Only eight years ago, Brandon Fried found himself stepping into the shoes of former The Neighbourhood drummer Bryan Sammis after he departed in 2014 to pursue a solo career. The move seemed to work perfectly, but after allegations surfaced on Monday about Fried groping María Zardoya, frontwoman of the band the Marías, he was promptly given the boot.
Zardoya shared her experience via Instagram yesterday (November 13), writing, “i was at a bar last night, and i was groped under the table by brandon fried @brandonfried_, the drummer of the neighbourhood. it was one of the most uncomfortable things i’ve ever experienced. i felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body. @thenbhd ya’ll need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep.”
After sharing her harrowing account, the “Sweater Weather” band quickly responded on their social media, making it clear they had “zero tolerance” for inappropriate behavior towards women.
We are grateful to Maria for coming forward. We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women. As a result of Brandon’s actions, he will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood.
— The Neighbourhood (@thenbhd) November 13, 2022
The drummer didn’t deny the allegation and offered his own response to the recent incident: “I am so terribly sorry to Maria. My actions were inexcusable and intolerable. They are not reflective of who l am as a person, but clearly a reflection of who I become while under the influence,” he wrote in a now-deleted Instagram story post. “I want to apologize to women who have been victims of any behavior that has left them feeling uncomfortable or violated. I am also sorry to The Neighbourhood and our fans for letting them down.”
The Neighbourhood had been relatively quiet on social media before the recent controversy. This past February, the band revealed they would be going on hiatus.
This comes after the lead singer — and rumored beau of Billie Eilish — Jesse Rutherford posted snippets of what appears to be new music on his TikTok account around the same time the band announced they would be taking a break, Variety reports.