In line with Billboard and Law360, HATEBREED‘s founding bassist Chris Beattie has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the band, claiming he was the “driving pressure behind [HATEBREED‘s] sound and identification till his sudden and baseless expulsion” from the group final November.
The criticism, which was filed at Connecticut Superior Court docket in New Haven and which has been obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, additionally accuses HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta (actual title: James Shanahan) of displaying “more and more erratic” habits within the months main as much as Chris‘s “abrupt termination”, “culminating in a unilateral choice to chop Beattie off from his profession, followers, touring, and substantial anticipated income.”
Within the lawsuit, Beattie claims that he “contributed vital labor, musical expertise, recording and administration duties, promotion, and monetary sources, with out which HATEBREED wouldn’t and couldn’t have achieved its present degree of recognition and profitability.” He provides that “the band functioned pursuant to a longstanding, implied settlement and understanding that Shanahan and Beattie had been equal co-owners within the band and entitled to their designated share of income, royalties, and mental property rights.”
In September 2015, Shanahan, Beattie and drummer Matthew Byrne entered into an settlement regarding the distribution of proceeds from the sale of HATEBREED merchandise, in accordance with the criticism. Below the merchandise settlement, “Beattie, Byrne, and Shanahan agreed they had been every entitled to 25% of the gross sales and income from merchandise whereas the opposite two members of the band acquired 12.5%, accounting for the remaining 25% of gross sales,” the lawsuit reads. “Shanahan and/or band supervisor Steve Ross maintained a selected HATEBREED checking account and managed the band’s earnings and distributions to different members, together with Beattie.”
In line with Beattie, he and different band members “had no perception into how the cash was managed, and most frequently acquired fee by way of wire transfers. These transfers typically got here with no rationalization or breakdown of the quantity being transferred.”
The criticism goes on to say that “HATEBREED continued to function in accordance with the longstanding implied settlement and understanding the first members, together with Shanahan, Beattie, and Byrne, had been co-equal homeowners within the band. As well as, the three, together with band supervisor Steve Ross, performed a essential position in all main decision-making on behalf of the band. For instance, every of Shanahan, Beattie, Byrne and Ross had been liable for and infrequently mentioned managerial selections similar to how a lot different band members had been paid for sure exhibits, reserving and scheduling, distribution, and the band’s public picture and branding, amongst different issues. Regardless of this understanding and follow that the three main band members be concerned in such decision-making and entitled to equal shares in income, sooner or later Shanahan turned extra secretive with respect to decision-making and the band’s funds.”
Previous to his termination, Beattie claims that he “started to note that there have been substantial delays in receiving his share of merchandise gross sales following HATEBREED performances. When Beattie did obtain funds purporting to replicate his share of merchandise gross sales, these funds had been considerably decrease than what he anticipated beneath the merchandise settlement. Due to this, Beattie started requesting monetary details about the band from Shanahan. Regardless of his repeated requests in 2023 and 2024, Beattie by no means acquired any monetary data confirming that the portion of the proceeds he acquired constituted 25% of gross sales as promised.”
In line with Beattie, he was notified final November by Shanahan that he was “terminated” from his position as HATEBREED‘s bassist. “Beattie‘s termination adopted weeks of erratic habits by Shanahan, together with berating and belittling tour and street crew and publicly posting about being confused, burned out, and usually having an excessive amount of on his plate,” the lawsuit claims. “In terminating Beattie from the band, Shanahan cited to an alleged incident that occurred on or round November 9, 2024 simply previous to a HATEBREED live performance on the Toyota Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Connecticut. There, a Stay Nation safety guard on the venue falsely reported that Beattie had harassed her upon coming into the theater previous to his efficiency. These allegations had been patently unfaithful. Beattie by no means harassed any Stay Nation worker and extra probably, she mistook him for another person.
“Regardless of Beattie‘s denying the incident, Shanahan abruptly terminated Beattie from HATEBREED, regardless of his thirty-year tenure within the band and the implied settlement that he would stay a part of HATEBREED. Shanahan had no justified purpose for Beattie‘s termination. Shanahan had structured a false narrative about Beattie — not supported by any proof — to different band members following the Oakdale present in an effort to discredit Beattie‘s repute and persuade the opposite band members to justify Shanahan‘s need to kick Beattie out of the band.”
Beattie goes on to say that the fallout from his “termination has had a big unfavorable influence on his profession, repute, and well being and well-being.” He additionally accuses HATEBREED of continuous “to promote merchandise utilizing Beattie‘s likeness in its on-line retailer. HATEBREED and Shanahan additionally proceed to advertise the band utilizing Beattie‘s likeness. For instance, as of the date of this submitting Beattie continues to be featured prominently on HATEBREED‘s profile image for its Instagram account, and Beattie seems on HATEBREED‘s web site and social media pages.”
Beattie is searching for monetary damages from HATEBREED and Jasta — together with compensatory damages and damages for emotional misery — saying that he has been lower off from touring income and has misplaced model offers since being ousted.
This previous Might, Chris opened up about his departure from HATEBREED, telling Drew Stone of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Stay!: “Clearly, the final 12 months was the thirtieth anniversary of the band, so we had large stuff occurring for that, which was all utterly superb. We had a terrific 12 months. Excursions, exhibits had been profitable, after which we leap to proper now the place I am not within the band anymore.”
Chris went on to say that his exit from HATEBREED was “utterly sudden. We had simply celebrated 30 years,” he defined. “It was superior. Profitable tour. Left on a excessive observe. We did nice stuff. And like I mentioned earlier than publicly, it was not my choice to depart the band. Somebody noticed a possibility to get me out of the image, and that is the place I’m now.”
Beattie continued: “All the things went very well that 12 months, however there was stuff occurring behind the scenes, and it turned a chore to get in contact with anybody. And I used to be the center man, principally, for bandmembers and crew members, and that turned a chore for me. And I had began asking a number of questions, and it turned problematic. I turned an issue throughout the [organization].”
Concerning the place he stood with HATEBREED proper now, Chris mentioned: “We’re making an attempt to work it out. There’s attorneys concerned now. They’re spending a number of time having to take care of that and all the main points of that. And I’ve gone backwards and forwards.
“Clearly, when one thing like that occurs, you are upset,” he continued. “You undergo all these loopy feelings. You place 30 years into one thing like that. However I do not wanna shit on the legacy of what I did. And I may very well be that man. I might come out right here and I might speak all types of shit, however I do not need [to]… I do not wanna be that man. We made good music. We had nice instances collectively. Issues modified. Dynamics modified.
“It is onerous to be away from your loved ones whenever you’re touring. Everybody understands that. And the suggestions from individuals whenever you play, you encourage them, you contact their life, you’ve got a constructive, lasting influence on somebody, that at all times stored me within the sport. And when shit wasn’t going proper within the band and whatnot, you have a look at that man that is the realest shit you possibly can probably get. Folks would come as much as us on a regular basis and be, like, ‘Man, I used to be able to kill myself. And your music modified me.’ How do you reply to that? It is actual deep shit.
“So I am simply hoping for one of the best,” Chris added. “Hopefully we’ll be capable to kind this out. I do not need us to go down some shitty street. We have all seen bands try this, so hopefully it might finish on respectable phrases and be capable to transfer forward.”
Requested if he thought there was any probability of him with the ability to work issues out with HATEBREED and return to the band, Beattie mentioned: “My time is completed with HATEBREED… It is carried out. My household comes first. I am going to go away it at that. I am unable to return to that. However there’s a legacy. With on a regular basis that I have not been within the band now, which, it is bizarre to say, however individuals know me from that band in every single place I’m going. You possibly can’t shake that type of shit. The identification continues to be there. So it is good. It is onerous to speak about too, however right here we’re. New doorways open.”
When Beattie went public together with his departure from HATEBREED 5 months in the past, he wrote in a press release: “I simply wish to take the time to let everybody know that I’m doing simply high-quality and I sincerely recognize everybody who has reached out.
“I used to be beneath the impression a joint announcement can be agreed upon prematurely, however since that was not the case I needed to handle your considerations in my very own submit.
“Presently I’m unable to debate the specifics surrounding my departure from HATEBREED on November 13, 2024. Nonetheless, I wish to make clear that the choice to depart the band was not mine and that my departure was uncalled for and primarily based on deceptive and wrongful statements that can be topic to future actions.”
Earlier this month, HATEBREED launched its first new music in practically 5 years, “Make The Demons Obey”. The monitor was the primary style of recent HATEBREED materials after the group’s “Weight Of The False Self” album which got here out in 2020.
This previous April, HATEBREED introduced it was resurrecting the annual “Summer time Slaughter” tour for 2025, which kicked off on July 8 in St. Petersburg, Florida and ran by way of July 28 in Grand Rapids.
Final month, HATEBREED guitarist Wayne Lozinak left the band’s European tour following a mind tumor analysis. He’ll bear a craniotomy — a surgical process that entails opening the cranium to entry the mind — on August 4.
Within the meantime, HATEBREED has continued its European and American excursions, with touring bassist Matt Bachand of SHADOWS FALL stepping in on guitar, and Carl Schwartz of FIRST BLOOD and TERROR becoming a member of the group on bass duties.
Lozinak has been a key a part of HATEBREED‘s sound since rejoining the band in 2009.
Photograph credit score: Jeremy Saffer