Hate to be negative but this just seems like a political move. JT is probably happy to leave now since he's got all the money he's gonna get from this project by now (since they consider the US market the major one, I wouldn't say that but...) and by getting in new folk, it makes it look like they care about the fans.
I hope by the end of 2004 I can say I'm wrong about this and they will prove they care by doing something and not this "how it looks" stuff on it's own which to me doesn't prove a thing really. JMHO though.
John