Julian Koster — bassist of Neutral Milk Hotel and leader of Music Tapes — has been accused of grooming and sexual assault by fellow Elephant 6 Collective artist Anna "Nesey" Gallons, whom he claims has subjected him to "intimidation, manipulation, and abuse" alongside her spouse.
"I began to communicate by telephone and correspond via email with Julian Koster routinely in early Y2K at age 15, each exchange gradually becoming more intimate, though seemingly innocent," Gallons wrote in an Instagram post made July 9. "He imparted the notion that our connection was like none he had ever known. … He invited me to visit him in New York, had no qualms letting me have cannabis and stare dreamily into his eyes. Less than a year later, in April 2001, about six weeks before I turned 17, that relationship became sexual. This, by all common definitions, constitutes 'grooming.'" Gallons also alleged that Koster assaulted her twice in the summer of 2005.
Koster published a statement of his own via Instagram on July 11, writing, "This is painful and scary to share. I have been the victim of intimidation, manipulation, and abuse by Nesey Gallons for many years. Nesey's recent statements are part of a campaign against me, which is documented in thousands of disturbing, abusive, and obsessive messages, from both Nesey and her spouse Paul Gallons."
Koster continued: "Nesey and I entered a consensual relationship in 2001, which continued until 2008. When the relationship began I was 28 and Nesey was 16, just before her 17th birthday. Though this put her over Georgia's legal age of consent when our relationship began, it was wrong to allow the relationship to happen at all and I've apologized to Nesey many times for that. I should have been more responsible about the age gap, but I deny all the other accusations she's made."
Gallons added how she kept her alleged assaults a secret, writing, "I felt compelled to protect my friends in the [Elephant 6] community and our fans, holding to that until 2020 when the first utterances of this story escaped my shattered lips in any capacity that named names, and was quickly silenced once I was approached with the possibility of reconciliation, and then erased by [Koster's] eager PR team."
In his statement, Koster writes that his efforts "to listen to [Gallons] and acknowledge the pain that she feels" have led to "increasingly disturbing behaviour on the part of both Nesey and [her spouse], including thousands of threatening and manipulative messages, which are meant to punish me for not agreeing to what they want. In these messages, they've demanded that I be in a romantic relationship with them, marry Nesey, move in with them away from my friends and family, finance their living expenses, and let them control me, emotionally, physically, and sexually. They have repeatedly threatened to harm me or themselves if I do not 'obey' them… I have lived in fear for years and I am no longer able to tolerate being abused and controlled."
Koster notes that he is seeking an order of protection against both Nesey and Paul, concluding, "I'm grateful for my friends who know the truth and who continue to love and support me, and I'm now focused on staying safe from my abusers."