Photo by Adam Degross
UPDATE:
It's a house divided when it comes to the future of metallic hardcore unit Jesus Piece. Three of the four members in guitarist David Updike, guitarist John DiStefano and drummer Luis Aponte have issued a very definitive statement regarding the speculated uncertainty of the band.
While Jesus Piece, or the current iteration of band is confirmed to perform at One Big Party Festival in Phoenix, AZ this October, the majority of the band have called any continued version of their unit a "mockery" and definitively expressed that Jesus Piece has been "dead" for some time now.
In a statement shared by all members except vocalist Aaron Heard, the remaining members of Jesus Piece expressed the following.
“Jesus Piece has been dead for some time. A member quit abruptly for personal reasons and we felt wrong continuing without him.
Anything you see associated with this name or similar, playing our music and using our art, is not related to anything we worked for over the last 10 years.
We are proud of everything we did and it changed our live forever. To try and continue that without us or in spite of us, is a mockery of what we’ve done and tried to do.
Thank you all for everything!
Lu, John, Dave“
The last full length release from the band was the universally-acclaimed ...So Unknown. Since then, the band's infrequent touring and ultimate radio silence furthered speculation that the future of the collective was less than certain. The statement from the three members of the band, sheds some light on who is looking to continue and who isn't.
UPDATE:
In response to the statement shared by the remaining members of the band, Je$us Piece frontman Aaron Heard has since published a statement of his own. While the initial statement from Aponte, Updike and DiStefano did not mention Heard directly, Heard opted to get specific in his response.
“I didn’t feel a need to explain anything but since I’ve got a bunch of random people relentlessly commenting on pics dating back to 2016 and messaging me heinous shit I’m going to tell you straight up.
Yes it’s been 10 years but those men are not my friends and they haven’t been for almost the entirety of us being a band. Just because we’re a band doesn’t mean we are best buddies. I’ve got love for Lu but thats really it.
In regards to their oddly worded statement:
To say they didn’t feel comfortable continuing when they threatened to replace me on the Sepultura tour twice for wanting to spend Halloween with my son is what the real mockery is in this. Tried to replace me when they left me at the border on the Show me the body tour. Tried to replace me in the past. Bullshit.
Throwing the birth of my son in my face during an argument. Saying my son is ruining things for the band? Fuck that.
‘We appreciate you inviting us to your son’s birth but he’s got nothing to do with us.’
Would you want to work with people who think this way? Would you say that’s friendship? These people don’t respect me or my family and they never really have. I gotta draw the line somewhere. I pray one day when they start families of their own they look back on these moments and see how wack that is.
I’ve just sat through it because I loved the music we’ve made. To me it was easier to smoke and pack it away. But after that last bit I was done. Do I think I’m the only person that matters? No. They are undeniably great musicians. Just tired of dealing with the bullshit and I’m sure they were too.
I love the people and friends I’ve made through this shit. I love the feeling of connecting and sharing such raw emotions with y’all.
I will play a couple and if you’re upset by this as a fan I’m sorry and you do not have to come out nor listen. You are entitled to your opinion. But I just won’t ever work with them again.”
With the conversation steering towards the personal conflict at the core of the split, both Aponte and DiStefano took their own socials to offer their take on Heard's explanation.
Drummer Luis Aponte published,
“Was really trying to avoid to be personal but,
– first of all no one can or wants replace you in this band .. ever When you said you quit, you said we could move on without you and none of us wanted to. We were happy to let it rest in peace.
– second, you and I both know never in my entire life would I ever ask you not to be with your son, for any circumstance. I’m still proud of the video I made for you and him when we were there the night he was born.
– the fact of the matter is you were dishonest to me and us. You told us you were done to be with your son, then went behind our back with the label / money to do this and make a quick buck.
I just wanted the band to end on the legacy we created together and we could’ve left it there.
But if people wanna support what you’re doing right now, more power to them as well.”
Guitarist John DiStefano also too issue with Heard's response and offered a targeted comeback that broke down some of Heard's assertions.
“That’s sad to hear you got no love for me anymore despite 10 years of JP and a couple years of HTP together.
Can you remind me about the time we tried to replace you when you got held at the border and I drove back 3 hours to get you at 4am on no sleep?
And I guess none of us have any family or loved ones we sacrificed from being on tour either. I just have a dog, I know. I wish every band that asked us to tour with them took holdidays and birthdays into consideration too. Anyone that’s ever been in a full time touring band wishes the same.
I actually remember having a conversation last year with Dave where you told me we should be touring more? Didn’t you also mention we should find a replacement for Lu now that he’s in France?
I figured the family aspect of the break up would be your only angle because it hits the hardest with people. Now that you lied about all that it’ll forever be disputed regardless of what I or the other guys say.
Still confused as to why you quit to take care of them and decided that a month later you were going to continue the band without us.
I guess when a label dangles money out there it’s hard to say no. It’s funny because you probably could’ve started a new band and gotten bigger than us but you chose to run with the same name.
It’ll forever make me sad the band went down this way. That’s the worst part about this. We probably would ‘ve even done something new together.
See you around Philly man, peace”
