The Neighbourhood Fires Drummer Brandon Fried
After groping allegations from María Zardoya of The Marias.
Rock band The Neighbourhood announced that their drummer, Brandon Fried, has been fired after he was accused of groping María Zardoya, from the band The Marias.
Zardoya shared details of the sexual assault allegation on her Instagram storying, telling viewers “I was at a bar last night, and I was groped under the table by Brandon Fried, the drummer of The Neighbourhood. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever experienced. I felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body.” She then tagged the brand and added “@thenbhd ya’ll need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep.”
The Neighbourhood took the allegation pretty seriously and shortly after, shared an update on Fried’s association with the band. “We are grateful to Maria for coming forward. We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women,” the wrote. “As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood.”
Fried then responded and apologized for his actions, stating that his behaviour was as a result of substance abuse. “I am so terribly sorry to Maria. My actions were inexcusable and intolerable,” Fried wrote. ”They are not reflective of who I am as a person, but clearly a reflection of who I become while under the influence.”
He added “It is evident that I must address my problems with alcohol and substance abuse, which I am now seeking help for. I want to apologize to women who have been victims of any behavior that has left them feeling uncomfortable or violated. I am so sorry to The Neighbourhood and our fans for letting them down.”
The band has also seemingly deleted all of its Instagram posts in a potential attempt to start over. Stay tuned for more details.
