Seaport Music Festival 15th Anniversary
photo by Amanda Hatfield

Merge Records cuts ties with Ian Svenonius

Last week, Ian Svenonius (of The Make-Up, Nation of Ulysses, Chain and the Gang, and other acts) released a statement in the wake of the shutdown of Burger Records amid allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse. “The trash fire burning through underground music is long overdue,” he wrote in a since-deleted post to Instagram. “I want to use this forum to say that i support people speaking out for the eradication of abusive predatory modes and also that i am absolutely one of the guilty parties. That, through my narcissism, egotism, and thoughtlessness, i have acted the creep. That i have made people i cared about and respected feel terrible, have been completely inappropriate to women.”

Merge Records, who released music from Escape-ism and Too Much (Svenonius’ project with Rich Morel), has now released a statement cutting ties with Svenonius. “We are pulling his catalog from our webstore, physical distributors, and streaming/download services,” they write. The information and allegations surrounding Ian’s post last Friday have been illuminating and disheartening. We see and stand with all those who have come forward and all those who haven’t, and we will continue working and listening to do our part in making the music community one that is safer and more inclusive for everyone.”

Merge Records has severed ties with Ian Svenonius moving forward, and we are pulling his catalog from our webstore, physical distributors, and streaming/download services. The information and allegations surrounding Ian’s post last Friday have been illuminating and disheartening. We see and stand with all those who have come forward and all those who haven’t, and we will continue working and listening to do our part in making the music community one that is safer and more inclusive for everyone.