Michael & Josh No Longer Playing for Coheed and Cambria

[brian]

Alternative Press Announcement:

In August, two-time AP cover stars Coheed And Cambria were temporarily downsized when bassist Mic Todd and drummer Josh Eppard were unable to tour with the band for personal reasons. We have now received word that the split is official: Todd and Eppard are no longer members of Coheed.

"For me, it's kind of hard to say exactly why [they're out of the band]," frontman Claudio Sanchez tells AP. "There were moments where it felt like it could've been creative differences and, maybe just a dislike of touring [on their part]. I think that's really what's brought us to this moment. It started off this summer with Josh giving us a call and saying, 'I can't do this tour.' And, ya know, we couldn't really call it a tour if we didn't get that call. He would always say he couldn't do it. But we would talk about it and he'd be cool with it. But this time around, it didn't work out and he refused to come to Europe. We had MP [ex-Samiam] fill in because it seemed like the logical choice. As we started doing Europe, Mic said that he wanted to endure. But around the time that we hit Barcelona, he decided he could no longer do it as well. So, really, they left on their own and I honestly haven't spoken to them since that day in June. Actually, when we were done with Europe, we got them on the phone and talked and tried to figure something out, but they wanted to go in a different direction. [Guitarist] Travis [Stever] and I have been doing our thing and they haven't reached out to us.

"It's hard to lose them because they played such an important role in this band," Sanchez continues. "It's hard to go through a drastic change like that, but I don't look at it as a bad thing. I felt there were creative differences to some degree most of the time, especially with In Keeping Secrets and Good Apollo..., it felt like Josh and Mic weren't even at the studio--and honestly, they weren't. They'd come and play their parts and that was about it. Not to discredit them, but it's just going to allow for a freer and more interesting process."

Coheed fans, fear not: The band are in no danger of breaking up. Sanchez informs AP that he and Stever have already begun rehearsals for the band's new album, with a surprising addition behind the kit.

"Right now, we've just started rehearsing for the new album," he says. "Matt Williams [of pre-Coheed band Jumblehead] is on bass and we actually got Chris Pennie from Dillinger Escape Plan on drums. We're kind of toying with that lineup and it's hard to say if that will be the new foundation of Coheed And Cambria. We're just kind of feeling them out and they're feeling us out and it's hard to say what the final outcome will be. But I'm looking at this as a new beginning and not a downer. There were so many ideas I wanted to do with this band that I felt like I wasn't going to get full cooperation from everyone and just kind of kept them to myself. Now it feels like a new beginning and I actually kind of get goose bumps when I think about it."

The band's new lineup plan on heading into the studio in early 2007 with plans for a late-2007 release.

I've gotta say, I'm going to miss them.

[wonderboy96]

damn... this sucks, hopefully they can both go on and have success with other bands or whatever else they choose to do, and i hope claudio and travis continue to have success with Coheed and Cambria as well

[Garrett]

Look out for the rise of teen suicide.

This sucks.

[claudio=love]

i'm going to be sick.

[blue_was_ROTOR]

woah.... wow @o;

At least Claudio seems optimistic about this change. But still... really didn't see this coming.
Kinda eager to hear how the band will sound now!
..hmm...

[God Send Conspirator6]

im about to cry. im not even kidding

[-Sean-]

In some ways depressing obviously...but in some ways exciting because with a new line up things may work out better for everyone. I think Josh and Mic are amazing of course, but I don't wanna think of it as so much of a downer. We'll miss ya guys.

[senshimonkii]

Uhm. This really isn't much of a surprise. I figured if they weren't back by now, then something has got to be up.

[danceuponthegraves_x]

fuck.
i'm crying right now.
i know it's selfish of me, but godDAMNIT. they said they weren't breaking up. COHEED ISN'T COHEED WITHOUT MIC AND JOSH.

damnit...

[My Star Maria]

Originally Posted by God Send Conspirator6

im about to cry. im not even kidding

Me too.

This is horrible :(

[prizefighter killgannon]

ok this is it im gonna go kill myself now please excuse me but mic and josh please come back please!!!! i am going to die

[Pierre?!]

Dude.. this sucks so bad.. I wanna cry right now

[claudio=love]

nicole, chelsiii i'm right along with you guys.

[xxshawn]

I know you guys are trying to make things positive, but I mean when I just watched the videos of them playing without Mic and Josh, it just didn't have the same effect as with them. :\

This is just... wow.

[claudio=love]

when i got the dvd i was talking to my friend and was like "you know this really makes me miss mike and josh"

my fucking god.

[SnowWhite]

In shock right now!!! My heart just stopped for a bit they were my favs :( I still have to read the post *sighs*

[prizefighter killgannon]

thats it im fucking holdiing a protest in front of mic and joshs houses

[MyGodIsACoward]

This is so, so bad. Goodnight.

[PopeHatSkeleton]

Oh no...this sucks. Really bad.

[mattyuk]

This is shit, but hey Chris Pennie is great guys!

But yeah I dont think it was about drugs, for me this whole ordeal was encapsulated when Claudio said this, ''I felt there were creative differences to some degree most of the time, especially with In Keeping Secrets and Good Apollo..., it felt like Josh and Mic weren't even at the studio--and honestly, they weren't. They'd come and play their parts and that was about it. Not to discredit them, but it's just going to allow for a freer and more interesting process."

[The Great WhoDeeny]

I am officially Dead...on the inside....so very very Dead.

[My Star Maria]

It doesn't matterrrr

Claudio, Travis, Mic and Josh are Coheeedddd :(

[SyByN]

Though Mic and Josh are going to be missed, and made up a very important part of the band, in all honesty, you'd be incredibley selfish(you as in Claudio/Travis, and the fans/us) to want them to push through this if they truly weren't happy with the band.

I for one will miss them terribly, and it's without a doubt going to be a NEW Coheed and Cambria without them, we should be comforted that the outcome was this and not the total disbanding of the band. When some members of a band aren't happy it can take it's toll on the band as a whole, and luckily Mic and Josh along with Claudio and Travis have decided to part and NOT throw shitfits at each other and dismantle the band completely.

I'm looking forward to this new Coheed lineup. It could be a blessing in disguise.

The way I look at it, everyone asks the band what they'll do when the storyline is complete, and with the original lineup, all ideas may have been exhausted and all members as well. With a fresh lineup, even the addition of one new member toa group well established breathes new creative life, new ideas, and new outlooks into a band. Sure a bunch of fans(fellow cobalters included, judging from the threads about this topic) will get pissy and complain but honestly..do you want a Coheed that hates what they are doing, and refuses to put full effort into their craft, or do you want a Coheed that is excited to do what they do best, create awesome and moving music that touches the lives of thousands if not millions of fans.


I'll choose the latter.

[simply_twisted]

Well this just ruined my day :[

Dammit i love Josh and Mic! And i got never got to see them live because when I saw them in August they weren't their :[

[senshimonkii]

Guys, it's not the end of the world. Is it a bit disapointing, yes, but life goes on.

Is it going to be the same coheed and cambria, no. But it is still coheed and cambria nonetheless: the central figure is still intact. There is still music to be made, and it will be.

[Hand Banana]

wow.....i can't believe it:(

this is now officially the saddest day in my life.....
i'm crying right about now

maybe they'll be bringing Kelley back
HIGHLY DOUBT IT

god damn....i'm gonna go drive out to my lonley spot:(

[Fuel For the Feeding End 2113]

I may cry. It's their choice, but I'll miss them. Best of luck to Claud and Travis....

[claudio=love]

yeah syb is right.

josh mike claudio and travis ARE coheed to me.
otherwise its claudio and travis with two random guys on a stage.

but theres nothing you can do. they wern't happy.
agh.

[Randy 4tw]

This should have been seen coming. Idk i dont think much will change. The music might sound even better now. Josh wasnt very technical with the drumming in the first place. And mic was a bassist...just a bassist....u dont get very technical

[ddrfreak62]

Well this sucks, but im being optomistic about it. Im just waiting to hear what the coheed is going to sound like.

[Fuel For the Feeding End 2113]

ahh don't know why this showed up. anyway....marathon time.

[Pierre?!]

I think I'm gunna agree with Randy here.. Mic and Josh were uber important to me and I'll miss them to death, but I could see this coming. Anyone could tell by the way they played, especially towards the end of their Coheed career, that they didnt really want to be there. And I think a new lineup will be interesting to see.

[DARTH_CLAUDIO]

As long as Claudio is still there everything will still be great, but Josh was one helluva drummer and mic was sik too. damn

[CoCaChica18]

I'm so fuckin disappointed..I feel like just jumping off the roof of my apartment

[JesseGoldsmifff]

This sucks. And this is definitely goind to change the sound of the band. But I'm kinda of excited for the drummer of DEP.

This is going to be weird.
At least I got to meet them before they left.