John Mellencamp Says He Didn't Want to Be a 'Cheerleader' for Drunk Fans
John Mellencamp Sure, I Play Rock N' Roll, But I Don't Want To Perform For Drunk Fans!
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John Mellencamp's had a wild life on the road ... but he's not crazy about overexcited fans at his shows these days -- especially when they're liquored up.
On Wednesday's episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," the singer-songwriter talked touring, and he explained why he decided to move away from arena shows and started playing smaller venues -- the fans just got too wild!
Mellencamp recalled playing to audiences of more than 20,000 where "everybody was drunk and I was just kind of the cheerleader" ... sure, it might be fun for folks on the floor, but the experience apparently took a toll on the singer.
He then said he was tired of "being a f****** clown" and wanted to get back to being a real musician ... so he started playing theaters, which he says left his fanbase "pissed."
Still, enough of his fans stuck around for him to continue his career -- because he's gonna head out on the road this summer on another cross-country tour.
Mellencamp's scheduled to hit the road in July with a kickoff show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and he'll stay on tour for just over a month, before ending in Mountain View, California.
