Happy Mondays - Bez Won't Be Part Of Happy Mondays Reunion Tour

The fun-loving star, who became a cult icon in the U.K.'s 'Madchester' scene of the early 1990s, has ruled himself out of the 2012 get together, which begins in May (12).

Breaking the news on the red carpet at Wednesday night's (29Feb12) NME Awards in London, Bez, real name Mark Berry, says, "I won't be on the stage because my performing days are over. Basically I'm too old. I'm incapable of doing the job, I'm carrying too many injuries. All good things come to an end."

The Step On hitmakers disbanded 19 years ago as frontman Shaun Ryder's drug addiction spiralled out of control, and when they reunited in 1999, original guitarist Mark Day and keyboardist Paul Davis refused to join the comeback.

The upcoming tour will feature the original members of the band, minus Bez.