Two years ago, Swiss hard rock legends KROKUS postponed their last-ever concerts in USA and Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe. The 13-date trek was originally scheduled to kick off at Canton Hall in Dallas, Texas on September 18, 2020 and conclude at Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on October 10, 2020. Asked in a new interview with “Interviewing The Legends With Ray Shasho” if KROKUS will ever perform again, singer Marc Storace said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We consciously said we’re gonna stop while the going was good, while the band level is kickass and we’re all standing and delivering and end on a good note. In 2019, in December, we played the Hallenstadion in Zurich, and after that we played the Monsters Of Rock cruise. And then came the pandemic. So we had all these dates in England together with SAXON and we had dates in Canada, we had dates in the USA and also Mexico. And the whole pandemic went on for two years, so what do you do? You can’t hold on to [the shows]. We let everything go, and I was, like, ‘Okay.’ That was it. Bye. [Laughs] In the meantime, I worked on my [solo album], ’cause I get too restless at home doing nothing. Which was great, and I’m so happy. I’ve had great reviews and the band is great and I’m doing my thing and enjoying rehearsals and enjoying the gigs.
“So we still have gigs that we owe — KROKUS still owes gigs; fans bought tickets and so on and so forth,” he continued. “So recently — this was a couple of weeks ago — I got together with Fernando [Von Arb, guitar] and Chris [Von Rohr, bass], and we were saying it’s shit, how we can’t let COVID kick our ass, kind of. We didn’t like how it had to end, how we were forced to say, ‘We can’t come.’ … So now we’re full of this hatred against COVID, and we’ve gotta hit back by maybe doing something again. So we left it at that. ‘Okay, let’s see. We’re talking too much. We’re dreaming again.’ I said, ‘We’re not dreaming. If we decide [to do it], I’m all in. I’m in there.’ So let’s see. We’ll be coming back together, ’cause I’ll be playing in Solothurn with my band, KROKUS‘s hometown, and they’re all gonna be there, VIPs, and [we’ll] meet backstage. So the emotions, I guess, will lead us in that direction, I’m hoping. So we’ll see what happens. Think positive.”
Last month, Storace explained to Rock Show Critique why KROKUS has toured America so infrequently over the course of the last 20 years. He said: “Well, it starts with the work permits. And they cost money. Then the tax. Then the booking fees, the percentages, the renting out of equipment, buses, hotels and everything. So if you’ve gotta do a club tour, you can’t even pay for all that. We haven’t been there for a long while, so we don’t expect to come over and do a headliner tour in stadiums; we’re far from that again. Because in the meantime, there’s a lot of water under the bridge. And that’s how it is. The status sinks because there’s no longer promoters who believe that you’re gonna bring in the money back for that. I guess that’s the way it is. It’s like a vicious circle. You have to come over one day and get the ball rolling again and then come back the next year and the next year to reach the status that you are used to. And you have to also release a new album to accompany that. And the new album isn’t enough. Albums don’t sell anymore. There’s Spotify — all these parasites around — streaming, which don’t give you your money’s worth.”
When KROKUS first announced its decision to embark on a farewell tour in September 2019, the band explained in a statement: “KROKUS shows have always been special and should stay that way. That’s why we decided to stop when it’s still really good. That’s how the fans should remember us.”
Formed in 1975, KROKUS has sold over 15 million records, toured the world, and received gold and platinum discs in the USA and Canada. KROKUS was also the first Swiss band to sell out the legendary Hallenstadion in Zurich and has received a diamond disc for selling one million albums in Switzerland alone.
In the course of its legendary career, KROKUS has rocked over 2,000 shows on five continents, countless cities, unique locations, crazy gigs, and loyal fans.
English rock journalist Malcolm Dome quite rightly said: “If you look at the long-term output of this band, KROKUS is clearly one of the best hard rock bands of the last 40 years.”
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