Former Vicious Rumors drummer Larry Howe has publicly defended his right-wing political beliefs, offering an unfiltered perspective on the internal friction and external backlash that recently ended his multi-decade tenure with the veteran power metal outfit.
Speaking with host Matt Hartnett on the “Hart O’ The Matter” podcast, the musician opened up about his tumultuous relationship with the band and the sequence of events that led to his resignation earlier this spring.
The controversy began in February 2026, when Vicious Rumors announced they would be parting ways with the drummer following the U.S. leg of their tour. The group cited his “personal opinions” and “personal political ambitions,” which had directly caused several European promoters to cancel their upcoming overseas gigs. After a brief attempt to reconcile in early April to save the European dates, the situation deteriorated further as more cancellations rolled in.
On April 16, Howe officially quit the band, posting on Facebook: “CANCEL CULTURE WINS AGAIN. I WILL NO LONGER BE DRUMMING FOR VICIOUS RUMORS (for the foreseeable future). THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”
Reflecting on the timeline of his departure and his history with the group, Howe described a chaotic internal dynamic that stretched back decades.
“Well, you go way back to the beginning, it’s been a rather rocky, a tumultuous affair from the beginning,” Howe explained. “VR came from a place, from the Bay Area in the ’80s. We were just all on board. We just wanted to rock out. We wanted to make great music. We had an incredible lineup. People call that the classic. Dave [Starr, former Vicious Rumors bassist] calls it the ‘real’ VR. It was — it was an incredible lineup of talented dudes, and we got lucky we signed to Atlantic. We didn’t get as big as some of the other bands. We weren’t in the thrash club. Nobody sold their soul to the devil. Well, Geoff [Thorpe, Vicious Rumors guitarist and leader] probably did, but he probably should get a refund.”
He continued: “I didn’t. I’ve always had a day job, so it was always my glorified hobby. But it was an incredible way to see the world and meet all types of different people, and I’ve appreciated it and loved it forever. I mean, it’s been an incredible thing. And I was in and out of the band a lot throughout. I left after Carl [Albert, former Vicious Rumors singer] died. It was really rock, and it was tough. I hung around for a bit. I met a woman, fell in love, and she wound up having an affair with me and with Geoff behind my back. So I just forgave them both, and I thought I’d have it all. But that didn’t turn out so well either. The marriage ended in 2004… I’d quit in ’98, and I tried the whole marriage thing, gave it the old college try, and she divorced me anyway. She was carrying on with her stuff. And so then I came back in, and then we went through a bunch of different singers. Replacing Carl was always impossible. It’s been a little rocky throughout the years. Geoff always hated that I called it my glorified hobby. If we got rich doing it, if it was my real living, maybe I would’ve shut up more about things. But I was looking at the world around me crumbling.”
Addressing the specific political ideology that ultimately alienated him from European promoters and a segment of the band’s fanbase, the drummer firmly stood his ground.
“I was a patriot way before [U.S. president Donald] Trump ever came on the scene,” he stated. “For people, all these people infected with this TDS [Trump Derangement Syndrome, a pejorative term used to describe negative reactions to Trump in order to characterize them as irrational and disconnected from Trump‘s actual policy positions], it’s just insane. They just believe the stupidest things. I saw it in California happening, the rampant illegal immigration. I was hoping [actor and former California governor Arnold] Schwarzenegger was gonna stop that, but no, he didn’t. He’s another globalist. And that stuff just went crazy. And the crime of illegals, and protecting them. I couldn’t believe it. You know, Kamala Harris [former U.S. vice president who represented California in the United States Senate from 2017 to 2021 and was the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017] … she let cop killers free because of this stupid sanctuary city crap. So, yeah, I go online, and I post a few memes here and there, showing my support for our president and ICE.”
The situation reached a boiling point in Germany, a crucial market for heavy metal touring. Howe pointed to a specific hit piece published by the German magazine Deaf Forever, which he claims fueled the targeted cancellations.
“A lot of these Germans, they’re very ‘woke’ today because they believe… They’re still in 2016 state of mind,” he said. “You know, ‘Oh, Trump‘s a pe**phile,’ blah, blah, blah. ‘Russia, Russia, Russia.’ They believe all the low-hanging fruit off the dumba** tree. They’re just sucking it right up. And I just don’t understand it. It boggles my mind. I lost a lot of friends because of it, ’cause they’re just all on board with it. They’re, like, ‘Oh, yeah.’ They’re calling Trump a felon. But you’re going along with a crooked court. It was a corrupt system. They changed laws. They changed rules to make that happen. And so people going along with a corrupt court is supposed to be okay? I just can’t believe the crap going on today. And so I talk about it.”
“Geoff‘s been yelling at me for years: ‘Larry, shut up. We gotta sell T-shirts to liberals, too.’ And I get that, but I got kids. I live on this planet,” Howe added. ” I hate seeing the corruption happen, and I say something about it. And these Germans just are all pissed off at me saying, ‘Oh, Larry supports ICE. He’s a fascist.’ I have people in my DMs hassling me. They’re just, like, ‘You’re a fascist.’ I’m, like, ‘Well, give me one example. Name something fascist.’ They could never answer these questions ’cause they’re wrong and they believe lies. And I don’t shut up about it. What can I say? And so a [German] magazine came out, Deaf Forever. They put an article, a hit piece out on me last year, I think around near the mid or end of the year, and it really highlighted… They threw me under the bus, Frank [Gilchriest] from Riot. They even talked about Warlord [featuring ex-Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder] — they got canceled from the Rock Hard Festival. The three metal MAGA drummers driving these woke, spineless Germans’ nuts, and it was all in Germany. So Germany canceled eight shows for the European tour, and Geoff‘s losing his mind.”
Howe emphasized that his observations of global politics made it impossible for him to remain silent, regardless of the financial impact on the band. He then revealed an alleged ultimatum presented to him by the band’s leader in a desperate bid to salvage the tour budget.
“And I’m, like, ‘Dude, what can I say?’ Their country’s [Germany] falling apart. They’re all on board with it. I’ve watched it happen there, too. I’ve been going there over 30 frigging years. I’ve seen the inundation of the rampant immigration. It’s the globalism. They want to blend the lower hemisphere. They’re going to blend the Southern Hemisphere with the Northern Hemisphere to bring on globalism, and I see it happening. It’s not just a conspiracy. No, it’s really happening. When you see it happen in real time, you can’t shut up about it, and that’s me. Maybe if I made a lot of money and sold my soul to the devil and got really rich and famous, I would shut up about it, but then I’d be at a Lady Gaga party eating babies. So that’s not me. I’m just little old Larry, and I’ve always been a patriot. What can I say? So anyways, Germany cancels five or six, seven shows, and Geoff‘s like, ‘What are we doing, man? I can’t handle this.’ He goes, he tells me, ‘I’ll make you an offer. You can stay with the band if you pay them 5,000 bucks,’ to make up for the lost shows. So they have a lot of time off now,” he concluded.
Prior to the final fracture, Vicious Rumors released a statement in early April attempting to distance the music from the political fallout, noting.
They wrote at the time: “The band is performing at the highest level after the five-week U.S. tour, and Larry is a big part of that. Our fans deserve to see this lineup — they are what matter most to VR, bottom line.”
“Everyone has the right to express an opinion. Unfortunately, in today’s environment, entertainers expressing political opinions can divide the audience and hurt the band in the long run. Please remember, it’s called ‘the music business’ for a reason.”
“We don’t choose sides when it comes to VR, because our music is for everyone — and all are welcome. Our purpose is to entertain everyone who attends, period. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“Thank you to all the fans who made the U.S. run such a fantastic experience. We can’t wait to get started again across the pond. So let’s get back to having fun and celebrating heavy metal!”
The band has since moved forward with a replacement drummer to fulfill their 2026 live obligations.
