While the dust is still settling from the shocking breakup of Every Time I Die, at least one of the band’s former members is already optimistically looking towards the future.
In a series of Twitter replies to fans, guitarist Jordan Buckley (brother of vocalist Keith) asserts that he and the other three non-Keith members want to continue making music together. Additionally, he insinuates that there is a lot of info about the reasons for the breakup that hasn’t yet been revealed publicly.
Responding to a fan who implored Jordan to “please keep going,” he said, “That’s the plan. I hope I never stop getting in a room with these 3 to write rippers.” He added in a different thread, “Our ability to write music together has only gotten better. I wouldn’t even know how to stop.” “It will just be with a different band now, that’s all,” he told one fan.
In another tweet he remained respectful of his brother, sharing, “There is no replacing Keith which is exactly why we never even gave it a thought. Tremendous talent. Very gifted. I’m glad I saw this tweet because I really think you understand how creativity isn’t something you can just turn off.”
The band’s four members other than Buckley — guitarists Andy Williams and Jordan Buckley, bassist Stephen Micciche and drummer Clayton “Goose” Holyoak — issued a joint statement on Monday, January 17 in which they said they were unable to effectively communicate with Keith after the recent turmoil, and have subsequently decided to call it quits. The statement insinuated that Keith had been planning to release his own statement with “inaccuracies.” Rumors that the band will continue with a new singer, they said, are false. A short time later, Buckley posted a letter dated December 20 from a lawyer representing the other four members that attempted to open up communication for a settlement agreement to remove Buckley from the band, instructing Buckley to cease and desist using the Every Time I Die “band name, logo or intellectual property,” threatening legal action otherwise.
Buckley issued a lengthy and emotional statement with his version of events this morning. You can read that here.
In December, Buckley revealed on social media that he would be taking some time off from the band to address his mental health. The band then confirmed the news and announced (in a since-deleted statement) that they planned to play the remaining shows of their in-progress tour as a four-piece. Just hours later, however, Buckely issued a statement of his own, claiming that the band had “ostracized” him since he gave up drinking, and alleging that he’d overheard his brother, guitarist Jordan Buckley, discussing plans to have the vocalist replaced. The so-called “ETID karaoke” shows to finish up the tour without Buckley were subsequently canceled, with a positive Covid-19 case amongst the tour’s openers, ’68, not helping matters. But Buckley did join the band to perform at their annual ‘Tid the Season show in their native Buffalo later in the month.
[via Metal Injection]