Jesse Lacey Releases a Statement • Page 8

There might be nothing he *can* do and that's his burden to live with after the things he's done. But at the very least, like Kiana said - he needs to stay gone.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: a key component to "making it right" is accepting that nobody owes you absolution.

 

Also I've never seen anybody confess/make a statement about criminal activity before there's reports or allegations about it.

Seeking help when he knew there was something wrong with him, be that addiction or predilection for young people is the right thing to do, and that has to be incredibly hard for someone to admit to and try to be better about. I cannot imagine that.

Nobody but him and his victims know the details, and I don't think any of us actually will know the extent of all of this. Not that we deserve to or anything. I hope that he can make amends and try to apologize directly to the people he's harmed. That's the most important thing moving forward.

I don't know how I feel about their music. I've been depressed most of this year and feel like their music especially this new album has helped me at times be more positive and look inside myself for things. This news ihas really brought me down.

 

I’m still juggling a lot of thoughts, but the main one is that regardless of what’s in the statement, him doing what Nicole and others he hurt is more important than how I as a fan feel, and primary to that is what you’ve said here. He should be trying to do what he can to ~make it right~ and the people close to him should hold him to that, but it’s extremely possible there’s nothing he can do to make it right, and accepting that is key

Hopefully Kevin pulling out of the shows means that the people close to him will hold him accountable

 

You do you.

I'm just saying how I feel about it.
Somebody brought up spaceys statement which I feel was completely dishonest and bullshit.

 

Yes it was a bullshit statement. Why compare the two? One was most definitely worse than the other, but Jesse's was more a sob story than "Hey, sorry that I preyed on 15 year olds." He kept referring to his victims as women, which they were not. They were teenage girls. Is what it is.

 

He says the word women once and it's in a general way, he refers to his victims as people.

I understand that he's not facing the allegations head on but I don't expect him to. He doesn't owe me personally anything. He owes his victims apologies if they are in a place to accept one.

 

Speaking generally, I think one of the creepiest parts for me is seeing all the men justify aspects of his statement. It seems clear that a lot of men are seeing themselves in Jesse's statement. Which makes things feel even less safe. I think seeing Brand New live was one of the least safe experiences I've ever felt at a concert, and that was when the hero worship was way less than it got to be recently. Idk. Men just freak me out sometimes. At least when women justify things I kinda understand the internalized misogyny. But I don't understand men at all.

 

https://i.imgur.com/7uBoVUm.png
Perfect example of why his statement means nothing

 

This. I am actually disturbed how easily people are brushing off what he did based on a bullshit and self-serving PR apology.

 

My SO and I are huge BN fans. Probably one of the bands we listen to the most when we’re together. Didn’t even have to talk about it - we both decided to stop listening to the band immediately when we heard the news (even more now after reading that statement).

I was going to continue lurking, but decided that I had to show support, even if it’s only by posting.

 

Tbh my original post called it an apology and then I was like nawww not even gonna give it that much. That's how not good it is, yet people are still managing to set the bar so low they think it is sufficient

 

Would be shocked if the UK shows still happen. Band is done.

 

the sense of inevitability with these sorts of things scares me, like how many men seem to barely be able to control themselves only because it's socially unacceptable

 

Looking back at some Brand New lyrics now in light of what we now know Jesse has done... it’s hard to imagine being able to listen to those songs for enjoyment ever again.

Of course losing some of your favorite music is nothing compared to the hell he’s put people through. Hopefully any and all of his victims come forward if they’d like and find a way to heal regardless of how it happens.

 

It's awful. I truly don't understand having a platform and using it to abuse and hurt the world and make it less safe for others. It makes me angry seeing so many (former) fans talking about what this band meant to them and how their music helped heal them from the sexual abuse they suffered, only to find out that the singer is a predator themselves. And the survivor who has to live with this, and his family who suffers. We all have our demons but once someone uses theirs as a reason for why they harmed a child it is just inexcusable. It's like men are dangerous enough on their own and then u give them power and so many can't help themselves

 

Whenever some of you feel bad about being disappointed of not feel comfortable about this band and how this sucks, remember this:

This above is the recollection of someone that seems to be friends with the latest victim to came forward. It's validated by the fact that the victim liked this post.


And remember that this is the kind of filth that is standing with Lacey and Brand New now:

This is all coming from the thread started by the new victim that came forward, by the way.

It's not hard. Regardless how much the band or their songs mattered to you or any of us, tell me that you can listen to Jesus Christ ever again and not remember the start of that woman's letter I've posted some pages back. The victims aren't to blame. You should not blame yourself either. But you should reflect and own it up what even means to say that this band and their music matters so much to you that you feel so conflicted about. There's nothing to be conflicted about. If anything, these women that step forward are real life heroes for surviving and blowing up the narrative to the ground. It took a long time, they've suffered enough. As far as I'm concerned, Lacey doesn't get to win. They do. The women that step forward despite all the hell that they went through, they are the heroes. And no, fuck the "Brand New is bigger than Jesse Lacey" thing. Keep your memories. Keep what it meant to you. Bury everything else to the gound.

If music mends broken hearts, the truth has set us free. Goodbye, AP.net.

 

Yea, like "If they don't put me away, it'll be a miracle."

Yikes.

 

It's scary that this band was gonna go out on positive terms. They created this mystique and reverence around themselves and that was going to be their legacy. I can't imagine how painful that is for survivors to deal with, knowing that their abusers would go down as legends in the scene that are held up by everyone. I can't imagine how scary it would be to speak up despite all of that.

 

I don't really know the right word to use because it certainly isn't happy or glad or anything truly positive, but the fact that it came out now and not after a triumphant farewell tour that we all went to and cherished and spent money on and had them ride off into the sunset is really important.

 

Been thinking about this all night, been catching up on all the statements and updates, been going through old song lyrics in my head. I wish that everyone’s surprise (and my own) was justified, but I also wish I’d seen it coming. Mostly, of course, I wish I didn’t have to.

I understand why the victim was so hesitant to bring any of it up. I know how voracious and oftentimes insane the BN cult fandom is. I’m so sorry that her already incredibly traumatic experience was compounded by that fear. I wish his apology spoke to her and spoke to that too. It's not like Jesse or BN is in the dark about their fan base; they consistently use that hysteria for hype and profit.

I’ve had trouble reconciling my appreciation for the band’s music in light of what’s been discovered. It carried me through so much; it was so personally impactful. But straylightrunner said it best. “Keep your memories. Keep what it meant to you. Burn everything else to the ground.”

 

I'm just catching up on all of this this morning. I don't think I can say anything that hasn't been said, other than that I support those of you who have been the most thoughtful and vocal.

If they end up breaking up over this, it'll be rather fitting that Brand New won't reach the age of 18.

 

I'm having a hard time deciding if I can ever listen to them again.

 

Seeing everyone else grapple with something that has without a doubt become a large part of who we are is in some way comforting. The morning has been rough.

I'm sure for most of us this is the first time a moral bombshell has gone off so deeply entrenched with something we've had such admiration for. I'm feeling it today too yall.

Stay positive. Believe women.

 

Yeah just read that. I figured he would drop off as most of his songs are political and he tries to stand a moral ground. Though I'm upset I won't see him in London (if the concert still happens), I respect him and I'm glad he dropped out.