This week, the singer of the rock band Lostprophets, Ian Watkins, was convicted at Cardiff Crown Court on counts of sexual abuse, including the attempted rape of a baby.
This week, the singer of the rock band Lostprophets, Ian Watkins, was convicted at Cardiff Crown Court on counts of sexual abuse, including the attempted rape of a baby. As the news of Watkins’ conviction continues to reverberate with fans in the UK and around the world, the retailer HMV announced it would no longer sell the band’s music in their stores.
In a report from the music magazine NME, a spokesperson for the retailer said staff at its 140 stores in the UK had been directed to remove the band’s content from the stores. Sales of records would no longer take place on their web site. Attempts by Kettle to reach a spokesperson for HMV were unsuccessful.
It is unclear in light of the retailer’s decision if other music sellers or distributors would take action, such as Amazon or Apple’s iTunes store. Amazon and Apple did not respond to Kettle’s request for comment prior to the time of publication.
Watkins pled guilty to 13 offences November 26. Two women also pled guilty for being a part of the abuse, the NME report adds, though they cannot be named. Sally O’Neill, who defended Watkins during the court hearings, said he was under the care of a psychiatrist, according to a report from the BBC.
The band formed in 1997 in Pontypridd but announced on their Facebook page Oct. 1, after Watkins’ arrest, they were splitting up. “After nearly a year of coming to terms with our heartache, we finally feel ready to announce publicly what we have thought privately for some time. We can no longer continue making or performing music as Lostprophets,” the band said on their page. “Your love and support over the past 15 years has been tremendous, and we’ll be forever grateful for all you’ve given us. As we look forward to the next phase of our lives, we can only hope to be surrounded by people as devoted and inspiring as you guys have been.”
The band had released five albums before disbanding, and had four songs that reached the top ten. Their 2003 album, “Liberation Transmission,” reached number one in the album charts.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle of South Wales Police said after the conviction that Watkins used his celebrity status to abuse young children, the BBC report adds. “This investigation has uncovered the most shocking and harrowing child abuse evidence I have ever seen,” Doyle said. “Today’s outcome ensures the three people responsible have been brought to justice. Two very young children have been removed from this abuse and given a future that would otherwise have been denied them.”
Sentence is due to be given to Watkins and the two women later in December.
While Watkins’ conviction was indeed controversial, it is clear the effect on the events of this week has affected the band’s image, considering HMV’s decision. The question is still whether other brands, retailers or distributors would follow with HMV and remove Lostprophets’ music from shelves or from availability to the public.
What do you think? Should other retailers pull Lostprophets’ music? Have your say in the comments section below.
