2016 has been a year of ups and downs for Of Mice & Men vocalist Austin Carlile, who is ending the year with some tough news to deliver. The singer is stepping away from the band, though the remaining members will continue on as a four-piece.
In a lengthy posting on his Instagram account, Carlile recounts such highs as being part of a successful band, spending a summer on tour with Slipknot and Marilyn Manson, becoming friends with Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and seeing the world on tour, but sadly the tone of the missive also lists off some of the difficult times brought upon by his continued battle with Marfan Syndrome.
“These three tears in my spine, plus a fourth that occurred a year prior, were signs that I was absolutely not able to scream anymore,” says the vocalist. “My team advised me that if I continued to do so, it would cause permanent and irrevocable damage to my spinal cord and nervous system. After learning this, I realized that I had to step away from Of Mice & Men, no longer able to scream most of our old material, or continue to scream on anything new. I cannot continue on.”
“This has been the hardest thing that has happened in my life for a very long time, but thankfully the band, my family and closest friends stand behind me and understand,” the singer continues. “They have all seen personally how much pain I had to endure and especially the last two years as my spine was tearing apart, but I kept going, I gave it my all, and cannot express this enough.”
Carlile reveals in the post that he wishes his bandmates the best. With the addition of Aaron Pauley a few years back, the group has already been playing with a second vocalist, which will definitely help with the transition. As for his own future, the singer says he’s moved to Costa Rica while he continues to heal, rest and write and he intends to continue playing music.
“I am still able to sing,” says Carlile. “And I’m hungry for what is next to come even though I have no idea what that may be. I feel God placed me at this crossroads for a reason, and with the closing of one door, another will open.”
Carlile concludes by saying he wanted to share the news now and keep it in 2016 as 2017 starts a new chapter for him. To read his full posting, check out the Instagram post below.
Carlile recently spoke in depth about Marfan Syndrome and his faith after undergoing a series of surgeries this fall. We send our best wishes and thoughts to both Carlile and the members of Of Mice & Men as they open the new chapters of their career.
The rest of the band has since responded with a statement of their own, which reads as follows:
Dear Of Mice & Men Fans,
It’s with heavy hearts that we announce Austin’s departure from the band for reasons pertaining to his health. As many of you are aware, Austin suffers from a rare connective tissue disorder called Marfan syndrome & has been struggling with the physical demands of touring since the band began.After his most recent series of surgeries at Stanford University Hospital, following the cancellation of our European headlining tour, his team of doctors informed him of the damage that performing, & more specifically his aggressive vocals, have been causing his body. They warned that if he were to continue on doing so, it would cause permanent & irrevocable damage to his spine & nervous system.
Following the advice from his team of specialists, Austin decided it best that he step away from the band & change his lifestyle to better his health. Though we’re heartbroken that he can no longer continue, his health has always been of utmost importance to us & we support him now in this decision & are proud of his perseverance over the years.
We’ve had an amazing & unforgettable past few years making music & touring the world together & the 4 of us look forward to sharing the next chapter of the band’s story with you. All previously announced shows will proceed as planned & we thank you for your continued love & support. We couldn’t do this without all of you! See you real soon.
-Aaron, Alan, Phil & Valentino
via loudwire.com