B.C.'s Hedley removed from 2018 Juno Awards lineup in Vancouver after sexual misconduct allegations

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      A locally based band has been removed from the 2018 Juno Awards performance lineup in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations.

      On February 14, the Juno Awards announced that the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) and Hedley made a joint decision that the band would not perform at the awards show to be held in Vancouver on March 25.

      Prior to the announcement, Hedley posted a statement on social media to address claims on Twitter made by anonymous users who alleged inappropriate interactions with band members. In response to the allegations, the band stated that the allegations are "unsubstantiated and have not been validated".

      All of us in Hedley respect and applaud the #MeToo movement and the open and honest discussion it has inspired. We believe these conversations are particularly important within the music industry, which does not exactly have an enviable history of treating women with the respect they deserve. We appreciate the bravery of those who have come forward with their own stories, and we realize that all of us, as individuals and as a society, can and must do better when it comes to this issue.

      However, if we are to have a meaningful, open and honest discussion, we all have to accept and respect that there are at least two sides to every story. The recent allegations against us posted on social media are simply unsubstantiated and have not been validated. We would hope that people will bear-in-mind the context in which these unsupported accusations have been made before passing judgment on us as individuals or as a band.

      We realize the life of a touring band is an unconventional one. While we are all now either married or have entered into committed, long-term relationships, there was a time, in the past, when we engaged in a lifestyle that incorporated certain rock and roll clichés. However, there was always a line that we would never cross.

      We realize this conversation is as important to our fans as it is to us, and we never want to distract from these important discussions. To that end, as we move forward, we will be evaluating some of our next steps. Hedley’s music should only ever be a positive force, and our performances and personal appearances should continue to be inclusive and safe experiences that bring nothing but joy and happiness to our fans.

      The Vancouver-based band formed in Abbotsford in 2003 and consists of Jacob Hoggard (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, and keyboards), Dave Rosin (guitar), Tommy Mac (bass), and Jay Benison (drums).

      The band is nominated for three Juno awards this year, including pop album of the year (Cageless), group of the year, and the fan choice award. They previously won Juno Awards for the pop album of the year in 2012 (Storms) and video of the year in 2011 ("Perfect").

      So far, the allegations have not affected the dates of their current Cageless Tour, which is continuing on across Canada.

      Their February 14 concert in Medicine Hat, Alberta, was reported to have been held as scheduled and they are slated to perform today (February 15) in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Their concert tomorrow (February 16) in Brandon, Manitoba has been confirmed as proceeding as planned but media are no longer permitted to attend.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook

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