Lead singer and co-founder of The Growlers, Brooks Nielsen, has issued a new apology following a statement from Starcrawlers'Arrow De Wilde accusing bandmembers of sexual misconduct.
"This week has been a wake up call about our behavior at shows, after shows, in interviews," he writes. "With girlfriends, journalists, friends, fans. Behavior that was insensitive, offensive, or even improper."
"I apologize for my actions, and for any band members, that have hurt, offended or damaged any person or made anyone feel less than 100% safe," he continues. "I take full responsibility and accountability for the behavior of all Growlers' band members, past and present. Most recently including lack of judgement in arranging a male stripper as an end-of-tour prank to dance for the great Arrow De Wilde, who I admire so much as a person, artist and performer. This was a horrible idea that turned out even worse."
"When I look back at the antics of the early Growlers," Nielsen continues, "I am regretful and embarrassed. We were trying to be provocative, unpredictable and chaotic, but in reality we were juvenile, idiotic and cruel. We were blind to the big picture of the powers of the music and the responsibility of the artist to their fans."
Nielsen says that moving forward, co-founder and guitarist Matt Taylor will take a "temporary leave from the band," following sexual misconduct allegations made against him specifically. Taylor denies the allegations, Nielsen says, and he's "hired independent representation to best evaluate and navigate his situation."
Nielsen also plans to seek counseling, donate money to charities that support women who have suffered abuse, discrimination, and violence, and solicit feedback from peers and collaborators in the music industry, "with the intention of improving myself and The Growlers, finding ways to make our fans feel safer, and creating healthier environments in the future."
Read his statement in full below.
In her statement, De Wilde describes an en experience she says she had while on tour with The Growlers in Australia in January, writing, "I know my experience isn't the same as some of the survivors who've come forward recently, but the humiliation and lack of respect they've shown so many women seems like a pattern. It's a pattern that that needs to stop."
De Wilde's statement came after one from keyboardist Adam Wolcott Smith, who left the band following the allegations. "I'm not innocent in abuse," he also admitted at the time, describing an incident when he said he assaulted someone while he was asleep.
This is Brooks Nielsen, singer and co-founder of The Growlers. This week has been a wake up call about our behavior at shows, after shows, in interviews. With girlfriends, journalists, friends, fans. Behavior that was insensitive, offensive, or even improper.
I apologize for my actions, and for any band members, that have hurt, offended or damaged any person or made anyone feel less than 100% safe.
I take full responsibility and accountability for the behavior of all Growlers' band members, past and present. Most recently including lack of judgement in arranging a male stripper as an end-of-tour prank to dance for the great Arrow De Wilde, who I admire so much as a person, artist and performer. This was a horrible idea that turned out even worse.
To Arrow: I was supposed to take care of you. I was supposed to protect you. I let you, your bandmates and your family down. For that, I am forever sorry. I am deeply saddened that I've lost your friendship and trust. I hope that one day you can forgive me.
When I look back at the antics of the early Growlers, I am regretful and embarrassed. We were trying to be provocative, unpredictable and chaotic, but in reality we were juvenile, idiotic and cruel. We were blind to the big picture of the powers of the music and the responsibility of the artist to their fans.
I lacked empathy and awareness. What my friends and I might thoughtlessly have considered no big deal, or funny, or just meaningless, actually had a lot of significance for the other parties involved.
Songwriting, world traveling, and fatherhood have been my personal evolution. I grew up in this band and changed because of the love and respect that I have learned from it. I was insular and narrow minded. I hadn't learned the set of values and morality that I strive to carry with me today. I want you to know that I take these allegations very seriously and am deeply affected by them. I am changing. I want to be and will be better. To that end I will be seeking counseling to overcome these bad behaviors of my past and to be a better man moving forward.
Moving forward, these are some of the steps that I'll be taking for both myself and the band.
Co-founder and guitarist Matt Taylor is taking temporary leave from the band. Although he adamantly denies the allegations made against him, he has hired independent representation to best evaluate and navigate his situation.
I am contacting a range of peers and collaborators across the music scene, asking them to share their feelings and advice. I will be listening to their feedback with the intention of improving myself and The Growlers, finding ways to make our fans feel safer, and creating healthier environments in the future.
I'll be working to raise awareness and as much money as I can for Times Up, East Los Angeles Women's Center and other organizations that support women who have suffered violence, abuse, and discrimination.
I pledge to learn from and come out of this experience as a better person. For now, this is me speaking from the heart.
