"I think we can safely say we won't do this again. It would be unseemly," the APRA Silver Scroll award winner told the Queenstown Times from his home in Auckland last week.
"We seem to go in round numbers, so it's 20 years [in 2012] since we started the band and 10 years [next year] since we played last. If you look at doing it 20 years down the track, that sounds more like a rest-home tour really."
The Mutton Birds released two platinum selling albums, scooped music awards and became one of the biggest live acts in the country, before they took on London in 1995.
A year later, the album Nature, a British compilation of the first two albums, garnered praise. Their third album, Envy Of Angels, was released in 1996 under the guidance of Hugh Jones (The Bluetones, Dodgy, Echo and the Bunnymen).
The democratic band toured throughout Europe and Canada and released fourth album Rain, Steam & Speed in 1999, but the line-up kept changing as band members returned to New Zealand.
McGlashan also decided to return home with his family in early 1999. All members carried on in music.
McGlashan said they ended on good terms and were still good friends. While he did not rule out the possibility they would record together in the future, a tour after the national winery tour was not going to happen.
"We were always quite an anti-nostalgic band. Other bands would float past doing multiple last-ever tours and we would always say 'that's not us, we're above that sort of thing'.
"Then the organisers of this winery tour asked us nearly two years ago, so we took a long time to make our minds up.
"We agreed among ourselves eventually that if the conditions were going to be really good we were going to do it. If we were looked after well enough so we could concentrate on the music and do really good shows in really good venues, then we would be happy to do it."
Asked if he missed playing in the group, McGlashan said while he enjoyed the freedom of solo performing, he always found a full-time band a "fantastic spur" for him to write songs.
"The 10 years we had the band going I wrote a lot and I've got journals filled with sketches for songs I never finished and if I get stuck now I can always go back to that time."
The band consisted of a "set of strong personalities" who "crossed out all the things we can't agree on and left us with a narrow focus of what we do agree on and it's valuable to have that kind of focus".
Bass player and singer Alan Gregg will fly from his home in London to join guitarist David Long, of Wellington, drummer Ross Burge, of Titirangi, and McGlashan for rehearsals next month.
They are now discussing song lists and practising individually before meeting, McGlashan said.
"Obviously, we're going to play the most well-known songs - Dominion Road, While You Sleep, Anchor Me, White Valiant, Nature - and it's really gratifying because I talk to people now who are getting excited about the tour and they've all got they're favourite songs, so it's great to feel the songs have gone out there and they have their own life."
McGlashan said he really liked the music by Gin Wigmore and Dave Baxter, of Avalanche City, and enjoyed their company over the past weeks while promoting the tour together.
• Where and when
The sixth annual Classic Hits Winery Tour, featuring Gin Wigmore, the Mutton Birds and Avalanche City, at Olssen's Vineyard, Cromwell, on Tuesday, February 21. Gates open 5pm, first act on stage 6pm and concert ends at 10pm.
Tickets cost $69 plus booking fee from the winery tour website, Ticketmaster and Ticket Direct. One child under the age of 12 will be admitted free when accompanied by one adult ticket holder.
Snag Bus will offer a return service from Queenstown with stops in Frankton, Lake Hayes and Arrowtown Junction for $40.
• Win tickets
The Queenstown Times has teamed up with Classic Hits Winery Tour organisers to offer a free double pass to the show. To be in to win, simply tell us which New Zealand city the Dominion Road the Mutton Birds sing about is in.
The first person to email news@queenstowntimes.co.nz with the correct answer in the subject heading, plus their name, place of residence and daytime telephone number, will win the pair of tickets valued at $138. The winner will be notified and announced in the Queenstown Times.
