Label Says the Band Is Resting After 162 Shows
Mayday's record company, B'in Music, has denied claims that guitarist Stone is considering leaving the Taiwanese band because of recurring spinal problems and the strain of living apart from his wife and two sons in Britain. The denial comes after the band's 25th anniversary tour ended on July 13 at the Taipei Dome, following 162 performances over three years.
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Stone, whose real name is Shih Chin-hang, reportedly discussed thoughts of leaving with friends. The claims linked those private conversations to severe back pain and the difficulty of spending time with his family while meeting the band's concert commitments.
B'in Music rejected the departure claim and described the band's current situation as a break. In its response, the company said:
There is no such thing. Mayday is resting now, and the concert movie will be coming to everyone soon.
The statement puts the company's position alongside a difficult recent history for Stone: medical absences, a return to performing and public comments about how long his body can keep meeting the demands of touring. The immediate development is the label's denial, rather than an announcement of a change in the band's membership.
The film will bring the completed tour to audiences in another form. No exact release date or date for the band's return to live performances was given in the company's response.
A Back Condition That Interrupted Performances
Stone's recurring condition is lumbar spondylolisthesis, meaning a vertebra in the lower spine has slipped out of its usual position relative to the bone beneath it. The condition can cause lower back pain and, when nerves are affected, symptoms in the legs.
In August 2024, Stone experienced severe lower back pain, numbness in his legs and difficulty standing for long periods. He entered urgent treatment on medical advice and missed four concerts in Taiyuan, China. Descriptions of his condition included periods when the pain left him unable to move.
Stone rested for nearly a month before returning to the stage at Super Slippa 13 at Taipei Arena. Speaking about the time he spent recovering, he described several days when he could barely move and apologized for worrying fans.
Another recurrence subsequently kept him out of two Super Slippa 14 performances at Kaohsiung Arena. Those absences show why his health has become a practical concern for the band: on some occasions, treatment and recovery have required concerts to proceed without him.
Mayday vocalist Ashin described the Taiyuan shows as the first major performances since the band's debut at which a member had been absent. He spoke of both the sadness of appearing as four members and his concern for Stone.
The Physical Cost of Stone's Stage Routine
Stone's performances have involved much more than standing with a guitar. His stage routine has included running while carrying the instrument, kneeling to play, and repeatedly bending forward and leaning backward during demanding concerts.
Those movements help explain the physical workload behind a performance that audiences experience as music and spectacle. Carrying an instrument while moving around a stage adds weight to repeated movements of the back. For Stone, that workload has coincided with recurring symptoms serious enough to interrupt touring.
The tour's scale also gives the health concerns a concrete setting. The 162 shows over three years amount to an average of 54 performances a year, although the actual schedule was uneven. That figure counts the concerts themselves, with travel, rehearsals and recovery taking additional time.
Stone has spoken openly about the uncertainty of performing with those physical limits. His comments have focused on wanting to be present for the band while knowing that his health may sometimes require him to step away from the stage.
What Stone and Ashin Said in Beijing
At the 100th performance of the Return to That Day tour, held at Beijing's National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, Ashin addressed Stone's exhaustion. The vocalist told the guitarist that touring had worn him down physically and mentally, while acknowledging his attachment to the other four members.
Stone responded emotionally, describing the responsibility he felt to keep appearing onstage in good health. Speaking to the audience, the guitarist said:
I feel as though my responsibility is so great, as though I have to be healthy on this stage every day. But I actually don't know when my body might be unable to take it. If one day I am absent, I hope everyone will forgive me.
Ashin answered by telling Stone that recovery mattered more than an explanation for missing a performance. The Mayday vocalist said:
If one day you are absent, you don't need any reason, and you don't need any forgiveness. As long as you get well again, we will always wait for you.
The exchange gave fans a direct account of the pressure Stone felt and the support Ashin offered. Some listeners later interpreted the guitarist's emotional remarks as a possible farewell. B'in Music's current response is that Mayday is resting and the departure rumor is false.
Family Life Across Two Countries
Stone's wife, Lu Ting-ying, known as Gougou, and their two sons moved to Britain for the children's education. The couple have been married for 24 years, and their sons were described as 18 and 16 when the departure claims emerged.
Stone's touring commitments have meant long periods apart from his family, with his wife handling much of the children's daily care. The claims about his private conversations described that separation, alongside his back condition, as a reason he had considered leaving.
A particularly personal detail concerned the younger son's school drawing of the family. He reportedly placed his father inside a video call screen rather than beside the other family members. The account described Stone as feeling hurt by how closely the picture reflected their time apart.
Lu has continued sharing ordinary activities on social media, including belly dance practice and selfies. Her posts were not presented as a public statement about Stone's future with Mayday. The public response to the departure claim has come from the band's record company.
A Timeline of Absences and Reassurances
Stone's health concerns and comments about continuing to perform developed across several appearances. The main events trace a pattern of treatment, return and renewed physical difficulty:
- August 2024: Severe back pain and leg numbness led Stone to miss four Mayday concerts in Taiyuan while receiving treatment.
- After nearly a month of rest: He returned at Super Slippa 13 at Taipei Arena and spoke about how difficult the injury had been.
- A later recurrence: He missed two Super Slippa 14 performances at Kaohsiung Arena.
- The tour's 100th show in Beijing: Stone spoke about the possibility that his body might eventually be unable to cope, and Ashin promised the band would wait for him to recover.
- July 13: The Return to That Day anniversary tour concluded at the Taipei Dome after 162 shows over three years.
- Following the departure claims: B'in Music denied the rumor and said the band was resting, with a concert film to come.
Stone also addressed his desire to continue during the final show of the 5525 Return to That Day tour. While explaining that the team would take a break, he imagined returning for a future edition bearing the number 5555.
The guitarist made that commitment directly to the audience:
If there is a 5555, I will go onstage even in a wheelchair.
What the Break Means for Fans
Mayday's completed tour and planned film give fans two concrete reference points: the concert series has ended, and a screen version is being prepared. The company's response describes this period as rest for the band.
Stone's own remarks convey both a wish to continue and an awareness that his health can force an absence. At a concert in Taoyuan, he spoke about treating every performance as the last while protecting himself because there were still many tomorrows to live through.
For fans, the practical issue is whether future schedules will allow Stone enough time for recovery and family life. The label has announced no departure, while his previous medical absences explain why his condition remains central to discussion of his next appearances.
Key Points
- B'in Music denies that Stone is leaving Mayday and says the band is currently resting.
- The guitarist missed four Taiyuan concerts in August 2024 because of severe symptoms from a recurring spinal condition.
- His wife and two sons live in Britain, while touring has kept him away for extended periods.
- Stone has publicly discussed his physical limits and also expressed his determination to continue performing.
- The anniversary tour ended on July 13 after 162 shows over three years. A concert film is planned, with no exact release date given.
