At the Drive In - Incurably Innocent

At the Drive In's "Incurably Innocent" references Scientologist Danny Masterson, alleged rapist

https://twitter.com/cedricbixler_/status/880936896402161664

Speaking to NME, At the Drive In and The Mars Volta frontman Cedric Bixler Zavala called “Incurably Innocent” — one of the first songs to be released off ATDI’s newest album in·ter a·li·a — “a song about sexual abuse and being able to finally speak out.”

You might think that song was written and came out in the time since the allegations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein were made public, but actually that quote was published in February, six months before Harvey Weinstein’s accusers opened the floodgates! At the Drive In were truly ahead of the curve with this one without realizing it, though unfortunately we’re now realizing that it’s because the issue is so close to home for Cedric and more importantly his wife Chrissie Carnell Bixler.

In an interview with NME in August, Cedric continued talking about the song’s meaning, saying, “you kind of have to talk about the uncomfortable things and that’s what I’ve always gotten from being involved in any kind of things that’s remotely considered punk rock, getting up and talking about shit that makes people uncomfortable…hopefully it opens up a dialogue for someone listening to the record and reading between the lines and understanding that they’re not alone.”

Though some already knew, last week it came to light for many that Chrissie Carnell Bixler, Cedric’s wife, is one of the people accusing Danny Masterson of rape. In a police report against Masterson, obtained by Huffington Post, a woman says, “Masterson raped her while she was ‘passed out,’ and when she awoke and realized he was raping her, she struggled with him until he choked her and she passed out again.” The Church of Scientology intervened and stalled an investigation on Masterson, a longtime Scientologist, according to Huffington Post.

In a statement, Chrissie says the Church told her, in response to her report of the alleged rape: “Danny Masterson is a celebrity. He flourishes and prospers in life. You protect that and reward that.” She continues, “I was made to feel unimportant. I was made to feel like I didn’t matter. Like what Danny Masterson did to me didn’t matter. My body doesn’t matter, because it doesn’t belong to me. The trauma and emotional pain doesn’t matter, because I just don’t matter.”

In the wake of this increased attention on himself and his family, including what he describes as harassment from the Church of Scientology, Cedric tweeted, “U might wanna go back and re read my “nonsensical” lyrics off our last ATDI record.”

https://twitter.com/cedricbixler_/status/931239281795923977

We did exactly that, as well as found Cedric’s tweet hinting at all this from June (embedded at the tip of this post), and “Incurably Innocent” suddenly becomes even more specific. Lines like “And the faith that awarded his every move” have even more meaning, and the song even references the location of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in LA.

He keeps a-hiding your photograph
Of the moment that you needed to emasculate his
Photograph but you locked up in the trance of a memory
Photograph of the moment that you needed to emasculate his
Photograph but you locked up in the trance of a memory
Marching to the coffins on Franklin Avenue

Preyed on the anguish, you better run
Always dragging a finger across his throat
Man is the fixer to sage the ghosts
And the faith that awarded his every move

Twitter detectives have also been on the case:
https://twitter.com/craigneeson/status/931407669658873856

Meanwhile, we stand with Chrissie and all victims. Let us know if you find more specific references in the song or elsewhere on the album, and let’s hope justice is finally served.