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The Neighbourhood drummer Brandon Fried was ousted from the band on Sunday, November 13, following s**ual assault accusations by singer María Zardoya. Brandon Fried confirmed the allegations and admitted to the act after Zardoya called him out on Instagram.
Zardoya, the vocalist for the pop band The Marias, posted an Instagram story about the incident on Sunday, calling it "one of the most uncomfortable experiences to date."
The incident occurred at a bar, where the drummer touched her without her consent in a "invasion of space, privacy, and body," according to the story.
She wrote:
"I was at a bar last night, and I was groped under the table by Brandon Fried. It was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever experienced. I felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body."
She tagged The Neighbourhood in the story and added:
"Y'all need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep."
A few hours after the allegations were made, the rock band released a statement in response to Zardoya and shared that Brandon Fried had been fired from the group.
Brandon Fried is seeking help for his alcohol and substance abuse problems
On Sunday, the lead vocalist of The Marias, which comprises Maria Zardoya alongside Josh Conway on the drums, posted about the incident on their band's Instagram page.
Shortly after Zardoya's post started circulating, The Neighbourhood, which consisted of (former) drummer Brandon Fried, guitarists Jeremy Freedman and Zach Abels, bassist Mikey Margot and vocalist Jesse Rutherford, released a statement on Twitter.
They tweeted that they were grateful to the singer for coming forward and noted that they have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior toward women. The band added:
"As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood."
The drummer also posted an apology on his Instagram Stories, personally apologizing to Zardoya, The Neighbourhood, and their fans. He wrote that he was "terribly sorry" for his unwanted advances towards Zardoya and also extended an apology to women who have been victims of any behavior that has left them feeling uncomfortable or violated.
He stated that his actions towards The Marias singer were inexcusable and intolerable and that while they did not reflect him as a person, they did reflect who he became while under the influence.
He continued that he has begun seeking help to address his problems with alcohol and substance abuse. He concluded by apologizing to his fellow bandmates and fans for letting them down.
Brandon Fried has been the band's drummer for eight years since taking up the mantle in 2014. The Neighbourhood has yet to send an update about his replacement.
The Neighbourhood's most recent music was the stand-alone single "Fallen Star", which was released last year. Prior to this, the band, which formed in 2011, released their fourth studio album, ‘Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones’ in September of 2020.
Recently, the band has also been the subject of increased media attention due to lead singer Jesse Rutherford's blossoming romance with Billie Eilish.
