Trapt Just Fired Singer Chris Taylor Brown [Update: No They Didn’t]
Update, 7:34pm EST: It turns out the Parler account in reference is a fake. This is his real account. We’d credit Chris with the PR stunt, but he isn’t that smart. Onward.
Original Post:
As if the whole Trapt saga that’s gripped the metalsphere and beyond since the spring couldn’t get any more absurd, the band have fired their outspoken, alt-right frontman, Chris Taylor Brown.
As if the whole Trapt saga that’s gripped the metalsphere and beyond since the spring couldn’t get any more absurd, the band have fired their outspoken, alt-right frontman, Chris Taylor Brown.
Trapt have spent years in relative obscurity, best known for their 2002 hit, “Headstrong.” But the group once again made headlines this year when Brown went on a pro-Trump Twitter tirade at the start of the pandemic lockdown.
That tirade drew the ire of a number of notable musicians, including Power Trip’s Riley Gale, Body Count’s Ice-T, Atilla’s Chris Fronzak, and Danny Diablo, as well as members of Every Time I Die, The Acacia Strain, Born of Osiris, Chelsea Grin, and I Prevail (even Phil Labonte doesn’t have this dude’s back). Brown subsequently claimed he was being bullied.
Brown went on to make anti-Semitic comments and blame George Floyd for his own death.
More recently, his endorsement of the far-right, neo-fascist, male-only organization known as the Proud Boys led to a ban on Facebook, then Instagram and eventually Twitter.
In a message posted to conservative-leaning social network Parler this afternoon, the remaining three members of the band cited “some view points that were said that we do not agree with” as the reason for Brown’s dismissal, claiming Brown “negatively impact[ed] the rest of the band.”
The other members of the band are bassist Pete Charell, who has been with them since their formation in 1995, guitarist Brendan Hengle (since 2018) and drummer Adam Prentice (2019).
The full post, riddled with typos — including a hilarious, likely inadvertent (but possibly purposeful!) reference to the band’s “fan,” reads as follows, unedited:
“Announcement:
“We have officially parted ways with @CTBTrapt. Unfortunately, there were some view points that were said that we do not agree with and it was negatively impacting the rest of the band. We wish him well and hope he can find the help he needs.
“To our fan: Thanks you for the support that you have all given us through these times. We will now be focusing on only provided updates for the band on our social media accounts. You may still find his views and opinions on his accounts.l, if you wish.
“To the “trolls”: We have heard you and are sorry we allowed this to go on for so long. We would like to start fresh and hope you can forgive us and take another chance at listening to our music in the future.
“~The Band”
Our only question: what took so long?? What was the final straw that broke the camel’s back after this summer of pure absurdity, racism and bigotry?
Unfortunately for Charell and whoever else sticks around, irreparable damage was done long ago. Too little, too late, fellas… but, uh, good luck, we suppose.
