Members of pop punk band All Time Low are speaking out following allegations of “inappropriate behavior” toward young fans, calling the claims “absolutely and unequivocally false.”
The band spoke out in a joint statement posted on social media Monday, signed by lead singer Alex Gaskarth, guitarist Jack Barakat, drummer Rian Dawson and bassist Zack Merrick, all age 33.
“We have to state with outright certainty that what is being said about us is completely and utterly false,” the statement read. “We are investigating further the source of these false accusations, and will be seeking legal recourse as we take these allegations very seriously.”
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All Time Low, which has kept most of its original members since forming in 2003 and is currently on tour, is known for songs such as the 2007 hit “Dear Maria, Count Me In” and more recent “Monsters (feat. Demi Lovato and blackbear)” in 2020.
A statement from the four of us. pic.twitter.com/tazxZAKOkr
— All Time Low (@AllTimeLow) October 25, 2021
The statement did not single out specific allegations, though it did note there was a TikTok video that “gained traction a few weeks ago alluding to inappropriate behavior within our camp.” All Time Low said they “chose not to respond because of the glaring inconsistencies in the story, and the apparent reluctance to mention us by name.”
“We felt that a response would have elevated and escalated an outright lie, and in doing so, robbed actual victims of abuse of their very real and very important collective voice,” the statement added.
USA TODAY has reached out to the band’s record label for further comment.
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A since-removed TikTok video gained traction among fans a few weeks ago, in which a woman claimed an unnamed pop punk band – that she later alluded was All Time Low in the comments section – invited her on their tour bus when she was 13. It did not include specific allegations. A since-suspended Twitter account also included a lengthy claim that Barakat solicited nude images and sexually assaulted and groomed an underage fan.
Barakat tweeted separately that he felt “the need to personally refute the claims being made against me and us, as they are 100% false.”
All Time Low concluded: “It is difficult and disheartening to have to make this statement knowing that the allegations against our camp are completely unfounded and false, but at this point it is of the upmost importance to us that you know we hear you, we stand with victims, and we stand collectively for the truth.”
More: Bob Dylan sued for allegedly grooming, sexually abusing 12-year-old girl in 1965
And: EDM DJ Bassnectar denies accusations of sexually abusing, trafficking underage girls
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Morgan Freeman, 80, an Oscar-winning actor was accused of sexual harassment, unwanted touching and other inappropriate behavior by eight people, according to a CNN investigation published May 24, 2018. The report details an alleged pattern of making unwanted advances on women while he was on movie sets and at other events. Freeman denied the accusations.
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R. Kelly, 51, a singer, has been accused of sexual abuse, sexual coercion and physical violence by multiple accusers, who have come forward in the past year, alleging that the singer committed acts of sexual coercion and physical abuse. A 2017 Buzzfeed story reported that Kelly rented homes in Atlanta and Chicago for groups of women who allegedly perform sexual favors for him. He has denied the allegations.
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Luc Besson, 59, a French film director, was accused of rape by an unnamed 27-year-old woman who alleges Besson put something in her tea that left her unconscious, according to a report from The Associated Press on May 19, 2018. She accuses him of touching and penetrating her without her consent at the Hôtel Bristol in Paris. Authorities are investigating the complaint. Besson has denied the allegations.
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Junot Díaz, 49, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, was accused of accused of sexual harassment and bullying by female authors including Zinzi Clemmons, Carmen Maria Machado and Monica Byrne on Twitter on May 4, 2018. Clemmons tweeted that when she was a graduate student, she invited Díaz to speak to a workshop, claiming Díaz used it as an opportunity “to corner and forcibly kiss me.”
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Nev Schulman, 33, the co-host of MTV’s “Catfish” was accused of sexual misconduct by show alum Ayissha Morgan, who alleged in a video posted to YouTube on May 12, 2018, that Schulman made several inappropriate sexual comments to her. MTV suspended the show in order to conduct an investigation, according to an emailed statement from the network to USA TODAY on May 17. Schulman denied the allegations.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: All Time Low band members call ‘inappropriate behavior’ allegations ‘unequivocally false’
