REFUSED’s DAVID SANDSTRÖM Explains Why The Band Is Breaking Up

Refused drummer David Sandström has released a detailed statement addressing the band’s decision to officially call it quits, making clear that unlike other groups who retire only to reunite, Refused will not be returning.

“A few people have insinuated that like some other bands who, in the fashion of the great Larry David, quit with bells, whistles (and blood raining from a lacerating sky) only to return within a few years as if nothing had happened, Refused would do the same. Well, we won’t, and I feel the need to elucidate.

We only broke up once and it was involuntary. Most of you might not remember but at the end of our reunion year 2012 we kept things ambiguous in our final statement: ‘The hatchet is buried… we’re going home’, for plausible deniability, because we weren’t sure our attempt at a permanent reunion would fly. It did, but only so far.,” Sandström wrote.

He explained that while their first breakup was involuntary, the band’s attempt at a permanent reunion after 2012 only carried them so far. “The reasons for ending the band are legion, but the two most important ones are:

“Refused was never good for mine and Dennis‘ relationship. We both have our own idea of what the band should be and how we should behave and never the twain shall meet. And we’d rather be friends than play in a popular band.

“A new band has been born within the band and we (Mattias, Magnus, Dennis and me) want to explore that, a band with no baggage, no fans to please, limited only by our wildest musical hopes and dreams. We’re very excited about getting around to taming this new wild beast.”

Before that next chapter begins, Refused are preparing for a final run of farewell shows. These concerts will feature stacked lineups of longtime friends and collaborators, including Youth Code, Harrowed, Division of Laura Lee, Millencolin, Abhinanda, Fireside, Nix, Matti Alkberg, and many more.

Sandström described the events as both a celebration and a reunion of the scene that birthed Refused: “This is going to be an absolute blast of a finale. A pretty glorious marriage of old and new, of underground and established, of traditionalists and risk-takers, and nothing could sum up our band more than this amazing catalog of bands.”

Refused‘s final shows will take place this December in Umeå, Sweden, bringing an emphatic end to the career of one of punk and hardcore’s most influential bands.

10/1 Glasgow, UK SWG3
10/2 Manchester, UK O2 Victoria Warehouse
10/3 London, UK O2 Academy Brixton
10/5 Dublin, IE 3Olympia Theatre
10/7 Tilburg, NL Poppodium 013
10/8 Paris, FR Élysée Montmartre
10/9 Lille, FR L’Aéronef
10/10 Köln, DE Bürgerhaus Stollwerck
10/11 Leipzig, DE Felsenkeller
10/12 München, DE Muffathalle
10/28 Barcelona, ES Razzmatazz 1
10/29 Madrid, ES Sala Riviera
10/31 São Paulo, BR Terra SP
11/1 Palermo, AR Palermo Groove
11/3 Santiago, CL Teatro Coliseo
12/11 Göteborg, SE Pustervik (w/ Division of Laura Lee & Spøgelse)
12/12 Göteborg, SE Pustervik (w/ Rome Is Not A Town & Darla)
12/13 Norrköping, SE Arbis Bar & Salong (w/ Fireside & Lost Faith)
12/17 Johanneshov, SE Fållan (w/ Abhinanda & Twin Pigs)
12/18 Johanneshov, SE Fållan (w/ Youth Code & Harrowed)
12/19 Umeå, SE Väven (w/ Youth Code, Millencolin & Left Hand of Darkness)
12/20 Umeå, SE Väven (w/ Fireside, Mattias Alkberg & Deppa)
12/21 Umeå, SE Väven (w/ Abhinanda, Final Exit, Nix & Dream Warriors)