Simple Plan bassist skips European tour as he battles depression

Simple Plan bassist David Desrosiers says he’s taking a temporary leave from the pop-punk band as he fights depression. (Photo: Simple Plan/Facebook)

TORONTO—Simple Plan bassist David Desrosiers says he’s taking a temporary leave from the pop-punk band as he fights depression.

The musician posted a message to fans on his Instagram account saying he’s decided to bow out from the European leg of the band’s tour.

Desrosiers says he’s long struggled with depression, which has forced him to step aside from the Montreal-based act in the past.

But he’s mostly kept it private, choosing to focus on mental health through a foundation that Simple Plan started in 2005.

Members of the band issued their own note on Facebook supporting Desrosiers’s decision to put his health first.

The European tour starts on Sunday in Berlin.