“So many accusations have been levelled at the band, our management, and me personally”: Dani Filth issues lengthy statement amid Cradle of Filth dispute
After Cradle of Filth members, husband and wife Marek “Ashok” Šmerda and Zoe Marie Federoff, recently quit the band citing “low pay”, high stress and “years of unprofessional behaviour from people above us”, band leader Dani Filth has offered a response.
Šmerda and Federoff’s resignations came in quick succession last month, with the latter claiming the band’s management were “dishonest” and “manipulative”, also saying they had attempted to withhold advance payments for the band’s new album.
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Posting screenshots of her contract with the band on social media, Federoff says her lawyer “called it the most psychopathic contract a session musician could ever be handed”.
Now, Dani Filth has come forward with his “side of the story, now that so many accusations have been levelled at the band, our management, and me personally”.
Apologising for the “tardiness” of his statement following a period of reflection, Filth says he doesn’t want to partake in “tit-for-tat or slander”, but wishes to “clarify the following points”.
Filth says “one of the main reasons” for the ongoing dispute between Šmerda, Federoff and the band is a “miscommunication regarding the nature of the contract”.
“There is not a contract that was ever expected to be signed as is, but was the initial framework to build from,” he writes.
Filth also accuses Šmerda and Federoff of engaging in arguments while the band was on tour, sometimes in front of fans.
“I’m sad to see that Zoe is picking facts to fit an agenda but am willing to share the full story including the description of events of the first three days of the South American tour, to show a more balanced picture so that people can make their judgements based on the wider context,” he says.
“During those first days, heavy drinking, escalating arguments, and repeated public disputes created a very disruptive atmosphere for everyone involved.
“I personally witnessed heated exchanges between Zoe and Ashok that included both verbal and physical abuse, culminating in a public display in front of the hotel and fans who had gathered for last minute autographs in Sao Paolo. This was not an isolated incident but part of a pattern of abusive behaviour that strained the entire team.”
Filth also says he took issue with the way Šmerda spoke about band manager Dez Fafara, as well as Sharon Osbourne, in screenshotted text messages.
The messages, confirmed by Consequence, read: “Dez Fafara – you are a sick, evil person trained by sickest person in music industry – Sharon Osbourne – the criminal who should be whipped to death.”
“Dez is very honest, transparent and truthful and doesn’t get paid until I allow the accountant to pay him,” Filth continues.
“This means everything goes through my accountant and then said accountant sifts through all the financial numbers to see what can and cannot be afforded. Dez never handles any of the moneys coming in.
“Dez called out for Zoe’s firing, to which Ashok spoke out for her and went after the Royal family of heavy metal and we won’t have anybody speaking about Ozzy’s wife like this.”
You can read Dani Filth’s full statement below:
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