Australian hard rock legends Rose Tattoo have cancelled the remainder of their final European tour after frontman Gary “Angry” Anderson was hospitalised due to a “medical issue”.
In a statement posted to social media on Monday (August 10th), the band said they were “absolutely devastated” to prematurely end the tour. They did not provide details on what forced the 79-year-old into hospital.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love, messages and support you have already sent Angry and the band,” the statement reads.
“We kindly ask everyone to respect Angry’s and his family’s privacy at this time. Tickets for the cancelled headline shows can be returned at the respective point of purchase. Thank you for your understanding, your love and your incredible support.”
Rose Tattoo had nine more shows scheduled on their ‘One Last Ride’ tour, which kicked off last month. The cancellation comes during what is set to be the band’s final year of touring, with the veteran rockers announcing earlier this month they would step away from the road after more than 50 years.
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Formed in Sydney in the mid-1970s, Rose Tattoo have become one of Australia’s most enduring rock exports, with songs including “Bad Boy for Love”, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw”, “Nice Boys”, and “We Can’t Be Beaten”. Their influence has stretched well beyond Australia, most notably to Guns N’ Roses, who covered “Nice Boys” on their 1988 album G N’ R Lies.
When announcing their final year of touring, Anderson said the farewell run was about celebrating the band’s five-decade history with the fans who had supported them along the way.
“Rose Tattoo has always been about our brothers & sisters,” he said. “The fans have carried us through every decade, every tour and every challenge. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to do what we love for so long and now it’s time to celebrate that journey together one last time.”
The band are currently scheduled to return to Australia in September for a run of farewell shows in Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and Brisbane. They are also due to join Suzi Quatro on the Red Hot Summer Tour lineup in November.
