‘Hard call’: Legendary NZ rock band SHIHAD announce split

A rock band which released 10 albums to great success here in Australia are calling it a day, citing “members’ inability” to commit to the band.

Legendary New Zealand hard rock band SHIHAD, which released 10 albums across a 36-year career to great success here in Australia, have today announced they’re splitting up.

The Wellington rockers, led by frontman Jon Toogood along with Karl Kippenberger, Phil Knight and Tom Larkin, will go on one final tour before going their separate ways.

A press release announcing their split explained that “with gaps between albums increasing, growing commitments outside the band, and band members’ inability to give SHIHAD the time, focus and dedication it needed and deserved, they made the hard call to end the band. While opinions within differ, they are united in agreement that half-assing SHIHAD was never an option.”

Five of Shihad’s 10 albums have hit the top 20 here in Australia, with their commercial peak, 2002’s Pacifier, reaching number 8 in our charts. It came at a time when the band had briefly changed their name to Pacifier, in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on America, because their original name sounded too similar to “Jihad.” They returned to their original name in 2004.

SHIHAD circa 2021, L:-R: Phil Knight (guitar), Tom Larkin (drums), Jon Toogood (vocals/guitar) and Karl Kippenberger (bass). Picture: Kane Hibberd

The rockers in 2022, when they were briefly known as Pacifier.

Here in Australia, SHIHAD have toured extensively and have been ARIA Awards favourites, nominated four times for the Best Rock and Best Hard Rock album awards. In 2010 they were inducted into the Aotearoa’s Music Hall of Fame in New Zealand.

The band will head out on what’s billed as “The Final Tour” in February and March next year.

“We’ve had as much fun as we’ve had moments of disappointment and of anger,” Kippenberger said. “But we’ve also had some real special moments.”

Knight said that “personal relationships and professional work don’t always survive forever. But we’ve lived it all. We really have. We’ve lived the life that so many musicians would give their right arm for.”

SHIHAD singer Toogood last month released his first album as a solo artist, titled Last of the Lonely Gods.

The band had hinted at an imminent split on social media several weeks ago, with an Instagram post teasing an announcement on today’s date alongside “SHIHAD 1988 – 2025.”

“Getting a bad “We’re splitting up” vibe from that 1988-2025 bit,” one fan noted.

“This is stressing me!!! Please don’t split up,” another begged.

“Please don’t let it be,” said another.

SHIHAD: The Final Tour dates

Thursday 13 Feb The Gov Adelaide SA

Friday 14 Feb The Metro Theatre Sydney NSW

Friday 21 Feb Astor Theatre Perth WA

Friday 28 Feb The Tivoli Brisbane QLD

Friday 7 Mar Forum Melbourne VIC

Originally published as ‘Hard call’: Legendary NZ rock band SHIHAD announce split