Say Anything frontman Max Bemis released something of a loving manifesto today, in conjunction with the announcement that the band would not tour to support the release of their forthcoming, and possibly final, album. Oliver Appropriate will be the band’s tenth studio album, and the process of making it took a toll on Bemis, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “I’m done with traditional music stuff,†he wrote in his letter to fans. “I won’t put myself in harms way for anything now. The break from performing will be on my own terms. The break from publicity will only be partial but I won’t endure bullshit anymore. Say Anything will probably make music again, and I’m not claiming this is our actual last record, but it may be. Who knows. That’s up to me and my family.â€
Bemis’s wife Sherri DuPree further clarified Bemis’s mental state for fans of the band. “If what Max wrote doesn’t make it clear, he’s recovering from a PTSD ‘breakdown’ and this is not really bipolar-related stuff,†she wrote in a statement posted on the band’s website. “It’s a guy who followed his passion to the point of almost breaking who stopped and saved his own life for us and those who care. Which has left him joyful but needing rest and relaxation and positivity.â€