by Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. |
January 14, 2009 12:05 EST
Ryan Adams and the Cardinals
Ryan Adams will take a hiatus from his band the Cardinals and music in general starting this spring, according to a lengthy blog post on the band's Web site.
Adams says upcoming U.S. shows with the Cardinals, concluding March 20 in Atlanta, will be his last with the group. "I am grateful for the time we have had and maybe someday we will have more stories to tell together," he says. "I am however ready for quieter times as I think it is very evident I am struggling with some balance and hearing issues."
"Know that I am not abandoning anyone, not the Cardinals and not the fans," he continues. "This is just something I need to do now, and that I loved playing music in the Cardinals. And hell, even before I was in a place to try and learn to be well, music was my life source, and Cardinals was such a heavy crush and a real dream. I honor it too much to have any regrets right now. I am just proud."
The news is in stark contrast to Adams' comments to Billboard last fall, when he said he was so happy with the Cardinals that he wasn't interested in recording as a solo artist moving forward. "The stuff we do communally is 10 times better than the stuff I come up with," he said.
Adams has thrived since enlisting the Cardinals -- guitarist/vocalist Neal Casal, bassist Chris Feinstein, pedal steel guitarist Jon Graboff and drummer Brad Pemberton -- as his permanent band in 2005. The group's latest album, last year's "Cardinology," debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Maybe we will play again sometime and maybe I will work my way back into some kind of music situation, but this is the time for me to step back now, to reel it in," Adams said on the blog.
An Adams spokesperson was unavailable for comment on the content of the post.
Adams says upcoming U.S. shows with the Cardinals, concluding March 20 in Atlanta, will be his last with the group. "I am grateful for the time we have had and maybe someday we will have more stories to tell together," he says. "I am however ready for quieter times as I think it is very evident I am struggling with some balance and hearing issues."
"Know that I am not abandoning anyone, not the Cardinals and not the fans," he continues. "This is just something I need to do now, and that I loved playing music in the Cardinals. And hell, even before I was in a place to try and learn to be well, music was my life source, and Cardinals was such a heavy crush and a real dream. I honor it too much to have any regrets right now. I am just proud."
The news is in stark contrast to Adams' comments to Billboard last fall, when he said he was so happy with the Cardinals that he wasn't interested in recording as a solo artist moving forward. "The stuff we do communally is 10 times better than the stuff I come up with," he said.
Adams has thrived since enlisting the Cardinals -- guitarist/vocalist Neal Casal, bassist Chris Feinstein, pedal steel guitarist Jon Graboff and drummer Brad Pemberton -- as his permanent band in 2005. The group's latest album, last year's "Cardinology," debuted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and has sold 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Maybe we will play again sometime and maybe I will work my way back into some kind of music situation, but this is the time for me to step back now, to reel it in," Adams said on the blog.
An Adams spokesperson was unavailable for comment on the content of the post.
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