2 days ago
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The Banana Man thing really broke containment, and it seems like it had a heavy effect on the lives of all the people involved. Earlier this month, the Baltimore hardcore band End It played in Toronto on the final night of their tour with Terror, Pain Of Truth, and Start Today. There was a guy at that show in a banana costume, and that kind of look-at-me whimsy really doesn't go over well in certain corners of the hardcore community. End It were not amused.
During their set, End It frontman Akil Godsey said, "Banana guy, come to the front. Fuck are you doing, my n***a? No no no no no. You don't get rewarded for doing that shit. He wanted the attention, and now he has it." He then promised a setlist to anyone who would "strip the banana." The banana guy quickly lost his banana costume, and then he posted about it on Instagram: "People have been trying to dim my sparkle my entire life... I was an unwilling participant, attacked and clothing removed at the direction of a band I paid to see… What would you do?"
If you've been to enough hardcore shows, you've probably seen something like that. It happens. Part of the appeal of hardcore shows is that they involve a certain level of physical peril. You don't know what's going to happen to you when you walk through those doors, and you need to read that room and be aware when you might be pissing someone off. Stuff happens. I don't think that was a good idea on End It's part, but a lot of things that happen at hardcore shows aren't necessarily good ideas.
In a previous generation, the Banana Man story would've just been a funny thing that happened at a show, or maybe a cautionary tale. But now, everyone's got an opinion, even people who have never been to a hardcore show in their lives. The Banana Man discourse quickly got ridiculous. After I wrote about it back when it happened, I got a few emails from people (or maybe just one person, I don't know) who told me I was using rape-apologist logic when I said that it's maybe a bad idea to wear a banana costume to a hardcore show. Apparently, Godsey has been the target of racism and death threats since that show.
While all this was happening, End it stayed quiet. Last night, a visibly pissed-off Akil Godsey finally commented on the Banana Man incident in an Instgram video with this caption: "Thanks for the racism and death threats and dissertations. It’s all been very taxing. I’m gonna go raise my child now. Peace." Here's what he said in the clip:
The funniest thing to come out of all this is people telling me they were disappointed in me when the first song I ever wrote for this band is called "Give Up," which is where I instruct people to walk into the woods and commit suicide. You've obviously not been listening to the band, and I don't know what the fuck you thought was going on over here. We're a hardcore band. We do hardcore things. You don't have to come over here. You don't have to pay attention to me at fucking all.
Everyone in my life loves me very much. I'm very well taken care of. I do not need your attention or validation. I'll be just fine. Hey, if the band gotta quit, so be it. I guess I'll go to work. I'm a fully functioning adult male. I'll be just fine.
There's more to life than whatever the fuck you think is going on over here. You don't even know what's going on over here. We haven't spoken in ages. You're living off of assumptions. Don't assume. My parents taught me that. But have fun with the life you've made for yourself.
The Instagram post has supportive comments from people like Thursday's Geoff Rickly, former Jesus Piece frontman Aaron Heard, Nothing, and Nails. Watch the video below.
English (US) · 