It has been almost two months since the Buttertones, a band that once had so much promise, instead imploded under the weight of sexual misconduct allegations.
It started with a single story about what seemed like a consensual encounter between the band’s bassist, Sean Redman, and a female fan on Instagram. It wound up with a band unraveling, one member being fired and two others quitting, the Buttertones’ label dropping the band, and then a disappearing act: first by the band on social media, then by most of its music off streaming services.
Some fans have declared the band unfairly canceled. Some are vowing to listen to the music regardless of the accusations. Others have stopped listening, permanently or at least for now. But everyone can agree that the Buttertones, instead of an up-and-coming band, are now a cautionary tale.
The sad saga of the Buttertones is a story about not just the band, but about Clem Creevy, Ava Hawk McDean, and many others.
After an Instagram account titled “Exposing the Buttertones” posted the story about Redman, others flowed in. The stories detailed accusations of sexual abuse in many cases and alleged misconduct in others, and the accounts were mostly anonymous.
Then Clem Creevy shared a brave account of her relationship with Redman, her former bandmate in Cherry Glazerr. The bassist initiated a sexual relationship with Creevy when she was just 14, falling solidly into the category of statutory rape. According to Creevy, Redman gave her a sexually transmitted infection and was a cheater and an abuser. The woman who made the initial allegation against Redman on Instagram had said that he didn’t ask her age or tell her that he had an STI before they had sex, which jibed with Creevy’s account.
Once the respected indie-rock frontwoman posted her story, the fallout was swift. The Buttertones offered a one-sentence statement on Instagram saying that Redman was no longer in the band. The remaining band members, save for singer Richard Araiza, posted their own more sincere statements.
Guitarist Modeste Cobián apologized for not speaking up sooner but denied the allegations against him. Keyboardist and sax player London Guzmán left the band, vowing to donate future royalties from the band to support women. Drummer Grant Snyder also called it quits. Innovative Leisure, the Buttertones’ label, dropped the band and soon removed their music from Spotify. Somewhere along the line, social media accounts for the band and various members were deactivated.
During all of this, there has been one constant: the silence of Araiza, who maintains an active Instagram account but hasn’t responded to the allegations. Privately, in messages detailed by fans, Araiza assured them that he’d post a statement soon. Almost two months later, we’re still waiting.
The Buttertones came into my life in 2017. I wrote blog posts praising the band, even declaring them "the next big thing.” I saw the band twice with guitarist Dakota Böttcher, a key member of the band who quit under somewhat mysterious circumstances last year.
But things never really materialized for the Buttertones. Since the allegations surfaced about Redman, as well as Araiza and Cobián, fans have speculated about what role the band’s long-rumored behavior may have played in their trajectory.
The accusations against other band members centered on abuse, sexual and otherwise, and were mostly anonymous. The singer of the Aquadolls, Melissa Brooks, posted her story about an encounter with Araiza, but it seemed to stop short of sexual assault.
Anyone who had doubts about Araiza’s character got some certainty when former girlfriend Ava Hawk McDean posted an account of her time with the singer. She broke her silence a couple of weeks after the band’s demise. According to his girlfriend of two years, Araiza was verbally abusive; transferred cocaine into her mouth, breaking her sobriety; and threatened her against speaking out after the two broke up.
Her account did not accuse the singer of assault specifically but was a tale of alleged abuse and poor character. Without hearing Araiza’s side of the story, followers of the band are left with questions and frustrations.
The Buttertones appear to be "no more," as fans have quoted Araiza as saying. The band isn't the first musical act to face misconduct allegations, and its music could still live on. But the band might be among the first to be done in by #MeToo allegations.
I'll still listen to the Buttertones. But with so many questions unanswered, it will be difficult to go back to earlier this summer, "a time when everything was fine."
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Epilogue (February 2024): The Buttertones, nearly derailed by the 2020 allegations and with only two members left from its previous incarnation, are releasing new music again and recently played a string of live shows.
At top, this illustration by Jordan Wright (@robbersden) depicts the Buttertones in better times. The band's latest album, "Jazzhound," was released in April. About three months later, #MeToo allegations brought the band's seeming demise.
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