Deryck Whibley accuses former manager of sexual abuse

Accusations of Sexual Abuse and Grooming

Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley is accusing a former manager of sexual abuse and grooming, an allegation he reveals he has kept private, including from his bandmates, until now.

Whibley, 44, accuses former Sum 41 manager Greig Nori, also a musician who fronts the band Treble Charger, of abuse and pressuring him to be in a sexual relationship in his new memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell (out now). The alleged abuse, which was also verbal, began when Whibley was 16 and Nori was 34, Whibley claims.

Meeting the Alleged Abuser

The Sum 41 punk rocker says he first met Nori backstage at a Treble Charger show, where he invited Nori to a Sum 41 show. Nori became a songwriting mentor to him and ultimately the band’s manager, booking studio sessions, forming industry connections, and inviting them to parties and raves.

Deryck Whibley.

John Lamparski/Getty

Allegations of Control and Manipulation

Nori had “one requirement” as manager, Whibley writes in his memoir: “total control.” He continues, “We couldn’t talk to anyone but him, because the music business is ‘full of snakes and liars’ and he was the only person we could trust.”

At a rave one night when Whibley was 18, Nori allegedly grabbed his face and “passionately” kissed him in a bathroom stall while they took another hit of ecstasy. A stunned Whibley claims Nori persuaded him to pursue the relationship “because what [they] had was so special” and he was told “many of my rock star idols were queer.” Whibley alleges that when he tried to end the physical relationship, Nori grew angry, called him homophobic, and said he “owed” him.

Isolation from Family and Psychological Abuse

Whibley also alleges Nori discouraged him and his bandmates from keeping in touch with their parents. “He wouldn’t let our parents know anything,” Whibley told the Los Angeles Times. “He tried to keep them away all the time. Now it makes more sense. . . he knew they would get suspicious of the way things were running. He would always be like, ‘You can’t have a relationship with your parents and be in a rock band. It’s not cool. It’s going to hurt your career.'”

Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley, Jason McCaslin, Tom Thacker, Dave Baksh, and Frank Zummo.
David Wolff – Patrick / Redferns / Getty Images

Denial and Response

Nori posted a statement to his bio for the Algoma Conservatory of Music saying he was taking a “four-week leave of absence” calling Whibley’s accusation “false allegations.”

In a statement to the Toronto Star, Nori claimed that it was Whibley, not he, who pursued the relationship and they were both adults at the time. “The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship is false,” he wrote. “The accusation that I pressured Whibley to continue the relationship by accusing him of homophobia is false. Ultimately the relationship simply faded out. Consensually. Our business relationship continued.”

Seeking Support and Moving Forward

Whibley also writes about how he ultimately confided in ex-wife Avril Lavigne, as well as his current wife Ariana Cooper, who both told him that the alleged behavior was abuse. When the sexual abuse ended, the psychological and verbal abuse worsened, Whibley alleges. Sum 41 officially parted ways with Nori after the Chuck album cycle in 2005, after Whibley urged his bandmates to do so.

The Grammy-nominated musician told the Times that the Me Too movement helped him confront the imbalance of power. “It all became so clear,” Whibley said, calling the catharsis of writing his memoir a “good way to move on from my past.”

Sharing the story from the Times on Instagram, Whibley wrote, “As excited as I am to share this open and honest memoir of my life story… I’m equally just as terrified.”

Post-Chuck, Sum 41 released four more albums before announcing last year that their eighth studio album Heaven:x: Hell, released earlier this year, would be their last. They are currently in the midst of their farewell tour, set to conclude early next year.

FAQs

Q: What actions did Deryck Whibley take after the alleged abuse?

A: Whibley confided in his ex-wife and current wife, sought support, and eventually parted ways with the accused manager.

Q: How did the Me Too movement impact Deryck Whibley’s decision to come forward?

A: Whibley mentioned that the Me Too movement helped him confront the power dynamics and inspired him to share his story.

Credit: ew.com