1 Jun 2017
BARONESS’ PETE ADAMS SAYS GOODBYE, BAND INTRODUCES NEW GUITAR PLAYER GINA GLEASON

Photo by Jimmy Hubbard

I need to take a moment, on behalf of myself and Baroness, to recognize and sincerely thank one of my oldest friends and bandmates, Pete Adams, as he moves on from Baroness to pursue a new phase in his life. 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. Second, Baroness will forge ahead with an undiminished passion and as much creativity as ever. The narrative of this band has often felt as though it falls into distinct chapters, and while we’re excited to move into the next, we are equally sad to see Pete go. When Pete and I were kids, as he’s often said in interviews, we shared a dream of growing up and playing music together and seeing the far corners of the globe. And we did. 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.

With Pete Adams’ official last show just over a month behind us, and a European tour on the not-so-distant-horizon, we are proud to welcome our new guitarist, Gina Gleason, into Baroness, and we hope our fans will share in our excitement and provide her a warm welcome into the Baroness family. She has worked tirelessly in recent weeks/months, not only learning the specifics of our material, but slowly beginning to carefully stake out her own personal territory within our sound. Throughout the lifespan of this band we’ve had the genuine pleasure of working with incredibly gifted artists/musicians, who recognize in Baroness the need each member has to contribute something of their own musical personality, rather than imitate one that’s been established, not simply to respect the individual contributions of past members, but to develop a genuine connection to our songs, old and new alike. 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.

I really thought I would have become a jaded musician at this point, with nothing left to discover and no will to try, but each subsequent year proves me wrong. We play a hometown show with Gina tomorrow, followed by a European tour and my only regret is that we won’t have time to go everywhere on Earth we’d like to before the urge to get back to writing our new record overtakes us. We’re bringing a bunch of songs on tour that haven’t been played in many years; we’re anxious to dust off some of these earliest Baroness songs. Thanks to all of you who have offered your support over these years. We’ll be seeing you soon.

– John 

Photo by Dante Torrieri

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.

– Pete

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16 Nov 2015
“SHOCK ME”

Here’s “Shock Me” from our forthcoming album Purple (out December 18). Pre-order a digital version of Purple to receive an instant download of “Shock Me” and “Chlorine & Wine.”

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23 Oct 2015
EPIC HARMONY

Episode 4: “Epic Harmony” [Making Purple].

Filmed by Jimmy Hubbard and Baroness. Directed and edited by Jimmy Hubbard.

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28 Aug 2015
OUR NEW ALBUM ‘PURPLE’

We’re at the end of a two week tour in Europe, our longest break from touring since we started the band in 2003. It’s been really great to get back onstage; this past week has felt like a sort of homecoming. We’ve been down in a basement for the past two years, shivering and/or sweating out a new record. It’s an understatement to say that we are proud of the result, and we cannot wait for its release, so that we can finally begin to play these songs on tour for our audience.

It has taken three years to rebuild, restrengthen and reforge Baroness into a new form; and while the wait was grueling at times, it’s already been worthwhile. We needed to write an album that would push us forward, reinvigorate our creativity, and offer a further challenge for ourselves and our fans alike. We needed to write something exciting. We really set ourselves to task to trim fat, write better songs, and speak with a more direct and unique voice through our music.

We have never been nor will we ever be interested in following trends, adhering to stylistic rules or fitting securely in any format. Our goal is to write, record, and perform music that excites us. If we can get amped up and feel these songs in earnest, then we believe that you can too. Purple is the recorded experience of Baroness piecing ourselves back together in order to become something more than we had ever imagined we could be. In short, we are thrilled. We have never been as uniformly psyched-up by a record of ours as we are today. You will be hearing much more from us soon. ’Til the wheels fall off…

– Baroness

image

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27 Aug 2014
The Orvis Company Podcast

Listen to Pete’s interview on The Orvis Company podcast: click here.

Pete’s segment begins just before the 37-minute mark.

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