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P A N I C R O O M
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
September 2018
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To our dear PANIC ROOM fans, friends, and family...
It is with heavy hearts that have to make this announcement today. Sadly, we must reveal that both Dave Foster and Yatim Halimi have decided that their time with PANIC ROOM is over. First of all, we want to assure everyone that these two individual decisions to leave the band have nothing to do with that old chestnut - ‘musical differences’. It is not the result of any falling out between the five of us; and indeed, we remain the closest of friends, as brothers and sister. The truth is that both Yatim and Dave have come to the point where, due to changes in their own personal circumstances outside of the band, they feel that they are no longer able to continue as members of PANIC ROOM. We have the utmost love and care for our two dear band-mates; and we have nothing but respect and understanding for the difficult decisions that they are each having to make at this time. |
Yatim Halimi (bass) | Dave Foster (guitar)
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Dave and Yatim have both given so much to PANIC ROOM -
Yatim as our incredible bassist since he joined in 2010, and Dave as our fantastic new lead guitarist since 2015. They have both been absolutely amazing musicians to work with, and to play alongside. Their creativity knows no bounds - both in the studio and on stage - and we feel truly blessed to have been able to call them our band-mates. Together we have made the most amazing music, and the recent 'SCREENS' - Live DVD is a testament to that. We could not be more proud of this wonderful concert film, and of all the fans who supported us to make it possible. But it will now be ever more poignant, as a lasting memento of PANIC ROOM at that moment - A band at the top of their game, playing with sheer passion and fire, both as 5 individual musicians and a truly unified group. There was a unique magic within the band, which has now been captured for all time... and we are so grateful for this. The music that we have shared together has been a huge part of our lives, for so long; and we know that this is true for so many of you out there, too: Our loyal friends, fans, and Roomies. Our Panic Room family. |
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For all of us in the band, the most important thing of all - beyond the music - has always been our personal connection.
All five of us and our families have become the best of friends over the years, sharing so much, through both the good times and the bad. We have not only made music together; we have planned, dreamed, hoped and wished. We have travelled thousands of miles together; eating, drinking and snoring next to each other. ;o) We have shared the nerves backstage; we've boosted each other pre-show, and then shared that unique exhilaration of leaping around in front of a buzzing crowd, playing music that only We know how to deliver. And then, when all of the chaos and buzz has died down, we have shared in the quiet times together... Those all-important moments when you need your space and rest, and the warmth of good friends around you who you can trust to give you that. There are literally thousands of shared special moments for us - many of which have been on-stage in front of a crowd. But a lot of our important moments have also been backstage and off-the-road... In our 'real' lives together, as both musicians and friends. No-one can take this away from us. |
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We have a wonderful bond of shared history and experiences together, which are unique and precious to us. This is something which we treasure deeply, and will never forget. But we also hope to retain these bonds of family and friendship for long into the future, because we are more than 'just' band-mates - we are true friends, and family. PANIC ROOM has been both enhanced and enriched by the presence of Yatim Halimi, and Dave Foster. In many ways we can't imagine how the band would have sounded without them, or how it will be in the future. We have enjoyed playing together so much. It’s also rare to find a group of people who gel so well both musically AND personally; so the time we’ve spent together as a band has been incredibly special, and deeply rewarding. We know that you will want to join us in saying this: That we are going to miss Dave and Yatim both terribly... But we will Always consider them both to be a part of our PANIC ROOM family. |
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THE FUTURE...
None of us are sure exactly what the immediate future holds for the band - this is an extremely difficult time, as you can imagine, and there have been many sleepless nights as we attempt to decipher the best way forwards. But one thing is for certain - that Anne-Marie, Jonathan, and Gavin are all determined and committed to carry on making music together as PANIC ROOM.
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Right now, we find ourselves in a very tough situation. We know that you will also share our pain, and our worries. So today, we humbly ask for your patience and support, more than ever... as we navigate our way through this stormy sea, and into a new horizon. ∙•◦●○✦◦•◦∙ We will of course keep you updated with further news and developments about the band, as soon as we’re able. At present, the New Album and Live Tour are both postponed until later in 2019; but we do fully intend to continue with these plans. We have a lot of exciting and ambitious ideas for both; and although they may take a different shape going forwards, we are as determined and passionate as ever to continue on our creative journey. |
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In the meantime, we wish all the very best to Dave and Yatim - both personally, and in their continuing musical adventures. We're sure that our paths will cross musically again in the future, in one form or other. To paraphrase Arnie… “We’ll be back!" Love, Light & immense gratitude from Anne-Marie, Jon & Gavin for PANIC ROOM. |
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PHOTO CREDITS:
Howard Rankin, Tina Korhonen, Jason Parnell-Brookes, David Webb, Ian Webster, Mark Hateley, Alan Jones, Harry de Groot, Anne-Marie Helder. |
