Starcrawler’s Arrow De Wilde accused The Growlers of sexual misconduct, the latest of multiple groups, artists and employees from Burger Records to face accusations. In response, The Growlers’s lead singer, Brooks Nielsen, has issued an apology.
The accusation stems from a Melbourne performance in January when De Wilde went on tour with The Growlers. When she got back to her dressing room, she allegedly was locked in with a man who did a strip tease and gave her a lap dance, all while she claims members of The Growlers filmed.
“The humor faded pretty fast when it just wouldn’t end,” she wrote on her Instagram page. “I swear it went on for almost ten minutes. Every time I tried to get up he pushed me back down. It started to feel more and more degrading as each layer of clothing peeled off his body, the growlers just continued to laugh and film the whole thing. Soon he was down to a speedo and I knew where it was headed.”
She continued, writing, “”I started to feel really panicked. My heart was beating so fast. I’ve never seen a striptease like this before. Everyone in the growlers were standing all around me, laughing and taking videos the whole time, no one ever stepped in. Once it was finally over, I ran to the bathroom to collect myself (aka cry)….”
De Wilde also alleged it was Nielsen’s idea. She wrote, “It was a huge bummer because I truly believed that they had respect for me and saw me as an equal. If this were a high school movie, they would be seen as bullies, but since they’re in a band it’s seen as ‘rock and roll.'” She said the alleged lack of respect the band members have for women is a problem. Her full statement is below.
In response, Nielsen issued an apology on Instagram, writing, “I take full responsibility and accountability for the behavior of all Growlers’ band members, past and present.” He expresses regret for the stripper incident, writing, “this was a horrible idea that turned out even worse.”
He appealed directly to De Wilde, writing, ” 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.”
Neilsen claimed to have grown and vows to continue his growth. He pledged to raise awareness of and money for organizations such as Time’s Up, the East Los Angeles Women’s Center, and other organizations focused on stopping violence and misconduct against women. He also revealed that Marc Taylor will temporarily leave the group. His full statement is below.
The group denied anonymous allegations of sexual misconduct earlier in July. They are scheduled to perform at the Ventura Theater in December.
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