Exotype and Rise Records aren't exactly best buddies right now, mainly due to Exotype accusing the label of screwing them over due to a personal beef the label has with a tour manager the band hired. The allegations include the label spitefully pulling them from tours, as well as silencing a video the band made dedicated to the Orlando Pulse shooting victims.
Keep in mind that despite the screenshots of text messages the band posted alongside the statement, none of this is confirmed and the label hasn't responded yet.
“Lets talk about how Rise Records abandoned us, as well as the reason we are no longer on the label. On that very same Amity Affliction tour, we employed a tour manager. After picking him up in Texas and playing a few dates, we receive a text from Craig Ericson stating that said tour manager is ‘cancer’ and to ‘leave him on the side of the road.’
“Ummmm no, sorry. That’s a human being. Come to find out, Craig had some personal beef YEARS back with this individual that has NOTHING to do with Exotype. We told him that we would no longer employ him on the tour and that he needn’t worry about it any longer. Plus, with a 150 dollar per night guarantee we could barely afford to eat, much less pay for a plane ticket to send the guy home, so he remained on the road as a passenger with us. People talk, and word got back to Craig that we didnt leave him in the desert of Arizona at a gas station, and what followed could best be described as a grown man having a temper tantrum.
“He pulled us off upcoming tour plans, including Warped Tour and said things such as, ‘Guess you want to ruin your relationship with your label, time to learn your lesson.’
“From then on, Rise Records refused to repost any updates from our band. Nothing from Facebook or any other social media [platforms]. They assigned us a day to day manager to slowly feather us into the dirt. We were offered no more tour support, and were completely abandoned. As a result of not having our label back us any longer, we lost our agent, as well as our management, and were left to die. We offered out of the kindness of our hearts to fund and execute a music video for our song STAND UP, which Rise agreed to repost on social media and push, as our last offering on Rise Records.
“AP [Alternative Press] released it exclusively, and Rise reposted it from their Facebook page. Only, there was a little gear icon next to the post instead of the normal ‘world icon. They reposted it so only we could see it. To shut us up. They PURPOSEFULLY went out of their way to ensure that only we saw it, and no one else.
“Keep in mind, this is a video we DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF THE PULSE SHOOTING in our hometown of Orlando. It’s a video we put a lot of money and effort into making, to raise awareness of the horrible atrocities that took place, and to inspire people to stand up for themselves and what they believe in. Rise chose to let personal interfere with business, and rob the music community of that video just to spite us. Frankly, that’s disgusting.”
This is one of those situations where if it's true, that's pretty fucked up that Rise Records would do that. That being said, the label has not made any statements or provided any counter-evidence against Exotype, so it's tough to weigh in on who seems as thought they're in the right here.
[via RockFeed]
