VersaEmerge DRAMARAMA (‘Tis the Season to Spill You Stories)

December is turning out to be an interesting month. ‘Tis the season for love and togetherness and acceptance? Not so much. First we had the Farro brothers parting from Paramore and releasing a zinger of an exit statement. Following that, Escape The Fate’s ex-vocalist Ronnie Radke gets released from his stint in prison and opens up to Alt Press. Then yesterday VersaEmerge’s old drummer took to the internet (Absolutepunk) to air the band’s dirty laundry.

Anthony Martone, an original member of the band, left two years ago but never whispered so much as a word out of fear of being sued. Specifically citing the Josh, Zac and Ronnie as inspiration, he let it all out in a lengthy statement. You think the Farro’s had harsh words for Hayley? Those were sweet nothings compared to what Anthony has to say about VE’s “female singer”:

“We found ourselves saying a thousand times that our singer’s vocals would improve with practice, but we found that they did not. Off time, off pitch, out of key, flat, sharp, forgetting the lyrics and off time from the music at 75% of the shows for the entire time we toured together.”

…

“I felt like we all played great shows and showed up for everything on time, but then our vocalist would be missing and then she would play a bad show. I even came up with a t shirt idea that they use now. It has to do with the vocalist’s tardiness and inability to be found at important moments”

Um, fightin’ words?

I don’t know what to make of this “trend” except that maybe an era where we think OMG ALL BANDS ARE BESTIES 4 LYFE is coming to and end.

Does a band have to be a harmonious unit for you to feel good about them as people? Do member changes really affect how much you’ve invested in the band? Does knowing the “business” side of these band stories make you feel differently about the music?

Discuss.