Band calls it a day after singer quits
With heavy heart, singer and guitarist Kier Kemp has announced that he will no longer continue as a member of FVK. Having co-fronted the band for 8 years, the decision has not come lightly. Says Kier:
“Leaving FVK was without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Other than the more obvious side of fracturing a group of guys with so much history… my friends, I went in fully aware that I also have a responsibility to everyone that is a fan of the band as well. So to those people, I’m sorry if this upsets you, I feel awful for it… but the alternative would be me continuing to do something that I no longer fully understand or passionately connect with – and that is no good for me or for you. FVK was never mine, it was all of ours and that’s not going anywhere. I’m proud of what we achieved and I’m very proud of all of you for being so lovely. I’m available in all the usual places if anyone has any questions or wants to talk more about it. No one is disappearing, so speak soon” – Kier
Consequently, fellow band members Laurence Beveridge, Drew Woolnough, Shane Sumner and Luke Illingworth have collectively agreed to call it a day as FVK, however would like to reassure fans that this is not the end of their musical career together.
“A difficult announcement. Last Friday Kier told us he was leaving FVK. To the rest of us, this revelation was greeted with shock, disappointment, and heartbreak. We have given our lives to this band and the idea of giving up was completely alien to us. However, over the weekend we have struggled to find the answer to this unfortunate situation, and we have come to the conclusion that it would be wrong to continue this band without Kier by our side.
However, FVK has always been more than just a name, and the remaining members of FVK will not abandon our musical union. There will need to be time to rebuild and reflect – our lives have drastically changed over the period of a few days – but music has always been our passion, and the idea of doing it without our friends seems absurd. We – Laurence, Luke, Shane and Drew – will certainly continue to make music together; though the specifics of this are uncertain.
To our fans we apologise wholeheartedly, this is not the ending we chose, but our hands have been forced. All we can say is thank you for your support, and please remember our music lives on forever, and that the creative force behind FVK will return” – Laurence, Drew, Shane & Luke
The band will announce details of a farewell show soon. However it is with regret that all upcoming live dates are cancelled, with the exception of Shield Fest on 17th July where the band will play without Kier. Tickets for the bands headline show at The Horn, St. Albans, on 25th August will be refunded from point of purchase.
Additionally, they have requested that The Obsidian Bond, the bands self-built social network, actively remains a place for the open and creative minded, and for fans to maintain the community that acted as the driving force for FVK for many years.
Boasting an impressive career to date, FVK nurtured an incredibly loyal and unique fan base. A testament to thinking outside of the box as an independent band, they gave fans more than music, creating their own social network and novels. Self-releasing 3 albums to date, alongside collecting an impressive set of notches on the touring post from Download and Vans Warped Tour UK, to supporting the likes of Black Veil Brides, Enter Shikari and In This Moment, alongside headline runs in the UK & Europe, they endeavoured to and successfully created their own world. With an inspiring take on a constantly evolving music industry, and their brilliantly creative history, FVK leave behind a great legacy.
