Veteran U.S. energy metallers Vicious Rumors have introduced the departure of their longtime drummer Larry Howe, citing irreconcilable variations over his private political beliefs.
In a press release shared on social media on February 18, the band stated: “After years of disagreement on the problem, Vicious Rumors will now not be touring with longtime drummer Larry Howe.
“As a band, we’ve got by no means agreed with Larry’s private political ambitions. As exhausting as it’s to let an authentic member go, VR can now not tolerate being punished by affiliation for Larry‘s private opinions. They don’t replicate the opinion of Vicious Rumors. Our message is easy and clear: Unity! and celebrating heavy steel collectively!”
The band emphasised that their mission of bringing individuals collectively by music, a core message since forming in 1979, stays unchanged. Additionally they confirmed that Howe will honor the band’s dedication to the U.S. leg of The Satan’s Asylum Tour, working from February 25 to March 28, earlier than a brand new touring drummer is introduced.
Howe, who joined Vicious Rumors in 1985, describes himself as a “rock ‘n’ roll patriot” on social media. The band’s upcoming 2026 tour spans 75 reveals throughout the U.S. and Europe, and so they concluded their assertion encouraging followers: “Now let’s get again to the heavy steel music doing the speaking! See you VR maniacs on tour quickly!”
Vicious Rumors then clarified: “VR is concerning the music! Not politics! As a consequence of Larrys excessive views that don’t have anything to do with VR – 4 reveals have been canceled to this point due to this. It isn’t about selecting sides in VR it is about leisure for all. When the band is penalized this severly and our stay occasions are being canceled, for one outspoken perception a change must be made.”
In a private assertion, Howe supplied the next: ‘The cranium. An outline usually utilized in vicious rumors merchandise and logos as in quite a few different heavy steel bands. The reason is that it’s the denomination of the collective gathering of a selected sort of music fanatic, the heavy steel fan.
“The primary cause for that is that it’s the one attribute that all of us share. It doesn’t matter what colour pores and skin lies on prime of the cranium, what colour the hair -or if there’s any, and in addition for what goes on inside between the ears. All these items will be completely different, the one factor that all of us have in widespread is the cranium. Nothing can change this. These variations are the issues we should always all look past as we hearken to the music we love, and attend stay reveals taking part in the music, taking us away from a judgmental world if solely only for a number of hours at a present.
“So once I see junk journalism in what quantities to a grocery retailer gossip rag disguising itself as a heavy steel journal, chastising band members resembling myself and different musicians for his or her proclivities and beliefs, I see it as a crack within the system. All these divide and conquer techniques are often embraced by controlling authoritarian oligarchs, or corrupt profession politicians, or DIGITAL DICTATORS. This can’t stand.
“The heavy steel trade as an entire is without doubt one of the smallest markets in the whole music trade, and we should not enable it to disintegrate by infighting like youngsters yelling on a playground in a ‘cancel tradition’. Sure, I’m responsible of reposting some memes which have upset some individuals. It was not my intention and I humbly apologize.
“However we can’t afford to let this bastardization of opinion splinter the very basis of the heavy steel scene across the planet. We have to embrace our variations to be stronger than ever, and stay vigilant and yearn for the liberty to precise our opinions and ideas with out such a damaging end result. United we stand divided we fall . Bear in mind, within the state run entity, there isn’t any music or freedom of speech, and that is one thing that we merely can’t ever enable to occur.
“Musicians and followers alike look ahead to these gatherings as a method to escape the banalities of life. Work associated issues, stress , lack of relationships, marriage, divorces, foreclosures, chapter… and many others. and many others. These are the issues we ALL want to go away behind as we attend stay music occasions.
“For those who really feel the necessity to assault any musician over one thing they’ve randomly stated or posted, you could have that proper. That’s the double edged sword of freedom of speech. However please do not search to destroy the heavy steel scene we have all been constructing for many years. It’s like one huge household and we’d like for it to stay so. No matter our variations could also be.
“So now I’ll politely stroll away from the European tour because the German promoters felt the necessity to cancel the reveals Geoff had labored so exhausting to rearrange for our followers. That is an unlucky end result. Please proceed to assist the band that has been such an enormous a part of my life for thus lengthy. FYI, I am nonetheless doing the entire American reveals.! It actually must be an fascinating tour!! do not miss it!”
Get these dates beneath and get your tickets right here.
2/25 Orlando, FL West Finish Buying and selling Co.
2/26 Tampa, FL The Brass Mug
3/1 Atlanta, GA 529
3/10 Phoenix, AZ Rhythm Room
3/12 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge
3/13 Reno, NV Alturas Heart Stage
3/14 Salt Lake Metropolis, UT Aces Excessive Saloon
3/15 Colorado Springs, CO Lulu’s Downtown
3/17 Lincoln, NE 1867 Bar
3/18 Iowa Metropolis, IA Wildwood
3/19 Chicago, IL Reggie’s
3/21 Kent, OH The Outpost
3/23 Earleville, MD Membership RYD
3/24 Windfall, RI Alchemy
3/25 Rochester, NY Picture Metropolis
3/26 Catonsville, MD Morseburgers Tavern
3/27 Newark, DE Halftime Sports activities Bar
3/28 Bristol, CT Bleachers
3/29 Harrisburg, PA HMAC
3/3 Wichita, KS John Barleycorn’s
3/4 Oklahoma Metropolis, OK 89th Road
3/5 Dallas, TX Haltom Theater
3/6 Austin, TX Kickbutt Espresso
3/7 San Antonio, TX Fitzgerald’s
3/9 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
5/10 Zagreb, HR Hardplace
5/10 Zagreb, HR Hardplace
5/11 Belgrade, RS Klub Fest
5/11 Belgrade, RS Klub Fest
5/13 Selb, DE Rock Membership Nordbayern
5/14 Essen, DE Do not Panic
5/15 Lichtenfels, DE Paunchy Cats
5/16 Brno, CZ Kabinet Mus
5/17 Kosice, SK Colosseum
5/18 Zilina, SK Smer Membership 77
5/20 Munich, DE Backstage
5/22 Plozevet, FR Courts Of Chaos Competition
5/28 Portugalete, ES Groove Room
5/29 Madrid, ES Sala Silikona
5/30 Barcelona, ES Lennon’s Membership
5/31 Valencia, ES Sala Zulu
5/8 Freiburg, DE Skullcrusher Fest
5/9 Cham, DE LA
6/10 Hamburg, DE Brand
6/11 Kassel, DE Goldgrube
6/12 Den Haag, NL Musicon
6/13 Breda, NL Sound Canine
6/14 Oldenburg, DE MTS
6/17 Dortmund, DE Cafe Banana (Unique Acoustic Present)
6/17 Dortmund, DE Cafe Banana (Unique Acoustic Present)
6/18 Osnabrück, DE Bastard Membership
6/19 Düsseldorf, DE The Pitcher
6/20 Graspop, BE Graspop Metallic Assembly
6/3 Velden, AT Bluesiana
6/5 Modena, IT Vibra Membership
6/6 Vicenza, IT Tremendous Metalfest VIII
6/7 Milano, IT RHO Rock n Roll
6/7 Milano, IT RHO Rock n Roll
6/9 Stuttgart, DE Der Schwarze Keiler
9/12 Brooklyn, NY Rage Of Armageddon Competition
9/18 Madison, WI Blades Of Metal Competition
