Candlebox Announces Friendly Split With Guitarist Peter Klett and Scott Mercado

Candlebox DebutCandlebox has confirmed they are changing their lineup. After more than two decades of touring and creating music together, guitarist Peter Klett and drummer Scott Mercado have decided to shift their focus more on Lotus Crush(see our review HERE of their latest release) and their other side projects.

Mercado was a co-founder of the band with guitarist Kevin Martin while Klett was added about a year later to the lineup.

In an article on Blabbermouth, Klett said of the decision “It’s time. There is nothing greater than playing music you’ve created in front of fans who love it with their heart and soul. That is what we have done with Candlebox for 20-plus years. The wonderful people who have embraced us have done it with class. For that, Scott and I are extremely grateful.”

Formed in November 1990 by Martin and Mercado, Candlebox originally went by the name Uncle Duke; they changed their name the following year and added Klett on guitar and Bardi Martin on bass in 1991. Candlebox began performing together that year and by 1992 the were playing regularly in some of Seattle’s favorite haunts, including the now defunct RKCNDY and Farside, to ever increasing audiences. The band’s 8-song EP, which had meanwhile been recorded, gained the attention of Maverick Records and you could say the rest is history.

Kevin Martin, the current lead singer for Candlebox, said “I’m stoked that Pete and Scott are having such great success with Lotus Crush and their other projects. I wish them nothing but the best.”

Candlebox have a number of upcoming tour dates including a date in Oregon and one in Spanaway:

07/23 – Lake Charles, LA – L’Auberge du Lac
07/25 – St. Clair, MI – St. Clair Riverfest
07/30 – New Bedford, MA – Feast of the Blessed Sacrament
08/01 – Sturgis, SD – Easyriders Saloon
08/08 – Fort Bliss, TX – Ft. Bliss Army Base
08/15 – Glen Flora, WI – North Woods Rock Rally
08/21 – Sioux City, IA – Hard Rock
08/22 – Island Lake, IL – Sideouts Bands in the Sand
08/28 – Tacoma WA – Uncle Sams
08/29 – Central Point, OR – Lithia Motors Amphitheater
09/11 – Hinckley, MN – Grand Casino Amphitheater
09/19 – Cottonwood, AZ – Thunder Valley Rally

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