Robb Flynn: "Machine Head Shows Will Probably Not Resume Until Summer Of 2022"
Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn has given his thoughts about the impact of coronavirus on live music.
Despite having tour dates lined up for later this year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Burn My Eyes, Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn doesn't believe the live music sector will return to normal anytime soon in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Giving his detailed opinion on the impact of COVID-19 on music via his blog, The General Journals: Diary Of A Frontman… And Other Ramblings, Robb says that he thinks "we metal fans will also likely be most affected by this pandemic" – the reason being that "we are the one audience that is often struggling to live paycheck to paycheck".
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"It’s hard to accept the length of something like this, but the sooner that we can wrap our heads around it, the better we will likely be," he writes. "This false notion that in just a few months we’re going to get 'back to business', is good for a soundbite on Facebook, but bad for making realistic plans.
"I myself have been able to keep a far more positive mindset knowing that Machine Head shows will probably not resume until summer of 2022, and that we will likely not get fully back on track until 2024, if we ever get back on track at all!"
With that in mind, Robb speculates on what the future will hold and how people will "figure out other ways to pay the bills", continuing that those in the music industry ("record biz, crew, promotion, etc.") "will most likely change jobs entirely and do something else for the rest of their lives. This of course happens as the record business takes another hit.
"Clubs, venues, promoters, a lot of life as we knew it… it’s all going to be decimated. Look at all the Euro festivals that have already been cancelled."
The frontman adds that he hopes he's wrong about this guessed length of time, but warns readers, "Don't think three months ahead, think three years ahead."
On a more positive note, though, he concludes: "This is not all doom and gloom. I strongly believe that the world will be a much better place when this is all over. This is our moment to transform. This is our moment to re-imagine the world, to re-imagine our lives. This is our moment to that the giant Reset Button up in the sky. Embrace the chaos."
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