After being a part of The Hold Steady for five years, the band’s keyboardist Franz Nicolay has left the band. In a statement on his official website, Nicolay announced that he is officially no longer a member of the Hold Steady:

You should know: I’ve left The Hold Steady. I told the band I’d be leaving in early September, played my last show with them in Minneapolis around Thanksgiving, and dotted the t’s and crossed the i’s this week. Five years seemed like a nice round number. Thanks to everyone who was a part of the experience, especially the Unified Scene, who are nice folks. I’ll see you all soon in any case.

In the meantime: My story collection Complicated Gardening Techniques is out next month, “Guignol & Mischief Brew Fighty Dirty” is out now, as is my EP St. Sebastian of the Short Stage; and I’m producing a record from Brooklyn’s The Debutante Hour. EDIT: And a Valentine’s Day 7″ release of the Comedian Harmonists-inspired acapella project “World/Inferno Presents: Vox Inferne.” See below for more.

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