Lydia Night time shares new assertion on sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Joey Armstrong

Lydia Night time has shared a video responding to SWMRS‘ current assertion on the allegations of sexual misconduct made in opposition to the band’s former drummer, Joey Armstrong.

In a press release shared on Instagram again in July 2020, Night time – singer of LA band The Regrettes – detailed her experiences with Armstrong (son of Inexperienced Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong) throughout a one-year relationship that started in mid-2017.

Night time mentioned within the authentic message that the connection started when she was 16, and ended “proper earlier than my 18th birthday”. Armstrong was 22-years-old throughout that interval.

“Each time we took a step sexually it was as a result of he wished to and made it clear by both placing my hand on his crotch, shaming me for saying I wasn’t comfy, gaslighting me or ignoring me once I didn’t my consent,” a part of Night time’s publish learn.

Earlier in the present day, SWMRS’ Cole and Max Becker posted a video wherein the previous learn out “an open letter to our followers”. Cole revealed that the pair have been “going to maintain the band going”, and confirmed that each Armstrong and Seb Mueller had departed.

On the allegations, he mentioned: “In July 2020, my pal and the drummer of SWMRS, Joey Armstrong, was accused of emotional abuse and sexual coercion by any individual that he had dated years earlier than. They weren't the identical age after they dated; he was 22, she was 17. However nonetheless, the accusations got here as a shock to me.”

The frontman disputed Night time’s declare that Armstrong had compelled her to maintain their relationship a secret. “Everybody concerned in each of their lives knew about it,” he mentioned. “I used to be additionally confused as a result of they by no means had intercourse, and but many individuals started to discuss with him as a rapist. And to us as rape apologists.”

He added: “There was no accusation of sexual assault, and but the assertion was written to make it seem that Joey was a sexual predator. Perhaps he wasn’t a very good boyfriend, however he isn't a sexual predator. Perhaps they shouldn’t have dated, however they did.”

Responding in a brand new reel posted to Instagram, Night time responded on to Cole Becker’s feedback.

“That is the final time that I ever that I ever wish to communicate on this,” she started. “How dare you? Truthfully, how fucking dare you sit there and never solely use your brother’s near-death expertise as a strategy to acquire sympathy votes (the Beckers’ assertion opened with a observe on Max’s 2019 automobile accident), earlier than going into victim-blaming and gaslighting me as soon as once more?”

“How dare you lie about the truth that I used to be really 16? There was statutory rape, he had me give him oral intercourse as a minor. That's intercourse. No matter individuals name him, I don’t have management over that. I don’t have management over in the event you really feel ‘cancelled’ or not by the scenario. All I've management over is me talking my reality, and attempting to heal from the traumatic expertise that I had as a minor along with your bandmate and greatest pal.

“In the event you don’t wish to take any accountability, that’s advantageous, however I’m accomplished speaking about it. I’m fucking accomplished. Go make your fucking music, I don’t give a shit. Simply please fuck off. Fuck off and cease fucking gaslighting me. Fuck you.”

In Night time’s authentic assertion from July 2020, she wrote that it has taken her “years to lastly perceive that I'm a sufferer of abuse”. She additionally accused Armstrong of utilizing his “place of energy” as a member of a headline touring band with which to exert his management. “That skilled energy dynamic had made its approach into all features of our relationship,” she mentioned.

Night time added that she spoke to Armstrong earlier than sharing her preliminary assertion on-line, and that he “appeared very empathetic” – however when she obtained a handwritten observe from him, delivered by his bandmate, Cole Becker, Armstrong “didn’t tackle any of the abuse, my age, his place of energy, or something sexual in any respect” within the letter.

She defined that she’d taken the choice to make the claims public after SWMRS “launched an unbelievably hypocritical assertion on social media”, including: “This band’s delusional positioning of themselves as woke feminists will not be solely triggering for me as a sufferer, however is full bullshit and must be known as out.”

The Beckers’ newly posted video assertion opened with Cole providing an apology for his and Max’s prolonged silence on the matter. “It’s simply been arduous to seek out the best phrases to say,” he mentioned. “The final time we have been actually in contact is over two years in the past. The world round you and me had shut down.”

The frontman went on to speak about his bandmate and brother’s automobile crash and subsequent interval of restoration. “It’s in opposition to that backdrop that my life modified as soon as once more,” he continued.

“Lydia was any individual who we thought of a pal. After I first heard that she was going to name Joey out, I instantly known as her. I keep in mind that Joey and her had met up months earlier than to debate their relationship after the actual fact, and I believed that it had gone effectively. So I wished to determine what had modified.”

Cole continued: “We talked twice, and it was going effectively till she made gentle of my brother’s automobile wreck, and recommended that we may publish about The Regrettes on our Instagram story to stop her from going public together with her accusations – at which level I needed to step away from the scenario.

“When she printed her assertion, I instantly noticed that sure particulars have been embellished to to make it seem worse than it was. I used to be there. I keep in mind their temporary relationship. I keep in mind when he spent Mom’s Day together with her household.”

Later, Cole mentioned it “felt incorrect” to get entangled with the scenario: “Finally, it isn’t my story to inform and I actually didn’t wanna discredit her story. However the discrepancies have been too evident for me to take her facet over his.

“I wasn’t going to sentence my pal. As a result of we refused to sentence him, we acquired cancelled. We began getting demise threats. Personal details about our lives was being handed round casually by individuals who felt betrayed by us. Individuals have been discovering each inventive strategy to inform us that we sucked they usually hated us.”

Cole continued: “In the event you have been considered one of these individuals, I get it. You had believed that we stood for one thing, and but right here we have been seemingly contradicting ourselves by standing by our pal amid these allegations. People who I had thought of mates started posting statements condemning our band.

“I recalled in horror how I had participated on this frenzy a number of instances earlier than from the opposite facet. I assumed that I had been utilizing our platform for a very good factor. However in the long run, I used to be collaborating in a tradition that rewards merciless behaviour within the identify of justice. And I solely realized this due to how merciless individuals have been being to us. We have been being media flogged.”

As for the way forward for the band, Cole mentioned: “SWMRS will not be breaking apart, however a chapter of our lives has emphatically closed. Joey and Seb have each stepped away from the band to develop their private lives. Max and I are going to maintain the band going.

“After every little thing we’ve been by way of, it feels silly to give up. He has labored relentlessly on his restoration for the reason that accident with this sole intention of with the ability to play rock music on a stage once more. Our band means loads to us, and I believe it means loads to a whole lot of you as effectively.”

Cole then defined that he’d been “scared to say something” as he was conscious that his ideas on the scenario have been “controversial”.

“It doesn’t match neatly into the cultural binary of fine versus dangerous. And I used to be scared as a result of I don’t wish to battle anybody – that’s the very last thing I wish to do. However as this continues to intrude with our capability to do our job, I've no different selection. The time has come for us to set the file straight.”

Anticipating SWMRS followers’ response to the assertion, Cole mentioned: “A few of you'll hear this and it gained’t be sufficient. If that’s the case, you don’t must hearken to our music. I’m solely attempting to inform you the reality. I’ve not all the time accomplished the best factor.

“However anybody who actually is aware of me is aware of that I all the time attempt to deal with individuals with respect, and to work from a spot of affection. Regardless of how this letter finds you, we’re sending you're keen on, respect and gratitude. It’s all the time been an honour to share our music with you.”

Armstrong had beforehand responded to the claims in his personal assertion, which he shared on SWMRS’ official Instagram account again in July 2020.

“Whereas I don’t agree with a few of the issues she mentioned about me, it’s essential that she be allowed to say them and that she be supported for talking out. I respect her immensely and absolutely settle for that I failed her as a associate,” it learn.

“I used to be egocentric and I didn’t deal with her the way in which she deserves to have been handled each throughout our relationship and within the two years since we broke up.”

Armstrong added: “I've apologised to her privately and I hope she will forgive me, if and when she is prepared to take action. I personal my errors and can work arduous to regain the belief that I misplaced.”

NME has contacted Lydia Night time’s representatives for remark.