Avenged Sevenfold lead singer M. Shadows has again taken to defending Falling in Reverse bandleader Ronnie Radke, saying Avenged Sevenfold won’t “give in” to what he calls “pressure” to remove Falling in Reverse from upcoming Avenged Sevenfold concert bills.
This summer, Falling in Reverse are scheduled to open Avenged Sevenfold’s first two shows back since 2018, in Los Angeles and New York.
Two weeks ago, the band Spiritbox announced they’d dropped off a run of dates with Falling in Reverse. Though Spiritbox didn’t specify a reason, the backlash from fans that seemed to drive the decision appeared due to Radke’s allegedly problematic past and reportedly combative behavior. Radke responded.
READ MORE: We Answer the Internet’s Most Searched Questions About Avenged Sevenfold
“I know Ronnie, I like Ronnie,” Shadows now tells host Finn McKenty on McKenty’s The Punk Rock MBA podcast (March 27), as ThePRP reported.
Watch the video down toward the bottom of this post.
Avenged Sevenfold + Falling in Reverse
But as the Avenged Sevenfold frontman told it, they’ve gotten pushback from others about including Falling in Reverse on their upcoming shows.
“We’ve had everything from radio stations not want to talk about our shows,” Shadows says. “We’ve had many bands, more than that are in the press, have had a problem or backed out of shows with us. And that is their right. That’s awesome. Fine, it’s fine. But we are not going to give in to that pressure.”
He continues, “It’s just not who we are.” Radke’s “allowed to have an opinion,” he says. “And his opinion ruffles feathers, and then he digs his heels in.”
Warner Records
“I’ve looked at all of his accusations,” Shadows explains. “There’s been no proof on these things.”
He continues, “He did time for the one thing he did do. And it’s almost like this society where you can’t come back out and have any sort of career or anything happen, because you don’t like that this guy is a firecracker and he’s gonna hit back at you.”
Radke was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in 2012 after violating the terms of his parole following an incident that left one person dead, according to Rolling Stone. Though Radke didn’t kill the person, as AltPress reported, he pleaded guilty to battery with substantial bodily harm for his part in the fight surrounding the 2006 shooting of Michael Cook.
Ronnie Radke = Rock + Roll Danger?
“This goes back to rock ‘n’ roll and danger,” Shadows tells McKenty, suggesting Radke epitomizes the ominous flash seen in other envelope-pushing rockers.
“Ronnie, to me, is a perfect character that would have been the Axl Rose or the sort of Marilyn Manson, even Kurt Cobain,” the Avenged Sevenfold vocalist continues. “When you think about rock ‘n’ roll, you think about Led Zeppelin throwing meat on the girls. And you think about all these sorts of things — but no one has a word to say — or Elvis dating underage girls or whatever it is.”
He adds, “Now we’ve got a guy that, literally — it’s like we want rock ‘n’ roll to be dangerous, but we don’t. But what happens is rock ‘n’ roll will take a new form, and it will be something different. And right now, it’s kind of hip-hop; it’s emo-rap, whatever it is. I mean, there’s a danger that goes on still, and then where is everybody at? What’s everyone listening to? What’s successful right now? That is what’s happening.”
Two months ago, Shadows said listeners should “pay attention” to Radke. Avenged Sevenfold’s upcoming album Life Is But a Dream… arrives June 2. The group released the song “Nobody” earlier this month. Get Avenged Sevenfold tickets here.
