Punk band The Orwells have released a statement responding to the sexual assault allegations levied against them in a Reddit post over the weekend, as reported by Pitchfork. The band has emphatically denied the accusations, stating that they are completely unfounded. Over the weekend on the subreddit r/indieheads, a user named u/gymnol7412 posted a series of allegations against three members of the band, claiming that the band members engaged in sexual assault, sexual interactions with underage girls, sending unsolicited nude photos, and videos, making homophobic remarks, and more.
At this point in time, all of these claims are unsubstantiated, so there is no telling if there is any proof to anything in the Reddit post. However, The Orwells have canceled their homecoming show in November at Chicago’s Metro.
The Orwells have been a mainstay in the indie/punk underground since their formation in 2009 and their latest record, the rocking Terrible Human Beings, came out in 2017. You can read the full statement from the band below.
“It’s come to our attention that certain allegations of abuse have been made against one or more of us on social media and in social circles of Chicago. We’d like to first state that sexual abuse in any form is abhorrent. We do not take these accusations lightly and consider this matter incredibly serious. We emphatically deny these baseless allegations brought as a personal attack against us.
While callow altercations and vulgar language we’ve used in the past must be recognized and owned up to, the accusations of sexual assault are completely unfounded. No member of this band has ever acted without consent or maliciously taken advantage of anyone. We encourage anyone who’s been affected by sexual abuse to speak up and make their abusers known; however we also encourage everyone to be cautious of the things they read and say on the Internet. No victim of abuse should be hesitant to make their voice heard and if someone does feel that we’ve hurt them, we encourage them to contact us properly and privately (not via social media or anonymously), as to respect their identity.”
Sincerely, Matt, Mario, Dominic, Henry, and Grant
The Orwells
UPDATE (8/29): According to Twitter, The Orwells have broken up following several allegations of sexual assault among other supposed transgressions. The band kept it simple, stating “The Orwells have disbanded.”
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