Pitchfork

Deerhoof bassist/guitarist Chris Cohen announced yesterday that he is returning to his pre-Deerhoof band the Curtains. "As hard a decision as it was-- I loved being in Deerhoof!-- I really want to go full-time with my other band, The Curtains," Cohen posted on Deerhoof's MySpace page last night. "This is the band that I've always done on the side (I started it with my friend Trevor before I ever joined Deerhoof) - and I feel a real strong pull to go and perform our new material live and focus all my energy into that. We're just about to finish a new record [Calamity] which comes out on Asthmatic Kitty in the fall.

"Deerhoof are still my close and beloved friends and we part ways on the best of terms - I wish them all the best and they do for me too. It just wasn't possible to go on when my heart was in another place.

"I hope you all understand.

"I'll be looking forward so much to all the things Greg, John, and Satomi go on to do in Deerhoof and I can't wait to play the new Curtains music on tour this year!"

The Curtains tour, which is still being put together, has an initial itinerary that looks like this:

08-09 Seattle, WA - TBA *
08-10 Portland, OR - TBA *
08-11 San Francisco, CA - TBA *
08-12 Los Angeles, CA - TBA *

* with Final Fantasy

The split was so amicable, in fact, that Deerhoof celebrated by posting a new EP for download on their website. Included are nine songs: four covers (the Beatles, My Bloody Valentine, Canned Heat, and Herman's Hermits) and five live cuts. The EP appears to be title-less, and can be found here.

The remaining three Deerhoof members are scheduled to kick off a summer tour next week. As previously reported, six of the trek's dates will be supporting Radiohead in California. The now-trio have added a few additional shows to their agenda, which will take them through the U.S. and Europe.

Dates:

05-28 Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater *
06-03 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Festival
06-05 Porto, Portugal - Porto Rio
06-06 Lisbon, Portugal - Lux
06-23 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater #
06-24 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theater #
06-26 San Diego, CA - Bayside #
06-27 San Diego, CA - Bayside #
06-29 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater #
06-30 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theater #
08-10 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
08-11 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
08-13 Brooklyn, NY - McCarren Park Pool
08-31 Arcata, CA - Kate Buchanan Hall at Humboldt State University
09-02 Seattle, WA - Bumbershoot Festival
10-26 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center ^
10-27 Pittsburgh, PA - Andy Warhol Museum ^

* with the Flaming Lips, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
# with Radiohead
^ with Fog

Finally, Deerhoof also announced yesterday that Payless Shoe Source recently approached the band about using their song "Twin Killers" in a television commercial, but the band gave 'em the boot...or, rather, the hoof.

* Kill Rock Stars: http://www.killrockstars.com/