Paul Simon has tried to practice with his band to return to touring

Paul Simon has said that he has tried to practice with his live band with the hope of returning to touring.

The legendary announced his retirement from touring in 2018, playing his final ever concert in Queens, just minutes from where he grew up.

During the final gig, Simon hinted that he would be “open” to playing “one-off” performances in the future, and appeared at Newport Folk Festival last summer in a surprise return to the stage.

Now, he’s spoken to Mojo about his retirement, and how he has tried to work past the hearing loss that has stopped him from returning to touring.

Discussing new music, Simon said: “I have three songs in motion. One of them is finished. It feels like a half-step beyond what ‘Seven Psalms’ is, evolving into something else.

“And that’s literally a lifesaver because I haven’t figured out how to perform with the hearing loss,” he added. “I’ve tried to rehearse with the guys in my touring band, to see if I could manage it. I can’t so far. This is at least an outlet for thinking musically.”

Speaking about his farewell tour, Simon said: “I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to reach the point where I’d consider bringing my performing career to a natural end. Now I know: it feels a little unsettling, a touch exhilarating and something of a relief.”

He added: “I love making music, my voice is still strong, and my band is a tight, extraordinary group of gifted musicians. I think about music constantly. I am very grateful for a fulfilling career and, of course, most of all to the audiences who heard something in their music that touched their hearts.”