The Vaccines' Freddie Cowan has left the band for "foreseeable future"

The Vaccines have announced that founding member and guitarist, Freddie Cowan, has left the band.

In a statement, Cowan expressed his love for the band and his appreciation for their journey together, saying “I never thought it was possible to stand on the Reading main stage or have a number one album. It was a wild and fulfilling ride and my life was richer and forever different for having been part of a truly great band.”

The band also expressed their love and admiration for Cowan, with frontman Justin Hayward-Young saying: “We’re sending [Freddie] all the love, luck and happiness in the world. We’ll miss him!”

The Vaccines have just finished recording their sixth album, and Cowan has expressed his hope that they will “continue to new heights for years and years to come”.

Meanwhile, Cowan has just released his debut album, ‘Answer Machine’, as part of Freddie Cowan and the Scenarios. The album is currently only available in digital format on Bandcamp and a full streaming release will follow next week (March 22nd), followed by a vinyl release.