Peter Cetera Explains His Reasons for Refusing to Perform With Chicago at the Rock Hall
Here's a little advice for anyone entering into negotiations with former Chicago frontman Peter Cetera: It's probably a bad idea to suggest that he take a "chill pill."
That's our takeaway from a note Cetera recently posted at his official site, in which he told a little more of his side of the story regarding his on-again, off-again (and ultimately permanently off) plans to reunite with Chicago at the group's upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. As Cetera sees it, his many efforts to come up with a workable solution for the show fell on deaf ears — and were disrespectfully dismissed by his former bandmates.
"Every idea or suggestion I offered about how it could work musically was either rejected or changed by the show's producers," wrote Cetera. "Together with the fact that while I sent those same emails to the group, the only reply I ever received back from them was a very snarky 'Take a chill pill, dude!' Whoa! Really?"
Cetera, who left the band after 1984's bestselling Chicago 17 and went on to score a handful of solo hits, has gotten comfortable calling the shots in his career, and despite 30 years apart, he and the remaining founding members in the band evidently still rub one another the wrong way. "At this point in my life," he continued, "I don’t care to reintroduce the same negativity, misplaced egos and petty jealousies I left behind years ago."
Recommending that fans come out to see him with his current solo band if they want to watch him perform, Cetera offered a measure of understanding for anyone who hoped to see a Rock Hall reunion. "Many of you will be disappointed and that’s understandable. Quite frankly, I’m disappointed as well," he admitted. "There comes a time when you need to make a decision based on what’s best for you without worrying about the consequences, and this is that time."
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