Pitchfork

[Updated Tuesday, September 3rd, 2003 18:15:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Bassist Tim Tobias has apparently left Guided By Voices, according to an announcement on the band's official website. "Guided By Voices would like to announce that Chris Slusarenko (Sprinkler, Svelt, Off Records) will be playing bass on all the upcoming U.S. tour dates and Sam Powers (Superdrag) will be handling bass duties for the upcoming European tour," reads the announcement, without explaining the cause for Tobias' departure. Guided By Voices had just announced a slew of fall dates in support of their latest album, Earthquake Glue, last Thursday. By late yesterday afternoon, Tobias' photo and instrument had both been removed from the "Current Band Line Up" page on the official site and replaced by Slusarenko and Powers' names.

GbV fans seemed a little bummed out by the sudden departure. One fan on GbV discussion forum Disarm The Settlers wrote, "In my opinion he was the best bass player for GbV... the last show we saw he seemed kind of bummed and not very energetic, hope he is OK." Another simply noted, "Perhaps Billy Corgan called Tim."

Tim Tobias, along with brother Todd, also comprised the music-making muscle behind Robert Pollard side project Circus Devils. In a dispatch to the Postal Blowfish fanlist this afternoon, GbV webmaster Rich Turiel said that the Circus Devils project is expected to continue, and that the band's relationship with Todd Tobias "will not be changed." Todd Tobias lent his production skills to both last year's Universal Truths and Cycles and Earthquake Glue.

Guided By Voices' Earthquake Glue tour commences tonight in Boston with a trio of dates leading up to the 10th anniversary show for Magnet magazine in Philadelphia, PA. The Shins and My Morning Jacket are also on the bill, with the venerable GbV headlining. Then, it's off to the UK and Europe for two weeks' worth of dates with Superdrag's Powers bringing the low end, and back to the U.S. for a handful of West Coast gigs in late October. It's worth noting that in addition to the usual ticket sources, Guided By Voices now sells tickets directly through their website, with "reduced" surcharges. I am reduced! Dates:

09-03 Boston, MA - Paradise (w/ The Oranges Band)
09-04 New York, NY - Irving Plaza (w/ The Oranges Band)
09-05 Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero (Magnet 10th anniversary show)
09-10 Munich, Germany - Fun For Free/Muffathalle *
09-11 Vienna, Austria - Flex *
09-12 Turin, Italy - Hiroshima *
09-13 Rome, Italy - Enzimi Festiva Piazza Dei Cinquencento *
09-16 Frankfurt Germany - Space Place *
09-17 Berlin, Germany - Knaack *
09-18 Hamburg, Germany - Logo *
09-20 Brussels, Belgium - Les Nuits Botanique (w/ Spiritualized) *
09-21 Amsterdam, Holland - Paradiso *
09-23 Leeds, England - Cockpit +
09-24 Nottingham, England - Rescue Rooms +
09-25 Cardiff, Wales - Clwb Iforbach
09-27 Glasgow, Scotland - Barfly
09-28 Leicester, England - Princess Charlotte
09-29 Manchester, England - Roadhouse +
09-30 London, England - University of London Union +
10-16 Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
10-17 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
10-18 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
10-20 Portland, OR - Berbati's
10-21 Seattle, WA - Graceland
10-22 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
10-24 Sacramento, CA - Harlow's
10-25 San Diego, CA - Canes
10-26 Anaheim, CA - House Of Blues

* with The Sights
+ with Seachange