Baroness Guitarist Pete Adams Exits, Replacement Announced
Georgia sludge rockers Baroness have enjoyed a stable lineup since swapping out two members back in 2013, but that's changed this year as longtime guitarist Pete Adams has announced his exit from the band. The parting was amicable and the group has already named Gina Gleason as his successor.
Adams has been a key player in Baroness since joining in 2008, contributing to Blue Record, Yellow & Green as well as 2015's lauded Purple. The six-stringer released a farewell statement which reads as follows:
I would like to say thanks to all of the Baroness fans far and wide and all of the support through the ups and downs along the way. I feel beyond fortunate to have had the chance to travel great distances with Baroness and to meet so many of you. I honestly never thought I would be able to do what I have done with Baroness. Playing alongside my oldest friends, playing music that isn’t simply readily accepted by the masses, and sharing the stage with some of the best musicians and bands from around the globe. That said, it’s time for me to focus my energy closer to home and not on the road. However, this isn’t the end of my musical career by any means as I plan to continue working with Valkyrie. Again, thank you to all along the way, and most importantly thank you greatly to the current, past and future members of Baroness.
Frontman and lone remaining founding member John Baizley commented on Adams' departure, stating, in part, "I feel fortunate beyond words to have shared the stage with you for nearly 25 years, since we were barely teenagers. It would be impossible to articulate the value and impact of the personal history, friendship and musical bond we have enjoyed throughout our lives and within this band. Through Baroness, we’ve seen that friendship grow further and often in unexpected ways; we’ve taken part in so many adventures together that it’s difficult to keep track of them all. It’s never easy to part ways but it is important to highlight a couple of things: First, we offer unconditional support and respect for Pete’s decision and we’re excited to see where his path leads."
Putting a cap on things, he finished off, "Thank you Pete, for being a friend when I needed support, a brother when I needed family, and a bandmate when you and I had a hunger to see the world.”
Baizley then expressed his enthusiasm for brining Gleason into the band, detailing how she has "worked tirelessly" to entrench herself in the nuances of the Baroness material as well as staking out "her own personal territory" within the group's sound. "Gina’s ability both to learn our music and to find her own voice within our songs has been inspiring to observe and it helps once again to renew our belief in this band’s music, which we’ve come to rely on as a true wellspring of creativity and musical discovery," he continued.
Fans can catch the new lineup on tour in Europe throughout June with a list of upcoming tour dates and festival appearances found at the Baroness Facebook page.
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