Kansas City band Coalesce, pioneers of jagged and off-kilter metallic hardcore, have broken up and reunited many times over the years. They recently teased a new album, recorded with producer Scott Evans, which would be their first since the 2009 reunion LP Ox. This spring the band had plans to tour Europe, including a stop at the Dutch festival Roadburn. But in the wake of allegations made against guitarist and co-founder Jes Steineger, they have canceled those plans.
The allegations against Steineger first surfaced in a Reddit thread last month. Steineger was teaching at Lindenwood University in Missouri, and the person making allegations against him is his 24-year-old former student and advisee. Their interaction, largely conducted over email, was seemingly mostly consensual, and both parties were of age. But there's an inappropriate built-in power dynamic inequality between teacher and student, and the student is certainly upset over what happened.
In the wake of that Reddit thread, Coalesce posted a statement on their since-deleted Instagram. According to the band, Steineger has "contributed his personal resignation" to the university. At the time, though, the band announced their intention to keep going with Steineger: "The narrative now being circulated goes far beyond the facts. After reviewing the evidence ourselves, we stand behind Jes and reject these mischaracterizations." Here's the full text, via the PRP:
We’re aware of a Reddit post and related comments making accusations toward our guitarist Jes and, by extension, the band.
Earlier this year, Jes informed us that he had engaged in a mutual but inappropriate email exchange with a 24-year-old student at his university. Given the obvious concerns around power dynamics, we asked to review all correspondences and evidence. We went through everything thoroughly. The physical contact that has been referenced publicly consisted of consensual interactions, which included student-initiated “pinky swears” and two non-sexual hugs, after which he did not pursue or encourage any further physical contact. Nothing resembling sexual misconduct, predation, or assault occurred. No sexually explicit images or materials were exchanged or solicited.
Jes has consistently acknowledged fault for initiating private email contact and for not immediately alerting the university, which contributed to his personal resignation from the academy. This matter arose in an academic context, and while Jes is a member of coalesce, no band-related status, access, or influence played any role in what occurred. There was also no quid pro quo conduct in his role as her professor. The documentation shows that the interaction was mutual, that the student’s attraction pre-dated these events, and it ended when Jes withdrew consent to pursue anything inappropriate.
Jes fucked up. He has repeatedly owned his part. But the narrative now being circulated goes far beyond the facts. After reviewing the evidence ourselves, we stand behind Jes and reject these mischaracterizations.
In subsequent posts on that Reddit thread, Steineger's former student rejected the band's account of those events. Since then, Steineger has parted ways with Coalesce, and the band has canceled its European tour. In a Roadburn Festival Instagram post yesterday, the band announced, "Coalesce has parted ways with their guitarist and, as a result, will be unable to fulfill the upcoming shows."
Jes Steineger sent his own statement to Lambgoat. Here it is:
I made the choice to step down as guitarist of coalesce.
The public attention surrounding my personal failures has become too heavy a burden for my family and loved ones, and I need to step away from public life to focus on accountability, repair, and healing, which I am now doing professionally.
I accept responsibility for my choices and for how they have impacted others. At the same time, the matters that have been made public deserve to be addressed in a private, professionally mediated setting, with restorative healing and reconciliation as the goal, not public spectacle.
I ask, unequivocally, that no one harass or attack any individual connected to this situation. Please do not contact them to direct anger or cruelty in my name or the name of the band. That behavior is unacceptable and serves no constructive purpose.
I am grateful to my former bandmates for their honesty and care in handling a difficult and painful situation. My choices are mine alone. I wish them well in continuing on without me.
