Escuela Grind Thank Their Former Guitarist in Response to Controversy
The controversy of the year just keeps unfolding as Escuela Grind officially kinda sorta respond to the whirlwind that’s been going on around them online. To say things have been going off since their now ex-guitarist Thomas Sifuentes left would be an understatement.
The band took to social media to thank their fans for the recent tour and thank their ex-guitarist for the years he put into the band. They also mentioned they will have a new team with them on their tour with Capra.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to the past six weeks of shows. This was our best run ever as a band.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank Tom for his two years of service in the band. He always loved our fans and was such a force, it will be difficult to replace him.
“We are excited to head back out on the road in 10 days with the homies in Capra and new touring team. We’re working to grow and improve, both as musicians and a touring unit, and will continue to lift people up, and be advocates for the girls, the gays, the theys, and the lifers.
“Remember, the only way we grow is by hanging out and talking to each other. We’re looking forward to seeing you all again.”
The post’s comments are currently disabled, making us think that despite the post’s cheery tone, they aren’t feeling confident yet that the controversy is behind them.
The initial allegations, for those who missed them the first time, stem from the personal account of a former driver for the band. In their social media post, which you can read below, they claimed they were the subject of sexual harassment and mistreatment while working with Escuela Grind.
“If anyone recalls I drove for a band for a bit. There was a lot of mistreatment throughout the entire tour, not just for myself, but I kept my mouth shut where I could, and just hung in there until I saw an exit. I looked crazy on the internet for a second pushing people until I got some form of apology. But, the apologies never came, I never got paid in full, you kicked my best homie out of the band, and you clowns are on your way home. So let’s fucking get it.
“[Jesse Fuentes], how fucking dare you speak to people the way you do. Whether it be people ‘working for you’, your friends, your band mates. You are trash. You think the shit you do and say is just going to disappear. You can delete hate comments but you can’t delete my experience and you can’t get rid of the people you fucked over. You boasted about leaving people on the side of the road, informed me I was simply your employee when I brought up concerns about the van and trailer. You hired a fucking tour manager THAT SEXUALLY HARASSED ME EVERY DAY. Pathetic. Coward.
“Chris Kotter, the tour manager. You talked at the side of my head for two and a half weeks and underestimated me every step of the way. You flirted with me nonstop despite me telling you every single day in every single way that I did NOT like you. No I don’t want to go camping or hiking, NO I don’t want to peg you, NO I do not think some people come along as sexual shamans, and it’s insane to me that the activist with a homemade ‘Gay Sex and Class War’ patch would be such a fucking predator. I’d spit in your face if I knew it wouldn’t give you a hard on you fucking prick.
“[Katerina Economou], it’s disgusting to me that you would stand up there on stage every night and pretend to be a voice for the girls, gays, and theys but you didn’t advocate for a single one that I saw. Weird. You allow Jesse to ruin your band’s reputation and honestly everyone’s mental health that I saw. But, I’m just a fucking driver, what do I know.
“If y’all would have taken 5 minutes to get to know me, like I spent the entire two and a half weeks getting to know y’all you’d know I was more than qualified to handle your shit. ALL THE RUMORS ARE TRUE.”
With those allegations leveled against the band, as well as details like the drummer being a member of the Free Masons, it’s hard to imagine that the controversy’s going to end any time soon.
