The drummer, Brandon Fried, was fired from the band after several assault accusations were brought against him. Photo by Josh Sorenson via Pexels.
The indie-rock band, The Neighbourhood, has reunited after a three year hiatus due to the firing of their drummer, Brandon Fried. Fried was fired in 2022 after several sexual assault allegations came out against him.
The band shared this news through an Instagram story on Aug. 29. The allegations against Fried were addressed, stating, “It became evident that Brandon’s struggles with substance abuse needed immediate attention, and we agreed it was best for him to step away and focus on his recovery.”
The band, most known for their hits like “sweater weather” and “daddy issues” became popular thanks to social media platforms like TikTok. The band initially announced their hiatus in November of 2021, indicating the need for a new chapter. However, they did not honor the decision to fire Fried due to the allegations against him. The return from their hiatus, including the drummer, has led many fans to question the moral integrity of the band.
The allegations against Fried first emerged in 2022 after singer Maria Zardoya posted an Instagram story calling Fried out for his behavior. Zardoya’s story prompted other women to speak out, as well, such as Sofi Padilla, a music manager. Through her Instagram, Padilla accused Fried of sexually assaulting her in May 2022.
The drummer has since posted statements and apologies for his actions which many believe to be insincere. Fried posted a story that read, “it is evident that I must address my problems with alcohol and substance abuse.” Up until this moment, his addiction had not been publicized.
Fans find the reunion to be odd and uncomfortable, specifically because Fried was welcomed back to the band. Cardozo student Summer Hernandez shared, “I think that’s really strange because you’re just supporting someone who allegedly [assaulted] someone, which is really weird.”
Hernandez also shared that women don’t always give intimate details in statements about their attack. “I think she was correct because she probably didn’t feel comfortable with sharing the details of that circumstance,” she said.
The music industry has shown that it is riddled with abuse like this that is often covered up. This story has been seen before in male dominated spaces such as bands. Fans of The Neighborhood often turn to Zardoya’s statement on the assault as vague. However, many victims don’t tend to remember all the details of their assault or choose not to revisit the moment.
Despite industry backlash, the band’s members continue to express their support for their drummer, who has reportedly been making progress in his journey to sobriety. This display of team work and camaraderie shows how the members of the band view each other in an almost family-like way after making music together for almost 11 years.
However, it is yet to be seen how previous fans will react to the reunion and whether or not their discontent with Fried’s actions will impact their sales and streaming numbers.