The latest blow to strike the band is the decision by bass player Ham Henderson to leave to pursue his day job.
Fortunately, frontman Glen Barthgate is an optimist, whose never-say-die attitude is seeing him through.
"Ham was trying to move up the corporate ladder so he couldn't commit to the band anymore. He lives in Auckland so it wasn't ideal anyway.
"We had a good five-year run and the remaining Blistering Tongues' planned tour has been altered."
Barthgate says there is light at the end of the tunnel, in the form of a familiar face.
"The band had planned to tour Otago and up to Wellington then record for two weeks. [Luckily] ex-Tongues bass player Jimmy Dickson has stepped up to fill in for Ham in the Otago shows."
But the band has canned the gigs in Christchurch and Wellington.
Fans can see them at The Penguin Club, in Oamaru, on July 1; at Red Rock, in Wanaka, on July 2; and at the Dux De Lux, in Queenstown, July 3; before the band comes home with a bang on the fourth of July, to play at The Backstage.
Following the tour, the band is to settle down to some hard graft, recording in Dunedin, "which will hopefully lead to the long-awaited second studio album".
The first, Give Jesus A Semi, was released seven years ago, and Barthgate says the new album could well be huge.
"This next instalment of filthy rock is purported to be a double album consisting of older songs that have never been 'studio' recorded , and a disc of brand new songs."
Writer releases words and music
Dunedin-based writer and musician Bill Direen has released a new book and CD at a function in Auckland.
Bill Direen will be guest poet during the upcoming Octagon Collective Poetry season at Circadian Café on August 20, where a new magazine featuring many Dunedin writers will be launched.
