Eddie Jobson retires from playing live

[Man In The Mountain]

"As you may have observed, I have been seriously "off the grid" for the last six months; you may have also noticed that the Fallen Angels tour never did extend to the U.S. West Coast or Japan. The reasons for this are too copious to enumerate here, but they do include being injured in a fall; then being involved in a high-speed car crash on a Los Angeles freeway (I have been in therapy for my back for the past four months); and, in the past year alone, dealing with the deaths of nine (yes, nine) close friends, colleagues and family members. Frankly, it has been a rough year.

This and other business factors have led me to some significant decisions, the first of which is that I am permanently retiring from live concert touring."


http://www.zealotslounge.com/ejs-notes

[Zonefish]

I might be talking out of school because I think Eddie Jobson has presented fans with a great deal of wonderful music that shall live on, and that his well earned retirement owes fans NOTHING more. He should absolutely work to enjoy his next chapter in whatever form or format brings him happiness and health. With that said, there was one part of the statement that actually rubbed me the wrong way...in the final paragraph he says "As an ardent futurist, all of these moves are less about winding down the past." However, with the exception of the prematurely demised UKZ, has he produced any new music in the last 20 years that hasn't been a rehash, boxset or live recordings of 37 year old material? How is preparing more of the same (even with cleaning up sounds from older recordings) being a "futurist."

I could be completely misreading the situation, (and I hope I don't come across like an entitled jerkwad---that's not the intention) and I thank him for the music he has created, but how many recordings of Caesar's Palace Blues does one need?

[wilcox660]

"Only Jobson knows" is the answer.

[Paulrus]

Fine, but don't give up on music entirely. The one disappointment I've had with EJ's latest period of "re-activation" is the paucity of new music that came from it. I thought the UKZ stuff showed a lot of promise.

[Zonefish]

"Only Jobson knows" is the answer.

Check and mate!

[Man In The Mountain]

I'm just glad I caught him on the Fallen Angels Tour in a nice club, and got to meet him afterwards. I missed him when he rolled through with UK a few years back, and I'm sad I'll never get to see him again (and Wetton) perhaps with a band.

I wish him a great retirement doing whatever he wishes the best he can.

[Steve983]

I'm sure I wont notice much difference since he has been 'off the grid' for most of the last 30 years anyway. What was he doing in between The Green Album and UKZ?

[Sean]

Soundtracks for TV shows and things of that nature.

[Obscured]

"I am permanently retiring from live concert touring. A second decision I have come to is to sell my house and studio, leave Los Angeles and move back to New York. "

Plenty of rooms to play here, Eddie!

[Paulrus]

Plenty of rooms to play here, Eddie!

Interesting. I wonder if he feels the need to be closer to family in England.

Or maybe he'll start doing jazz trio gigs in the Village!

[moecurlythanu]

I don't know if Eddie reads PE, but if he does...I hope you have a long and happy retirement, Eddie. Thanks for all the great music you've made. Now do something else you enjoy.

[Man In The Mountain]

Tough crowd. I mean geeze, the guy was in 2 accidents, in therapy for his back for 4 months, lost 9 friends/family members this past year, and we can only make jabs and flippant comments about making new music.

[battema]

Tough crowd. I mean geeze, the guy was in 2 accidents, in therapy for his back for 4 months, lost 9 friends/family members this past year, and we can only make jabs and flippant comments about making new music.

Yeah, this. I haven't agreed with all his business decisions and the like but would never wish him ill. I wish him well with whatever he chooses to do going forward.

[NogbadTheBad]

Glad I got to see him three times, thanks for the music. I won't dwell on the negatives.

[mozo-pg]

Sorry to hear about the significant challenges. Eddie certainly deserves to do as he pleases.

[Sputnik]

Glad I got to see him three times, thanks for the music. I won't dwell on the negatives.

Yeah, I saw him about three times as well, and I'm glad I did as I never thought I'd see him perform. He was always really good, and I have great memories of the shows I saw. But I finally started to get a sense that nothing he was doing was particularly moving "forward." Except for the first show that included some UKZ stuff, it was mostly UK, along with Crimson stuff that he played. Nothing wrong with that, but after seeing that twice, I had my fill and haven't see him the last couple of times he came around.

I've been hoping for new music from him for a long time, but at this point I have sort of given up. I'm sorry he's had troubles and I'm sorry if that is what is forcing him away from touring. But a part of me hopes he'll now focus on getting some new music out there. We'll see what happens.

Bill

[wilcox660]

this

I've been hoping for new music from him for a long time, but at this point I have sort of given up.

[SteveSly]

Saw this on Facebook earlier today. I have had the pleasure of seeing him live 3 times. Once with Tull and twice with UK. All great shows.

[bondegezou]

However, with the exception of the prematurely demised UKZ, has he produced any new music in the last 20 years that hasn't been a rehash, boxset or live recordings of 37 year old material?

Yes. Some.

He did the Legacy album, but hasn't released it... except for ten and a half minutes across three tracks included on the The Bulgarian Women's Choir—Angelite compilation Voices of Life: http://www.relayer35.com/Yescography/voicesoflife.htm

He's done soundtrack work in that period, a few small bits of which were released through the Zealots' Lounge.

Henry

[JKL2000]

Maybe this will free him up to release a "fixed" UKZ Live CD.

Speaking of the Zealot's Lounge, I can't imagine that venerable institution will exist for much longer now.

[chescorph]

What a talented guy. Still wishing Yes used him.

[spellbound]

I saw Eddie with Roxy Music in 1975, 42 years ago. Unlike some concerts I saw back in the day, it is a memory I still retain. If he wants to retire from the road after what he has been through recently, he has earned it. Best of luck in all your future endeavors, Mr. Jobson.