Why Did Jeremy Spencer Cancel?

Spencer’s U.S. tour was supposed to be a coast-to-coast outing with the guitarist beginning his West Coast run last week and wrapping in New York at the end of March.

But that was abruptly canceled.  On Feb. 10 the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported the guitarist had issued a statement via his publicist that said health problems had forced his return to Ireland.

“I have recently been under considerable stress due to unrelenting demands on my life and time,” Spencer wrote.  “It has now resulted in potentially serious health problems for which I am compelled to return to Ireland for treatment.  I am distraught over having to postpone what was to be a memorable tour.”

Now there are indications that Spencer’s connection to religious group Family International might have resulted in the tour’s cancellation.

Beginning life in the 1960s as Children Of God, the group was often criticized for its free-love practices that reportedly included not only members but their children as well.  The organization changed its name to The Family Of Love in the late ’70s and today is known as The Family International. Spencer left Fleetwood Mac to join Children Of God in 1971.

Did Spencer’s affiliation cause him to cancel his tour?  According to U-T San Diego a representative of Spencer’s U.S. record label, Blind Pig, said the guitarist was getting threats and “decided for his own safety to return to his home in Ireland.”

The newspaper notes the Safe Passage Foundation, a non-profit organization aiding children “raised in restrictive, isolated or high-demand communities, often referred to as ‘cults’ by society at large,” claims its online petition posted at Change.com helped force the cancellation.  Titled “Jeremy Spencer: A child-abuser unworthy of your support / STOP the Jeremy Spencer USA tour,” the petition had accrued 320 supporters by the time it claimed victory.

U-T San Diego also points out that Spencer was financing his tour via a KickStarter campaign and there is no word as to how refunds, if available, will be handled. 

Meanwhile, his official website hasn’t been updated in at least two weeks and is still promoting the tour.