The B-52s are heading into the final stretch of a tour that has been described as a farewell of sorts, though the band's own wording leaves room for doubt. The Cosmic De-Evolution Tour, which pairs the group with Devo, carries the subtitle "One Last Orbit (Maybe?)," hinting that fans may not have seen the last of them.
According to founding member Fred Schneider, the change is mainly about easing the strain of life on the road. He said he made a firm decision in 2022 to stay off tour buses. "I'm not getting on a bus to go from one date to another for more than six hours," he said, adding that such a lifestyle never suited any member of the band. The group told fans it would still perform in special situations that do not demand grueling travel.
The final two stops are in Southern California. The band plays the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista on Oct. 30 and Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms on Oct. 31. Schneider said audiences can expect the usual high-spirited antics from the Athens group, whose mix of pop-culture camp, kitsch and unusual guitar tunings can sound like the house band for a John Waters movie. "We're the best excuse to let off steam," he said, describing the shows as "a real kick-ass rock show, not a funny pop show."
Schneider, a New Jersey native, never set out to be a musician. He moved to Athens, Georgia, because he wanted a career in ecology and wanted to leave New Jersey. He had hoped to become a conservationist and assumed wildlife management would lead there, but it did not. He spent two years at forestry school, where he said he became the hippie of the program, wearing polyester bell bottoms and keeping his hair long.
Close to dropping out, Schneider switched to journalism after a creative writing project went well. A friend planned to produce a book of poetry, and Schneider decided to do the same because it sounded easy. He ended up enjoying the work. His poems had a very dry sense of humor, and most classmates sat stone-faced during readings, though one friend laughed after each. The teacher admitted not understanding them but recognized Schneider was serious, and gave him an A. That path led him to future bandmates Ricky Wilson and Keith Strickland around 1976.
Schneider said he fell into music without a plan, seeing himself more as a writer. His contribution to the band, he said, was his writing ideas. He tended to recite his lyrics in a talk-sing style because he had hardly sung before, not in grammar school, high school or college. He eventually took voice lessons, though he says he has his own style.
The B-52s have no plans to record new material but will keep playing select dates. Schneider said bandmates Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Strickland are pursuing their own projects. Last year, his Halloween song "Vampire Vamp" with Ursula 1000 was re-released along with his Christmas album "Destination Christmas." He joked that a New York Times capsule review of the album, which said it got worse at the North Pole, was the best review a person who dislikes typical Christmas music could receive.
Schneider credits the band's longevity to equality among its members. They shared writing credits, with the exception of one or two albums, and split royalties equally. There was no real leader. "We had some really great ups and some really bad downs, but we stuck together," he said. He added that he, Pierson and Wilson now connect on stage more than ever, "and it shows." Tickets and details are available at LiveNation.com.
