Accountability in Music • Page 885

It feels like a reunion is inevitable at this point. With no apology for incidents that happened over 20 years ago and the band having been inactive for 7 years now, I think that ship has sailed.

 

Once the reunion actually happens and it's sad to say but they will be bigger than ever.

 

if they end up coming back in any capacity, i think it would be a pretty cheap move. before the allegations ever came out they made such a big deal about breaking up in 2018, so to do a reunion now (even if it was just a couple gigs) would be a massive eye roll. i feel like i see stuff about a brand new reunion every few months and it hasn’t yet led to anything substantial, so i’ll save my anger for if that actually happens, but i hope it doesn’t.

 

It hurts differently when it's a band whose music you loved. I was all in on Brand New and ready to see them close out their career on their own terms until the allegations broke, a big enough story it prompted the creation of this very thread. What I have seen from Jesse (and notably the utter silence from the other members of the band) tells me that this band is going to reclaim their platform without ever properly or accurately addressing what took place (it was not 'sex addiction', it was grooming and flat-out paedophilia); the blanket apology for his behaviour was never enough for me, and it likely wouldn't have been enough for those he hurt, especially if you factor in the the rabid portion of the fanbase's defence of his disgusting actions. If they stage a proper comeback with nothing said whatsoever—and I'm sorry but even if Lacey has put in the work over the past seven years he is still not owed a platform—then they will have confirmed themselves as the spineless cowards I suspected them to be at the time the news broke.

I remain sceptical unless and until it happens but even if what @Azz said happens I have no need to welcome this band back into my life again.

 

I don't need this band back in my life as well but there's no denying if well only a matter of when this reunion officially happens, it's gonna be massive and they r gonna be bigger than ever but I would rather spend my hard earned money on seeing bands/acts that r not problematic instead of them.

 

While the silence, and sidestepping acknowledgement back in 2017 is/was frustrating, nobody is going to come out publicly and literally admit criminal action(s). My guess is his statement (and most public statements in these type of situations) was read over and over and over by legal teams before being released.

You will likely never get another public statement from JL ever again that alludes to anything other than maybe going through therapy and being faithful to his family or some shit.

 

i unfortunately think you're right. i hate that he framed his actions as sex addiction, but saying anything else (which morally he should've) would've gone over poorly on the legal side of things.

 

In that case, I'll wait to see what happens, but considering how swiftly they fucked off after that blanket statement, I don't expect anything further. Still supporting the victims here; unless evidence emerges that Lacey has put in the work to change, I don't care to hear about BN ever again, and even if that does happen, he and his band of enablers are not owed a platform.

 

I wouldn’t expect them to acknowledge it ever. They stopped giving interviews decades ago and there are far less music outlets to hold them accountable than there were when they went away. They can literally just tour and play shows and never say a word besides “Thank you” to the crowd and they’ll be more popular than they’ve ever been. All anyone can do is not support it.

 

holy shit, the benefit was in honor of Jesse's son who died recently??? Everything else aside, that is unbelievably horrible, I can not imagine

 

Yeah, they're a band that became famously reclusive and cryptic anyway. They'll just continue to stay quiet about it and people will just assume they're doing what they've always done. 7 years later, enough fans have forgotten to guarantee they'd sell out whatever venue they book.

 

Since there’s weird conflicting reports about it online for some reason, it was his teenage stepson that passed. Not that it takes away from anything, I’m just explaining for anyone else that didn’t know. They didn’t reveal it publicly until a year after I believe. I just remember a lot of articles saying it was his young child that passed, which was weird considering their young daughter’s name is not even close to her brother’s.

 

Ahh got it, still terrible but good context

 

There's a weird irony in people finding out about this in part because All Time Low's sound guy posted a photo on IG.

 

Of course they would sell out whatever venue they’d book. I’m not framing this as a good or bad thing, but most people don’t know that something happened or they don’t actually care either way. People have their own woes and worries and if Brand New comes to town you bet your ass they’ll be there front row singing “Play Crack the Sky” at the top of their lungs to forget their problems for a night. I mean, look who a majority of US citizens just elected as a president. For a second time. And that guy is a convicted rapist.

A bubble of a 100 or 200 or 500 people who won’t support the band because of something seven years ago is a drop in the ocean. Either way, you do what you think is right for you personally.

 

Fuck Brand New.

 

Kinda sick to be in an exclusive club of the 100-500 people on Earth who stopped listening to and supporting Brand New.

 

Number seems low

 

hard, but really victims ought to have a say. landscape has also changed quite a bit from 2018. sounds like they got to quit when they were going to anyway and they're gonna come back cause they want to, such is the nature of power unfortunately.

 

Raises hand. Cut cold turkey. Sold my records. Bye.

 

Same. Took a BATH on the vinyl lol

 

If anyone has not seen it, one of the victims posted an update on Reddit

 

And she's being attacked for it now too.

 

Woman sues after singer's stage dive causes injuries at Buffalo concert | wgrz.com

Not sure if this is the right thread? But an update on the girl who suffered a spinal injury after the singer from Trophy Eyes stage dived on her.

Bird is such a good person, knowing her through some people it was really scary to see what happened. Thankfully she’s gotten most of her movement back in her arms/legs but will never fully recover.

Also, looks like the venue and the promoter might end up going under after this. Sucks because it’s one of the last punk/hardcore venues in the city and the promoter is Western NYs largest independent promoter, they probably book 70% of the shows here.