Paramore’s drummer is speaking out about his brother’s homophobia that allegedly played a role in the band’s split nearly a decade ago.
Josh and Zac Farro both left the band following their “Brand New Eyes” tour back in 2010. At the time, Josh fueled rumors of discontent by pointing a finger at singer Hayley Williams and claiming the other members were constantly “treated as less important than” her by her family.
Things got more confusing when Zac ultimately rejoined as the band’s drummer in 2017, and a tweet from Williams a couple of years later seemingly referencing some jarring homophobic social media posts from Josh put his narrative spin in a new light.
Zac also shared a message of support for LGBTQ+ fans at the time, as he did not want them to think he shared his brother’s views.
The remaining members of Paramore — Zac, Williams, and bassist Taylor York — haven’t said much else about Josh over the years. But in a recent interview with The Guardian, Zac touched upon how his brother’s beliefs have impacted his life.
“You think when you’re a kid you’re gonna do everything together, and we did up to a certain point. Then we didn’t,” he said. “It’s definitely put a strain on the relationship but I actually think it’s been for the better recently. You can’t really be mad at that person — that’s what they chose. You have to choose if you’re going to show love.”
He also added that “some people’s worldview isn’t very acceptable online” and they “learn it the hard way sometimes.”
There can be a fine line between maintaining relationships with family members who have hateful beliefs to try to influence them for the better and unintentionally condoning such things. That sounds like something Williams has struggled with, as she chimed in with a note that she doesn’t always “want to do the work to think about people as nuanced figures.”
“Like Donald Trump, I don’t want to think about his dad and his dad’s dad and generational bullshit – no! I don’t want to have any grace for people like that,” she added. “But I think it’s the work of all of our lifetimes to be uncomfortable enough that we can move the needle in the right direction.”
Paramore is currently gearing up to release its new album after a long hiatus — This Is Why, which will be available February 10, 2023.
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