Big Country legend Tony Butler has told how his return to live performing has been scuppered by a concrete slab.
Butler, who spent over 30 years with the Fife rockers before leaving the band in 2012, announced his return to the music scene at the end of last year.
The 61-year-old started a pledge campaign to raise enough money to record a new album, go on tour and publish his autobiography, which promised to finally lift the lid on why he left the band for good.
Butler’s solo album ‘My Time’ has now been recorded but an unlikely injury suffered whilst moving home has ultimately put the brakes on his plan to promote the new material with a UK tour and live appearances.
Butler said: “I had a small accident last year, where the back of my legs scraped on a concrete slab while I was moving house.
“These little scrapes unfortunately turned into full-scale chronic ulcers.
“I suffered with a similar ulcer on my right leg two years ago.
“I know through experience that my present condition will not fully recover for a least a year.
“This has prompted me to reconsider the situation with my album ‘My Time’.
“After discussions with (manager) Ian Grant, we have decided to promote the album in every possible way with the exception of live appearances and general touring.
“I have arrived at this decision very reluctantly, but I have to be realistic.”
Butler said it was “with a heavy heart” that he had come to the decision to put the album out without effectively being able to promote it with live appearances.
“I am still ambitious to get ‘My Time’ out to the widest possible audience in the meantime, and hopefully sometime in the future, be in a position get out on the road,” he said.
Butler, drummer Mark Brzezicki, singer/guitarist Stuart Adamson and guitarist Bruce Watson enjoyed hit singles like Fields of Fire, Chance, Wonderland and Look Away, which made them one of the biggest rock acts of the 1980s.
They supported the Rolling Stones and Queen and recorded eight studio albums before singer Stuart Adamson took his own life whilst battling alcoholism in 2001.
The band reformed in 2007 to celebrate 25 years and then toured from 2010 with Mike Peters of The Alarm on vocals before Butler left in 2012.
Butler’s departure coincided with the band parting ways with manager Ian Grant.