Michael Monroe recently discussed the challenges of touring the United States. He explained the financial and logistical difficulties that have kept him from performing there regularly, in an interview with The Logan Show.
The Finnish rock musician addressed why there has been such a long gap between his American shows. He cited financial constraints and the scattered locations of his band members.
“It was not by choice… Well, COVID period, that didn’t help either. Financially, I mean, we played there… We did a couple of months touring, but playing clubs in America, I just came to the conclusion that at the level that we were doing it, you’re just pissing away money. And it’s not worth it,” Monroe said. “You’re just losing money unless you get some kind of grant or somebody sponsoring something, because it is such a big country that you have to really — if you wanna break it, make it there… Well, it’s a big area.”
Monroe also noted how the American music landscape has changed over the years.
“Nowadays, actually, what I noticed when we played there last time, it’s different. It’s not the same anymore as it used to be. It used to feel like, yeah, you had to play for two years opening up somebody big in stadiums and stuff, and then you get noticed. But things are different. Maybe that’s one good thing about the Internet. So, you reach more people maybe through that too. But it was not by choice. It’s just the way it turned out,” he continued.
The musician explained additional logistical challenges with his international band lineup.
“And also my band lives all around the world. Steve Conte lives in New York City, the guitar player. Rich Jones lives in Toronto. [Bassist] Sami Yaffa, he lives sometimes in Helsinki, sometimes in Mallorca in Spain. [Drummer] Karl Rockfist lives in Spain, but far away from Sami. And they’re all all over the world. So getting this band together, all the members in one place, is always a bit of a challenge. So that’s been part of it too. And just the cost of going to the States and touring, it’s not very cost effective. If I had a lot of extra money, that would’ve been different, but it’s a challenge ’cause of expenses and all, how to make it work,” Monroe explained.
Despite these challenges, Monroe expressed optimism about future touring prospects.
“However, I haven’t had a decent manager in my solo career since I started my solo career, except till a couple of years ago, Gav McCaughey, my current manager, Gav, he is the best thing that happened to me for a long time. And I have faith that things are gonna — they’re already being turned around, and gradually they are getting better and better all the time in terms of touring and stuff. So things are starting to — hopefully everything is gonna keep going the right way, which it is now,” he concluded.
Monroe’s current touring challenges echo a pattern that has affected his American presence for decades. This pattern is rooted in both personal tragedy and industry dynamics that have shaped his career trajectory.
The Finnish rocker’s complicated relationship with the U.S. market dates back to his days with Hanoi Rocks. The band was poised for American breakthrough at that time. Wikipedia documented that Hanoi Rocks’ career ended abruptly in 1985 after drummer Razzle Nicholas’ death in a car accident involving Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil. This tragedy derailed the band’s U.S. momentum just as they were gaining traction in the American market.
Monroe’s current bassist Sami Yaffa represents a direct link to those early days. Triple G Events reported that Yaffa co-founded Hanoi Rocks with Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy in the late 1970s. The band’s original vision was conceived by Monroe and McCoy. McCoy was initially occupied with the Finnish punk band at the time.
The tragedy that befell Hanoi Rocks had lasting implications for Monroe’s American career prospects. Joel Gausten noted that the band was on its way to an American breakthrough when the fatal accident occurred. This left Monroe to rebuild his career from scratch in subsequent decades.
Monroe’s current optimism about his management situation with Gav McCaughey represents a significant shift after years of navigating the industry independently. This suggests that his American touring prospects may finally be turning around after decades of setbacks and financial constraints.
