Minus the Bear Break Up, Announce Tour and Final EP Fair Enough

After almost two decades of bandhood, indie-rock outfit Minus the Bear are closing up shop.

The band announced Tuesday their decision to split and cap off almost 20 years of music-making with a farewell tour, happening this fall. They’re also releasing one last EP as a band, Fair Enough, out Oct. 19 on Suicide Squeeze Records. The title single is out now, and you can give it a listen below.

The Farewell Tour will kick off Oct. 9 in Nashville before winding through a number of U.S. cities and finishing up Dec. 14 in Seattle, where the band first formed back in 2001. Since their formation, Minus the Bear have released six full-length LPs, including last year’s VOIDS, in addition to various collections, EPs and split 7”s. Melding rock ambiguity with indie influences, Minus the Bear have spent years together crafting a distinct sound. Guitarist/lead singer Jake Snider, guitarist David Knudson, keyboardist Alex Rose, bassist Cory Murchy and drummer Erin Tate make up the band’s recognizable lineup. Fair Enough is available to preorder now, and presale tickets for the tour are also on sale.

The band offered some explanation regarding their decision to split and quit making music, per a statement released via press release. Read it below.

Friends,

After almost two decades of writing and touring the world together, we have decided to close this chapter of our lives as Minus the Bear.

What started as a silly inside joke inside the dingy confines of Seattle’s original Cha Cha Lounge back in 2001 quickly snowballed into years of adventures, creativity, and friendship. We could have never predicted the wild journey about to begin. We’ve accomplished so much over the past 17 years, and we are grateful for the experience.

Undoubtedly we owe all of these adventures to you, our fans. Without all of you, the memories of traveling the world, exploring different cultures, and witnessing the delight of your beautiful faces singing along wouldn’t have been possible. Your support weathered us through storms that easily could have scuttled the band. Throughout the years, it’s you who kept us going. We cannot thank you enough.

This Autumn we head out on our final tour in support of our upcoming 4-song EP “Fair Enough” courtesy of Suicide Squeeze Records.

These final shows are a celebration for the community of fans who gave us so much through years of dedication. We’ll be digging deep in the MTB catalogue and we are honored for the opportunity to play our hearts out for you one last time.

Love,

Alex, Cory, Dave & Jake

Minus the Bear may be wrapping things up, but at least we can still cherish the memories in the form of their music. Again, you can listen to “Fair Enough” below. Then watch them play a session in the Paste Studio last year further down. Keep scrolling for Minus the Bear’s farewell tour dates and the Fair Enough album art.