Hear Me Out: What Do We Do With All This Tainted Art?

I want to preface this article with a clarification: the actions of sexual predators, like those on the growing list of famous people being accused of various degrees of misconduct, are indefensible. I have never and will never condone this behaviour, and there is no intent to excuse or belittle the seriousness of this issue. I hold the highest respect for any and all victims of sexual misconduct who find the courage to confide in us with their terrible experiences.

My own terrible experience happened 23 years ago. While attending my first year of college, I was invited by one of the locals I'd befriended to a house party, where we'd hang out, chain smoke and have a few beers. Upon arrival, only the owner of the house was there, a man in his late fifties or early sixties; while waiting for the others to arrive, we cracked open our beers and started making small talk. As time passed, I started to wonder why no one else had showed, but didn't pay it too much mind and concentrated on present company.

As I was sipping away at my third beer, I suddenly became nauseous and felt like I was about to pass out. "I think I'm a cheap drunk," I said to myself as my lids began to close. When I came to, I was in a bed with my shirt off and the old man's hand down my pants. Thankfully, my wits returned quickly, and my adrenaline took me out of there before anything truly heinous could occur. The old man muttered "are you scared you're gonna like it?" as I collected my shirt and left. In the years that have passed, I've formed the opinion that my friend was coerced into bringing me along as an offering, my beer was drugged while I was in the bathroom, and I was supposed to be raped that night.

I haven't mentioned this incident to anyone until this moment, and so I understand how difficult it can be for victims to overcome the shame and speak out, especially victims of far more horrible crimes than myself. So just know that I applaud those with the strength to come forward, and I'm relieved and proud to stand with you.

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Brand New was one of my favourite bands of the last twenty years. As they shifted from emo/punk to more nuanced, adult rock, I felt something in the music that resonated with more force than just about anything else being made. I placed 2006's The Devil and God Are Raging Inside of Me firmly in my top records of all time, its tortured message heavy and harrowing. Just a couple of short months ago, I was praising their long-awaited new album Science Fiction, and had happily pre-ordered the CD direct from the band's label. It was a very good record, and I was a little bummed about the rumours that it might be their last.

And then, frontman Jesse Lacey was accused of sexual misconduct involving teenagers dating back to some fifteen years ago, and everything changed. No longer one of rock's last great hopes, Lacey had been exposed as a capital-C Creep, and his admission/apology wasn't close to enough to earn forgiveness; of course, some things aren't meant to be forgiven and, as much sympathy and atonement as one can try to accumulate, at the end of the day you only have yourself to blame for your mistakes. You don't get a pat on the back for being sorry you got caught.

So, just like that, Brand New was written off, and we moved on to the next name on the list of creeps. Fans have been left shocked, dismayed and angry; how could we have been so thoroughly fooled? Our hero was a villain all along, and we funded his dastardly plans when we bought records, merch and concert tickets. The taste of betrayal is bitter, and we've all been left with pursed lips and sunken hearts.

As the entertainment industry as a whole continues to deal with this epidemic of exposure, two things are clear: this is a culture of abuse that's been allowed to fester unchecked for far too long, and there are surely a lot more of our heroes holding dark secrets with an ever-loosening grip. Jesse Lacey is one of the highest profile musicians to be accused so far this fall, but I have to believe there are many more to be named and there are plenty of bands about to be disowned by their fan bases.

Which raises an interesting question: what do we do with the art now?

Depending on your moral compass and your willingness to separate the art from the life that may or may not be imitating it, there's a good chance that you've vowed not to listen to Brand New, watch Louis CK's comedy or take in a Miramax flick. If that's your way of standing up to the sickness of the men involved, then I certainly won't fault you for it. Still, I have to wonder if it's entirely fair to those songs, shows and movies to cast them all into exile. In my opinion, we have to be careful about the precedent we set by cutting this art out of our lives. I admit that we experience it much differently in the context of its creators (especially in the case of Louis CK), but is it possible to create distance between the context of the creator and the art itself? Should we even try to?

Consider this: if you own Brand New albums and have vowed to throw them away in protest of Lacey's actions, are you willing to do the same with the rest of your albums? If you're sitting on collections of classic rock albums, chances are you're going to need to rent a dumpster; if you hold one artist to this standard, are you prepared to stand up against The Beatles? Led Zeppelin? The Rolling Stones? Probably every hair metal band ever? We've all heard tales of backstage debauchery, but can you imagine some of the stories left untold? It sends shivers down my spine.

Personally, though, I'm not planning on throwing out any of my CDs; and, though I can't in good conscience consider Brand New for any of my year-end awards now, chances are I'll continue to listen to their music, even if it's not as often. I've already paid for it, so I needn't worry about contributing more financially; and, at the end of the day, my disdain for the poor choices of one of the band's members doesn't outweigh what I take from the music even if exactly what that is has been altered somewhat. Though Lacey may be channeling some guilt over his actions in his lyrics, it's not like he was writing songs specifically about the actions themselves. Having said that, severity also comes into play, and some offenders are clearly worse than others (for instance, even though I really liked some of their singles, there's no way I can support Lostprophets, nor do I recommend reading up on Ian Watkins' exploits on a full stomach).

I suppose what it comes down to is your personal tolerance; it's perfectly natural to want to cast out these men, and they surely deserve whatever comes to them in light of the lives they've ruined. If that includes a complete blacklisting, that's your call and I'll support you for your conviction. Just know that there are a lot more dominoes left to fall, and your conviction may require a thorough purging of some of your favourite artists. As for me, I'm not ready to cull my collection just yet, and I believe there's a more powerful lesson to be learned (especially for us men) when we stop pretending the monsters don't exist and instead keep reminding ourselves not to become them.

Thanks for reading. As always, I welcome your opinions and discussion.