Ivan Moody Returns To FFDP
Five Finger Death Punch‘s next era with frontman Ivan Moody began on Saturday (August 19) at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, with the frontman returning to the fold after he sat out a chunk of the group’s European tour to deal with substance abuse issues.
The group played a selection of favorites during the show — including “Lift Me Up,” “Got Your Six,” “Wash It All Away,” “Wrong Side Of Heaven,” “The Bleeding,” “Over And Under It” and more — and afterwards posted a Facebook photo of Moody with the caption “I told ya…Ain’t my last dance!”
All That Remains’ Phil Labonte, who subbed for Moody at some FFDP shows last year, tells us he’s hoping the singer has clean-up for good this time:
“I’m hoping that Ivan can go ahead and pull his stuff together. It’s hard. I’ve been there. You’ve got to want to quit, and I’m pulling for Ivan to get there. I’ve known him for 13, 15 years; I don’t want to see bad stuff happen to him, but it’s one of those things that no one can do it for him. I know the Five Finger guys are totally in his corner and doing everything they can to help him get well. He’s definitely got the support if he wants to really hammer down and do it.”
FFDP is also still mired in a lawsuit with its label, Prospect Park, over the release of its new studio album, which it turned in earlier this year. The group has signed a new deal with Rise Records that’s due to take effect after the legal battle is settled.
Gary Graff is an award-winning music journalist who not only covers music but has written books on Bob Seger, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen.
