The New Pornographers have officially cut ties with longtime drummer Joe Seiders after he was arrested and charged with multiple offences related to child pornography and inappropriate conduct with minors.
According to a press release issued by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Seiders was taken into custody on Wednesday, April 9th in Palm Desert, California, following two disturbing incidents at a local Chick-fil-A.
In the first incident, an 11-year-old boy reported being recorded by a man while using the restroom on Monday, April 7th.
Two days later, a Chick-fil-A employee reported seeing a man repeatedly entering the restroom with young boys.
Believing the man to be the same one as the previous reports, authorities identified the man as Seiders, and a search of his home, vehicle, and phone reportedly uncovered further evidence.
The 44-year-old musician now faces one felony count of possession of child pornography, along with several misdemeanour charges including annoying or molesting a child, invasion of privacy, and attempted invasion of privacy.
He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear in court on April 22nd. According to Pitchfork, Seiders remains in jail with his bail set at $1 million.
In a brief but clear statement issued after news of the arrest surfaced, the New Pornographers said: “We are shocked and devastated to learn of the recent arrest of Joe Seiders. Effective immediately, he is no longer a member of the band. We will have no further comment at this time.”
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Seiders joined the Canadian indie rock outfit in 2014 and contributed drums and keys to several albums, including Whiteout Conditions (2017), In the Morse Code of Brake Lights (2019), and most recently Continue as a Guest (2023).
The band, formed in 1997 by A.C. Newman and featuring members like Neko Case and Dan Bejar, is known for its genre-blurring take on power-pop and indie rock.
The case is ongoing.
If you or someone you know has experienced child sexual abuse or exploitation, help is available. In Australia, you can contact Bravehearts at 1800 272 831 or visit bravehearts.org.au.
