ADAM GONTIER Explains MIKE MUSHOK's Absence From SAINT ASONIA Tour

During an appearance on the latest episode of "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", SAINT ASONIA frontman Adam Gontier spoke about the absence of guitarist Mike Mushok from the band's "Rock Resurrection" U.S. tour with THEORY OF A DEADMAN and SKILLET. Mike is being temporarily replaced on the trek, which kicked off on February 17 in Gary, Indiana, by Tavis Stanley (ADELITAS WAY, ART OF DYING).

Asked if Mushok's commitments with STAIND were the reason he is not touring with SAINT ASONIA, Adam said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's not a STAIND thing. He's not busy doing STAIND stuff, although they're working on new music. But this, he actually had a family thing that he had had planned for a long time, and it was actually quite a long trip, so he's got some family stuff he's gotta do that he couldn't get out of. So, yeah, there's a bit of that. And then there might be a couple of days later on in this tour that he's gotta work on some STAIND stuff. But, yeah, just in general, he was busy. And we got offered this tour semi-last minute, I guess; he had stuff planned. But he is fully, one hundred percent still the guitar player in this band. He just couldn't do this tour. He's a busy guy, especially with STAIND stuff happening. He's got all sorts of stuff happening. So sometimes he can't make it out. And that's all right."

Gontier also talked about Mike's temporary replacement, saying: "Tavis Stanley, he's just a monster on guitar, and he's an amazing guy and an amazing person and a friend of ours. So we got really lucky that he was just able to do it. If he wasn't able to do it, I'm not a hundred percent sure what we would have done. I think we still would have done the tour, and then chances are good we would have been a three-piece. I would have tried to shred Mike's solos, and that would not be a pretty sight."

Mushok's absence from "Rock Resurrection" was announced by SAINT ASONIA in a social media post on February 15. The band wrote: "Unfortunately, extenuating circumstances won't allow Mike Mushok to appear on this upcoming 'Rock Resurrection' US tour with THEORY OF A DEADMAN and SKILLET. He will be missed, but the rest of us have enlisted friend and highly talented guitarist Tavis Stanley (ADELITAS WAY/ART OF DYING) to take on Mike's parts.

"We're looking forward to an awesome tour and playing our new songs from 'Introvert'/'Extrovert' for you all. See you all very soon!"

Stanley said: "I'm honored to fill in for Mike and look forward to seeing you all soon!! Let's have some fun."

SAINT ASONIA released its second EP of 2022, "Extrovert", last November via Spinefarm.

"Extrovert" followed the "Introvert" EP, which dropped last summer and featured seven new tracks, including a Weeknd cover.

Both EPs were released physically as "Introvert/Extrovert" with bonus tracks in December.

Last year, Gontier told Sonic Perspectives about "Introvert": "The title was fitting with the way the songs were written. We wrote and recorded individually. It's a weird situation to make a record and not be in the same room as your band. I felt like an introvert when I was working on these songs."

The EP was recorded outside of Toronto with producer Anton DeLost. Meanwhile, Mike recorded remotely from his home studio in Connecticut.

"We had a blast with Anton," Adam told Sonic Perspectives. "He played a big part in the sonic changes. It's a little different for us, but it's still pretty heavy. He understood what we were hoping to accomplish. It's SAINT ASONIA."

SAINT ASONIA is rounded out by Cale Gontier (bass) and Cody Watkins (drums).