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Classic Rock News And Views
September 17, 2009
‘The Boss’ Heading For The Break Room
It seems as though we’ve been seeing reviews of Springsteen & Co. shows for the past couple of years, and I suppose that’s because they have spent a great deal of time on the road during that time. There’s no question they they are a 
hard-working band and have succeeded in delighting fans with their live shows throughout North America and Europe.
Nearing the end of their current tour, which – according to guitarist Steven Van Zandt – could be their last, the group plans to take some time off. That “could be the last tour” language is something we’ve heard from other groups comprised of aging rockers. Considering the recent spell of health-related problems that plagued Aerosmith recently and caused them to cancel their tour, it’s understandable that some of these veteran groups are leaving their options open and making no secret of it.
During a recent conference call, Van Zandt didn’t sound certain about the length of the break the group is planning to take, and, as mentioned previously, whether or not the break will become permanent.
“I don’t know how long, one year, year-and-a-half, two years off. This is a good time to see us. We may not be as pretty, [but] we seem to be getting better in funny ways. You never know. This could be be the last tour. We do every show like it’s our last show anyway,” Van Zandt said.
Fans still have a chance to catch Springsteen and his band mates live if they snag tickets to one of the upcoming shows – some of which have yet to go on sale.
There’s still a bit of work left for the group to finish up, including five dates at the famed Giants Stadium in their home state of New Jersey, as well as shows in Philadelphia, New York, Washington, D.C. among others.
More information is available at Live Daily.
February 27, 2009
Def Leppard May Take Break After Summer Tour
Having rocked their way through four summer tours over the last four years, it sounds as if British rockers Def Leppard may be ready to take a little time off and concentrate on other activities for a while.
Frontman Joe Elliott sums up the situation by saying, “This will be our fifth year in a row where we’ve toured the summer in the states, and I seriously do think that it’s time for us to not do it next year, because I’m a firm believer in you don’t want to do it too much — people start taking you for granted.”
The group has toured in recent years with a diverse group of acts including, Journey, Foreigner and Bryan Adams, which likely created a nostalgic blend for middle-aged concert goers who can remember cruising in their cars a couple of decades ago with the sounds of these bands blaring from their stereos.
As for the group’s decision to team up with Poison for this year’s tour after a public spat between the two groups a while back, it was kind of a surprise to hear that they would be sharing a stage this summer. According to Elliott, however, the whole incident was a misunderstanding that was sparked by something that was taken out of context by a foreign journalist, and Poison’s Bret Michaels, who was in the center of the controversy, understands that.
Def Leppard’s decision to take a break from touring may not be all bad for dedicated fans. Elliott says he may use the time off to write some music and begin making preparations for a new album. This is probably due to his desire to keep moving the group forward and making new music.
“I can’t live my life with my past being my future, just going out there and consistently playing some kind of nostalgia show," he said. "I have to be able to walk on stage and say, ‘This is a song from my new album,’ or I can’t do it."
For more check out Yahoo! News.
