Long-running New York street punk act the Casualties have lost their founding frontman Jorge Herrera. The news comes straight from the band, who confirm that Herrera stepped down.
The band released an official statement, complete with a decidedly unpunk censored swear word:
After 27 years of performing with the band, Jorge has chosen that the touring life is no longer for him. With that said, The Casualties will carry on. As anyone who follows us knows, the name The Casualties is stronger then any one member. The songs written in basements throughout New York City shall continue to ring loud. We will continue our commitment to the Casualties Army! We will tour and put forward new anthems for many more years to come. When we said "it's a f*cking way of life" back in the beginning, we meant it.
The statement does not include any reference to Herrera's sexual assault allegations, which caused a number of the band's Canadian tour dates to be cancelled in 2015. At the time, the band vehemently denied the allegations, saying, "The rumors about Jorge that allegedly took place almost 18 years ago are completely untrue. There is zero truth or fact to this story that is already old news. This fabricated story has been perpetuated from the start with no accountability or responsibility."
The claims against Herrera started in 2013 with a blog post alleging that Herrera sexually assaulted a girl when she was just 16. A number of others claiming to be Herrera's abuse victims have since collected their stories on Tumblr, while a group called Boycott the Casualties has worked to spread awareness about the allegations.
The band released an official statement, complete with a decidedly unpunk censored swear word:
After 27 years of performing with the band, Jorge has chosen that the touring life is no longer for him. With that said, The Casualties will carry on. As anyone who follows us knows, the name The Casualties is stronger then any one member. The songs written in basements throughout New York City shall continue to ring loud. We will continue our commitment to the Casualties Army! We will tour and put forward new anthems for many more years to come. When we said "it's a f*cking way of life" back in the beginning, we meant it.
The statement does not include any reference to Herrera's sexual assault allegations, which caused a number of the band's Canadian tour dates to be cancelled in 2015. At the time, the band vehemently denied the allegations, saying, "The rumors about Jorge that allegedly took place almost 18 years ago are completely untrue. There is zero truth or fact to this story that is already old news. This fabricated story has been perpetuated from the start with no accountability or responsibility."
The claims against Herrera started in 2013 with a blog post alleging that Herrera sexually assaulted a girl when she was just 16. A number of others claiming to be Herrera's abuse victims have since collected their stories on Tumblr, while a group called Boycott the Casualties has worked to spread awareness about the allegations.