Holy Roar Records Founder Resigns, Denies Rape Allegations
A mass exodus from the UK-based punk/metal/indie label Holy Roar Records has begun in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against founder Alex Fitzpatrick. That exodus includes Fitzpatrick himself, who has resigned from the company while denying the allegations against him.
Tuesday the British band Rolo Tomassi cut ties with Holy Roar after Serena Cherry of labelmates Svalbard circulated anonymous accounts from two women alleging rape, sexual harassment, and emotional abuse by Fitzpatrick. Svalbard and several other Holy Roar acts posted that they were exploring their options in light of the allegations. Since then, quite a few bands on the roster have jumped ship, including Svalbard, Respire, Ithaca, Møl, Talons, Slow Crush, OHHMS, Boss Keloid, Portals, Secret Cutter, and Renounced. Three label employees also quit their jobs and shared a statement expressing solidarity with the victims.
That leaves Fitzpatrick as the only full-time Holy Roar employee — a position he is vacating, thereby seemingly ending the label altogether. As Brooklyn Vegan points out, Fitzpatrick shared the following statement on Facebook today, denying the allegations against himself while announcing his resignation:
You may have been made aware of the devastating allegations against me on social media, the most serious of which have been made by women who I dated approximately 8 years ago. These allegations are false, and I am doing everything I can to clear my name. I immediately instructed solicitors to help me defend my name and reputation. For legal reasons, I am advised by my solicitors, at this stage, to refrain from making further comments. I have also resigned with immediate effect from my businesses to enable me to focus on clearing my name.
— Holy Roar (@holyroarrecords) September 8, 2020
If you or someone you know is suffering from sexual violence, please contact RAINN or call the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
