For over 30 years, Howe Gelb has been releasing dusty, folky desert-rock with his band Giant Sand. And now, as Pitchfork reports, Giant Sand are to be no more. “30 years seems an adequate number to aptly utter ‘I kinda quit,'” Gelb wrote in a press release. Before they go, though, they’ll tour Europe and release a 3xLP vinyl box set called The Sun Set, which collects the band’s material in alphabetical order. And afterwards, it looks like Gelb will continue to put out music in some form — possibly more solo piano albums. Read his lengthy, poetic goodbye note, check out the band’s final tour dates, and listen to a sampler of The Sun Set below.

30 years of giant sand

way back when it seemed like a long spans. but no. just a blink of the eye.

the flutter of the lid seems like it’s in a slow-motion wow, but any motion is in fast-forward compared to still life.

albums live on a shelf like a still life collection collecting decades and dust.
what do we have here, collectively speaking ? musings set to motion. here in rewind and some in fast forward.

we know there’s no comfortable category to place it all. perhaps because there is no categorical comfort.

the forefathers of this output have been set in rock: david bowie, john lennon, jimi hendrix, bob dylan and neil young.

the forefathers set in ivory are probably responsible for what’s coming next.
but as far as rock erosion is concerned, with this collection of mega dust, this giant sand, it’s high time to call it a day.

30 years seems an adequate number to aptly utter “I kinda quit”. there’s plenty enough here. more than imaginable.

i’m very eager to see what the next blink will bring. piano for now. songs forever.
so here’s to the next 30 years of plunk rock. a circle of fifths in black and white blur. getting on a plane with no guitar bag slung. maybe a hat. .. bolo tie too.

thank you so very much for your participation in all of this. I will never thank you enough because I can’t.

we are a fabric. a stitch in time. sonic threads woven by our space age muses.

Tour dates:

04-06 Ljubljana, Slovenia – Kino Siska ^
04-07 St.Pölten, Austria – Cinema Paradiso ^
04-08 Geislingen, Germany – Rätschenmühle ^
04-09 Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique *
04-10 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso-Noord Tolhuistuin *
04-11 London, England – Village Underground *
04-12 Gateshead, England – Sage Gateshead *
04-13 Dublin, Ireland – Whelanslive *
04-14 Cork, Ireland – Cyprus Avenue *
04-15 Galway, Ireland – Roisin Dubh *
04-17 Brighton, England – All Saints Hove *
04-18 Bristol, England – The Lantern / Colston Hall *
04-19 Paris, France – Le Trabendo *

^ Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan
* with Jason Lytle

The Sun Set will be out on Fire Records later this year.