Parkway Drive have issued a statement after it was revealed that a person previously associated with the band has pleaded guilty to an underage sex offence.
As Blunt reports, Jed Daniel Gordon pleaded guilty to the offence in a Byron Bay Court earlier this month.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Australian metalcore outfit condemned the individual.
“We’ve recently learned that someone we’ve been associated with has pleaded guilty to an underage sex offence in 2002. This is appalling and we condemn it. We’re gutted and we support the victim,” the statement reads.
“This happened before we were a band, however we bear moral responsibility for contracting him from 2003, on and off over the years.
“While he hasn’t toured with us since 2017, more recently he’s been part of our Australian online merch team. When the band heard about this, we terminated his contract immediately. He’s no longer involved with Parkway Drive in any capacity.
“This is heartbreaking on a very human scale. This is still ongoing in the courts so we’re closing comments.”
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The statement comes a week after the band reacted to the news of Bluesfest’s cancellation, as they were slotted as one of the headlining acts in what would have been a hometown show.
“To see such an important Byron Bay community institution fall on hard times is heartbreaking,” they said at the time.
“We are gutted for the fans who made plans to come to Byron for this year’s festival. We know so many of you travel from all over to be there, and we were really looking forward to sharing that moment with you at home.”
Late last year, Parkway Drive were also forced to cancel their own festival, Park Waves.
“Another festival being crushed by the rising costs across our entertainment industry. It hurts to be another casualty in this chapter of the Australian music scene,” the group said.
“We’ve tried every possible option to keep this dream alive, but the reality of the circumstances won’t allow for it.”
