Knocked Loose remove Stone from upcoming tour following sexual misconduct allegations

January 30, 2018

Knocked Loose have announced that Stone will no longer be joining them on the band’s upcoming tour following sexual misconduct allegations that have arisen from multiple women against Stone vocalist Zach Dear.

“We have been aware of recent incidents and paying very close attention to every story, tweet, and Facebook post being shared. Stone is no longer on the upcoming tour, it was never a question from the start,” Knocked Loose writes.

Read their statement in full below:

We have been aware of recent incidents and paying very close attention to every story, tweet, and Facebook post being shared. Stone is no longer on the upcoming tour, it was never a question from the start. This is being worked on from our end since the very beginning please do not take our silence as hiding from the issue, instead we have been working to make our first official headliner a better tour and a safer place for everyone involved. We are sorry it took so long to update. We have always promoted a safe place for every different kind of person that wants to come to our shows, and have vocally promoted a safe space for women. We DO NOT stand behind these actions, and it will not be tolerated. More news tonight.

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— Knocked Loose (@knockedloose) January 30, 2018

Earlier today, the Stone vocalist and ex-Expire guitarist released a statement explaining that Stone will be “taking a break from touring.”

“In the last few days there have been some stories involving me circling around the internet. Most saying that I hurt people in different ways. While on tour I was shamefully promiscuous. It’s not something I’m proud of but it is something I’ve been honest about. I lived by the rule that every intimate encounter was over when a woman said ‘no,'” Dear writes.

“In every intimate situation I’ve been in, my understanding at the time through body language, being kissed back, etc., was that everything was consensual.”

Over the past few days, multiple allegations have arisen against Dear. “I really want to emphasize on the severity of Zach Dear’s position of power in the hardcore scene and how this would have influenced any women into choosing to NOT speak out on their experiences,” one of the victims writes, according to her post on a Tumblr page detailing accustations against Dear.

“I wasn’t informed as I now am to the extent of how to empathize and support victims of sexual assault and rape, so I didn’t let myself fully understand the severity of the feelings of violation.”

Allegations against Dear appear on a Tumblr page here.

Read Dear’s statement in full below:

In the last few days there have been some stories involving me circling around the internet. Most saying that I hurt people in different ways. While on tour I was shamefully promiscuous. It’s not something I’m proud of but it is something I’ve been honest about. I lived by the rule that every intimate encounter was over when a woman said “no.” In every intimate situation I’ve been in, my understanding at the time through body language, being kissed back, etc., was that everything was consensual. I am not the kind of guy who would intentionally harm anyone and – given the chance – I would apologize to anyone who felt I misinterpreted their signals or hurt them. That was far from my intention. I think it’s important for women to raise issues like this. No question. It gives everyone the opportunity to reflect and deal with them honestly which is what I’ll be doing while we take a break from touring.