Rockers Shihad announce shock split after almost 40 years: ‘A long time coming’
Kiwi rockers Shihad are going their separate ways.
The legendary band announced their shock split this week following almost 40 years together after first forming back in 1988 in Wellington.
In a statement no doubt devastating fans, the group, consisting of Tom Larkin, Phil Knight, Jon Toogood and Karl Kippenberger, said they want to be fully committed to the band because “half-assing SHIHAD was never an option”.
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“With gaps between albums increasing, growing commitments outside the band, and band members’ inability to give SHIHAD the time, focus and dedication it needed and deserved, they made the hard call to end the band,” the statement read.
“While opinions within differ, they are united in agreement that half-assing SHIHAD was never an option.”
But in some good news for fans amid the announcement, the band will hit the road in Australia and New Zealand for a final tour.
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Their tour, titled Loud Forever, will begin on December 29 in New Plymouth, New Zealand, and finish up in March in Wellington.
Their Sydney show will be held on February 14 at the Metro Theatre.
On Instagram, the group made their bio read: “Shihad. 1988 – 2025.”
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The rockers also spoke about the split to The New Zealand Herald, with Kippenberger admitting: “It’s been a long time coming… I’m relieved for the announcement.”
Adding he’s been going through emotions such as “grief” over the news, Kippenberger spoke about their final shows and said he might cry.
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“It’s going to be hard not to cry,” he said.
“Maybe we’ll have to play three hours because it’ll be hard to leave the stage.”
“There goes NZ’s best band. Thanks for everything guys! Great memories of awesome gigs one last time,” one comment on Instagram read.
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