Marek “Ashok” Smerda , guitarist for Cradle of Filth , announced this Tuesday, via social media, that he will be leaving the band at the end of their current Latin American tour.
The statement came a few days after his wife and former keyboardist Zoë Marie Federoff announced she would be leaving the band mid-tour.
Ashok posted the following message on his social media:
“Dear fans and friends, I ask that you respect my wife and me during this transition period. I am indeed leaving Cradle of Filth at the end of this tour, and the reasons for this are conclusions that my wife and I reached together long before this week. We simply don't feel that Cradle of Filth can secure our future, and in fact, it hinders it. Among other reasons, it's a lot of work for a relatively low salary, the stress is quite high, and for some time now we haven't felt that this band truly prioritizes/cares about its members. Years of unprofessional behavior from people above us have led us to this decision.”
I also requested that all of my compositions be removed from upcoming releases, including the collaboration with Ed Sheeran . That song seems like a silly joke to me at this point—first it was a charity single for children, then a for-profit single, then on the next album, and now, who knows, I simply don't want to be involved anymore, no disrespect to Ed Sheeran.
Marek “Ashok” Smerda asks fans to respect his wife.
The guitarist continued: “And meanwhile, so many ‘brilliant’ brains on the internet are trying to speculate about personal affairs between me and Zoe — please stop it. We’re trying to start a new chapter. And I’m going to finish this tour with everything I’ve got! For the fans and for my friends in the band and crew! It’s my last tour with Cradle and I’m proud to give it my all.”
I'm sad that I haven't been able to share the stage with my wife lately, but I respect her reason for leaving and I'm happy that our friend Kelsey Peters has had the opportunity to shine. That's all I have to say for now. Leave my wife alone. NEVER insult her or her choices in my presence… otherwise…”
Cradle of Filth keyboardist leaves band mid-tour.
Zoë Marie Federoff announced last Sunday, August 24th, through a statement on her social media , that she was leaving the band. The announcement came amidst Cradle of Filth's tour of Latin America. Her departure occurred shortly after their last show in Brazil, at the Carioca Club in São Paulo.
Shortly after, the keyboardist posted a new statement on her Facebook page, informing that, despite some band problems affecting their marriage, she and Marek “Ashok” are still married. She added that the plan was for them to leave Cradle of Filth together this year, but certain events within the band have brought their departure forward.
"Clarifying a few points, since so many people have decided to speculate in the worst possible way. Ashok is not cheating on me. Although the turbulence of being in the band has affected us, we remain absolutely certain that we love each other. Please be kind to my husband. He is a good man. We were already planning to leave the band this year. Certain events only accelerated it for me."
The keyboardist also asks fans to stop speculating and posting unpleasant things on her profile. Zoë Marie also asks fans to give lots of love to her replacement, Kelsey Peters .
"At this time there is nothing more I wish to clarify and I would appreciate it if you kept the unpleasant rumors out of my profile and my inbox. Please enjoy the remaining shows on this tour and give lots of love to Kelsey, who is one of the greatest singers I have ever had the privilege of listening to. You will love her."
The future of Cradle of Filth
Zoë Marie Federoff announced her departure from the band shortly after the show in São Paulo, last Saturday, August 23rd: “It is with regret that I share that, for personal reasons, I cannot continue this tour and continue in general with Cradle of Filth. Please respect my privacy and that of my family. I will not answer any questions. Be kind to my successor. I wish her and my now former colleagues all the best. At least, as Roy Khan said more than a decade ago, God was there in the end.”
Next, the official Cradle of Filth profile posted a statement confirming that the band will continue with the Latin American tour and announced Kelsey Peters as her replacement:
“Hello, Filthlings. An unexpected twist has occurred during Cradle of Filth’s South American tour. Our keyboardist and backing vocalist, Zoë Smerda, has decided to leave the band mid-tour, immediately. We, of course, wish her all the best for the future and will move forward, as always, now with her replacement on vocals, Kelsey Peters, one of the talented members of our team.”
“In life, it’s not always possible to predict what the future holds, but we will always remain professional and continue with the shows of 'The Screaming Of The Americas' tour for our fans, without letting any of this hinder our journey. Therefore, brothers and sisters of South and Central America, we’ll see you at the next relentless series of shows. The performances in Brazil have already been incredible, and we are deeply grateful for your massive and passionate presence, my friends and dark creatures.”
READ ALSO: Cradle Of Filth in São Paulo: A night of chaos, heaviness, and farewells
