Ex-Cradle of Filth Guitarist Issues Statement After His Exit from the Band: “This Is Not Goodbye”

What a wild week for the folks in Cradle of Filth. What started with the mid-tour exit of keyboardist/vocalist Zoë M. Federoff now also includes the firing of her husband and now ex-guitarist Marek “Ashok” Šmerda. All the while, Dani Filth and the remaining members of the band are forging on with their Latin American tour while replacements make their way into the fold.

Though Federoff quit effective immediately, Šmerda tried to give Cradle of Filth the ability to utilize his services until the end of the Latin American tour. That didn’t end up happening, however, because he was summarily let go by the band after posting his intentions to eventually leave the band.

Now, with the married couple now out of Cradle of Filth and left to pick up the pieces, Šmerda has once again taken to social media to express his feelings on the matter and to let fans know what’s next. His statement is as follows:

“I am home, finally. This has been hard week but I am so grateful to fans and friends for support.

“My fellow musicians who reach out particular, who know how much I needed people who understand situation – and the fans as well, I am grateful so many stand by the side of we who make the music instead of the business greedy. It is this support that makes music happen, because you inspire souls.

“I am still reading so many messages of warmth and literally close to tears, cannot believe how much love there is in this world. 12 years in Cradle, and before that my years in Root and other bands — it has been 25 year journey to today, and some of you with me the entire time — it is beyond humbling.

“Many of you may ask why now, after 12 years, did I choose this — we were promised changes and better days year after year, and we kept hoping for them to be real. I kept hoping because of you all. I kept going for you all. To deliver you music that brought you real joy was so incredible. I wish band had been better to us because I wanted to always be better to you.

“I also want to thank especially my wife for her courage in detailing so much of what has been wrong for long time. She now is telling me not to dare put down guitar — like I ever would, haha, I have more music to make, more to do with my life and my art, and she is right. I cannot put down guitar. I am not done creating, I am done being used for my creation but creativity continues. Something new begins. Something good. So, this is not goodbye — this is, hello, life is good, and you all helped make it to be so good.”

It really sounds like Šmerda is contritious about all this. And while he stands by his decision to leave, his statement reads to me like the words of someone who wishes things went down differently.

Remember, all of this started when both Federoff and Šmerda attempted to expose what they claimed was a toxic work environment largely perpetuated by the band’s management. In their complaints, they said management allegedly used manipulative tactics when dealing with the band, became well known for abusive behavior, made multiple attempts at stealing wages earned by artists, and offering “poverty wages” for session musicians. Federoff even claimed the working environment was so hard and toxic that it resulted in her suffering a miscarraige while out on tour. In her statement about her experience with Cradle of Filth, Federoff urged any potential replacements to “read the contract” and wrote:

“We left because we were being used and paid less than the cost of living, the environment is toxic and threatening… and the toll this was all taking on our lives and our marriage grew too great.”

As a result of all this, both members are no longer with Cradle of Filth and frontman Dani Filth has gone on to label Federoff and Šmerda’s complaints as “unjust and unfounded” against the management company.

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