Spoon have just announced on Instagram that their longtime bassist Rob Pope is leaving the band. “As Spoon’s bass player since 2006, I’ve never taken for granted the thrills and challenges that have come with being in this band,” Pope writes in the caption. “Now, after some serious thought, the timing feels right for me to leave Spoon in order to spend more time with family and personal projects.”

Pope has been involved with Spoon for nearly 13 years. He played on 2007’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, 2010’s Transference, 2014’s They Want My Soul, and 2017’s Hot Thoughts. “I’ll continue to work on new music, including touring and recording with ‪The Get Up Kids,” he writes.

Read Pope’s full statement below.

View this post on Instagram

A message from Rob Pope: . As Spoon’s bass player since 2006, I’ve never taken for granted the thrills and challenges that have come with being in this band.  Now, after some serious thought, the timing feels right for me to leave Spoon in order to spend more time with family and personal projects. . I have nothing but love for ‪Britt Daniel‬, Jim Eno, Eric Harvey, Alex Fischel, and Gerardo Larios — the gentlemen dudes I was lucky to share the stage, bus, and studio with. . I’d also like to shout out the countless people who worked to make my life easier as our road crew and management, many of whom became my lifelong friends. The show can't happen without them. . I’ll continue to work on new music, including touring and recording with ‪The Get Up Kids‬, but I’ll always be particularly proud of the amazing things Spoon accomplished over nearly 13 years of my involvement (and sometimes in spite of it). . Before I sign off, I have to thank all of you — the fans. It’s been an absolute honor to share this experience with you. If you are lucky enough to see Spoon on the road this summer, buy ‘em a few ice cream sandwiches for me. . For evah yours, Rob Pope (AKA Robert Pop, AKA Sherpa, AKA The Queen of Sheba, AKA The Last Living Member of the Supremes, AKA The Horizontal Striped Hustler)

A post shared by SPOON (@spoontheband) on Jul 9, 2019 at 5:35pm PDT

As Spoon’s bass player since 2006, I’ve never taken for granted the thrills and challenges that have come with being in this band. Now, after some serious thought, the timing feels right for me to leave Spoon in order to spend more time with family and personal projects.
.
I have nothing but love for ‪Britt Daniel‬, Jim Eno, Eric Harvey, Alex Fischel, and Gerardo Larios — the gentlemen dudes I was lucky to share the stage, bus, and studio with.
.
I’d also like to shout out the countless people who worked to make my life easier as our road crew and management, many of whom became my lifelong friends. The show can’t happen without them.
.
I’ll continue to work on new music, including touring and recording with ‪The Get Up Kids‬, but I’ll always be particularly proud of the amazing things Spoon accomplished over nearly 13 years of my involvement (and sometimes in spite of it).
.
Before I sign off, I have to thank all of you — the fans. It’s been an absolute honor to share this experience with you. If you are lucky enough to see Spoon on the road this summer, buy ‘em a few ice cream sandwiches for me.
.
For evah yours,
Rob Pope (AKA Robert Pop, AKA Sherpa, AKA The Queen of Sheba, AKA The Last Living Member of the Supremes, AKA The Horizontal Striped Hustler)