Last April, The Samples founder Sean Kelly announced that the group would cease to exist. The band, which formed in Colorado twenty-two years ago, released well over a dozen albums and appeared on multiple HORDE tours. While the band’s 1997s disc Transmissions from the Sea of Tranquility was their last album to feature core members Jeep MacNichol and Al Laughlin, Kelley continued to assemble new versions of the group. However, just over a year ago, in a message posted on his MySpace page, Kelly explained, ‘The long and winding road for The Samples has ended. Outside of possibly playing a few rumored dates with the original line up next fall, The Samples will be no longer. I have also canceled any and all upcoming Samples dates. I sincerely apologize for the recent cancellations, I have only canceled two shows in 22 years and I always do my best to prevent this anyway possible. From all the beautiful landscapes across America, to the bus engine roaring under my bed. Its been a long and beautiful ride with endless and difficult ups and downs that I would not trade for anything. I put my heart and soul into every show, and on every record. I hope that it translated. I feel a bit like Forest Gump when he stopped running, turned around and said I think I am going to go home now. I have been such a driving force in The Samples that I never stopped to notice how I have neglected many aspects of myself and many of the other things that used to really make me happy.’

Now, after taking some time away from the group, Kelly has opted to reform The Samples. The current incarnation also includes Jared Johnson on bass, Karl Dietel on keys and Billy Mulcher on drums. This version of the Samples will return to Boulder, Colorado one of its most historically supportive markets, for a gig at the Boulder Theater on July 5.