Dance Gavin Dance vocalist Tilian Pearson will be "stepping away" from the band following the allegations of sexual assault that surfaced online earlier this week.
Band members Matthew Mingus, Will Swan, Jon Mess and Andrew Wells have released a statement addressing how they intend to move ahead following the claims of abuse and manipulation, which were posted in the r/dancegavindance subreddit.
"Effective immediately, Tilian will be stepping away from the band in order to seek professional help," they wrote in an Instagram post, before adding that the rest of the group will continue on with their scheduled tour obligations — including a Toronto date with Coheed and Cambria this August. They will also proceed with the release of their forthcoming 10th studio album, Jackpot Juicer.
"We all worked incredibly hard on this album, and it is also the latest recorded body of work from Tim [Feerick, their late bassist who passed away in April] — we want to be sure we give it the full release attention that it deserves to honour his legacy," the post-hardcore mainstays added.
Pearson issued a statement of his own on Reddit shortly after his accuser came forward, refuting their claims and arguing that everything was consensual. "I understand that in a new sexual relationship, there is a period of figuring each other's preferences out, but there is not a doubt our physical contact ever crossed boundaries into anything resembling assault," he wrote, additionally uploading screenshots of text conversations exchanged between himself and the alleged victim.
The singer was the band's third lead vocalist, after Jonny Craig — who was likewise ousted amid controversy and went on to also be accused of both sexual assault and domestic violence — and Kurt Travis.
See the statement from the band below.
Band members Matthew Mingus, Will Swan, Jon Mess and Andrew Wells have released a statement addressing how they intend to move ahead following the claims of abuse and manipulation, which were posted in the r/dancegavindance subreddit.
"Effective immediately, Tilian will be stepping away from the band in order to seek professional help," they wrote in an Instagram post, before adding that the rest of the group will continue on with their scheduled tour obligations — including a Toronto date with Coheed and Cambria this August. They will also proceed with the release of their forthcoming 10th studio album, Jackpot Juicer.
"We all worked incredibly hard on this album, and it is also the latest recorded body of work from Tim [Feerick, their late bassist who passed away in April] — we want to be sure we give it the full release attention that it deserves to honour his legacy," the post-hardcore mainstays added.
Pearson issued a statement of his own on Reddit shortly after his accuser came forward, refuting their claims and arguing that everything was consensual. "I understand that in a new sexual relationship, there is a period of figuring each other's preferences out, but there is not a doubt our physical contact ever crossed boundaries into anything resembling assault," he wrote, additionally uploading screenshots of text conversations exchanged between himself and the alleged victim.
The singer was the band's third lead vocalist, after Jonny Craig — who was likewise ousted amid controversy and went on to also be accused of both sexual assault and domestic violence — and Kurt Travis.
See the statement from the band below.
