Cait Stoddard November 28th, 2024 - 6:01 PM
According to brooklynvegan.com, Cheetah Chrome‘s current version of Dead Boys will release a new album in 2025 through Celopatra Records, and it features Blondie‘s Clem Burke on drums and Sex Pistols‘ Glen Matlock on bass, with contributions from The Stooges‘ James Williamson and Hanoi Rocks‘ Michael Monroe. Not appearing on the new album, however, is vocalist Jake Hout, who has been with the band since 2017.
Hout announced his departure on social media and accused the label of allegedly planning to use a “fakeass robot A.I.” version of late vocalist Stiv Bators on the album: “It is with a heart shot full of led that I’m forced to announce that I am NO LONGER the singer of DEAD BOYS! Due to unreconcilable artistic differences with Cleopatra Records I must recuse myself. They intend to put out a record with a fakeass robot A.I. Stiv Bators voice on it!”
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The artist adds “They wanted my voice to be the template for the fake robo-Stiv voice and I absolutely can NOT do that. It’s against my religion. Its heartless plagiarism of my own Guardian Angel and it can absolutely NOT happen. Stiv Bators ain’t no fucking robot! And I ain’t no fucking robot neither! I Am Jake Fucking Hout!”
In a second post, Hout further elaborated on the situation by writing: “The shortest I can get this story is this: Cleopatra said it would be an A.I. record but Cheetah assured me it would NOT. But the opening line of the contract reads…“Artist has agreed that such Performances shall be Vocal performances (the “Performances”) utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for purposes of creating works based on the original voice of Stiv Bators, to be used on Company’s master recordings of the songs. So I said No. I told Cheetah immediately I would be forced to quit publicly. And tell everybody why.”
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The vocalist continues with: “And that it would probably go off like an H-bomb. This was in August. I reminded him frequently. Daily by the end. To no avail. I know that there are grey areas with line-up changes and artistic tools etc. There’s a massive irony here, I actually sympathize w the “no Stiv no Dead Boys” crowd. -I get it! I always have! But, for me personally, A.I. is the bridge too far. I always tried to do right by Stiv and bring his music to life with heart and blood and passion and spirit. A.I. ain’t got none a that stuff.”
