The Neighbourhood Fires Drummer Brandon Fried: Here’s Why

Rock band The Neighbourhood has sacked drummer Brandon Fried after a female member of an Indie pop band accused him of indecent behavior at a bar.

“We are grateful to Maria for coming forward. We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior toward women. As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood,” the band said on Twitter.

The band is composed of Jesse Rutherford, Jeremy Freedman, Zach Abels and Mikey Margotts.

The band echoed the same sentiment on its Instagram Story after The Marias vocalist Maria Zardoya accused the drummer of groping her.

“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,” Zardoya wrote on her Instagram Story feed Sunday. “@thenbhd ya’ll need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep.”

Supporters of The Neighbourhood commended the band for kicking Fried out of the group.

“Thank you for doing the right thing and fast,” one person wrote, while another asked the band to remove Rutherford as well because of his relationship with Billie Eilish. Some fans are not happy with Rutherford and Eilish’s relationship because of their huge age gap. Eilish is 20 while Rutherford is 31 years old.

A Twitter user wrote, “And Jesse for being a groomer??”

The same day, Fried shared a message expressing remorse for what happened and blamed his behavior on substance abuse.

“I am so terribly sorry to Maria. My actions were inexcusable and intolerable,” Fried shared on his Instagram Story feed. “They are not reflective of who I am as a person, but clearly a reflection of who I become while under the influence.”

“It is evident that I must address my problems with alcohol and substance abuse, which I am now seeking help for,” he continued. “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,” he added.