John and Rocky no longer Evanescence members
Evanescence Split With Guitarist, Drummer; Amy
Lee Says Band Is 'Alive And Well'
John LeCompt and Rocky Gray depart after four
years; tour will carry on as scheduled, according
to Lee
And then there was one. With the recent departure
of drummer Rocky Gray and guitarist John LeCompt,
Amy Lee is now the only member of Evanescence
left who has been in the band since the release
of its smash 2003 breakout album, Fallen.
LeCompt was either fired by the band or decided
to move on — depending which account you believe —
while Gray left of his own accord recently,
making them the latest members of the group to
fall by the wayside. Original guitarist/ co-
founder Ben Moody left in 2003 (see "Evanescence
Singer Says Split With Moody 'For The Best' "),
and bassist William Boyd quit last June after
three years in the band (see "Evanescence Lose
Bassist; Amy Lee Vows To Stay On Schedule").
Though the group's management could not be
reached for comment at press time, promising an
official statement later in the day on Monday
(May 7), Lee posted an undated explanation of the
latest lineup changes on the band's official Web
site. In the posting, Lee wrote, "Evanescence is
alive and well. John and Rocky were in
Evanescence for four years and we shared some
great times together playing live, but they were
ready to move on and so we have parted ways.
Evanescence is something I have loved and
nurtured since I was 14, and I will continue to
protect and fight for it as I always have."
Lee said she and guitarist Terry Balsamo — who
replaced Moody in 2003 (see "Evanescence Name New
Guitarist") — and bassist Tim McCord — the former
Revolution Smile guitarist who replaced Boyd last
summer — are "very excited to play live with some
amazing new musicians and we will rock harder
than ever."
Lee did not say who would replace the pair, but
promised that no dates on the group's current
tour will be canceled. The band is scheduled to
play the Rock on the Range hard rock festival in
Columbus, Ohio, on May 19 and co-headline the
Family Values tour this summer.
LeCompt's version of the split was not quite as
cheerful as Lee's. According to a post on his
MySpace blog, LeCompt said he was informed Friday
afternoon that he was being fired from the group
during a cell phone call with Lee. "This call
wasn't from a friend who appreciated me but from
an enemy who was prepared to hurt me and my
family. Without any warning or negotiations for
my future, I was fired for no good reason," he
wrote on his site. "We have not always seen eye
to eye on everything, but who does? Our common
goal was always the same: To make Evanescence the
best rock band it could ever be. I have always
given blood, sweat and tears to make that happen
but apparently that is not enough. I have now
become just another of the people fallen by the
wayside on the revolving door of her life."
In his own MySpace blog post from Sunday, Gray
said he was not able to speak about the split,
due to an alleged gag ordered imposed by
Evanescence's management. "Amy Lee's management e-
mailed me last night to tell me that, in their
view, the contract I signed to record, perform
and tour with the group says that I'm not allowed
to have any free speech in regard to
Evanescence," Gray wrote.
"The way they spin it, I'm not even allowed to
say I quit the group, I guess. But the news is
out there, so, there ya go. I need to have a
lawyer read over all that mess to tell me what,
when and how I can tell you all — the REAL FANS —
what really went down, if I ever can, haha."
Gray said he is preparing to reunite with his old
Living Sacrifice band mate Lance Garvin in the
group Soul Embraced, with an album due soon. He
said he will also continue to play in the group
Machina with LeCompt.
Posted 23:56
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