Adrian Vandenberg has recently embarked on his first extensive US tour since 1986; this time with Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche. Speaking to The Metal Voice, Vandenberg mentioned having to pause his work with MoonKings for the series of shows, pointing to bandmate Jan Hoving’s farming business as the main reason.
Talking about Hoving, who was among the audience at a Whitesnake concert during the ‘Slip Of The Tongue’ tour, the guitarist shared:
“He has become a great friend. We did great stuff with MoonKings, but we couldn’t get out of the country because Jan, the singer, has two huge farming companies, and he’s used to keeping an eye on them.”
The Details Of The Hiatus Decision
MoonKings was formed in 2013, with their last album ‘Rugged And Unplugged’ coming out in 2018. Vandenberg detailed his and the vocalist’s conflict on touring by saying:
“He couldn’t leave the country, and I really missed international touring, especially the United States, Japan, the rest of Europe, you know. So, that’s actually why I put the MoonKings in the fridge, so to speak.”
Still, he hasn’t ruled out a future for MoonKings:
“You never know. Maybe I’ll pick it up at some point, and when Jan sold his farm or something. We’ll see.”
After putting MoonKings on hold, Vandenberg has been focusing on his music under the Vandenberg name, bringing in new musicians to work with.
The Dutch Guitarist’s Touring Plans
His new band’s latest album, ‘Sin,’ came out in 2023, kicking off a tour in early 2024. The tour started with a show in Clearwater on February 26, featuring Vandenberg and Tate as co-headliners for the March shows.
Announcing the tour, the Dutch guitarist shared his excitement through a public statement:
“Finally following up on the historic quote ‘Go West, Young Man!’ ‘Young men’ in this case, because I’m bringing my über-talented kick-ass band with me to the U.S. of course. And it’s about freakin’ time, guys. My first American tour since the Whitesnake 1990 tour, this is seriously exciting!”
He also gave a sneak peek into what fans could expect:
“Some classic Vandenberg songs and an XXXL order of songs from my Whitesnake years will get torpedoed upon our American friends with a bang. Can’t wait to see y’all! Big rock coming your way!”
Watch Adrian Vandenberg’s new interview below.
