Artists Revolt: Beach Bunny, Wednesday, and More Demand Accountability From Wasserman Over Maxwell Ties
Several artists represented by the Wasserman agency are calling for CEO Casey Wasserman to step down due to his past association with Ghislaine Maxwell. Beach Bunny, Wednesday, and others have expressed their concerns, with some threateni...
Following Best Coast singer Bethany Cosentino's public call for Casey Wasserman to resign as CEO of Wasserman agency due to his connection with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, more artists are demanding accountability.
Over the past few days, indie acts like Water From Your Eyes, Wednesday, Beach Bunny, and Dropkick Murphys have echoed Cosentino's sentiments. They are calling for Wasserman's resignation, with some threatening to leave the agency if he doesn't comply. Notably, Wasserman removed its client list from its website on Monday, Feb. 9.
Cosentino's post followed the release of over 3 million files related to the Epstein investigation by the Department of Justice on Jan. 30. These files revealed that Wasserman exchanged friendly and occasionally sexually-charged emails with Maxwell in 2003. Wasserman's ties to Epstein were previously known. Years before Epstein's crimes became public, New York reported that Wasserman and his then-wife, Laura Ziffren, traveled on Epstein's plane to Africa in 2002 with figures like President Bill Clinton and actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey.
Wasserman issued a statement on Thursday (Feb. 5): "I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light. I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them."
However, Wasserman's apology has not satisfied some of the agency's artists. Dropkick Murphys announced via Instagram Stories that they had "parted ways with" the Wasserman agency. "It saddens us to part ways with [our agents], but the namesake of the agency is in the Epstein files so…we GONE," the band wrote.
Rachel Brown of Water From Your Eyes stated on Instagram that Wasserman's "deepest regrets' and PR apologies mean nothing in the wake of violence against women and children caused by Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and their accomplices. There must be accountability for the atrocities committed by the ruling class. We cannot live in a world that allows for this injustice to occur with no consequence."
Bethany Cosentino at the Resonator Awards held at Beauty & Essex on January 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. at the Resonator Awards held at Beauty & Essex on January 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Wednesday acknowledged the "decent and trustworthy people" they work with at the agency, but stated their intent to "begin the process of extracting ourselves from" the agency. "Continuing to be represented by a company led by and named after Casey Wasserman goes against our values and cannot continue," the band stated in their Instagram post.
Beach Bunny wrote on Instagram that they are "hugely disappointed and disgusted" to learn of Wasserman's association with Maxwell, adding that his "actions are abhorrent and disturbing on every level" and that he must "remove himself and his name from the agency."
Alexis Kruass of Sleigh Bells offered a more nuanced perspective, arguing that the band's livelihood depends on their engagement with companies like Wasserman, Spotify, and Live Nation, and that cutting ties would be financially detrimental.
"Would I love to just leave Wasserman Music? Yes I would. Can we? No because I love and respect our agent and I trust him to make the decision that is best for himself, his family and his artists," Krauss wrote. "The agents at Wasserman are not the villains."
Krauss added, "In my opinion it’s not the responsibility of the artists, especially those struggling to make a living, to fix these broken systems... None of these corporations are going to bat an eye if Sleigh Bells bails on them. It’ll just leave us losing more money on tour and making less streaming income than we do now. It’s a s–tty place to be but it’s the truth. What we need is greater regulation and accountability at the highest levels of the industry.”
A Wasserman representative did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
Related Articles
- Eurovision Live Tour 2026 Postponed: 'Unforeseen Circumstances' Blamed
- Chuck D Responds to Gene Simmons' Controversial Rock Hall of Fame Comments
- John Summit Threatens to Leave Wasserman Agency Over Casey Wasserman's Epstein Ties
Related Articles
Listen to Beach Bunny on Foxsoundi. Click here to listen!
Comments (0)
Login to comment