The Drama Continues as Aaron Heard Unveils Je$us Piece, Former Bandmates Respond
It was only yesterday that we learned from now ex-Jesus Piece members Luis Aponte, John Distefano, and David Updike that the band was no more. In a joint statement, they told fans the band had been “dead for some time” and warned that any attempts at creating something dubiously similar shouldbe avoided.
While that latter statement was a little curious at the time, since there’d only been rumblings that Aaron Heard was considering launching a new band dubiously titled Je$us Piece. Turns out that’s 100% accurate, according to Heard’s statement that he posted on his Instagram account:
“I didn’t feel a need to explain anything but since I’ve got a bunch of random people relentlessly commenting on pics dating back to 2016 and messaging me heinous shit I’m going to tell you straight up. Yes it’s been 10 years but those men are not friends and they haven’t been for almost the entirety of us being a band. Just because we’re a band doesn’t mean we are best buddies. I’ve got love for Lu but that’s really it.
“In regards to their oddly worded statement: To say they didn’t feel comfortable continuing when they threatened to replace me on the sepultura tour twice for wanting to spend Halloween with my son is what real mockery is in this. Tried to replace me when they left me at the border on the Show me the body tour. Tried to replace me in the past. Bullshit.
“Throwing the birth of my son in my face during an argument. Saying my son is ruining things for the band? Fuck that. ‘We appreciate you inviting us to your son’s birth but he’s got nothing to do with us.’ Would you want to work with people who think this way? Would you say that’s friendship? These people don’t respect me or my family and they never really have. I gotta draw the line somewhere. I pray one day when they start families of their own they look back on these moments and see how wack that is.
“I’ve just sat through it because I loved the music we’ve made. To me it was easier to smoke and pack it away. But after that last bit I was done. Do I think I’m the only person that matters? No. They are undeniably great musicians. Just tired of dealing with the bullshit and I’m sure they were too.”
“I love the people and friends I’ve made through this shit. I Love the feeling of connecting and sharing such raw emotions with y’all. I will play a couple and if you’re upset by this as a fan I’m sorry and you do not have to come out nor listen. You are entitled to your opinion. But I just won’t ever work with them again.”
There’s a lot to unpack there, but the general gist is Heard feels the other guys in the band were dicks, especially when it came to him allegedly wanting to spend time with his family.
With Heard’s side out there and the announcement of Je$us Piece being real, both Aponte and DiStefano Aponte’s response reads as such:
“Was really trying to avoid to be personal but,
– first of all no one can or wants replace you in this band .. ever When you said you quit, you said we could move on without you and none of us wanted to. We were happy to let it rest in peace.
– second, you and I both know never in my entire life would I ever ask you not to be with your son, for any circumstance. I’m still proud of the video I made for you and him when we were there the night he was born.
– the fact of the matter is you were dishonest to me and us. You told us you were done to be with your son, then went behind our back with the label / money to do this and make a quick buck.
I just wanted the band to end on the legacy we created together and we could’ve left it there.
But if people wanna support what you’re doing right now, more power to them as well.”
Similarly, DiStefano had this to say:
“That’s sad to hear you got no love for me anymore despite 10 years of JP and a couple years of HTP together.
Can you remind me about the time we tried to replace you when you got held at the border and I drove back 3 hours to get you at 4am on no sleep?
And I guess none of us have any family or loved ones we sacrificed from being on tour either. I just have a dog, I know. I wish every band that asked us to tour with them took holdidays and birthdays into consideration too. Anyone that’s ever been in a full time touring band wishes the same.
I actually remember having a conversation last year with Dave where you told me we should be touring more? Didn’t you also mention we should find a replacement for Lu now that he’s in France?
I figured the family aspect of the break up would be your only angle because it hits the hardest with people. Now that you lied about all that it’ll forever be disputed regardless of what I or the other guys say.
Still confused as to why you quit to take care of them and decided that a month later you were going to continue the band without us.
I guess when a label dangles money out there it’s hard to say no. It’s funny because you probably could’ve started a new band and gotten bigger than us but you chose to run with the same name.
It’ll forever make me sad the band went down this way. That’s the worst part about this. We probably would ‘ve even done something new together.
See you around Philly man, peace”
This surely won’t be the last we hear about all this, especially with Je$us Piece set to play the ‘One Big Party’ festival in Phoenix, Arizona on October 25.
