Conrad Brittenham September 5th, 2017 - 5:57 PM
Plan-It-X Records might not recover from the controversy its owner, Chris Clavin, has drawn recently over allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The accuser remains anonymous, but wrote in a statement that Clavin molested him or her “in February or March of 2014, a couple months after [he or she] moved to Bloomington and into his house. It is clear from the statement that Clavin and his accuser know each other, as is stated in Clavin’s own public statement.
“I care very much about the person who made the accusation against me. And I want to do everything I can to make things right. Please please please do not send them any negative messages.”
While Clavin has experienced an outpouring of hate and love after the allegations came to light, a lot of what has been said is negative. Clavin is often described as manipulative and selfish. Many bands that have worked with his label are now dropping out, or rereleasing their music on other platforms. While most musicians who chimed in had negative things to say about Clavin, Hannah O’Connor, a longtime friend and collaborator, had this to say:
“Since I have been Chris’ friend for a long time, I know that he is being accused of things he has not done. I know there are a lot of false allegations, rumors, and lies spreading very fast about him.”
Other prominent artists, including Kimya Dawson and AJJ, have vowed never to work with Clavin again, and urge others to follow suit. Dawson writes,
“Years ago I found Chris Clavin’s business practices questionable and asked him to stop selling the Antsy Pants record on Plan-It-X. I have always found it creepy that he would date fans that were so much younger than him but I always thought his girlfriends were consenting adults and therefore it was none of my business.”
However, with the most recent news, Dawson is convinced that the benefit of the doubt she had given Clavin was undeserved, and she’s vowed to boycott his label and his business in the music industry.
These cases are notoriously hard to prove one way or the other. However, in such a high profile setting, with so many prominent artists coming out against Clavin, it does not seem like his career will flourish as it has in the past. Clavin, who claims to know and care deeply about the accuser, has issued statements describing his plans to attend therapy and for people to trust him as he tries to make things right. He has not flat-out denied any of the allegations as of yet, nor has he admitted to them.
The original accusation is as follows:
“He is a very selfish, manipulative person. He only cares about what people can do for him. For as long as I’ve known him, he’s exclusively pursued romantic relationships with girls at least 18 years younger than him. When you try to talk to him about his hurtful and toxic behaviors, he says he will kill himself. He is a liar and a gaslighter. This stuff is all pretty common knowledge among people who have been close to him.
Chris molested me in February or March of 2014, a couple months after I moved to Bloomington and into his house. I confronted him about this six months ago. He said, “I don’t remember that but I believe you.” I told him I need him to go to therapy (which I had already been begging him to do for years). I don’t think that’s a lot to ask but he still hasn’t gone.”
Responses from bands involved with Plan-It-X:
Waxhatchee:
— waxahatchee (@k_crutchfield) August 26, 2017
AJJ:
— AJJ's Ugly Spirals (@AJJtheBand) August 24, 2017
