Biffy Clyro bassist James Johnston will not be joining the band on their upcoming tour dates for mental health reasons.
James, who plays in the Scottish outfit alongside his twin brother, drummer Ben Johnston, and frontman Simon Neil, writes in an Instagram post, “For some time, I have been living with mental health problems which have led to addiction issues that I have kept concealed for a long time.”
“This has caused significant problems for myself and everyone around me,” James writes. “The time has come to properly address my illnesses and deal with them.”
“I am extremely sorry to Simon & Ben and thank them for their continued love, patience, support and understanding throughout this time,” he continues. “I have recently started to receive the professional help I need and would like to reassure you all that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Biffy Clyro’s upcoming dates include a tour of the U.K. and Europe kicking off in January, as well as shows in Australia and New Zealand. The band was set to play a run of U.S. dates earlier in December, but those were postponed due to a visa mix-up.
“To all our fans, your support means so much to me,” James concludes. “In the meantime, our dear friend Naomi Macleod will be taking care of bass duties, and I cannot think of a better person for the job.”
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