08/20/2007 17:12

Savage Circus

Savage Circus split with drummer Thomen Stauch

German/Swedish power metal band Savage Circus have split with drummer Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian).

Here is the statement from the band:

"Umea/Hamburg the 17th of August 2007

Dear Friends,

After the recent events at the Rengsdorf Rock&Blues Festival and the Rock Am Schloss Festival the band sees no perspective any more to go on with our drummer Thomen Stauch. Therefore we immediately release him from all duties.

Even though we are aware of his personal situation we cannot ignore the fact anymore that he is still not able to carry out his duties for Savage Circus. Already in summer 2005 Thomes started to cancel most of his all planed out promotional activities. In 2006 he cancelled the Japanese shows and wasn't part of any other activity for the whole year. We gave him this entire year to solve his situation because we deeply hoped that he would be able to recover and to get back into pace again. But instead in spring this year Thomen almost cancelled the Circle II Circle tour. Now he cancelled two festival shows with extremely short notice again...

We are very sorry, but we cannot take this any more. We supported and backed Thomen up for over 2 1/2 years by now, but as sad as it is we must face that it is just not going anywhere. Even though we still do have a lot of understanding for his situation, we cannot allow the unintended but yet serious damage he is doing to the band in which all of us invest so much energy and work. We do want Savage Circus to happen, but we cannot see it happen with Thomen any more.

We are not looking back in anger, we'd rather like to look into the future. This does not dramatically effect the production of the 'Dreamland Manor' follow-up, but we will need some time to decide and work in a worthy replacement, who will be announced shortly. Therefore the release date will move to early 2008.

We wish Thomen well and hope, that he will find his way.

With deepest regrets,

Emil, Jens and Piet"

And from Piet Sielck (also Iron Savior):

"Hi Folks,

I feel that I have to say something in addition to that statement. I feel very, very sorry that it had to come this far. As many of you know, I know Thomen for a very long time. Remembering him from those times and seeing in what situation he is in now made this decision on me even tougher than for Jens and Emilio. But nevertheless it has reached a point where either something dramatic had to happen or we would just have stop doing SC. This never was an option. We still have strong believe in the band and their chemestry of songwriting. The new songs already kill as far as I can say and SC will play as much live as possible!

I know that many of you will be as sad as I am today, but an end always implies a new beginning. I strongly believe, that this decision was right.

All the best,

Piet"

And here is Mr. Stauch's reply:

"Hello friends,

I hope that you all are fine!

Shocked and surprised I had to perceive Savage Circus' sudden explanation in the internet over my sudden being eliminated in the band yesterday.

I, in contrast to the band, am not willing to discuss the problems, which I had over 2 years steadily with Piet and his record company -Dockyard1 - in the public fully.

But I can say one with certainty: It requires very much courage to write so many contortions of the truth in a statement and to spread this publicly in the internet as well.

That is unprofessionell, Piet! Already this link to this festival illustrates that you twist truths in your statement. Here it is to be completely clearly read that the organizer cancelled the festival personally.

http://www.rock-am-schloss.de

But, since you apparently prefer the e-mail communication-way the telephonic conversation to inform me I'm fired, I also inform you in this impersonal way that my management will employ itself on Monday with calling in a lawyer, which will test, whether it makes sense to sue you because of reputation-damage and/or because of those business and contract-referential inconsistencies, which stood since beginning of SC between DY1 and me.

I hope that none of you fans now expects an exact, textual enumeration of these internal problems from me. Such matters should remain internal! If I would spread the truth, however many inconsistencies in your heads would be easier to understand for you, my friends, but I am no asshole!

A few last words are to be still said here:

After all my problems in the last year, that I also announced officially, I am again healed since long time before the CIIC tour to 100 percent and have overcome my personal and informal problems. Nothing changed with it until today.

You, Piet, know exactly why I almost cancelled the CIIC tour. Wasn't it business shit I had with you and DY1 regarding our contract? For sure I haven't been sick at that time.

You all know I have been on this CIIC Tour with SC and I think I did a good job after such a long break playing drums. I don't let get anything responsible for me in 2007, except to cancel one single festival, because I had drawn a heavy food-poisoning for myself shortly previously in my vacation. Therefore, the one-sidedly viewed explanation and decision of Piet, Jens and Emil is even more disappointing and surprising for me!

A small hint still for Piet: One cannot force fame, success and better sale-numbers, also not if one leaves alleged friends on that occasion behind itself in order to save his own head and to stand there even better for the public. Maybe I should have thought rather twice before I got involved in commercial matters and a band with you for a second time. I know, Piet, you already told me a thousand times that my glorious times with Blind Guardian are irretrievable over, but it's needless to tell you that I can hardly believe that you'll ever reach such a success, neither with Iron Savior, nor with Savage Circus, if you should go on to use and handle your friends that way.

My last words in this matter to Piet, Jens and Emil:

1.) I demand an immediate official retraction from you in the public of your published statement. If this should not happen, I will have to go with the whole truth at the public unfortunately. The single difference then would be that I can prove my claims about the largest part. My lawyer then will react immediately and lead me through this unpleasant process.

2.) Hereby, Piet, Jens and Emil (and the rest of SC and DY1), I expect from you to not make further statements about my person. Neither in the internet, nor in any magazines.

3.) Now, don't call me anymore, please! Neither to hand over any explanation, nor to calm about your bad conscience, that you better should have. We have to communicate from today only one way, and this is by lawyers!!!

This is the way I handle people that try to represent me intentionally incorrectly for their own welfare.

Not even BG would have let itself pull to such an action at that time, and they would have been right sooner surely to interact somewhat more roughly with me after 20 years.

For all you loyal, dear fans out there:

I feel terribly sorry, of course, that unfortunately you had to become witnesses of such a communication-way between Piet and me, but he didn't let me any other chance than to answer this way on his impertinent way to kick me out of the band and spread that news. Sorry, my friends! Really, really sorry...

One thing is certain... You will still hear much of me in the near future. Don't have any worries about me, please! I'm in a perfect constitution and I really feel fine even after those actual news!

Best regards,
Thomen"

(source: Thomen and Savage Circus' forum)