Drummer Pete Robertson leaves The Vaccines to ‘focus on other things’
Pete Robertson has announced that he’s leaving The Vaccines. The drummer has been with the band since they formed in west London in 2009. Pete apparently told the band months ago he wanted to leave to “focus on other things” and that he’d played his final concerts during their US tour.
“After much thought and deliberation I have decided the time is right to end my time as a Vaccine,” he said in a statement on the band’s Facebook page. “The last six years have been the most incredible years of my life and I will never forget them.
“I’ve seen and experienced more in these years than I’d have any right to expect from a lifetime. “The experiences I’ve shared with Justin, Freddie and Arni have bonded us together like brothers and that’s a bond that’ll never break.
“But new challenges beckon and I look forward to the next chapter of my life with excitement. “Thanks to everyone who’s come on the journey with us so far, and to my brothers for supporting me in this decision.”
It’s unclear who’ll drum for The Vaccines from now on. They have a festival gig in Denmark this weekend before playing at Belsonic in Belfast at the end of the month. They then travel through Europe before appearing at Reading and Leeds Festival in August.
Vaccines frontman Justin Young says the drummer will be missed by the rest of the band. He said: “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that these last few weeks spent playing in America were also Pete’s last shows drumming with The Vaccines. “Pete let us know a few months ago he wanted to bow out and focus on other things and the time has now come for that to happen.
“We’ll love him and miss him on our adventures and we’re all incredibly sad to see him go, but this sadness is only outweighed by our excitement for his future and our own. “All shows are to go ahead as planned and we can’t wait to see you all. Raise a glass to Pete and see you in the Summer.”
The Vaccines’ second album, 2012’s Come of Age, made it to number one in the Official Album Chart and they released their follow-up, English Graffiti, last year.