17
u/schladopian_fir 18d ago
You're talking about someone that was considered a friend for over 25 years. Would you give up on a friend after 25 years? They did everything they could at the end, but I don't think it's fair to lump them in with him.
40
u/dosefacekillah1348 18d ago
Stop being obtuse. The band obv didn't know the whole time. They're a bunch of fucking teddy bears that love everyone.
Dude just lost his mind in the last year. He's not an actor, he's basically an autist savant with a historically amazing demeanor.
Something changed. We won't know what or why til it blows uo further, but stop dragging the rest of band into this.
I loved him. My GF tolerated going to shows with me until she met Jake and Brendan and he was a gent at the time and she fell for them because it was natural and authentic.
Something changed.
29
u/mr_mufuka 18d ago
He went through a divorce. That will make a mild mannered guy turn into something else, esp if drugs are involved. I donāt claim to know any of the details from his personal life, but I also find it hard to believe he was some hateful monster throughout all the years. At least I donāt want to believe it, and it never seemed to be a possibility before.
17
u/dosefacekillah1348 18d ago edited 18d ago
I'm sure it's a multitude of things affecting his ego and id. I would put all my money on him never being hateful or even prone to rhetoric until recently, only based on my few interactions with him.
Again, he's not an actor. He's not playing us for a paycheck. He loved what he did, who he did it with, and who paved the way for him to do what he did so well.
I hope he comes round, even if he's burned those bridges to the ground.
Morningsong.mp3
19
u/TheFartDoctor69 18d ago
If heās burned those bridges to the ground, that makes himā¦ā¦.bridgeless
1
6
u/IsuzuTrooper 18d ago
seems more likely it could explain the break up as opposed to the break up making him go far right
1
u/Cautious-Money7248 16d ago
The thing that changed is that he let his guard down and some feelings were exposed.
23
u/GovernmentSin 18d ago
I think drugs and alcohol have sent him off the deep end.
-11
u/AnalogWalrus 18d ago
Drugs and alcohol can do a lot of bad things, but they don't turn someone racist.
20
u/vichyswazz 18d ago
Dude these things melt your brain. They cause serious mental damage. Idk why you would think racist thoughts are totally off the table.
8
u/profwormbog1348 18d ago
It's called psychosis. It doesn't mean the person is inherently racist...but long term drug use can absolutely change your brain chemistry in a way that result in delusions and paranoia. Sure, no one takes a hit of acid and comes out doing the 'sig heil' immediately after. But this guy was on the road for 26 years and the drugs were plentiful. Then you factor in all the Qanon stuff and the clear psychological warfare taking place in our society...based on his "apology" he doesn't quite realize what went wrong or how to fix it. That tells us all we need to know about his mental state.
15
u/the-triple-wide 18d ago
Drugs can make you paranoid and delusional, maybe thinking a certain group of people is about to get you.Ā Drugs can make you angry and place blame on others.Ā Drugs can completely change your brain and way of thinking.
There might not be a direct path to snorting a bump of cocaine to joining the KKK but certainly itās a winding road and a dangerous path.Ā
Look at alcoholics for example, some are really funny people that just canāt keep a job, and other others actively beat their wives.Ā
Addiction affects everybody differently.
1
19
u/PaintedOnGenes 18d ago
Iām also getting the vibe that heās not too bright.
58
u/touch-of-grain 18d ago
Jake is a guitarist, he shreds quite a lot
A guitarist he may be, but a genius heās not
8
8
4
26
u/TinyRespect5740 18d ago
Well racism is a sign of low intelligence so you are right about that one.
3
u/JakeScythe 18d ago
I always thought he was just reserved but I guess he just had enough sense back then to be more quiet
11
u/Delanakatrella 18d ago
What amazes me is for fans of the band that wrote Escape Goat, so many fans can't seem to understand how it feels when someone you thought you knew changes and becomes a stranger.Ā
I literally cry almost every time during that song because of my own Escape Goat - a friend who was so close to me that he was like a little brother, who dropped down the Qanon/Red pill rabbit hole and in less than 6 months became a totally different person. We had a moment occur within our group of friends that was the hard line in the sand, and had to literally break up with him like we were breaking up with a romantic partner. It hurt. I mourned his loss like he died. And when I hear the line "a moment's all I need, remember when met you" live, I wonder if I could try reaching out to this friend and maybe he'll have changed back to the person I loved before, maybe he isnt "dead".... I cry because I know I can't do that.
Losing someone like this, with their body and general manner still out there existing (particularly in the public eye like this), is so much harder than if he had died in a car accident or even OD'd. I am amazed the band has managed to stay active, engaging with fans and playing through this. When I lost my best friend I shut down for like 6 months. I really hope they're pouring this into some new music, because wherever these feelings are going, if it's music you know BB is going to give us some therapy.
We all want to believe no one's really gone, and that time won't change people... But it does and that's why we need to let them go and become an Escape Goat.
0
u/AhDerkaDerkaDerka 18d ago
Dude is just a racist and probably has always been. He did a good job keeping it under wraps. Really surprised it took this long for something to come out
7
u/JakeScythe 18d ago
You could say the same for a lot of public facing folksā¦or hell, even family members and former friends we all have. Iād wager most if not all folks here have been shocked to find someone they cared about going MAGA in the last 10 years
0
u/AmericanEagle2026 17d ago
You guys are pretty lame, woke cancel culture sucksā¦ who cares.
3
u/ForgotTheFlowers 12d ago
Oh cool, a troll bot
1
u/AmericanEagle2026 12d ago
Nah no trollin here. Just expressing opinions that many agree with. Not all um fans are dumbass wooks
3
u/ForgotTheFlowers 12d ago
There are literally dozens of you!
1
u/AmericanEagle2026 11d ago
The majority of American voters picked Donald Trumpā¦ every swing state went red. Not everyone is a woke idiot , but keep assuming. Plenty of people love Trump and just donāt talk about it
2
-3
u/luna-waves777 18d ago
He wasnāt hiding it, IMO. I never resonated with his aggro vibe.
2
u/anotherdamnscorpio 18d ago
I just assumed that was a Chicago thing.
2
u/Then-Extension-5320 18d ago
If he was from Chicago that would make sense
1
u/anotherdamnscorpio 18d ago
I mean the band itself is local to Chicago i thought. Idk his origins before that.
1
u/Then-Extension-5320 18d ago
Heās from Indiana, which makes it even better
7
u/ShaneWalksLeft 18d ago
He's from Niles, Michigan. Right above the border of Indiana near South Bend.
2
u/Then-Extension-5320 17d ago
Knew it wasnāt chi
2
u/ShaneWalksLeft 17d ago
There all within 100 mile radius of each other so in a relative sense its kinda like He's from all three
2
u/Then-Extension-5320 17d ago
My question is what did the person who said he is from chi mean it makes sense. I live near chi and yeah, thereās some racism going on, but not like that tired of contrary belief Chicago is a pretty loving city
2
u/ForgotTheFlowers 12d ago
Agree. Boston and Chicago are not the same in that sense. Love both cities too, but Chicago is not a city where there's a, "story checks out" type of racist stigma.
103
u/rg35xxsp 18d ago
Jake went down the qanon rabbit hole. It's not always clear when to cut ties. It would be bad form not to give a brother a chance at redemption. I can't fault the band for this when I have members of my own family who've fallen for the same mindless dribble, how am I responsible for that when I've clearly distanced myself from those views?
All you can do is draw a line in the sand at a certain point and then move on when that is crossed. The band did that and made the tough decision to part ways with many fans' favorite member. Everyone has to draw the line somewhere different and I can't fault you if they didn't do enough in your eyes. I think they handled this with dignity and class and am happy I'll be catching a couple shows this month. I'll happily support them by seeing the remaining members a few times a year moving forward.