below.

“Hello All!

We wanted to let everyone know that we’ll all be taking a break from The Gaslight Anthem after this next European tour in August. We’re all going to do other projects and stay active in some way or another, both in and out of music, but we’d like to step away from the band until we decide what we’d like to do next.

We’d like to recharge and take a step back until we have something we feel excited about rather than going right back to making a record just for the sake of making the next record. We all feel this is the best decision we can make and it feels like the right one for us.

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our band for the last eight years and we’ll see you down the road!

With love and respect,

Brian, Benny, Alex and Alex.”

The Gaslight Anthem have had a busy year, touring in support of their latest album, Get Hurt, which was released last August.

‘Billboard’ “Sources” Claim Fun. are Over; Fans and Band Beg to Differ

Are fun. on the verge of calling it quits?

If you read Billboard’s latest story about the band, then you might be led to believe that the answer is “yes.”
According to the music publication, they had been attempting to get an update on the status of the band, but have not been able to do so.

Instead, the band had taken to Facebook to once again clarify their status that no, they are not done.

Though in Billboard’s words, this post seems to be “out of the blue” we need to remember it seems like every time one of the members are out promoting something, they are constantly being asked the status of the band rather than the new endeavors they are working on.

Billboard has cited several “sources” as the root of the break up rumors with those so-called sources saying that the break up happened due to “clash of egos.”

Billboard has also pointed out that the last time all three members were seen together was back in June when they performed a new song titled, “Harsh Light,”on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Fallon and company were at Universal Studios Orlando for the grand opening of the new addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Fans were quick to point out the last time they performed together was not in Orlando on the Tonight Show, but rather at the Global Citizen Festival in September alongside Jay-Z, Carrie Underwood, No Doubt and several others.

Another fan also pointed out that Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost spent New Year’s Eve together, so any claim there’s a clash of ego there, might not be completely true.

Considering lack of research and checking on Google from the writer’s side, this round goes to fun.

We’re just going to keep imagining that in each member’s downtime, they are coming up ideas for the follow-up to Some Nights.

Senses Fail Release New Song from Joint Man Overboard Split

Senses Fail announced a new song would be released today and now, it’s ready to be heard.

The New Jersey-based band released a new song today titled “All You Need is Already Within You.” The song will be featured on the band’s recently announced split with soon-to-be-tour mates Man Overboard. Both bands will be heading out on Bayside’s “Fifteen Year Birthday Tour” in March.

Check out the song below.

In a cool turn of events, the split will feature two new songs for each band as well as a cover straight from the other band’s discography. As seen below, Senses Fail chose to cover “Real Talk” from Man Overboard’s debut album of the same name while Man Overboard chose “You’re Cute When You Scream” from Senses Fail’s debut full length, Let It Enfold You.

The split will be released on March 3 while their new album, Pull The Thorns From Your Heart, is scheduled to be released sometime this Summer.

Side A – Man Overboard
1. “One Fixed Point”
2. “You’re Cute When You Scream” (SF Cover)

Side B – Senses Fail
1. “All You Need Is Already Within You”
2. “Real Talk” (MOB cover)

Tom DeGone: Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker Speak Out

Guess Blink-182 aren’t staying together for the kids.

After all the drama that unfolded yesterday afternoon between the band members, we thought the inner band turmoil had reached an all time high and it couldn’t get any worse. Turned out, it could.

Late last night, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker responded to Tom DeLonge’s claim that he “didn’t quit” the band in a tell-all interview with Rolling Stone. In the interview, they unveiled that DeLonge’s claim that he didn’t leave the band was all a ruse.

In actuality, DeLonge didn’t quit the band; his manager did the quitting for him via and email.

A lot of information was revealed in the interview including Barker and Hoppus questioning the reason behind the band getting back together after Barker’s plane crash.

“When we did get back together after my plane crash, we only got back together, I don’t know, maybe because I almost died,” Barker admits to the publication.

“But he didn’t even listen to the mixes or masterings from that record. He didn’t even care about it. Why Blink even got back together in the first place is questionable.”

They also reveal that they did everything that they could to keep DeLonge happy just so they could go forward with the new record that should have been recorded two years ago.

Apparently, everything appeared to be going as planned in December, but then, out of the blue, DeLonge’s manager sent the band an email telling them that DeLonge has no desire to work on the new Blink album, and better yet, not be involved in any Blink-related engagements.

The final email that did it in for them, according to Hoppus, was one that simply read “Tom. Is. Out.” an exact replica of the one sent before the band had gone on hiatus in 2004.

Barker, who is not one to mince words, called DeLonge, calling him disrespectful and ungrateful after all the hard work the people in their camp did in order to meet his demands including getting a record label to released the new material. (Apparently DeLonge did not want to foot the bill and use his label.)

“So everyone does hella amounts of work to get a record deal and now Tom isn’t part of Blink-182. It’s hard to cover for someone who’s disrespectful and ungrateful. You don’t even have the balls to call your bandmates and tell them you’re not going to record or do anything Blink-related.”

At the end of it all, Hoppus and Barker say that their goal is “protecting the legacy of Blink-182.”

Maybe the best way to protect the band’s legacy is to simply put it to rest and let the fans remember them as the quirky, funny guys who would run around naked in their music videos instead of his hot mess of drama behind the scenes.

The Civil Wars Officially Call It a Day

The Civil Wars have announced before that the group were over, but then got back together to release a new album as well as a song for The Hunger Games soundtrack.

Now, the duo have announced that they have officially split; that means no more reuniting “for one more album.”

Joy Williams and John Paul White aka The Civil Wars, have been on an “indefinite hiatus” since 2012, but today they announced that the parting of ways is permanent this time around.

Though they had garnered a lot of great attention, praise and even a Grammy nomination, the duo called it a day in 2012, citing “internal discord and irreconcilable difference of ambition.”

Even with their internal issues, it did not stop them from recording their self-titled, sophomore record and releasing it last Summer. Apparently, the discord wasn’t that bad because they even a recorded a covers record this past November just for Record Store Day.

But all is not lost. Along with their parting words and farewells, the duo have released a cover of “You Are My Sunshine.” The song was originally a B-side to their limited edition Barton Hollow 7-inch. The song can be heard over at their website. You can read Williams and White’s individual release about the split below.

Joy Williams:

“I am saddened and disappointed by the ending of this duo, to say the very least. JP is a tremendous musician, and I will always be grateful for the music we were able to create together.

I sincerely hope that ‘You Are My Sunshine’ will be accepted as a token of my gratitude for every single person that has supported our duo throughout the years. I’m so thankful and my heart is full.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to share the music that I am writing and recording in the midst of this difficult transition. I’ve loved being back in the studio, and have missed performing live. I look forward to seeing you soon.”

John Paul White:

“I would like to express sincere thanks to all who were a part of the arc of The Civil Wars—from the beginning, to the end, and all points in between. My deep appreciation goes out to all who supported, disseminated, and enjoyed the music. Whatever shape or form the next chapter takes, thanks for being a large part of this one.”

The Wanted to Split Up After Tour

The Wanted may be known mostly for picking fights with One Direction and their one-hit song, “Glad You Came” (okay fine two-hit wonder if you count “All Time Low”), but the boy band have just revealed that they are going to be calling it a day.

The group released a joint statement revealing their plans to pull the curtains on the group after their current tour is over. The full statement on all members’ behalf was posted on their website, TheWantedMusic.com and can currently be read below.

“The Wanted are pleased to announce the release of their new video and single ‘Glow In The Dark’ taken from their November release ‘Word of Mouth’. They are very excited to perform ‘Glow In The Dark’ along with their smash singles ‘I Found You’, ‘Chasing The Sun’, and ‘Glad You Came’, amongst others for their fans on their upcoming Word of Mouth Tour.

This tour will be their last for a while as Tom, Max, Jay, Siva and Nathan have collectively decided to take time to pursue personal endeavours following the tour’s conclusion. The band wants to stress to their fans that they will continue on as The Wanted and look forward to many successful projects together in the future. They thank their fans for their continued love and support and look forward to seeing them on tour.”

The Wanted’s Word of Mouth tour is set t wrap up on May 17 at The Arena in Shawnee, OK.

Jonas Brothers Call It a Day

Well, Jonas Brothers fans, we are sad to report that the brother band have officially called it quits.

Tensions had been brewing for the last month between the three members, but things look like it took a turn for the worse with the brothers officially calling it a day.

Originally, the brothers were supposed to head out on a new tour a few weeks back. Two days before the first tour stop, they cancelled the entire thing. At the time, there was no word on what caused the cancellation, but fans were assured it had nothing to do with older brother, Kevin’s wife being pregnant.

Later, it was revealed through their manager that there was a “deep rift” between the band concerning the direction that their new music would go.

Then, in a move that stunned a lot of fans and casual listeners, their Twitter account had been deactivated, fueling more rumors of the end was near for them. Last week, both Nick and Joe had both tweeted messages asking fans to give them some time, (Joe went with more of the let us get our s–t together approach).

Now, the end had finally fallen on the band as they revealed to People Magazine, who broke the initial story, that they have indeed disbanded.

“It’s over for now,” said Kevin to People.

“It was a unanimous decision,” added Joe.

Nick followed it up by saying, “It’s really hard to say ‘forever,’ we’re closing a chapter, for sure.”

The magazine also reported that things came to a head while they were in a business meeting on October 3. Nick voiced his concern about the direction that the band was going and their future.

“I was feeling kind of trapped; I needed to share my heart with my brothers.” he said.

For those not familiar, the band all started because of Nick who was already a Broadway performer by the time he was 7. He was shopping around demos at that time which featured his brothers on it.

But while Nick might have been the brains behind calling it a day, things had been spiraling out of control. Recently, rumors also began that middle brother, Joe, might be battling some of his own demon when he was seen hanging out with renowned addiction specialist Mike Bayer.

One question does remain, what’s going to happen to the Bonus Jonas?