Paramore Exit Statement

Hey guys

Let me start by apologizing to you
For the way everything went down
On Saturday i had a statement typed
Ready to post to you
Guys but Hayley released one without my
Permission we were not going to
Issue a statement until we worked
Out our exit agreement with
Hayley i wish it didn’t have
To happen that way
Zac and I wanted to be the ones
You heard it from i want to
Be honest with you guys about how
This band formulated from day
One i did not think Hayley’s
Version told the whole story
At least from our perspective
And hopefully this will
Explain a bit about why we are leaving

Zac and I had a garage band
In high school with the
Intentions of just making music for
The love of it we
Met Taylor and our friend Jason
Clark at our school and
Found out that we shared the
Same musical tastes so
We asked them to join our band
It was some of the greatest
Times of our lives playing music in
Taylor’s basement with them we
Obviously needed a lead singer and one
Day Zac met Hayley we asked
Her to come try out and
Eventually to join the band

Months down the road things changed and this
Band became all about Hayley she had
A manager at the time that controlled
Her every move along with her
Parents they didn’t like the idea of Hayley
Being in a rock band so
They forced her to leave wanting her
To pursue a solo career

Hayley went off to write and
Record her solo demos while
The four of us continued on
Without her a couple
Of months later Hayley came and
Asked us if she
Could use the song "Conspiracy"
That we had all
Previously written together we agreed that
That would be fine i
Got a call a while after that from Hayley
Telling me that her manager said
That Zac and I
Were invited to be back in the band
(the band we started)
But not Taylor and Jason because they weren’t
Good enough in his eyes hayley brought
In Jeremy and our first
Rhythm guitarist Jason
Bynum as the other two members

We travelled to LA a few weeks later for a
Showcase and it was a
Nightmare hayley’s manager
Would tell the band to be in the lobby
Of the hotel at a certain time, but he
And Hayley wouldn’t show for hours
We found out that they had been meeting with
Record label executives
All morning without us
Which is totally weird given
That this wasn’t simply a solo artist
But we were a band the band was in the dark
The whole time after many
Meetings between Hayley
Her manager and the labels they
Decided to sign her
To Atlantic records we didn’t
Understand why Hayley was
The only one signing the contract since we
Were told this was a "band", but we were too
Young to grasp all of this so far, Zac
And I haven’t signed with another label
Although I guess our part of
Paramore sure could next thing
We knew we were having a
Signing party for Hayley

Our next move was to rerecord
Her solo demos with
Our own music rather than
Studio musicians to make
It sound more genuine meanwhile
We tossed around band
Names i wrote out a list of names, including
"Paramore", a name my old
Band with Taylor and jason Clark had thought
About using obviously, we settled on
That name the label received
The rerecorded demos and
Once again tried to fire the entire band
Saying we were terrible thankfully
Hayley and I
Had been writing some new songs together
(Hallelujah, Here We Go Again) that
The label was pleased with
So that acted as leverage for the band to
Stay the label and management then
Decided to build our
Band up the grass-roots route they put Hayley
On Fueled by Ramen not making
It known she was
Signed to Atlantic as well all the while we
Still questioned whether or not
We were an actual
Band, but Hayley continued to insist we were
Despite our being ignored and pushed
Around by the label

They then sent us all to Orlando
To rehearse and write eight
Hours a day for our first
Record half -way though this process
Jeremy decided to quit we
Were all really upset
About it so we finished
The record, replaced Jeremy
And hit the road with Hayley’s
Father as our tour manager
Driver of a twelve passenger van
Her dad would constantly
Threaten to "pull the plug" on the whole band
If we complained about anything
Suggesting that we were
Hired guns and Hayley was the real artist
When in reality we were also part of
The band we’ve always been treated
As less important than Hayley it’s been
Obvious how her family views things

Jeremy ended up rejoining and
We toured non-stop for
Two and half years building our fan base
Pretending to be a
Band that started naturally in reality
What started as natural somehow
Morphed into a manufactured product
Of a major label
Riding on the coattails of "Hayley’s dream"

Before recording our next record
We kicked out Jeremy for his
Lack of work ethic and participation
In things that Zac
Hayley and I didn’t agree with at this
Point it was just the three of
Us to record Riot once the record was done
We needed a bassist and
Another guitarist eventually Zac
And I convinced Hayley to
Let Taylor rejoin and
She convinced us to let Jeremy back in
Promising he had changed his ways
Once again we hit the road and toured on
Our biggest record as a band as
You all know Hayley and I dated and
Broke up during this album cycle things
Then started going downhill for
Our band hayley and
Jeremy’s views started changing from what we
All once believed in the band almost split
After cancelling a tour in Europe
But we managed to keep it
Together somehow this is when
Zac and I started to
Consider quitting the band

Once we finished touring on Riot
We came home for a break and started
Writing for Brand New Eyes hayley presented
Lyrics to us that were really
Negative and we didn’t agree
With for example, "the truth
Never set me free"
Which contradicts what the Bible says
In John 8: 32
("and you shall know the truth
And the truth shall sat you free") we fought
Her about how her lyrics misrepresented our
Band and what we stood for
But in the end she got her way instead of
Fighting her any longer
We decided to just roll over and let it go

Hayley claimed that this record
Reunited us as
Band and made us grow closer together
When in reality we were all
Growing further apart suddenly the
Band had spilt into two sides
Touring became more difficult
Since we couldn’t agree on anything
The friendships our band
Once had were no longer existent amos 3: 3
Says, "Can two people walk
Together without agreeing on
The direction" in addition to
The band turmoil
Touring had really taken it's toll
On us both we
Left home at such a young age and
Missed taking part in normal teenage
Years when you own part of a
Band and are constantly playing
You make sacrifices touring has
Taken it's toll
On our family members as well
I specifically remember many
Moments where our
Parents would break down in
Tears when we had to leave it
Broke my heart seeing our siblings
Grow up so much during our
Absences was never easy either

After a lot a prayer and counsel
Zac and I came to the
Decision that it was time to leave
The band we truly feel
That God is leading us elsewhere and
Is going to do great things
With us the intention of this
Statement was not to belittle
Or disgrace the rest of the band
It was simply to clarify our
Decision for leaving and
Our desire to finally tell you guys the
Truth we are still hoping to work
Out a friendly way to
Leave our part of Paramore intact
With the remaining band members
Including Hayley we want to thank you guys
For all of your love
And support over the past 7 years it’s been
An honor creating and playing music
For you if music
Is what God calls us to in the future
We hope that you all will be a part of it

All of the glory be to God

Josh and Zac