If you are named Cradle Of Filth, perhaps a mess is to be expected. That's what's been unfolding for the veteran English metal band. Last weekend, two band members, spouses Zoë M. Federoff and Marek "Ashok" Šmerda, quit Cradle Of Filth, citing "unprofessional behavior" including management withholding proper compensation and band leader Dani Filth's "foolish," much-publicized decision to collaborate with dweeby pop superstar Ed Sheeran (a collab that has yet to materialize). Thursday, the conflict intensified as Federoff shared a new statement condemning the band's "toxic" work environment and "psychopathic" session contracts. Now, we can add even more filth to the cradle.
Dani Filth has decided to share his side of the story in an extensive statement shared via eight(!) slides in an Instagram post. The gallery also includes screenshots of a text exchange between Ashok and the band's manager Dez Fafara. In the statement, Filth says the contracts his band members signed were supposed to be rough drafts and starting points and that he never expected anyone to actually sign them. He says the contracts were signed in a rush so that the tour could get off the ground, which was a "mistake," and he will work to make sure the language is better going forward. Disputing Federoff's claims about restrictions on the band members, he says Cradle Of Filth members are allowed to play with other groups as schedule allows.
Filth says the South American tour that led to Federoff and Ashok's departure from Cradle Of Filth involved drunken fights between the spouses involving verbal and physical abuse, including an alleged incident in front of fans who'd gathered for a meet-and-greet — part of what Filth calls "a pattern of abusive behavior that strained the entire team." He defends Fafara's reputation against claims of financial misconduct, describing him as "very honest, transparent and truthful." Lastly, he disputes Federoff's allegations of fat shaming by Fafara.
The post ends with screenshots of Ashok calling Fafara a "sick evil person trained by sickest person in music industry - Sharon Osbourne - the criminal who should be whipped to death." In response, Fafara says he has been supportive during Ashok and Federoff's past crises and that he and Filth have been scrambling to get the couple paid.
It's quite a lot to wrap your head around, but you can try to do so below.
