They just said "coming up next..."

Fully expect us to hear what we've heard via TMZ already..... e.g. nothing groundbreaking or shocking.
1) Needed a rest
2) Time with daughter
3) Artistic Differences

Would be interesting to hear some proper dirt, but it's never gonna happen.
Certainly wouldn't expect him to say that he was on the booze/drugs and Jon told him to sort himself out if he ever wanted to tour again!

Yup the preview it sounded like that, he said something like "people don't know what touring 24/7 for 30 years means"...

Aloha !

Which should translate to "People don't know what drinking 24/7 for 30 years means"... All this nonsense about him being away from home for so long is exactly that. Nonsense. He's spend more days at home than most other dads have.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

"I think we needed a longer break between the last tour and this one"... "I wanted to be at home with my daughter"... "I'm pretty sure I'll be back"...

I said right at the start of this thread exactly what Richie has confirmed....

a) Was all about Ava
b) Wanted a longer break after the Circle tour

richie sounds optimistic...i dont know if he told the whole truth, certainly took most of the blame...i think ava is only part of the truth, more of an excuse, from the early promo interviews rich used the word machine in a negative twist imo...
ps.hope he comes back

Mind you, still doesn't explain why he played at start of the tour and then just buggered off on a couple of hours notice!!

Yeah that timeline doesn't work. It ain't completely Ava and wanting more time between the tour. Both of those could have been decided before mid tour.

"Difference of pace" was the strongest idea I retained from the interview. I don't know what the rest of the guys from the band think but I believe that, after 30 years, he should be allowed some time off. This interview set my hopes up there, as I think all the negative clouds may have faded. He's obviously returning and this might be the start of a new and fresh period in the band. Jon rushed the album and the tour, as some have said, and Richie couldn't handle it.

But if he comes back next year or something with 10x the energy and passion he had in previous tours, it might have been worth it.