Underoath Apparently Parts Ways with Their Guitarist James Smith
In an unexpected development, Underoath have apparently “informed” guitarist James Smith that he’s out of the band. Details are scarce at the moment, but according to an Instagram post from the man himself, it sounds like he was ousted, rather than it being a case of him leaving of his own accord.
After 20 years of music and friendship, I was informed that I’m no longer a member of Underoath. This saddens me to say, but unfortunately is where we have ended up. I appreciate everyone who, at any moment in their lives, have felt inspired, accepted, comforted, and energized by the music we created and the shows we performed together. It has been my honor and privilege to be a part of your lives in that way though we may have never met or shared our stories face to face. Your dedication, grace, and love for this band have allowed us to exist this long. The memories I have from this ride are more than anyone could ever expect in a lifetime, and I genuinely thank you all for being a part of it.
Further making this whole situation weird is the fact that they’re near the end of their tour with Periphery and Loathe and have a show tonight. So fans of Underoath heading to the gig tonight in Albuquerque, New Mexico are going to see a slightly different band on stage than they expected.
We have reached out to the band’s representation to confirm Smith’s unexpected departure from the band, as well as seek a comment from the remaining members of the band. If we get either of those things, we’ll update this story appropriately.
Underoath Tour Dates w/Periphery and Loathe
03/29/23 – Albuquerque, NM @ The El Rey Theatre* [Tickets]
03/31/23 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Diamond Ballroom* [Tickets]
04/01/23 – Little Rock, AR @ The Hall* [Tickets]
04/02/23 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works* [Tickets]
05/27/23 – Hatfield, EN @ Slam Dunk Festival [Tickets]
05/28/23 – Leeds, UK @ Slam Dunk Festival [Tickets]
07/15/23 – Mansfield, OH @ Inkcarceration Festival [Tickets]
*Blind Obedience Tour with Periphery and Loathe
