Members of metalcore band Sleep Waker have announced that they have collectively fired vocalist Hunter Courtright.
The group said: “This is something we never wanted or thought we should write, but since everything has been misinterpreted, we need to make a statement and clear things up.”
“Sleep Waker has always been about teamwork, we’re all close friends, and we’ve always supported each other in every way we could, even beyond just being band members and in as sincere friends. We have no hard feelings towards the former members and we appreciate all they have done to move the project forward. Sadly, in Hunter’s case, we’ve been petrified for years and fearful that what’s happening now will happen.”
“The narrative seems to boil down to ‘we don’t like screaming anymore [dans notre musique]’, but while that’s not true, it’s the easiest explanation to swallow in this whole story.”
“For several years we had problems with our producer, major scheduling issues and creative differences, almost entirely caused by one member. We had problems like any band has, members giving up or not making the cut, but each time we were able to overcome them and get through it.”
“In Hunter’s case, we were extremely lenient in this regard, to the point where Frankie and Hunter couldn’t communicate without arguing or having a heated discussion and our manager had to mediate.”
“We’ve been extremely forgiving with a lot of things. He didn’t show up at band rehearsals, he didn’t communicate. There were constant battles to finish albums and songs, and we asked him to do things that he had no intention of doing himself. He rarely wrote lyrics, leaving Frankie to write the majority of song lyrics.
“He never showed up for scheduled recording sessions, without explanation or outright lying, which led to our producer telling us we had to either fire him or record him ourselves. [à la maison]or stop working with him [le producteur] (which was understandable, after canceling five weeks of sessions in a row).”
“That led to Frankie starting to record and write almost all of the vocals that Hunter did on the Alias album to get things actually done and prepped. All the while, arguments, fights and creative differences divided the band, and our manager had to step in to stop us from firing him before Skin came out.”
“Albums have been delayed, deadlines pushed back and conflicts have caused everyone to distance themselves from the group. After the recording of Sleep Waker’s new single slated for the summer, and Hunter arriving at the session with no words, and almost no plan for vocals, we sat down and talked about how it was time to move on to something else as a group.”
“We gave Hunter far too many opportunities to make up for it, and it’s caused immense stress for us as a band and as friends: the only solution we’ve found is to move on. We can find supporting evidence, we can back up all our claims with members of other groups who have seen this process, with people who have been in SW and with people who have worked with us, but hopefully we don’t have to. do, and be able to move on.”
Addressing the split via her own social media, Courtright said: “I am no longer part of Sleep Waker.”
“Believe me, I didn’t want to. I have been committed to this group for 7 years. And what I was able to create with this band changed my life.”
“I will always be grateful for what I have been able to see and do. The people I met, the fans and the friends who made every second worth it.”
“This band and the music has meant EVERYTHING to me…but it seems like this chapter of my life is coming to an end.”
“To everyone who has been there for a while and supported me and others, thank you. You helped me live the dream of a lifetime.”
“It was great while it lasted.”
Sleep Waker – Alias :
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