The Neighbourhood Member Accused of Sexual Assault, Fired From Band

A member of California pop-rock band The Neighbourhood has been fired after being accused of multiple sexual assaults. Brandon Fried, the band’s drummer since 2014, “will no longer be a member of The Neighbourhood,” per a tweet from the band. The announcement came after singer Maria Zardoya, of the band The Marías, accused Fried of assaulting her on Friday night.

“We are grateful to Maria for coming forward,” The Neighbourhood added, “We have zero tolerance for any kind of inappropriate behavior towards women.” As reported by The Daily Beast, in an Instagram Stories post on Saturday, Zardoya alleged, “I was at a bar last night, and i was groped under the table by brandon fried, the drummer of the neighbourhood. it was one of the most uncomfortable things i’ve ever experienced. i felt an invasion of my space, privacy and body,” She then tagged the band and added, “ya’ll need a new drummer, this guy is a complete creep.”

This was followed up by a social media post from music manager Sofi Padilla, who alleged that Fried sexually assaulted her in May. “It’s been a really awkward and shameful time trying to get over it,” Padilla wrote in an Instagram post that she also shared on Twitter, as seen above. “We have a few of the same friends so I didn’t want to seem like I was blowing things out of proportion, but to be honest what happened with Brandon is something I think about almost daily.”

Padilla also shared screenshots of Instagram messages between her and Fried, which were dated May 7. In the conversation, Fried seems to apologize for “being such a drunk guy last night.” Padilla replies, “You definitely crossed the line and it was pretty disappointing.” Fried then wrote, “No amount of drugs or alcohol can excuse behavior like that.”

While Fried reportedly has yet to acknowledge the accusations brought forth by Padilla, he did post a statement on his Instagram seemingly confirming Zardoya’s allegations. “My actions were inexcusable and intolerable,” he wrote. “They are not reflective of who I am as a person, but clearly a reflection of who I become while under the influence. It is evident that I must address my problems with alcohol and substance abuse, which I am now seeking help for.”

Fried joined The Neighbourhood after the release of their debut album, I Love You. He played on all three of the band’s subsequent albums: Wiped Out! (2015), self-titled (2018), and Chip Chrome & the Mono-Tones (2020).  Notably, back in February, it was reported that the band is currently taking a hiatus.