from the band's blog on wordpress
After 7 amazing years of playing with Fair To Midland, our bassist Jon Dicken has decided it was time for him to move on. We appreciate his hard work and dedication to the band, we love him, and wish him the best in all his future endeavors. Moving forward, we are excited to continue touring and making music.
Unfortunately, however, this has resulted in the cancellation of our European/UK dates in November. We want to send our sincerest apologies to our European friends and fans from across the pond. We will be regrouping in the following weeks and in the meantime we thank you all for your patience and understanding.
Like Johan Hallgren of Pain of Salvation, writing about someone leaving a band I have great interest and personal experience with, probably is not justified in a short amount of time doing so. But I guess the most I can add about this is this is sad in many ways, but not incredibly surprising. I'll admit, though, among the band, Jon was the one I had the least amount of experience hanging out with. Although I did get to talk to him on occasion, just my memory is spotty from those (compared to some of the conversations I've had with Cliff or Darroh for example).
But he was the newest member of the band, yet still 7 years, and 3 releases and all those concerts (10 of which I attended) is still a lot of history. He will definitely be missed, but hopefully his future projects, music or otherwise, will be successful. I read something on the FTM Fans forum about him mentioning in an interview with Cliff, that he had a project in the works with one of the members (or former members?) of the band Timeline. Who are not a band I've listened to, but do recall their name mentioned on the FTM fans forum a few years ago.
I may be confusing Timeline with another band, but I recall a prog metal band of that or a similar name. The project that he may end up making with said musician, who knows what it'll be like. But it should be something to keep in mind in the coming months/years at least.
As far as Fair to Midland, they announced on facebook their upcoming European Tour in November is canceled due to Jon's departure. Which really sucks for the folks in Europe, but hopefully the band will find a way back there soon, perhaps in 2012 at least.
Fair to Midland's scheduled American Tour with Australia's hardrock/collge-prog/Tool-influenced band Dead Letter Circus is still scheduled to happen in December. Although I imagine finding someone to play bass for that tour is a top priority for the band at this time. Maybe they have someone already in mind, but have not been able to announce it yet. Someone on the fans forum suggested their original bassist Nathin Seals could come back. I would expect sometime in the coming weeks an announcement will be made though.
And I guess Jon told them he was leaving a few months ago, at least, as one post on the Fans Forum mentions it back in August.
But the band also have a plan to record a live DVD at the Flint, MI show on December 17th as Cliff alludes to in this video.
however, that video came before Jon announced he was leaving, and of course it sounds like what they wanted for that show in terms of contributions, live footage and whatnot is already past?
I guess that should be something the band will also announce relatively soon. Along with Cliff mentioning the interest to re-release both inter.funda.stifle and the long out-of-print and desired-by-hardcore-fans The Carbon Copy Silver Lining.
Now, I wonder if the format of those would be VINYL. I know I will buy them one way or another, assuming the prices aren't outrageously expensive.
Some other items mentioned on the Fans forum that could come soon:
-an EP of B-sides, likely from the demo-ing/recording of Arrows & Anchors
-A Vinyl release of Arrows & Anchors
Although a b-sides thing was talked about likely coming after Fables and it didn't happen. Although that may have had a lot to do with their label situation. But I know some of it was feelings about said b-sides within the band. But hopefully history won't repeat with the potential of a b-sides.
However, personally, I can't avoid concern with probably most if not all the content recorded recently due to the compression mix of the cymbals on most of A&A, including the Itunes bonus track "Pour the Coal to 'er."
A revisiting should be required on my part with the new record, but I guess given I've been through this before with other albums/bands, I am content, even with a band like Fair to Midland who I've been addicted/attached to for a good chunk of time. Not every record by every band you love will be re-listenable, at least for awhile. Rush's Vapor Trails for example.
But I certainly will post something and will want to check out any b-sides or other unreleased music from these guys, clipping-cymbals included.
I guess certainly the show at the Varsity Theater on December 13th will be even more significant with all this news coming out about the band. It will be weird to see them without Jon on stage, but the same can be said about a lot of bands with lineup changes.
