Larry Howe has officially resigned as the drummer for Vicious Rumors. The departure follows a series of canceled performances tied to the musician’s political stances and public ideology.
On April 16, Larry Howe confirmed his immediate exit via social media. Addressing the cancellations, he provided the following statement:
“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.”
He subsequently elaborated on the reasoning behind the separation, clearing his bandmates of any involvement in the decision:
“It’s not the other band guys who are brainwashed… please don’t accuse them!! my heart goes out to them and I’m sorry this is affecting them. It’s just the music industry is saturated with leftist ideologues who capitulate to globalism and I can’t be a part of that! The cat is out of the bag for me!”
The drummer, who originally joined Vicious Rumors in 1985, has openly shared his political leanings on social media. His Instagram biography refers to him as a “rock ‘n’ roll patriot” and includes the phrase: “God bless America, the best country ever.!”
Vicious Rumors addressed the resignation on their official Facebook page, confirming that the situation had severely impacted their touring schedule and financial stability.
“Larry Howe has announced he’s stepping down from Vicious Rumors. We tried to save our musical bond but all we got in return was canceled shows, lost tours and a fight we had nothing to do with. After paying such a high price over one individual person’s views we accept his resignation. Although we made some timeless albums, it’s time to get back to the music. The European ‘Asylum‘ tour, May 9th – June 20, is 100% confirmed. We welcome a new chapter, a new drummer starting tomorrow!”
This permanent split concludes months of internal shifts. Two months prior, the group announced Larry Howe would step down due to his “personal political ambitions”, which had already caused promoters to drop the band from several bills. At that time, it was established that the drummer would “honor the band’s commitment to the U.S. leg of ‘The Devil’s Asylum Tour’”, operating through late March.
The band wrote at the time: “Important statement: After years of disagreement on the issue, Vicious Rumors will no longer be touring with long time drummer Larry Howe.”
“As a band we have never agreed with Larry‘s personal political ambitions.”
“As hard as it is to let an original member go VR can no longer tolerate being punished by association for Larry‘s personal opinions. They do not reflect the opinion of Vicious Rumors.”
“Our message is simple and clear: Unity! and celebrating heavy metal together! This message hasn’t changes since VR started in 1979! We wrote songs like ‘World Church’ to bring people together. That’s our message for Vicious Rumors.”
“Out of respect to VR, Larry will honor the bands commitment to the U.S. leg of ‘The Devil’s Asylum Tour’. Just days away from Feb 25th to March 28th.”
“We want to thank Larry for all these years of commitment to the band and his incredible musicianship. We’ll announce new touring drummer soon.”
“Now let’s get back to the heavy metal music doing the talking!”
“See you VR maniacs on tour in the US and Europe soon. 75 shows starting in one week! Let’s go!”
However, on April 7, the group temporarily reversed course. They issued a statement indicating they had “as a band, risen above today’s toxic political environment that has destroyed relationships, businesses, and bands.” They claimed that “Larry Howe has chosen the music over everything else” and promised an upcoming European tour “with Larry on drums and vocals,” focusing on the group’s “47-year history and leaving political division behind.”
Accompanying that early April update, Vicious Rumors provided an extensive explanation regarding their stance on politics in the music business. The statement, issued just days before the final wave of cancellations and the drummer’s official resignation, read in full:
“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!”
