Hey, I have a solution. An Ed hologram! If Ed can't be there on tour, a hologram would be the next best thing!! It worked for the king of pop, so why not?

Eh. I'm just trying to be funny and failing miserably.

I just don't like seeing people sad on this forum. We have ups and downs but to see the collective sadness is seriously bumming me out.

The day where a band throws in the towel is inevitable unless you're the Rolling Stones or U2. I hope it will be that way for the Chems but time will tell. Had this development said that Ed was out of the picture completely and Tom's going solo, I'd be sad about the Chemical Brothers. I'd understand and they'd have my support, but I'd be really sad. I read this news as Tom and Ed doing everything they can to keep things together so the music keeps on keeping on. Maybe I'm just being too optimistic.

Of course Ed will be dearly missed this tour, but I am confident Tom will hold down the fort.

I wish one of them would stop by and tell us kids that everything's gonna be OK.

ThePumisher, on 14 November 2014 - 4:56 PM, said:

It just won't be the same without his amazing awkwardness.

whirlygirl, on 15 November 2014 - 12:00 AM, said:

No wonder people on here call you the mother of the forum, Whirly. It's sweet of you but sometimes you've just got to let people wallow in their disappointment/confusion/whatsgonnahappennext-ism

Remember this? Was Ed practicing for something?

Quote

Melodramatic? Moi?

skyscraper, on 15 November 2014 - 1:04 AM, said:

To me your face has always been about my fist.

whirlygirl, on 15 November 2014 - 2:00 AM, said:

No, I don't think you're too optimistic! That's the spirit we need here right now
Well, and to be frank, yes it sounded strange at first and has also left sort of a sour feeling about an upcoming tour that is going to be without one of the mates. But Ed seems to really want to accomplish his new life goal and I respect that, no, I actually admire that and am happy that he goes for it 100 percent. Is it the right time? No, Ed, no it's not, you, you, you, errr argh ewewwew..... student ! But in the end he's gonna be a real doctor, a chemical doctor in history studies. Dammit, that's big.
After he's accomplished what he strived for I do hope he will be back in the game (with a graduation cap on his head while punishing academically the synths live).

What counts is that the record lives up to Ed's promises and the shows continue to keep up their magic atmosphere. Good luck to everyone, Tom, Adam, Ed and everybody involved.

To raise the mood in here I think it's recommended to show you this video that I found a couple of day ago of what seems to be a Sigur Rós pre-gig ritual that truely demonstrates the spirit of "Love is All". So let's do this right now! (But please, do not touch!)

Very sad, not happy Ed, you can't desert the tour!

Yes, the news that Ed won't be on the next tour is slightly saddening, but to me it's not too heartbreaking. It will be an interesting evolution. The producing element still involves the both of them.

It reminds me of when Darren Emmerson left Underworld to a degree. Both the act and Emmerson evolved and continued to produce amazing material, though I haven't seen much from Emerson lately.

With Tom manning the live desks solo, will the live show be even more paired down gear wise while still maintaining a synesthetic element? Will it be a more efficient and cheaper production meaning that it'll have more reach in terms of playing different venues?(ie. more of the Americas *HintHint*). We've discussed the idea of if on of them would ever be sick for a show and they had to go solo. Here's our answer.

Plus, Tom's solo work lately (Klaxons remix, Nothing but Pleasure) has felt like an evolution to another stage. It still has a Chems feel, but it definitely has a different punch than material CWU or PTB eras. Are we at a Chems crisis? I say no, we're just at a different phase of life. Look at ourselves as fans, I can attest that my 'devotion' has changed over time as I've aged. I've seen stories from many members of life moving on and having to change aspects of our followed 'commitment' to Tom, Ed, and other amazing people involved in the Chemical world (Adam, Kate Gibb, James Holyrod) in terms of selling collections, focusing on family, moving to other places around the world. (Yes, I used quotations to make us sound less like a religion/cult...even though we can be at times)

As for Ed's studies, I fully support as do most of us. I remember some of his tweets last year discussing studying at the Kilburn Library. I kept looking out for him after that as I lived just around the corner in Maida Vale at the time and walked passed it every week to go to the Sainsbury's up the road.

this is unnerving. I am extremely sad for the last 3 days since this news. Tom+Ed= Chems, period.
Gonna miss you Ed, please come back soon. It's just not the same, not even close. I know musically it would sound the same, but the brothers, the brothers!

After trying to process it and even at times purposely not listening to the chems because of this, I guess its like as if another key member of your another fave band worked on solo with another band etc. for a bit and still came back to the band that started it which isn't a bad way at looking at it but its not even that bad in comparison. it still will be odd seeing tom by himself though. Im honestly going to feel sorry for him all up there by himself on that big teched up stage. No one to hug after a special moment during one of the songs that we see them do live. I love that.

Good for Ed. It takes a man with HUGE balls to give up being a rock star to further education. Big props. We all know Tom will rock the live show and bring in the next Chemical live era. Hopefully Ed will indeed be available for studio collaboration, and hopefully both are happy.

Yeah, it is a bit sad, though. It was a great run.

satur8, on 19 November 2014 - 6:27 PM, said:

I think he might become a psychoanalyst. Not kidding.

satur8, on 19 November 2014 - 8:27 PM, said:

Maybe this is said best. Right on the mark, old head

Respect for Ed's choice. As it is very smart of him to get educated for a profession after the music ends. He will succeed in his future.

But it's a sad day for the Chemical Brothers fan. It won't be the same on stage without Ed. Just the little high fives and huggs between Tom and Ed during intermission and the end of the show made the electronic music human. And Ed jumping from behind the desk and winding up the audience isn't going to happen anymore.
Though the show will be great with Adam still araging the visuals and Tom on the buttons. And there is some great material ready for the new show. So I hope to hear Chemical 8 soon and to see Tom in Holland.

But:

whirlygirl, on 15 November 2014 - 2:00 AM, said:

No, I don't think so. Tom being a family man, being away from home for a long time, I think he will be missing his fellow brother for a long tour. I think it will be the end of the Chemical Brothers after 25 years. Although it won't be the end of the music from RAR studios...

Joslyn, on 21 November 2014 - 8:02 PM, said:

What leads you to this conclusion?

I can not ....... how someone can write with the end of the CHEMICAL BROTHERS. I'm in their age and listen to music from somewhere 1995 years as soon as I got a cassette EXIT PLANET DUST. Not only I but probably many true fans waiting for their new album so coveted.

ps.

sorry for my language but unfortunately I did not have him fucking communist school in POLAND

Csar, on 22 November 2014 - 11:19 AM, said:

I just can't see Tom touring alone. Ed seems to have a low profile on stage but he is the single guy who likes a party. Tom is the family guy with wife and kids not partying all night long. I don't think Tom will endure a long tour without his follow Chemical Brother. Maybe if Ed won't be on this tour but he will be on the next who knows.
But if Ed end his study and becomes an therapist will he be the doctor or the musician? I think Ed will be wanting to make music before his "practice" starts doing well. I can see him working with people with problmes but also helping musicians coping with becoming famous or something like that. And I hope he will do well in his new profession.
But to see Tom and Ed releasing more albums in the future? It will be at least 5 years between Further and Chemical 8. Never has there been that much time between albums. Tom has been doing solo stuff since 2011 (his RAR remix for I Break Horses) and he will be doing this is the future. He will become a more of a producer or even a Jean Michel Jarre kind of artist.

Don't get me wrong. I hope I'm wrong and that Tom and Ed will be making albums by the time I'm old an gray and I will be talking my walker to a gig. But like Whirly said, only bands like the Stones will be going on till the ends of time. There will be a time when the Chemical Brothers will end, and I don't think they will announce it, it will just happen.
Not like the Prodigy they will end explosively on stage and that will be the end of it. But that's the differnce between the bands.

I'll be greatfull for any new music in the future and will be going to the gigs as much as I can. onward and forward!

Joslyn, on 22 November 2014 - 4:00 PM, said:

Hm, well that sounds rather pessimistic (or maybe realistic if it turns out the way you painted it). I believe, for this upcoming tour, it will be the way Ed mentioned it in the interview: having Tom as the lead live-act brother with maybe Ed showing up here and there (my hopes only, not what Ed said of course). What happens after that, only time will tell. I wasn't aware Ed is an aspiring therapist, I rather thought he was deepening his history background by becoming a doctor in that respective field of study. Anyways, I do hope that both will keep continuing as a band even if that means we're going get albums only every 5+ years.
Even though your points about being torn between adopting a new profession vs. keeping an older one seems very valid, I am not ready yet to believe in a not too distant band break up, You know, because I'm a fanboy .

wrclaguna, on 22 November 2014 - 4:00 PM, said:

Same for me. I was introduced on a party in 1993 to the Chemical Brothers and been listening to them ever since. And I've got a great vinyl and cd collection of all their music. And hopingto add a lot in the future. But the future is starting to look a bit bleak

Who's gonna rock the Future Retro 777?