Could Lynyrd Skynyrd be the next Kiss? Johnny Van Zant has clarified.
In a new interview with AL, the Lynyrd Skynyrd rocker shared his thoughts about the Kiss avatar shows. When asked about his take on the upcoming Kiss avatar shows, he said the avatars fit Kiss and revealed if Lynyrd Skynyrd would copy them:
“I don’t know, dude. That’s pretty wild to me. I think it fits them because of their characters and I think it’s a great idea for them. You know, whether it would be for Skynyrd, I have no clue. I think people still want to see the live in-person person.”
He was also asked if the band has any plans of stepping away from the stage. Van Zant replied:
“Skynyrd made great records, but seeing a Skynyrd a show is what it’s all about. Hell, they went and blew The Who off the stage and gave The Rolling Stones a hell of a run for their money. There’s something about Skynyrd, even to today, you know. Come see it live. It’s very active and very energized.”
Is Lynyrd Skynyrd Retiring Anytime Soon?
Just like Kiss’ plans Lynyrd Skynyrd’s retirement plans are also a little bit complicated.
Back in 2018, Lynyrd Skynyrd kicked off their ‘Last of the Street Survivors Farewell Tour’ with the intention of it lasting two to three years. However, the pandemic hit and Lynyrd Skynyrd had to change their plans for the rest of the shows. They played two shows in 2020 but made a comeback in 2021.
Later in 2022, Zant confirmed the band’s retirement plans:
“We’re still looking at hanging it up in the next year. We’re going to retire from touring. Musicians never retire; you do fewer shows. You really miss it. You miss your fans. I’ll probably always do something. I could only mow so much grass, take out so much garbage, and catch so many fish. I’ve worked my whole life. It’s just in my nature to get out and do something. I love music and have been blessed, but I can’t think of turning my back on music. As long as I can write a song, I’m continuing to do that.”
The next year, the rocker said in another interview that the band was wrong about retiring and that they missed their fans when COVID hit:
“We sat at home for 15 months and when those months were up, we were obligated to finish off the dates that we had booked. So we said, ‘Okay, well, let’s reform and get back out there and put everybody back to work.’ We got back out there and went, ‘You know what? We really missed this.’ We missed seeing our fans. Gary [Rossington] was a big part of that. He was, like, ‘I don’t want to sit at home. COVID retired me for 15 months and I didn’t like it.’ [Laughs] That’s all he’s ever done. That’s all any of us have ever done. So we said, ‘Okay, maybe we were wrong about that.'”
The same year Van Zant mentioned in an interview with AXS TV that he would love to keep going with the band. He said that Lynyrd Skynyrd won’t retire ‘until the good Lord tells them to stop.’ He also added that he’s not sure what’s ahead, but he trusts it’s all in ‘God’s timing.’
