Per Wiberg leaves Opeth
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Printed Date: February 01 2025 at 12:54
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Topic: Per Wiberg leaves Opeth
Posted By: Harry Hood
Subject: Per Wiberg leaves Opeth
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:30
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"Keyboardist Per Wiberg has been relieved of his duties in Opeth as part of a mutual decision with the band. Keyboard duties on upcoming tours will be handled by a musician who is already rehearsing with the band. Said musician’s identity will be released at a later date.
Vocalist/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt released the following statement about the matter: “Well, it’s been somewhat of a revolving door of members during the last couple of years, and now, Per is no longer a member. Mendez, Axe and Fredrik and I came to the decision that we should find a replacement for Per right after the recordings of the new album, and this came as no surprise to Per. He had, in turn, been thinking about leaving, so you could say it was a mutual decision. There’s no bad blood, just a relationship that came to an end, and that’s that. We wish Per the best, and he did a splendid job recording keyboards for the last record, which stands as his final recording with Opeth.”
Opeth remain hard at work on their next album, which follows up 2008’s critically acclaimedWatershed. The album is due out this Fall on Roadrunner Records." ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Prog Geo
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:34
Another leaving for Opeth. Let's see who will be the next.
------------- Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com |
Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:36
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Just saw this on facebook.... Kind of sucks. -------------  
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Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:37
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"Keyboard duties on upcoming tours will be handled by a musician who is already rehearsing with the band. Said musician’s identity will be released at a later date..." Steven Wilson, maybe?  -------------
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Posted By: Prog Geo
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:45
Maybe you're right. ------------- Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com |
The Monodrone wrote:Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:49
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Unbelievably unlikely that SW would just be a touring keyboardist.
So Per recorded all the keyboards for the upcoming album, they're apparently happy with his musical contributions, but he's gone?
It's been Mikael's gig for awhile. If I'd had to say who would be the hardest member to lose of the main lineup it would have been Lopez, but they've still made killer music. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Harry Hood
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:50
Yeah I'm sure that would go over well with the metal audience. "Who's that skinny girl at the back of the stage?" "Joost Van Der Booek? No she's not cute enough to be Joost" "And she's just sitting there and pouting. No hair tornadoes or anything" -------------
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Posted By: Bonnek
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:52
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No No Nooo !!! That can't be true, how are they gonna make that progressive fusion death metal album now? Per was the only musician in the band that I deemed capable of pulling off a bit of jazz. If someone had to leave, then why couldn't that drummer leave |
Posted By: Evolutionary Sleeper
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 10:59
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This is a shame, Per was a truly great musician.
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Posted By: MrEdifus
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 11:24
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This makes me kinda sad. :(
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Posted By: Nightfly
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 11:28
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A great player for sure and i can understand more from his point of view why he wouldn't want to be in Opeth anymore than from the band not wanting him. After all, any keyboard player in Opeth is going to be underused for much of the time - must have been quite frustrating for him at times.
Of course we never know what's gone on behind closed doors. sounds more like personal conflicts from the rest of the bands point of view to me.
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 13:12
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i saw this coming years ago. Opeth is turning into a one-man band (or has already)
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm 
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Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 13:59
Yeah, I agree. It was probably mostly personal... Also, I kind of disagree with you that keyboards weren't used much in Opeth (which is what I believe you said); seemed like they were used quite a bit, IMO. Mikael seems like a bit of an ass, but I honestly could care less. My comment about SW being their new keyboardist was obviously a joke.
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Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 14:04
Always has been to be honest, which is why a revolving door on members is hardly a surprise. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
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Posted By: Rune2000
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 14:10
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Another step in Mikael Åkerfeldts genius masterplan of getting rid of everyone in his way of complete dominance.
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Posted By: PabstRibbon
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:23
| Too bad for Per, he is a great keyboard player but I'm still confident that Mikael will do amazing music. |
Posted By: The Monodrone
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:29
Doubtless. -------------
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Posted By: darkshade
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:31
I know. Its been Mikael's thing for a long time, but for a while it was the classic lineup of Lindgren, Lopez, Mendez, with Wiberg added later. Once that lineup started falling apart, I knew it would just be "The Mikael Akerfeldt Show" ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/MysticBoogy" rel="nofollow - My Last.fm
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Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:37
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Maybe Per will join Anekdoten,he did a great job on that new track they did on the "Chapters" compilation. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:42
Mikael. He will go solo and the band will continue without him.
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Posted By: Any Colour You Like
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 15:51
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Per was pretty much my idol, all that hair, headbanging to keyboard riffs. This saddens me, but, the show must go on! (Unless you are the Rolling Stones... then stop). |
Posted By: The Neck Romancer
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 16:05
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At least he recorded his parts before leaving. ------------- 
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Posted By: Prog Geo
Date Posted: April 06 2011 at 16:06
Maybe. ------------- Sonorous Meal show every Sunday at 20:00 (greek time) on http://www.justincaseradio.com |
Posted By: paamlogs
Date Posted: April 07 2011 at 16:45
| Sad news. I'm hoping the new keyboardist can sing harmonies live, Per had a good voice with good control. Opeth NEED their harmonies live. |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: April 07 2011 at 17:08
Why not, he played on Vemod as well. ------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
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Posted By: Proletariat
Date Posted: April 07 2011 at 17:19
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Hmm... Usually I hate new line ups, I didn't think Watershed lived up to their previous material but who knows, my favorite Yes album is Relayer ------------- who hiccuped endlessly trying to giggle but wound up with a sob |
Posted By: Pekka
Date Posted: April 09 2011 at 05:54
Fredrik sings backing vocals live as well, so there's still going to be harmonies. But this is very meh. I loved Wiberg's contributions especially on Watershed. But perhaps something good will eventually come out of this. ------------- http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=42652" rel="nofollow - It's on PA! 
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Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: April 09 2011 at 06:06
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Per's work on Watershed was awesome. Sad to see him go.
Edit: fixed derp spelling error. ------------- 
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Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: April 11 2011 at 00:21
 ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: QuestionableScum
Date Posted: April 14 2011 at 22:46
| While I am a touch sad to see Per go, I am not at all surprised that he left, given the fact that the band is Akerfeldt's project in reality. |
Posted By: Westsiyeed
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 21:46
+1. His solo on "Burden" was awesome.
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Posted By: WalterDigsTunes
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 21:55
| Excellent news. Hopefully the rest of these farcical jokers will give up the charade and leave music to the pre-89 pros. |
Posted By: russellk
Date Posted: April 17 2011 at 22:18
| Great to have you back, Walter. I love you. |
Posted By: Kashmir75
Date Posted: June 10 2011 at 19:34
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Opeth has become a revolving door soap opera of late. I loved their work on Watershed, and I am sad to see Per leave, but at the same time, I am excited to see what they do next. It has been a Mikael Akerfeldt Experience (feat. guests) for a while now, though, so I am not entirely surprised at this latest personnel change. ------------- Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while... |