The Black Keys Open Up About Tour Cancellation, Management Split: “We Fired Their Ass”

As a gaming enthusiast, I’d share it like this: Last year, for the very first time, The Black Keys‘ Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach opened up about scrapping a massive arena tour and parting ways with our long-time manager and music tycoon, Irving Azoff.

In simpler terms, they were let go, and sometimes such situations occur,” Carney explained in an interview for the latest issue of Rolling Stone, discussing their separation from Azoff (former Live Nation chairman) and Steve Moir.

When asked about the deterioration of our relationship and the reason for the separation, Carney stated, “I’d rather not utter his name. Instead, let’s focus on the bigger picture. The crucial takeaway from this situation is that we discovered numerous management companies in this country are linked to a company responsible for all promotional aspects.

Last year, I found myself in a legal tussle with Live Nation, the entity behind Ticketmaster, when the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against them. The claim was that this corporate giant, being the country’s biggest concert promoter, ticket vendor, and venue owner, had been manipulating its market position to stifle competition.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Carney expressed his view that the music management industry is excessively linked to concert ticketing and promotion, making it difficult for bands to maintain autonomy. Essentially, as artists, we’re in a predicament where discussing this matter is challenging due to the involvement of management companies that also own festivals with other entities. We’re subject to the whims of these individuals who have other priorities.

In 2021, The Black Keys entered into partnership with Azoff and Moir following their separation from their long-term manager, John Peets. With a new tour on the horizon, Carney chose to focus past the recent management upheaval, stating: “Our top priority now is simply to deliver great performances that our fans will enjoy.

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2025-02-06 23:54