Well that's it official.Michael Monroe has announced today that Ginger is leaving the band.
This will come as no surprise to Michael Monroe and Ginger fans.
The issues with the management have been bubbling away for a while now, and it wasn't so much a question of if Ginger would leave, but more so when.
Ginger has commented that it was down to either him or the management, and Michael chose the management.
That's as simple as it gets.
In hindsight I think that Michael may see this as a mistake, but that's just a personal opinion, and only time will tell what the impact will be.
The real parting of the ways will be on the June 17th at Provinssirock.
Now that would be a gig to tuck under your belt.
It will be the closing of one chapter before the opening of another on the 26th in Helsinki.
This is the gig where the band will be supporting The Foo Fighters, and unveiling the new guitarist.
It looks like they want to keep the name under wraps and this live appearance will serve as the introduction.
This reticence to say a name has led to some wild speculation.
Steve Stevens, Todd Youth returning to the fold, Nasty Suicide, Andy McCoy and Richard Fortus to name a few.
I'm going to go out on a limb with a suggestion though.
Lets just say that if I was to write a name on a sheet of paper, fold it up and put it in an envelope saying it wasn't to be opened until the 26th. Then the name that would be in it would be Izzy Stradlin's.
I don't have any inside info and I'm not basing that on rumour.
It's just a hunch.
If this was the case then it would be a promotional godsend for the release of Sensory Overdrive in the US.
Having an original member of Guns and Roses on board will always be a good move for any band looking to push into the US market.
I'll leave it at that regarding the new guitarist though, and either celebrate with a pint if it happens or eat some humble pie if it doesn't
Meanwhile to avoid any sort of further speculation as to the ins and outs of why Ginger has left the band he has been refreshingly frank on Formspring answering any questions put to him.
Here's some of the questions and replies that should hopefully give everyone an overview of where Ginger stands on the change of circumstances..
Are you departing as a friend from MM or is it more like you try to avoid each other?
No, me and Michael will be friends forever. As I will be with all the guys in that band. We became brothers in music after the last 18 months.
Did you have misgivings about the management situation before the guitar auction/Facebook fiasco?
I did, but that was the final straw.
What were the other reasons you left for apart from management
When it came to decision making I was never as much of a chief member as Michael and Sami. This is understandable as they formed the band. I was aware of my position from the beginning, but coming from a position as band leader (with The Wildhearts) this was an increasingly difficult situation for me.
Your thoughts on Sensory O's promotion in Britain?
Appalling. A disgrace and insult to someone of Michael's calibre.
Are you and Michael ok? Honestly.
Me and Michael are 100% okay.
Do you wish you were playing with the MM band at the foos gig?
Yes, I do. If I'd known I was to be replaced right now I would have liked that to have been my final show.
Would you have stayed with the MM band if the manager had been sacked?
Yes.
So there you go. The times they are a changing.
Interesting days indeed.
No surprise here.
ReplyDeleteGinger seems to be someone who is hard to work with.
Michael Monroe must have known this.
I'm surprised the name Conny Bloom wasn't mentioned with the other possible new guitarists. Izzy would be cool but I can't see him doing it.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can see the band isn't called the *Michael Monroe* band for nothing. It is Michael and his management with a bunch of hired hands (exept Sami Yaffa of course).
ReplyDeleteMichael wants to give his management a good kick in the arse but then he won't will he because they're looking after HIS best interests and I say this as a fan of his but it's true.
Look at the official f/b page because it says it all. It's a band page yet it's Michael photos / posts only with very little from the other guys and that's weird as both Ginger and Steve are big f/b users themselves.
A band surely is about promoting EVERYBODY not just mainly one person.
Conny has been mentioned in other places, but The Electric Boys are touring so I don't think that he will be doing it, although he would be an excellent choice.
ReplyDeleteAs I said I have nothing to back up my saying about Izzy, but my reasons for doing so is that I think his career could do with a bit of a push.
Joining the MMB would throw him into the spotlight again.
A one album one tour sort of deal just to raise his profile.
It would work as good promo for him, and of course for MM.
Sensory Overdrive isn't even out in the states yet, but can you imagine the press for it, and the US tour, if Izzy was on board.
It just seems to feel like it would all fit, but that doesn't mean that I'm right.
It could be anyone.
Nasty is everyones safe bet it seems.
I can see him filling in for Helsinki, but longer term I'm not so sure.
@ anonymous.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't disagree with much of what you have said, except for the bit about the management working in MMs best interests.
he may be who they are representing and are focused on, but recent events have led to the band losing a member and a songwriting partner, and in the long run that can't be in Michaels interests.
The MM Facebook page is a joke isn't it?
Agree with you but wasn't Michael given a choice though, Management or Ginger?
ReplyDeleteIf this is so then it's got to be a worry for all fans now that HE chose MANAGEMENT over his band mate! It's not good for band morale surely and for the other guys (not Sami) who might now be wondering privately how much say they've really got in all this.
The MM f/b page is a COMPLETE joke definetely.
Great blog by the way mate. I read it regularly.
That's the way it seemed to fall, but while I admire both Ginger and Michael as artists, and consider myself a long term fan of both, I do still try and keep in mind that there will be things that have went on that we will never ever be aware of.
ReplyDeleteGinger basically gave Michael an ultimatum and it is possible that realistically it couldn't be accomodated.
To change management while the album isn't out globally and live dates are being arranged could have been a big mistake.
Would the Foo Fighters support in front of such a huge audience went ahead without the management on side?
I don't know.
It's a difficult situation, and I'm sure there will be faults on both sides.
The removal of the auction link on MMs facebook page was a real slap in the face for Ginger.
I would suspect that was the management flexing some muscle to prove a point.
That was in my opinion 100% wrong.
For what it's worth I think Michael was between a rock and a hard place with Ginger and the management and thh removal of Ginger is a short term solution, but the long term one will be a management change.
Can't disagree with anything you've said there.
ReplyDeleteMaybe to both parties gained by picking up new fans who would never have checked them out otherwise.
Dan
Love them, and they rock me out.
ReplyDeleteHmmm this totally passed me by...what a shame. Ginger and MM together was a great prospect, but I guess it was destined not to last.
ReplyDeleteThe new guitarist is Dregen of Backyard Babies.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm happy with that he does have a solo album coming out, and Backyard Babies are supposed to be getting a reboot.
So similar to Ginger he could be someone who could be in the band for the short term rather than the long term.