Vocalist Curtis Lepore has left GHOSTxSHIP. The vegan frontman announced his departure from the Syracuse, NY straight edge band over issues with the new members. Mr. Lepore has announced that he is currently seeking a new band, and will be providing guest vocals on the new No Zodiac record.
From Mr. Lepore‘s Twitter:
I’m no longer part of GHOSTxSHIP– they’ll continue to play music that was written by former members and sadly don’t deserve your support.
Thank you to all of the friends I’ve made in this band, and to anyone who I have made a positive influence in their life. It means the world.
UPDATE: August 08, 2012:
Mr. Lepore has taken to his Tumblr to issue a statement on his departure:
I’m no longer affiliated with GHOSTxSHIP
First of all, yes I am still straight edge. I’m still vegan too, although no one else ever was.
I just want everyone to know that I didn’t quit Ghostxship. I was forcefully removed from the band that I built from the ground up. You can call it ego, you can call it whatever you want. I do not care. But frankly this band was always my baby. I started and ran the Facebook, the Reverbnation, the Twitter, paid for our first recording which was $50, our first merch bill of $250 up front, or second recording I dropped $200 (with our other ex guitarist that wrote the riffs and drums who paid $400) while the others wouldn’t pitch any money at all, then posting our demo online for free and burning 200 demos and packing them up to give away also for free. I dealt with seventh dagger and booked our shows. I built this band from day one and spent a full year meticulously writing and perfecting my lyrics for the album. So the accusations I’ve been hearing about my ego are pretty laughable. The plan to kick me out was premeditated, as they hijacked all social networking out from under me before hand. You can’t “uphold a name with sincerity and integrity” when you start that new era of the band by stabbing your friend in the back. Most people are going to see right through this band now unfortunately after this.
When you live in a city as small as Syracuse and have been in the limelight like myself booking shows and playing in bands for over a decade people are bound to run their mouth and create drama. This is especially true since 90% of hardcore kids act like children and have so many issues with themselves that they dive into everyone elses personal lives they have no business in. I’ve always been outspoken and I’ve always said what’s on my mind and some people hate me for that. I’d rather speak my mind than stand in silence. But hey, you all know that NO ONE WILL SILENCE MY VOICE!!!! Wee! They will swear up and down that I’m a different person and I’ve changed but this is who I am and how I’ve always been. It’s obvious that the rest of those guys just can’t handle that. This band is the only thing that has kept me in Syracuse all this time, because it’s the only thing I cared about (aside from my dog) period.
Sadly, Ghostxship is as dysfunctional as they come. Ever since Steve left our band the group has been a cesspool of negativity where everyone just talks shit about each other. Even last week I stopped them from kicking out Matt for not replying to texts, BTW YOU ARE WELCOME MATT! I’m sure they all knew they were kicking me out at that point, too. But honestly, everyone else always had some other things they were focusing on, (primarily because none of them really wrote the record) or were too concerned to leave their 9-5 job to tour. My passion to push this band further only bumped heads with the other dudes who care more about the local opinion of our band or their other projects rather than getting out on the road where everyone else actually loves us. I stayed in Syracuse this summer to salvage what was left of Ghostxship, which I now realize was a complete waste of my time.
There are only 2 Ghostxship songs where current members partially wrote riffs. One of which they don’t even play. Matt wrote the beginning riff of “Feel this Hate” and to give him credit was my favorite riff, while Kyle wrote the weird breakdown in the middle of “Divided” They can hate me for this but I gotta call it like it is. Everything else was written by our former guitarist (drums included) and I wrote all the lyrics myself so I really don’t understand why they are even trying to continue at this point. They’re just holding on to a name, and hope someone is gonna give them a cookie for it.
It took us over 120 days to write a new song and we never even finished. If they do actually try to write a new record it’s not going to be Ghostxship and I will never give that band my blessing under that name. Granted it would be heavy and I’d actually probably like it, it just won’t carry the same message (other than, HAY WERE STRAIGHT EDGE GUYZ) and it won’t sound anything like cold truth did as I said before since our ex guitarist wrote all the riffs and drums. It’s just not Ghostxship, period. It would be the right thing for them to just form a new band and I hope everyone realizes that too, because the bottom line is they are just walking the path of least resistance and riding that name until it eventually withers away and dies. Unfortunately because that’s the choice this band has made I’m losing 4 friends over this, but I honestly don’t care at this point.
It sucks that this had to end on such a bad note but that’s life. I learned a lot of lessons from this experience and I have nothing tying me down to this city anymore, which is a relief. Thank you for all the overwhelming support everyone has given me through this, it’s a great feeling to know that I am loved and appreciated and it only gives me a reason to push on to bigger and better things. And to everyone else that my lyrics have influenced, Thank you from the bottom of my heart, it means the world to me. I am already talking about starting another band and I’m sure you will all hear about it down the road. DON’T EVER GIVE UP. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
I Will Get Back Up.
Catch me on the new No Zodiac Record. I’m out.
Sean Mott responds:
GHOSTxSHIP as a band has decided to part ways with our singer Curtis. Sorry for all of the rumors and confusion surrounding this situation. We want to continue this band and uphold our name with sincerity and integrity. We will be announcing a new singer at a later date and we are working on writing a new album that will be coming out on SEVENTH DAGGER. We’re working on a lot of big things for the fall into next year, so we all hope for your continued support. GHOSTxSHIP lives. Straight Edge lives. XXX.
