Ghost’s Tobias Forge on Lawsuit Against Him by Former Members: “What Happened Needed to Happen.”

For what it’s worth, the lawsuit brought against Ghost mastermind Tobias Forge last year by former members of the band does not seem to have affected the band’s popularity one bit. The band’s new album campaign is off to a smashing start, they’re kicking ass live, have two arena shows booked for the fall and it seems as if there’s no stopping the freight train now. It’s rolling, and it’s rolling fast.

If all of that weren’t the case we might be hearing something entirely different from Forge about that lawsuit, but as it is he certainly doesn’t seem to be dwelling on it or letting it bring him down. In a new interview with NME he revealed that he’s even come to see it in a positive light, one of those “everything happens for a reason”-type takes:

“All things considered, a year down the line, having been through so much turmoil. I’ve come to realise that what happened needed to happen. Also, I’m a big fan of rock, of rock history, and I’ve read every classic rock biography of every band I’m a fan of. You know what? The same shit takes place in every single one. A friend of mine, a very successful songwriter, said to me, ‘you’re not really in the game until you’ve been sued, so welcome in!’ and I think he’s got a point. I’ve been in lots of situations in my life where I’ve managed to turn pain into growing pains. Really, what happened was a receipt that things are going well. It’s fine. It’ll be over…”

He’s certainly not wrong about lawsuits being brought against many of the biggest rock bands of all time, although I’m not sure that’s the most healthy way to look at it. Regardless, props for remaining positive in the face of adversity.

The lawsuit, as far as we know, is still ongoing. Former members of the band alleged that Forge owed them money for songwriting credits and shares in the band’s profit. Last we heard in November of 2017 the two parties failed to reach a settlement and the case was set to go to court.

Elsewhere in the NME interview Forge describes the impetus for the lyrics in “Rats,” which he says is about public trial on the internet in today’s snap-decision culture. Read the full piece here.

Here’s 2018’s catchiest, most booty-shaking, singalong, non-lawsuit-inspired (as far as we know) song, “Dance Macabre.”