PARKWAY Drive bassist Jia O’Connor has issued a public apology for early lyrics after an ABC documentary reported instances of misogyny and sexual assault in the Northern Rivers town.
The documentary uncovered rap songs in which O’Connor was involved – before he joined Parkway Drive – that referenced rape and underage girls. In all some 35 people came forward to journalists to discuss instances of abuse in the holiday town during the 2000s.
In a statement O’Connor made to the ABC, he said he was deeply ashamed of some of these pre-Parkway songs.
“(They were written and performed by) insecure teenagers (mimicking) the hateful lyrics of Eminem and NWA without realising the consequences,” the statement said.
“In fact, many songs were never meant to be published. But some of the worst songs were leaked and ended up hurting people.
“While it was a toxic culture for boys, it was so much worse for girls and I am deeply sorry for contributing to that.”
The ABC documentary also mentioned Parkway Drive in another context: the conduct of Jed Daniel Gordon, the brother of drummer Ben who recently escaped jail time for an historical child sex offence.
Jed Daniel Gordon described himself as the band’s “merch guy”.
Vocalist Winston McCall said in a video statement: “This is fucked and this is Jed’s reckoning to answer for.
“It’s his reckoning, and he will answer for it.
“We employed him for a long time and we put him in a position where he had contact with a lot of people and it’s our moral responsibility to carry. That’s our moral responsibility to carry. We see it, we see it and we hold it.”
In an additional statement issued to ABC, the band said: “Behaviours like power imbalances, consent issues, bullying were everywhere: in homes and in the streets and girls and women did bear the brunt of it.
“It’s heartbreaking and unacceptable.”