New Mike interview...

[guitarfool2002]

The usual plan no matter who the artist might be is to tour on the strength of a new release, which also promotes the new release and is almost standard practice in 2014. Which would explain a tour behind a new BW album coinciding with the release of that new album. And as mentioned here several weeks ago, the earlier shows booked seemingly non-related could be considered one-offs or even warmups to get the band in shape and get back on stage prior to the official tour. I saw Brian do a live show when everyone was talking Smile and coming just before that Smile release and tour, and he and the band didn't do anything connected to Smile, yet it was a decent show. The 50th tour could have happened as an independent thing too, but even that was connected to promoting a new album.